Statement of the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. on The Court's Decision on Affirmative Action

The 100 Black Men of America vehemently disapproves of the Supreme Court's Decision to ban Affirmative Action in college and universities admissions.

ATLANTA, June 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Supreme Court's decision in Students For Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College declaring affirmative action programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina will have serious repercussions for all of higher education. This ruling further erodes racial equality and will negatively impact access and equity in higher education possibly leading to a downward spiral that limits future employment options and decreases the quality of life for Blacks and other minorities. The effect of the case could creep into other sectors of our society. We invite all people committed to social justice in this country to work together to develop a response. We also encourage them to focus their efforts not simply decrying the Court's decision,  but also working toward developing programmatic initiatives and systemic remedies that ameliorate the consequential effects of bias and discrimination that are too pervasive in our society.

In expressing our disappointment in the Court's decision, The 100 Black Men of America, Inc agrees with Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor in her dissenting opinion. She stated that "The devastating impact of this decision cannot be overstated." She went on to say that "Today, this Courts stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress." In this decision, the Court essentially looks to cement a rule of color-blindness. However, the reality is that race plays a factor and role in essentially every aspect of our society. This latest ruling is one in a series that this Supreme Court has rendered, when combined with the policies and practices in this Court and in various states that assault voting rights act, eliminates culturally based curriculum in schools and colleges, and dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, effectively turns back the clock on civil rights, women rights, and social justice.

The experiences of states like California show, with data, that banning Affirmation Action has negative impacts on students of color, specifically those who identify as Black. The Washington post has presented data that proves that universities have lost gains made in respect to diversifying their student population when they looked to provide alternative measures to provide an equitable application process for Black students. The part of the discussion that is lost in the noise is that the far right conservative Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) used a few Asians to bring the case before the Court even though no Asian student appeared before the Court. Thus, this results in pitting oppressed groups against other oppressed people to gain traction and support for their agenda. This notion was affirmed in a statement from the non-profit Asian American Advocacy Fund. The official statement from this group stated the following:

"The white supremacist agenda behind these lawsuits used the small number of Asian Americans against affirmative action as pawns in their effort- weaponizing the model minority myth to divide our communities."

Given the history of discrimination based on race in this country, the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. vociferously opposes  the Court's decision on Affirmative Action. In fact, we believe that affirmative action is one of several tools that should be used to address the historical atrocities aimed at Blacks and other minorities. Until there is truly equal opportunity in all zip codes of this nation, the argument of color-blindness is a hollow myth. Associate Justice Brown stated it well in saying "…deeming race irrelevant in the law does not make it so in life."

The 100 Black Men of America will continue to advocate for equality and equity in higher education and in other arenas impacting the young people that we serve. As an organization, we work constantly to uplift the quality of life and future growth across our community through leadership in the vital areas of mentoring, education, health and wellness and economic empowerment. We will not only speak out; we will also act. 

1. In addition to this statement that condemns Court's decision, we are calling on all the men in our organization to join us to discuss specific ways in which local chapters can be more intentional in developing a unified front and being more intentional in developing programs that support our communities nationally. We seek a united and intentional response to this miscarriage of justice.
2. We are working intentionally with other civic organizations to provide a unified front in this fight against the erosion of our rights.
3. We will further provide tangible action steps for each local Chapter and our stakeholders during our convening at the Congressional Black Caucus and later during our HBCU Sustainability Summit that will convene in the Winter. 

While we recognize that this Court ruling is a direct attack on the gains made over the last fifty years and is an attempt to derail our future, we will not allow such an egregious decision to dampen our resolve to  promote civil and human rights. We will stand unified, and most importantly, we will stand together with other allies to address this matter. Stand with us to provide a better future and demonstrate, especially to our youth, that "What they see is what they will be." 

"Chance never satisfies the hope of a suffering people. It is only through hard work, persistence, and self-reliance by which the oppressed ever realize the light of their own freedom." (Marcus Garvey)

SOURCE 100 Black Men of America, Inc.