Today, oral arguments begin in the appeal of SFFA v. Harvard. Although a federal court ruled last year that Harvard does not discriminate against Asian Americans in its undergraduate admissions process, SFFA filed an appeal in the First Circuit Court of Appeals.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five civil rights organizations, alongside over 60 Asian American groups and 25 professors, with Fox Rothschild LLP filed an amicus brief today in support of race-conscious holistic admissions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Participants in this brief whole-heartedly attest that race-conscious admissions policies result in more equitable and integrated universities and enhance the educational experiences of all students.
Boston, Massachusetts -- Today, four former and current Harvard students will testify during trial in the lawsuit challenging Harvard’s race-conscious admissions policies (Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) vs. Harvard). Represented by Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing Justice) and Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers’ Committee), these individuals will speak in support of Harvard’s race-conscious holistic admissions policy and the importance of a diverse campus.
Following the #DefendDiversity Week of Action, today marks the start of the trial Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard University, a case that puts the future of affirmative action into question.
Today, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing Justice) alongside the National Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Boston-based Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice, and pro bono counsel, Arnold & Porter, filed an amicus curiae, “friend of the court,” brief on behalf of a diverse group of students, including Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, who support Harvard’s race-conscious holistic admissions policy.
In the coming months, millions of rising high school seniors will be visiting college campuses and hustling to get a head start on their application materials, just as I did twenty years ago.
This month, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, a national affiliation of civil rights organizations focused on serving the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, and several prospective AAPI Harvard students joined a diverse group of black, Latino, and Native American students to support Harvard's race-conscious admissions program against attacks that the program intentionally discriminates against Asian American applicants. I am one of those students.
Statement from Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles
December 27, 2016
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles is concerned that multiple stories have appeared in Chinese language media that misrepresent our organization, our work, and our positions, particularly on the complex issue of affirmative action. We issue the following statement to clarify what we do and what we stand for:
Advancing Justice-LA's helplines prioritize assistance to low-income persons in the following areas of law: family, immigration, public benefits, employment, housing, and civil rights.
| English: | 888.349.9695 |
| 需要協助嗎: | 800.520.2356 |
| 도움이 필요하십니까: | 800.867.3640 |
| Tagalog: | 855.300.2552 |
| ต้องการความช่วยเหลือ: | 800.914.9583 |
Our mission is to advocate for civil rights, provide legal services and education, and build coalitions to positively influence and impact Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and to create a more equitable and harmonious society.