Senate Democrats see record number of diverse staffers, even as diversity is ‘demonized and distorted’

EXCLUSIVE: An annual diversity survey shows that 42% of Democratic Senate staffers are Black and Brown, a slight increase from 2024.

Senate Democrats are touting a record number of diverse staffers working in their offices, in direct conflict with the political climate in Washington, D.C., as the Trump administration declares war on DEI.

TheGrio exclusively reports that the 2025 Senate Democratic Diversity Initiative, an annual survey, found that the diversity of Capitol Hill staffers has reached its highest levels since being recorded in 2017.

“At a time when diversity is being demonized and distorted in too many corners of this country, I’m proud to report that more staffers of color are serving in our caucus than ever before in history,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer in a statement provided to theGrio.

“Diversity isn’t just a value — it’s a strength, a strategy, and a necessity for a government that truly serves the people. Since becoming Leader, I’ve made it a priority to build a Senate Democratic workforce that reflects the rich diversity of the American people.”

This year’s diversity survey shows that 42% of Democratic Senate staffers are Black and Brown, a slight increase from 41% in 2024. Additionally, 57% of staffers are women.

While Black Americans make up 13% of Senate Democratic staffers–comparably to their total population in the United States–Latinos saw the highest share of 16%. Asian American and Pacific Islanders made up 11%, and Middle Eastern/North Africans and Native Americans both made up 2% of staffers. Staffers who identified as LGBTQ represent 16% of the Senate Democratic workforce.

Senate Democratic offices now employ 39% more staffers of color than they did in 2017. There have also been diversity gains among senior Democratic Senate staff, as 25% of Democratic chiefs of staffs and 26% of committee staff directors are people of color, the survey found.

Senate Democrats celebrating the diversity of their staff is politically poignant amid President Donald Trump‘s broad executive chokehold on DEI, which he has banned across the federal government. As a result, thousands of Black and Brown federal employees were laid off or fired–disproportionately impacting Black women–and millions of dollars in federal funding to address things like environmental racism and the racial wealth gap have been clawed back.

“Our nation has always drawn its greatest strength from its diversity — and we are stronger when every voice has a seat at the table,” said Senator Schumer, who tasked Senate Democrats to conduct the annual survey to encourage “transparency and progress in achieving a definition of diversity and inclusion emblematic of the party and the country,” according to this office.

Schumer’s office said the survey equips the Democratic caucus with the knowledge and brain trust to “identify trends” and “close gaps” as it relates to disparities.

“These numbers mark meaningful progress, but they are not the finish line. Senate Democrats will keep pushing forward — because I believe the more inclusive our halls of power become, the more just, more capable, and more representative our democracy will be,” said Schumer.

During a conversation with theGrio for Juneteenth last month, Senator Cory Booker, D-N.J., said working with Senator Schumer to increase the Democratic Senate caucus’ staff diversity statistics when he entered the U.S. Senate more than a decade ago has been one of his “greatest legacies.”

Booker shared that Schumer initially received “pushback” from Senators because “their numbers were embarrassing.”

“Every year we’ve done it…the number of minorities on people’s staffs and women has skyrocketed, [including] minorities and women in positions of power on Senate staffs. Because as great [we] think we are, our staff do all the work when it comes to writing legislation [and] bringing forward policy ideas,” said Booker.

Senator Booker recalled a number of bills that Black staffers in particular played a role in advancing just by virtue of being in the room.

“People who bring different lived experiences help to make for better teams and the presence of African Americans here…has done nothing but make the Senate a more effective and better representative body. But we still have more work to do, and in every way,” he told theGrio.

As Booker is joined by a record number of Black Senators, including Sens. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, he said he would like to see the Senate tackle other diversity issues such as ensuring minorities are playing a role in managing government pensions and ensuring that the Democratic Senate’s political arm is spending its ad dollars on Black media.

“These are questions that all of us in this room have responsibilities to call,” said Booker. “I’m hearing the chorus of growing voices, not just asking these questions, but demanding actions when those answers come back unsatisfactory.”