Biden has selected Tom Vilsack, who previously served as the secretary of agriculture under Barack Obama, to lead the department once again. This decision brings the total number of cabinet members chosen by Biden to seven. If confirmed, Vilsack would join other diverse nominees, such as Lloyd Austin and Xavier Becerra, in fulfilling Biden's promise to create an administration that reflects the diversity of America. However, Biden faces pressure from various groups with differing opinions on how to achieve this goal. The selection process for key positions has proven to be a complex puzzle for Biden and his team as they strive to find qualified candidates who align with the president-elect's vision and contribute to a diverse administration. Rep. James Clyburn and other allies of Marcia Fudge have advocated for her appointment to the Agriculture Department, where she aims to shift the agency's focus towards addressing hunger in urban areas. Instead of choosing Fudge, Biden decided to appoint Vilsack, who is white and comes from a significant rural farming state. This decision to place Fudge at HUD, which some advocacy groups see as a more typical role for a Black secretary, may disappoint those who supported her, including members of the Congressional Black Caucus, which she used to lead. The current housing secretary, Ben Carson, is also Black. Shortly after Biden announced Austin as his defense secretary pick, a group of Black civil rights activists called on him to nominate a Black attorney general and prioritize civil rights issues, as he had promised during his campaign. In an interview on Tuesday, civil rights leader and talk show host Al Sharpton mentioned that President-elect Biden had made specific commitments during a meeting in Houston before Sharpton delivered the eulogy for George Floyd. Sharpton emphasized the importance of keeping promises. While Biden has not yet announced his choice to lead the Justice Department, potential candidates include Sen. Doug Jones, Sally Yates, and Judge Merrick Garland. Jeh Johnson, a Black former secretary of homeland security under Obama, removed himself from consideration for the position of attorney general. During an interview with CNN, Biden acknowledged that advocacy groups are constantly pushing for what they want, as that is their job. He defended his Cabinet picks as the most diverse in American history. Advocates are not taking any chances, as evidenced by a two-hour meeting between the president-elect, vice president-elect, Sharpton, and other civil rights leaders. Sharpton emphasized the need for an attorney general with a civil rights background in response to the previous administration. Derrick Johnson from the NAACP urged Biden to create a civil rights envoy position in the West Wing to report directly to the president, similar to the climate envoy position held by John Kerry. “We believe that there should be a national adviser on racial justice who holds a similar position.” During the Democratic primary, Biden benefited from Sharpton’s decision to remain neutral instead of endorsing Bernie Sanders. In the general election, Harris was supported by Sharpton’s advocacy for a Black woman on the ticket, rather than endorsing Stacey Abrams. This has given Sharpton some influence with the Biden-Harris transition team as they select members for the administration. Additionally, a group of over 1,000 prominent Black women expressed concerns to Biden about the lack of Black women candidates for top positions in his administration and urged him to improve the diversity. The women in the letter are calling for the recognition and consideration of the effective leadership of Black women in positions of significant policy that impacts the nation. Fudge, who was recommended by the women and had campaigned to become Biden's agriculture secretary, expressed her willingness to support the president in any way possible after being selected for the HUD position. In the past, Fudge considered challenging Speaker Pelosi but ultimately decided to endorse her after being assured that Black women would have a voice in decision-making in Congress. Now, Fudge will leave her role in Congress to lead the nation's housing agency. Her leaving will contribute to another challenge: how to uphold the Democratic Party's narrow lead in the House, which has decreased to only a few seats since the November elections. President Biden's choice to select Rep. Cedric Richmond, an African American Democrat from Louisiana, as a senior advisor in the White House, already indicated that the party would need to protect that position. Biden's decision to appoint Fudge for his Cabinet requires Democrats to secure another special election to fill her seat.