National Council of Asian Pacific Americans Supports Affirmative Action 

The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) has joined Asian Americans Advancing Justice in its Supreme Court amicus brief to support affirmative action in higher education admission policies. In total, more than 160 Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) organizations have joined briefs to support affirmative action, and in particular, NCAPA commends its member organizations Advancing Justice—Asian American Justice Center and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Associations for their leadership in this important area.

 "Despite efforts by some to use the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities as a wedge against other communities of color in the affirmative action debate, the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans is proud to stand behind affirmative action in higher education,” said National Director Christopher Kang. “Time and time again for nearly two decades, our communities have supported affirmative action in higher education, including a survey last year that shows 69% approve. We support these policies because they benefit AANHPI students, especially those who face educational disparities that are often hidden by data that is too broad. Simply put, affirmative action strengthens equal opportunities and access to higher education for all students.”

 This brief supports the University of Texas at Austin’s race conscious holistic admissions policy. It counters the assertion that AANHPI students are harmed by UT-Austin’s admissions process, because there is no evidence that such students are excluded or systematically disadvantaged. Indeed, the brief demonstrates that race-conscious admissions programs historically have ensured equal access to higher education for all communities of color, including AANHPIs, and continue to do so.

 Read the brief here.

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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.