National Council of Asian Pacific Americans Calls on Supreme Court to Uphold Affirmative Action

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments today in Fisher v. University of Texas, which is a challenge to the University of Texas at Austin’s affirmative action policies, and the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) urges the Supreme Court to uphold this program.

This morning, Asian American leaders Christopher Kang, national director of NCAPA, and Eugene Chay, senior staff attorney at Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, spoke at a National Action Network rally on the steps of the Supreme Court in support of affirmative action.

"The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans stands side by side with other communities of color in support of affirmative action in higher education, and we urge the Supreme Court to uphold such policies, which benefit all Americans,” said NCAPA National Director Christopher Kang. “Diversity makes our nation stronger--from education and the workplace to the boardroom and the Supreme Court itself--and we will not be used as a wedge against equal opportunities and access in higher education.”

“Asian Americans are overwhelmingly in favor of affirmative action – by a count of 69% according to a survey we co-authored in 2014,” said Eugene F. Chay, senior staff attorney at Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. “The goal of achieving diversity in education is one that benefits all Americans and is still a goal worthy of striving for. Asian Americans are often held up as an example of a group that is adversely affected by race-conscious admissions policies, but this is simply misinformation and an attempt to hold up AAPIs as a wedge group.”

“The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association strongly urges the Supreme Court to uphold the long-standing precedent that diversity is a compelling interest in college admission policies, and to uphold the University of Texas-Austin’s admissions plan,” said NAPABA President Jin Y. Hwang. “As future leaders and custodians of the legal system, it is important that students have wide-ranging experiences, engage with diverse populations, and be representative of varied backgrounds. As current events demonstrate, it is equally imperative that today’s students develop empathy, understanding, and acceptance — traits which will become essential throughout their lives and careers.”

Last month, NCAPA joined Asian Americans Advancing Justice in its Supreme Court amicus brief supporting affirmative action in higher education admission policies. Sixteen NCAPA members, led by Asian Americans Advancing Justice AAJC and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, were among the more than 160 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander organizations that joined briefs in this important case. 69 percent of Asian Americans approve of race-conscious admissions policies.

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Based in Washington, D.C., the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans is a coalition of 35 national Asian Pacific American organizations that serves to represent the interests of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities and to provide a national voice for our communities’ concerns. Our communities are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States, currently making up approximately six percent of the population.