Mike Quigley: “diversity'' has become a bad word here in D.C., but diversity has never been a weakness. It has always been our greatest…”

“diversity'' has become a bad word here in D.C., but diversity has never been a weakness. It has always been our greatest strength. Without the calculations of Katherine Johnson, a Black mathematician at NASA, American astronauts may never have successfully returned from space. Without the code talkers, Native Americans who turned their indigenous language into an unbreakable code, American soldiers may not have been victorious in the Second World War. Without the bravery of the Tuskegee Airmen who courageously flew into battle abroad, despite facing discrimination at home, the freedom of all Americans might have been at risk. Throughout this Nation's history, countless people have had to fight for their right to be included. My good friend Brad Lang, and his father, Donald, are powerful examples of that fight. In 1942, Donald W. Lang, Sr., enlisted in the Army with dreams of becoming a pilot. Like many men at the time, Donald felt it was his duty to serve his country, but despite scoring well on the aptitude test, he, like many other qualified Black men, was forced to wait while White pilots were fast-tracked for training. By the time he was accepted for pilot training at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1945, the Second World War was coming to a close. While he never made it overseas, Mr.…”