This year’s Supreme Court decisions will have a major impact on communities of color.
In last week’s ruling, Allen v. Milligan (formerly Merrill v. Milligan), the Supreme Court ruled Alabama’s 2021 redistricting of its congressional map illegally segregated Black communities into legislative districts in a manner that severely dilutes their political power, in violation of the Voting Rights Act. This decision means that Alabama will have to redraw its congressional map and add an additional majority-Black district. This is a major victory for our partners at Legal Defense Fund and for Black voters everywhere.
As the Supreme Court moves through their docket, we will be monitoring several more cases that impact the power of our vote and the freedom to learn.
Here is a breakdown of what you need to know on the upcoming case and what’s at stake:
Moore v. Harper
This case comes out of North Carolina, with state legislators seeking unchecked authority to set rules for voting and elections without state constitutional limits.
Moore v. Harper is about more than voting – it’s fundamentally about the distribution of power. A favorable ruling for the legislators would grant certain lawmakers, particularly conservative state legislatures, almost unrestricted power to manipulate our elections, further eroding voter protection for Black and Brown voters.
We along with our local grassroot partners in Florida and Georgia have seen firsthand the lengths state officials will go to block voters of color. Without free, fair, and accessible voting, we cannot make meaningful progress on urgent racial justice issues that will impact the lives of our communities.
Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College &
Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina
Both these cases tackle affirmative action in higher education admissions, aiming to dismantle affirmative action, or race conscious policies that create accessible education. The outcomes of both cases will influence the pursuit of diversity in higher education and potentially reshape how schools consider race and ethnicity in admissions and widen the gap of racial disparity in our educational system.
Our collective future depends on racial equity and diversity in education. Policies like affirmative action are necessary to create a more just education system to counter harmful stereotypes, ensure inclusion, and promote diversity. Not talking about race doesn’t erase discrimination; it reinforces the privileges of white applicants by ignoring the ways in which deep-seeded structural racial inequality impacts individuals.
As an organization dedicated to movement lawyering, the core of our work is building the power of the people, not the power of law. Regardless of whether upcoming Supreme Court decisions will be in favor of the rights of our communities or not, we will continue to stand alongside local groups to build a world where we all can thrive and be free.
Stay tuned for more updates, there is more to come!
Best regards,
Judith Browne Dianis
Advancement Project
