Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner drank a glass of chocolate milk during a Black History Month event to show he’s committed to diversity.
“It’s really, really good. Diversity!” Rauner said Wednesday, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The milk drinking was prompted by Hyatt Hotels diversity and inclusions executive Tyronne Stoudemire, who is black. Stoudemire poured a glass of milk to represent white men who lead most organizations.
“This chocolate syrup represents diversity,” he said as he poured it into the milk.
The syrup sank to the bottom of the glass.
“When you look at most organizations, diversity sits at the bottom of the organization,” Stoudemire continued. “You don’t get inclusion until you actually stir it up.”
Rauner stirred the concoction to turn it into chocolate milk and then drank it.
Stoudemire told the Chicago Tribune he’s been using the metaphor for more than a decade to show there’s a lack of diversity in leadership at Fortune 500 companies. He added that Rauner “didn’t know what he was getting into.”
“This was the event moderator’s example of diversity that an audience of all ages could see and understand. It was one of two demonstrations at the event, both of which received ovations from the crowd,” Rauner’s spokeswoman Rachel Bold told the news outlet.
