LEAP Statement on SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action
As an organization committed to a vision of diverse leaders driving change for the benefit of all communities, LEAP joins a myriad of organizations across multiple diverse communities to express disappointment in yesterday’s United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina.
The ruling, which struck down race-conscious admissions in higher education, rolled back multiple decisions made over five decades and in doing so, represents a large step backwards for equity, justice, inclusion, and belonging. In workplaces around the country, employees and team members have been encouraged for the last three decades to “bring your authentic or whole self to work.” Now, generations of young people, who will be applying to universities and colleges, are being told that sharing their whole self is unnecessary. Instead, they need to hide parts of who they are because their race doesn’t matter. Whether it is affirmative action, police brutality, voter suppression or anti-Asian hate: race matters.
As Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in her dissent, "Ignoring race will not equalize a society that is racially unequal….Equality requires acknowledgment of inequality.”
Nearly 30 years ago, LEAP published a collection of essays, during the height of the affirmative action debate in California, by a diverse array of community leaders to educate and inform readers about the complexities and implications of affirmative action on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders and all Americans. Sadly, the issues presented in the publication, “Common Ground: Perspectives on Affirmative Action…and its impact on Asian Pacific Americans,” are still as relevant today as it was 30 years ago.
Numerous studies prove the benefits and positive impacts of diversity whether it is in the classroom, the conference room or the boardroom. A diverse student body facilitated by affirmative action brings together people with different life experiences, unique perspectives, and a variety of cultures. Students immersed in these environments are better prepared to lead diverse, global teams; become inclusive, innovative leaders; and create cultures where everyone can feel like they belong.
We stand on the shoulders and backs of those who have come before us and have enabled us to have opportunities. We need to keep those doors to possibilities and options open for the next generation of Asian Americans, Black/African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders who follow us by demanding and ensuring that colleges and universities center diversity not legacy, expand equitable access, and create opportunities for students of all means. Giving someone a chance to succeed does not mean less or nothing for another. Our future as a diverse, multicultural, leadership rich, economically strong society requires it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Linda Akutagawa (she/hers) is President and CEO of LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics), an organization she has led for the last 10 years. She is committed to developing Asian and Pacific Islanders leaders, and from the classroom to the boardroom, she actively advocates for inclusive pathways for diverse leaders.