Let Them Eat Cake
In the heart of Georgetown University's campus, a boy's snarl pierces the midnight air: "Go back to Howard." He’s slurring at me, red Solo cup in hand. While being a student at Howard would be an honor, the insult lies in the notion that I don't belong at Georgetown. As a black individual, I occupy a mere 6% of the student population, while my white counterparts make up 50%.
Those who have attended predominantly white institutions can relate to my experiences. Feelings of being out of place questioned, and unwanted are all too common.
Some of my classmates had their last names on the side of buildings and drove Range Rovers. There was even a titled Royal in my freshman dorm. Yet, no one questioned whether they gained their places unfairly. We have collectively accepted that privilege, both in this generation and the previous ones, is a welcomed aspect of affirmative action. It's only when the beneficiary is a person of color that the consideration of compounding factors becomes unacceptable.
To be clear, affirmative action falls short. While 14% of 18-24-year-olds in the US are black, only about 6.5% of Harvard and Yale students are black. There is limited access for BIPOC students to these institutions, which have nurtured eight of nine Supreme Court Justices. Even with affirmative action, there is significantly diminished diversity and earning potential for black and brown individuals at the highest levels. To think we need to do even less is unconscionable.
The recent ruling by the Supreme Court provides no alternative to affirmative action. As Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson aptly stated, dismissing race's relevance in law does not erase its impact on real-life experiences. Using her words, this is “Let-them-eat-cake obliviousness.'” (I love a black woman with a quick pen.)
I owe my position today to programs like A Better Chance (ABC), which places students of color into top prep schools. Without policies that rectify the deep imbalance in opportunities for people of color, I wouldn't be where I am now. My father, an ABC beneficiary and student body president at Carleton College, played a vital role in shaping the school's culture. Had he not been there, every student would have missed his greatness.
For the rest of my life, I will be dedicated to uplifting black and brown students who have been systematically denied opportunities. Yesterday's ruling serves as yet another reminder of why I am proud to work at School Leader Lab and collaborate with our remarkable leaders. These past few years have reinforced that the fight for justice is far from over. In the face of this ruling, my commitment to uplift and empower marginalized individuals has only grown stronger. I will never cease in this mission, and I am heartened by the knowledge that you won't either.
With love and gratitude.
Erica
The grave of Cornelius Hawkins, one of 272 slaves sold by the Jesuits in 1838 to help keep what is now Georgetown University afloat.
A text from my father after he read this blog.
