Amity Foundation’s Post

On June 29, 2023, the United States Supreme Court issued two significant rulings that effectively ended the use of affirmative action in U.S. college admissions programs. The decisions raised the question: what are the legal implications for corporate companies?    In our latest insights, Emilia Lindvall and Isiah Godoy answer this question and explain the role of diversity in the workforce from a disclosure risk standpoint. Read the article: https://lnkd.in/eaNWDEzW

📣📣Often wonder what you can do to be a champion for Black folks? Guess what: here's an action step you can take right now! Follow the link below to send a letter to your legislators to ask them to focus on and prioritize Black student success. As the mother of a former Black student and a future Black graduate student, we need you to take action. Do something!

Black Student Success Week is just the beginning. If you care about continuing this movement and taking this discussion seriously, join me in signing this letter and contacting your state legislator today. Here’s the action plan: 1) SIGN the letter (linked below) 2) SHARE this post on social media and ask your networks to sign too. 3) KEEP TALKING about Black Student Success every day - in your colleges, communities, families, and professional networks. #BlackStudentSuccessWeek #BSSW2024

ROBERTS RULES OF (DIS)ORDER: DOCTRINAL DOUBLESPEAK ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND STARE DECISIS - PDF: https://lnkd.in/gYWAv6qH In this Article, I argue that Chief Justice John Roberts engaged in doublespeak in his SFFA v. Harvard/UNC majority opinion. He essentially overruled Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) but did not admit doing so, and even structured the SFFA opinion as if he was following Grutter’s precedent. My Article considers why Chief Justice Roberts engaged in this “stealth overruling” of Grutter and exposes his doctrinal sleight of hand in doing so. I f irst consider how Chief Justice Roberts may have been concerned about the Court’s legitimacy in the wake of its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022)—where it explicitly overruled Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992)—and how that might have influenced his approach to SFFA. Subsequently, I show how throughout the SFFA majority opinion, Chief Justice Roberts either misrepresented Grutter or exploited ambiguities and inconsistencies in Grutter’s doctrine to serve his agenda. I examine the SFFA majority’s treatment of various issues related to the constitutionality of race-conscious admissions policies. These include the compelling interest in diversity, deference to universities on defining their educational missions, the incidental burden of race-conscious policies on certain groups, the use of racial categories, “logical” and arbitrary endpoints for race-conscious admissions, the so-called essay loophole, and the possible military exception. The conclusion considers the consequences of SFFA’s stealth overruling of Grutter: the controversies it could lead to, and its potential impact on the Court’s legitimacy—another matter laden with ironic twists. #AntiDiscriminationLaw #raceconsciousadmissions #DoctrinalDoublespeak #AffirmativeAction #StareDecisis #SupremeCourt

📆 Save the Date! 📆 Mark your calendars for the 2024 MCHEP Convening taking place Sept. 25-26 in Raymond, Mississippi. This annual convening gathers leaders from across the field to engage in solution-focused discussions about best practices, policy updates, and #Pell implementation. Designed to support colleges, universities, and prison education partners, the event aims to enhance the delivery of meaningful instruction that leads to degree completion. 🔗 Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q02KGHhG0 #HigherEdInPrison #PrisonEducation #NormalizingOpportunity #JusticeImpacted

I am pleased to announce that I have achieved a First Class Honours in my dissertation. This body of work was incredibly important to me due to growing up with some individuals that would unfortunately come into contact with the Criminal Justice System. My aim for this research was to deviate from some of the damaging narratives we see of young black men in the media, and depict a more holistic and well-rounded picture of the issues facing these marginalised individuals. In my work I touched on various different themes, firstly analysing societal contributions to criminality amongst young black men. In this chapter I referenced how society and the different structures within it including the media, schools and other various systems, work (at times) to the detriment of these young men. Whether it be individually or collectively, I argued that these systems owe a duty of care to these young black men, to which they can be found to have fallen short of. I then ventured into a discussion on the Criminal Justice Systems contributions. I spoke about the disproportionate representation of these individuals at every stage of this system. Discriminatory policing practices, prosecution and sentencing all having a massive part in not only perpetuating further criminality but also creating a massive distrust between the police and BME communities. To round off my discussion, I highlighted a need for accountability. Depicting these young men as solely victims to these systems, doesn’t help to fix the problem at hand. I also made an argument pertaining to “who should take accountability”. Sections of the media and some politicians have labelled ‘black culture’ and the communities within as at fault, and I refuted these claims reiterating that as much as individuals engaging in crime must take accountability, these institutions can’t and must not try and relinquish themselves of any blame. All in all, it was an amazing piece to be able to work on and I give all glory to God for the success that is a first class dissertation!

During National Police Week, Cleary University honors those who keep us safe, and remembers those who lost their lives in the line of duty. Cleary has a close relationship with law enforcement, and we’ve developed an innovative program designed for public safety employees to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accelerated time. 👮 Sworn officers and civilian staff get credit for: ✅ Previous coursework ✅ Work and life experience ✅ Prior certifications and training Most can earn their bachelor’s degree in 12 months! To learn more about the Degree Completion Pathways Program Cleary email admissions@cleary.edu #nationalpoliceweek #accelerateddegree

Here's a fact: access to higher education reduces the likelihood of individuals returning to prison. But here's another fact: most individuals trapped in the system are not afforded the chance to pursue higher education. Thankfully, there are some incredible programs that exist to bridge this gap while breaking down harmful barriers and stigmas - like the Inside Out Exchange IUPUI class. This unique class brings together campus students studying criminal justice and impacted individuals. They're not only discussing topics like race, racism, sexuality, implicit bias, religion, and politics but also sharing their personal experiences. Our brilliant Indiana state organizer Maranda Williams came to learn more about the program and discuss the reforms we're working to pass in Indiana. Maranda Williams leads the Indiana Secure Communities coalition: a diverse coalition of reentry providers, academics, faith leaders, directly impacted individuals, public servants, advocates, and employers working to improve Indiana's criminal justice system. LEARN MORE >> https://bit.ly/3ScKQYf

Public K-12 is often considered a public good. Why not higher education? Thx to Yolanda Watson Spiva and CCA for continuing the discussion. How do we frame our conversations around this ‘public good?’ Living and working a state focused on economic and workforce development, I see a pretty clear linkage between the value of post sec as a public good and the continued identification and development of more opps for all South Carolinians. Instead of why … ask why not?