Pat Stevens/
Two African-Americans of Nigerian descent, Funmi Olorunnipa Badejo and Linda Etim, have joined the growing rank of black staffers that have left the White House since the exodus, which some have termed: Blaxit, began late last year.
Etim, National Security Council senior director and Badejo, White House associate counsel, were among those affected by the latest round of mass exits.
Two possible reasons for the exits, according to some staffers, include a work environment with little support from their superiors and fewer chances for promotion.
The first big exit came in December, when Kamala Harris’ senior adviser and chief spokesperson Symone Sanders announced she was leaving. Since then, Harris senior aides Tina Flournoy, Ashley Etienne and Vincent Evans, and public engagement head Cedric Richmond have left.
Aside Etim and Badejo, others who have also announced their departure include, public engagement aide, Carissa Smith; gender policy aide, Kalisha Dessources Figures; digital engagement director, Cameron Trimble; chief of staff Ron Klain advisers, Elizabeth Wilkins and Niyat Mulugheta; press assistant, Natalie Austin; National Economic Council aides, Joelle Gamble and Connor Maxwell and presidential personnel aides, Danielle Okai, Reggie Greer and Rayshawn Dyson.
Deputy White House counsel, Danielle Conley and Council of Economic Advisers aide, Saharra Griffin are among others planning to leave in the coming weeks, according to White House officials.
The exodus has raised concerns among outside observers who push for the diversification of government ranks.
“I have heard about an exodus of Black staffers from the White House — ‘Blaxit’ — and I am concerned,” said Spencer Overton, president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, which tracks government staff diversity numbers.
“Black voters accounted for 22 percent of President Biden’s voters in November 2020. It is essential that Black staffers are not only recruited to serve in senior, mid-level and junior White House positions, but are also included in major policy and personnel decisions and have opportunities for advancement, he added.”
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