Senator Warner attended a roundtable with several Senate colleagues for members of African-American media organizations today. The senators took questions from leading national and Capitol Hill-based reporters about how to increase economic opportunities for people of color.

The Senator talked about his efforts to combat discrimination and promote equal opportunity. Before he served in elected office, for instance, Senator Warner worked to extend the promise of the Internet to Virginia’s African-American community through a nonprofit organization working through the faith community. He also set-up a nonprofit program to help African-American college students land internships and eventually jobs in the technology industry.

“When I was Governor, we were able to bully the legislature into approving a $2.2 million in scholarships to those who lost educational opportunities due to Massive Resistance and Virginia’s decision to close rather than integrate its schools in the late 1950’s and 60s. However, history affects us but doesn't always change us. I vividly recall the very day those first scholarship recipients came to the Virginia Capitol to celebrate, the legislature was adopting some of the strongest anti-gay marriage legislation in the country.”

Senator Warner also talked about how increasing opportunities for minorities just makes good business sense.

“If 30% of Virginians are people of color, and 50% are women, that’s a whole lot of people,” the Senator said. “If you don’t help to empower that many people, that is a stupid business decision for the Commonwealth.”