Biden Administration Considers Updating Racial and Ethnic Categories in Response to Comments from Various Individuals and Organizations

The Biden administration is currently considering updating the nation’s racial and ethnic categories for the first time since 1997. This decision is based on the more than 4,600 comments submitted by various individuals and organizations.

Nyhiem Way, Shalini Parekh, and Byron Haskins are three of the voices included in the comments. Way is weary of people conflating African American and Black, while Parekh wants a way for South Asian people to identify themselves differently than East Asians. Haskins, who identifies as African American, wants the U.S. to toss racial and ethnic labels altogether.

Other comments include some Jewish Americans wanting their religion to be recognized in how they are identified, and some Black Americans wanting their ancestors’ enslavement recognized in how they are identified.

The Biden administration is taking these comments into consideration as they contemplate updating the nation’s racial and ethnic categories. The decision is expected to be announced in the near future.

The potential changes to the nation’s racial and ethnic categories are a part of the Biden administration’s larger goal of creating a more equitable society. The administration is hopeful that the changes will help to better recognize and celebrate the diversity of the American people.