nuwsletter | august 2023
Volume 8
our nuwsletter / August 2023
Quote of the month:
“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences”
nu-education:
In late June 2023, it was announced that the United States Supreme Court had ended race-based affirmative action, reversing a decades-long precedent from the 1978 Regents of the University of California v. Bakke case which allows race to be considered in college admissions. Today’s court argues that race-based admission policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina discriminated against White and Asian-American students, and therefore violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
The reversal of affirmative action seems to undo the progress made toward creating a more inclusive society. Under affirmative action, race was just one of many factors that determined college admissions. Black and Hispanic students are more likely to face socioeconomic disadvantages that make it difficult to focus and perform well in academic settings. Affirmative action takes these disparities into consideration and improves racial diversity on college campuses.
Some states had already banned affirmative action before this Supreme Court decision. In 1998, California passed Proposition 209, banning affirmative action. Professor and author Zachary Bleemer conducted a study in which he analyzed the effects of the last 25 years of the banning of this legislation. In Affirmative Action vs. Race-Neutral Admissions: A Case Study | WSJ, Bleemer compares California students before and after Proposition 209 was passed in 1998 based on enrollment levels, graduation rates, and income levels following college. Bleemer found that enrollment of Black and Hispanic students at more selective schools fell dramatically after 1998 and enrollment of Black and Hispanic students at less selective schools increased after 1998. He also found that these students had lower wages after college than students before Prop 209 was were less likely to have STEM degrees, less likely to seek graduate-level education, and less likely to graduate.
With the end of affirmative action, campuses will be less diverse, but there will also be long-term changes to follow, and studying the changes seen in California can give us insight into what could follow the nationwide ban on affirmative action. The opportunity to attend college can transform the lives of Black and Latino students, but the addition of obstacles to these opportunities exacerbates and continues the cycle of historic injustices these communities face.
Sources
nu-spotlight:
We’ll be sharing ongoing highlights and updates in this section of the nuwsletter. This month, we are excited to share some of the DEI resources we’ve added or will be adding to our learning journey.
ILO Factsheet - A data factsheet from the International Labour Organization about issues and disparities amongst indigenous communities across the world
Major decisions expected from Supreme Court - A clip from PBS Newshour about upcoming decisions to look out for from the Supreme Court
Breaking free of stereotype threat with Claude Steele - A podcast episode about the effects of stereotypes and how we can take preventative measures
Check out some of these local events (below) happening this month and look out for more on our social media accounts!
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A chat about debunking common DEI myths in order to transform the workplace.
Tuesday, August 8, 2023, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Virtual
Free
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Meet and learn from established and emerging artists and authors who represent diverse Indigenous, Caribbean, African, and Black communities.
Wednesday, August 9, 2023, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM EDT
Virtual
Free
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VT PoC is collaborating with the Champlain Housing Trust for a lunch workshop to learn about the basics of homebuying!
Saturday, August 12, 2023, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
O.N.E. Community Center, 20 Allen St. Burlington, VT 04501
Free
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Saturday, August 12, 2023, 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
The Alchemist Brewery, 100 Cottage Club Rd, Stowe VT 05672
Free
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A safe space for professionals who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Colour (BIPOC) to find community and support.
Wednesday, August 16, 2023, 8:00 am - 9:30 am
Virtual
Free
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Lean In invites you to experience the power of Lean In Circles as we host an Open Circle meeting dedicated to Black Women!
Monday, August 21, 2023, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Virtual
Free
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A social group for non-binary and genderfluid people aged 18+
Friday, August 25, 2023, 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Virtual
Free
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Join us the last Sunday of each month for a community-powered author critique dreamed up by and for BIPOC storytellers + artists!
Sunday, August 27, 2023, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Virtual
Free
Download a copy of the nuwsletter here
