Good afternoon! Welcome to our first weekly look at how diversity is changing the workplace, as companies amend policies and issue pledges, employees alter their expectations, marketers rethink products and customers, and executives redefine corporate missions. I’m J.J. McCorvey, a reporter at The Wall Street Journal. As industries and companies, big and small, respond to these changes — which include the Supreme Court’s recent landmark ruling that civil-rights protections include LGBT workers — we’ll highlight important stories and information each week.

PHOTO: JIM WATSON/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES

About seven years ago, when I started covering issues of diversity and inclusion in the corporate world, the national dialogue sounded a lot different than it does today. The recent protests following the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others have prompted a renewed, more full-throated discussion about what companies should or should not do to address systemic racism and discrimination in their ranks and in the world.

We’ll bring stories about that to your inbox every week. Thanks for reading.

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1. The coronavirus pandemic and shutdown brought one of the most promising economies in recent memory for African-Americans to a crushing end. (Read the article)
2. The Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s cancellation of a program that provided legal protections to unauthorized immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. (Read the article)
3. One of the most important pipelines of African-American professional talent into corporate America, enrollment in M.B.A. programs, has been virtually stagnant for a decade. (Read the article)
4. New research suggests that banning salary history questions for job applicants provides considerable benefits for African-Americans and women. (Read the article)
5. Blackstone is throwing out a key section of its recruiting playbook in a bid to improve its hiring process and increase diversity. (Read the article)
6. A black-owned investment firm is suing New Jersey for racial bias, alleging the state pension "usurped" its ideas. (Read the article)
7. The FBI concluded that a noose found at Talladega Superspeedway was not a hate crime specifically targeting Nascar’s lone black driver, Bubba Wallace. But it was still a noose that hung unaddressed in racing’s workplace. (Read the article)

WSJ interviewed Tristan Walker, founder and CEO of Walker & Company Brands. Last week, global burger chain Shake Shack elected Mr. Walker to its board of directors. He also joined Foot Locker’s board in January and discusses the overlooked impact of board diversity and recent protest-driven corporate initiatives.

Q:	What opportunity did you see in joining Shake Shack’s board?

A:

I’ve cared deeply about the importance of the demographic shift happening in this country, and the influence of people of color on the world. I also care about brand, and its [potential] influence as a force for good in the world. One thing people might not realize is, roughly more than 70% of associates and employees at Shake Shack, and Foot Locker, are folks of color. The ability to help [these companies] understand their impact is important.

Q:	Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian recently gave up his seat to Michael Seibel, co-founder of Twitch and CEO of Y Combinator, and pledged to direct his stock gains to black community-focused initiatives. Can you talk more about the near- and long-term impact of board diversity?

A:

When companies are having conversations about board diversity, the first question is, Have you ever run a business? How big was that business? And it’s often folks who run billion-dollar companies. It might get glossed over, but as a 35-year-old black man, I am closest to the consumer. As boards expand, there’s the opportunity to source, vet, and introduce new potential board members.

Q:	Recently, Sephora pledged to allocate 15% of its shelf space to black-owned brands. Do you have thoughts on these new company initiatives, and which ones have real teeth?

A:

First, I want to celebrate everybody who’s acting. But when I think about companies making similar pledges, it always comes down to proportionality. The issue is that it becomes a cap. If people of color are already the majority in the world, what’s the argument against more than that? We need to plow through that wall.

▶️ Black professionals talk race and work: The killing of George Floyd on May 25 sparked protests over police brutality and systemic racism. WSJ’s Darren Everson spoke with black professionals to discuss their experiences and what changes they’d like to see.

"This is my day job, and being black is like my other job." The nation’s latest reckoning over its racial divisions is stirring up painful emotions and raising hard questions for many black professionals, including Brigette Lumpkins. "It's a heavy lift," she said. 

Formula One + Diversity: Six-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton will set up a commission to increase diversity in motorsport. (Associated Press)

High Unemployment Rate for Latinos: After dropping slightly to 17.6%, the unemployment rate among Latinos remains the highest of all ethnic and racial groups. (NBC News)

Affirmative Action in California: The University of California votes unanimously to restore affirmative action for admissions, 24 years after the board voted unanimously to repeal it. (The Root)

Stories in today's Diversity+Business newsletter were selected by Ebony Reed, New Audiences Chief; J.J. McCorvey, Reporter; with assistance from Lora Western, Deputy Editor, Publishing Desk.