Affirmative Action has been a useful tool for over half a century in addressing injustices and advancing opportunities for marginalized people. Now the Supreme Court is poised to make two decisions on Affirmative Action that would remove consideration of race and ethnicity from college admissions.
Regardless of their ruling, we cannot exclude race as an essential factor in the admissions process. Doing so would undermine our progress toward a more just and inclusive country.
Currently, there is a prevalent push for a “color-blind” society. I often hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech quoted, with an emphasis on the line that individuals should “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
But to the Black community, King’s words don’t indicate that color doesn’t matter. We still recognize the significance of color in our lived experiences. That’s why we need to know the backstory of why race is still an essential consideration in the admissions process.
We must remember the Black community historically had to establish their own universities, churches and businesses because they were systematically barred from entering the white ones. And policies like redlining kept many Black people separated from access to equal education or building generational wealth. Acknowledging this history and its enduring impact helps make sense of where we are today.
Also, like corporations, colleges and universities are not immune to the unequal systems that keep generational power, privilege, and wealth within the same families. The law may say these systems are illegal, but many institutions still operate under a mindset perpetuating inequalities.
For example, without considering race, one of the only significant factors separating applicants aside from their academic performance becomes an applicant’s “legacy” status — whether one’s family has a history of attending a particular college or university. But this concept is alienating and unjust for many African Americans, because our parents and grandparents were denied the same opportunities we aspire to attain.
We need policies that challenge this mentality. It’s easy to say, “I don’t see a person’s color; I only see their qualifications.” But as noble as that sounds, the sentiment is misguided because it doesn’t address the legacy of racism that kept the Black community from achieving those qualifications then — and still holds many of us back today.
But even worse, it suggests that race or color has no inherent value. Color-blindness says, “What you have that makes you unique isn’t worth consideration.”
So instead of advocating for color-blindness, I urge us to embrace the concept of being “color-blessed.” Being color-blessed says, “We celebrate your race or color because the beauty and diversity you bring matters to the gorgeous bouquet of humanity.”
Being color-blessed is part of a concept I call Gracism. Where racism seeks to discriminate and destroy, Gracism calls us to a posture that says, “I will celebrate with you. I will consider you. I will heal with you.”
Racial healing requires acknowledging the harm done, repairing the injury, and building trust. Unfortunately, centuries of systemic barriers, unequal access to resources, and limited opportunities inflicted lasting damage on the educational landscape of Black communities for generations. By excluding race as a factor for consideration, we risk perpetuating past injustices while also slowing progress toward a more just and inclusive future.
The decisions made by the Supreme Court on Affirmative Action will have profound implications for our society. But regardless of their ruling, including race and ethnicity in the admissions process is a crucial step toward being color-blessed and a tangible act of reparations.