On Oct. 30, 2022, San Diego Asian Americans For Equality (SDAAFE), represented by SDAAFE President Dr. Joan Chen and co-founder Mr. Frank Xu, joined an “Equal Education Rights for All” Rally in Washington, D.C., which was organized by the Asian American Coalition for Education (AACE) and 15 partner organizations, including SDAAFE.
The rally, held in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, was in support of the landmark lawsuits by Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Hundreds of parents, students and concerned citizens with diverse racial backgrounds joined the rally and the march, and flew in from states across the country, including VA, MD, NC, NJ, NY, CT, FL, TX, UT and CA. Over 20 speakers with diverse racial backgrounds delivered inspirational speeches. For more info: https://asianamericanforeducation.org/en/home/
On Oct. 31, 2022, Dr. Joan Chen and Mr. Frank Xu joined about 30 community leaders to watch a 5-hour Supreme Court hearing through C-SPAN Live Stream. The three lawyers arguing in favor of UNC’s affirmative action program were Ryan Park, US Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, and David Hinojosa, who represented UNC students who are defending the program. The two lawyers arguing in favor of Harvard’s affirmative action program were US Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar and former US Solicitor General Seth Waxman. The lawyers who represented SFFA were Patrick Strawbridge (UNC) and Cameron Norris (Harvard).
During the hearing, the six conservative supreme court judges, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts, questioned affirmative action in higher education and argued that the defenders of affirmative action could not articulate an end point. Justice Thomas further questioned whether diversity itself is a compelling goal for schools in the first place. “I’ve heard the word ‘diversity’ quite a few times, and I don’t have a clue what it means,” he said. “It seems to mean everything for everyone.”
At the end, SFFA lawyer Cameron Norris delivered a strong and compelling statement on the Harvard and UNC lawsuits.
“They (Harvard) stigmatize their intended beneficiaries. They increase racial consciousness, which delays the day in which we can move to true racial neutrality. And they cause resentment by treating people differently based on something they can’t change.”
The final result of Harvard and UNC lawsuits is expected at the earliest next March and at the latest next June.