Sharpton adviser, activist voice support for ex-Harvard president at Ackman picket: ‘Talented Black woman'

Rev. Al Sharpton's senior adviser and activists said ex-Harvard President Claudine Gay should still be in charge and expressed support for DEI initiatives.

Nikolas Lanum is an associate editor for Fox News Digital.

"President Gay's resignation is about more than a person or a single incident," Sharpton, who is also a MSNBC host, said in a press release ahead of the picket. "This is an attack on every Black woman in this country who's put a crack in the glass ceiling. It's an assault on the health, strength, and future of diversity, equity, and inclusion – at a time when Corporate America is trying to back out of billions of dollars in commitments. Most of all, this was the result of Bill Ackman's relentless campaign against President Gay, not because of her leadership or credentials but because he felt she was a DEI hire." Fox News' Breck Dumas contributed to this report.

He said at the protest that Ackman's successful campaign against Gay was just the "canary in the coal mine," claiming the Harvard alum's "campaign against DEI will only pick up steam."