I'm calling bullshit. It's an excuse to get a free day off from work.
And if you truly can't work because you are stressed that a black person got killed, then you are too much of a pain in the ass for anyone to hire you.
I have a dead child - how's that for mental health - and I still manage to go to work. So shut up.
You miss the point - corporate productivity improves if the Affirmative Action hires just stay home. As long as they are on the payroll for statistical purposes, it’s a win-win situation.
Would you really prefer for them to show up complaining and disrupting the work flow? Then get a job in a federal office and see how the real world works. It’s easier to work around someone that isn’t there. Give them a mission achievement award for not showing up.