North Carolina House lawmakers examined local government diversity initiatives Wednesday during a committee hearing focused on programs in Asheville and Raleigh.
The Republican-led legislature has passed several laws in recent years limiting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in public institutions, citing concerns about racial preference. The House Select Committee on Government Efficiency met in Raleigh to hear from critics of such initiatives.
Asheville attorney Ruth Smith, a former legislative candidate, testified that DEI-related programs in Asheville and Buncombe County appear to allocate resources based on race. Smith argued these actions violate the 14th Amendment, federal anti-discrimination laws, and the North Carolina Constitution.
Smith cited the Buncombe Racial Equity Plan and several education-related initiatives, including a summer internship program for high school students that she said excluded white and Asian applicants. The program, Buncombe County Justice Partners, is funded by the Buncombe County Bar and the city of Asheville.
Smith also cited the Asheville Black Scholarship Fund, established with $500,000 from a legal settlement over water fees. She said the initial fund excluded all but Black students. Following a lawsuit, the scholarship was revised to include all students. A scholarship for Black teachers remains, Smith said.
No representatives from Asheville or Buncombe County testified at the hearing. It is unclear whether they were invited.
Rep. Brian Echevarria, a Republican from Cabarrus County, asked how the local governments justified the programs. Smith said officials used data on racial disparities to guide allocation of resources but asserted that race-based decision-making by government violates constitutional protections.
Later in the session, Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell and City Manager Marchell Adams-David testified in response to lawmakers’ concerns about DEI efforts within Raleigh’s government.
Cowell said Raleigh began suspending equity initiatives in early 2025 to comply with a series of executive orders issued by President Donald Trump prohibiting the use of federal funds for DEI programs. These included a pause on equity training and an equity action plan.
Concerns about Raleigh’s programs were raised after a conservative activist recorded a video posing as a job applicant and inquiring about the city’s DEI activities.
“We became aware of it when y’all asked us to appear,” Cowell said.
Adams-David said Raleigh does not use hiring quotas or promote individuals based on race. She said the city’s inclusion efforts focus on economic development programs aimed at broadening business opportunities.
One example she provided was a small business expo designed to help local entrepreneurs connect with resources. Cowell added the city is working on helping retiring business owners transfer ownership to employees to keep businesses and wealth local.
The House committee has been reviewing DEI-related policies across North Carolina amid broader legislative efforts to restrict such programs in schools, universities, and state agencies.
Raleigh and Asheville are both led by Democratic officials and have been focal points in recent state-level scrutiny of DEI practices.
