STATEMENT: AAPI Victory Alliance on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard
WASHINGTON — Today, the Supreme Court issued a ruling disallowing Harvard University from considering race in its admissions process. AAPI Victory Alliance issued the following statement.
AAPI Victory Alliance Chair Dr. Tung Nguyen issued the following statement:
“Today’s ruling is the first step to undo decades of work that leaders in all of our communities of color have been building. But we have been preparing for this moment, so we will continue to defend diversity and affirm opportunity for all BIPOC students.
“As an Asian American parent who has gone through the admissions process with my own children, I can absolutely empathize because I know what it feels like to worry about my child’s future. But I question the worth of an admissions letter to an elite world where anti-Asian hate is rampant because we have purchased it by trading away racial solidarity against white supremacy.”
AAPI Victory Alliance Executive Director Varun Nikore issued the following statement:
“We know this decision leaves some questions unanswered. But these are the facts that we know to be true:
The majority of Asian Americans surveyed say they favor “affirmative action programs designed to help Black people, women and other minorities get better access to higher education.”
Some studies have shown that Asian American students’ chances of admission to highly selective colleges actually increase when race-conscious policies are in place.
Most important: this is only a ruling on admissions procedures. Education institutions can still provide targeted programming to support students who might need extra resources to apply and graduate from higher education institutions.
“As we move forward, folks should keep in mind that there was no individual Asian American plaintiff who came forward because they were personally discriminated against in the Harvard admissions process.
“The arc of the moral universe bends towards justice, but it’s long and takes work. Our AAPI community will not be used as a wedge to future white supremacist goals!”
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