Illinois governor demonstrates diversity by drinking chocolate milk

File - Gov. Bruce Rauner R-Ill. spoke about workplace diversity at a Black History Month event in Chicago Wednesday. (Reuters)

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner illustrated his commitment to workplace diversity in the state Wednesday -- by drinking a glass of chocolate milk.

Rauner was joined onstage by Tyronne Stoudemire — Hyatt Hotels’ vice president of global diversity — for a presentation about diversity in the workplace during a Black History Month event, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Stoudemire, who is black, poured the governor a glass of milk he said represents the white men at the top of most organizations. He added chocolate syrup to “represent diversity” and it sank right to the bottom of the glass.

“When you look at most organizations, diversity sits at the bottom of the organization,” Stoudemire said. “You don’t get inclusion until you actually stir it up,” he said, and prompted Rauner to start stirring.

“It’s really, really good,” Rauner said after taking a sip. “Diversity!”

Stoudemire told the Chicago Tribune that he has used the chocolate milk act for 16 years to simply display the lack of diversity at top Fortune 500 companies and added that the governor “didn’t know what he was getting into” and credited him for “his willingness to step up.”

He didn’t comment on the governor’s efforts to increase diversity in Illinois’ government.

According to a spokeswoman for Rauner, the chocolate milk demonstration received a standing ovation from the crowd.