The recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions have us carrying the heavy burdens of continued systematic racism and violation of human rights. These decisions will change the course of our country’s affirmative action admission practices for people of color entering higher education, LGBTQIA+ equal access protections, and student loan forgiveness aimed at supporting individuals and families with the greatest need. We know that historically, systems of power in this country, such as public K-12 education and institutions of higher education, have been utilized as tools to advance and protect systemic racism. The impact of this truth is highlighted by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in her dissent in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and the University of North Carolina, “[g]ulf-sized race-based gaps exist concerning the health, wealth, and well-being of American citizens. They were created in the distant past, but have indisputably been passed down to the present day through the generations.” We must do all that we can to narrow and ultimately eliminate these gaps. These decisions cut against all that we value at LEAL.
As an organization that was founded to increase Latinx representation at the highest levels of leadership in charter schools, we believe affirmative action and loan forgiveness play a critical role in our mission. Equitable and affordable college access is fundamental to social mobility and dismantling racial and economic injustices. Affirmative action is a policy that effectively increases college graduates of color and increases the diversity of the talent pipeline to enter the educated workforce. As Latinx leaders, we too have benefited from increased diversity in our college trajectory: from professors to mentors who were direct benefactors of this policy who helped us sharpen our leadership vision towards equality and justice.
The system of higher education has not been designed for equitable access. Financial costs and barriers to higher education continue for the most marginalized communities. Many in our community acquired tens of thousands in student debt to earn our degrees. Today, more than one in five U.S. families hold student loan debt, with a disproportionate burden falling on Black and Latinx families. Until we see sweeping change in the value and access that employers and government agencies place on advanced degrees, higher education remains the primary pathway for the Black and Latinx communities to achieve career mobility and access wealth.
We must also note that these court cases seek to divide communities of color, but it is vital for us to recognize the interconnectedness of our fates and reject divisiveness. Affirmative action has been a tool for promoting diversity and equality, benefiting all communities of color. At LEAL, we seek to coalition-build and dismantle white supremacy through educational efforts.
Although this past week’s decisions are deeply troubling, we must give heed to Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent in Harvard, “society’s progress toward equality cannot be permanently halted . . . the pursuit of racial diversity will go on.” It is now critical for leaders to be even more intentional in how they create diverse and inclusive environments — taking actions such as abolishing degree requirements, creating opportunities for skill-based advancement, and increasing outreach to underrepresented groups, to name a few.
We must act now and be even more relentless in preparing students for pathways to college readiness and creating inclusive workplaces that see, promote, and intentionally advocate for people of all backgrounds. In the words of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, “Deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.”
At LEAL, we call upon ourselves and others to:
1.) Produce content to inform leaders, such as today’s piece on what organizations need to know and how they can respond to decisions that prevent representation.
2.) Build community by hosting events and conversations led by experts in skill-based hiring, civil rights, the rights of LGBTQIA+, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) on the steps leaders can take to protect diverse and inclusive organizations.
3.) Call for organizations to continue to build a culture where everyone feels seen and valued by employing skill-based and inclusive hiring practices, being intentional about representation, supporting and embracing all identity groups, and centering equity and belonging in policies and decisions.
4.) We commit to increasing the educational pipeline for Latinx children through high-quality education by developing and elevating Latinx leaders that will grow the next generation of change-makers
While incredibly disappointed by these rulings, we are not deterred. We remain fiercely committed to taking action on behalf of our community and fighting for educational equity and representation.
!Pa’delante!