SCOTUS Weighs Affirmative Action

One of the most significant issues the U.S. Supreme Court will address during its 2022/23 session is affirmative action, or race-conscious admissions, in postsecondary education. The Court heard oral arguments on Monday in two cases—one involving Harvard University and the other involving the University of North Carolina.

Race-conscious admissions programs are a critical tool for helping advance economic security and opportunity for communities of color that have been marginalized due to systemic inequities. That’s why CLASP weighed in on the issue this week and in the past, both on the Fisher v. University of Texas case and on executive action by the Trump Administration. In addition, CLASP Trustee Gene Nichol, who’s the Boyd Tinsley distinguished professor at UNC School of Law, published this op-ed in the state’s three major newspapers in Raleigh, Durham, and Charlotte.

A New Deal for Youth (ND4Y) has just released the highlights video from last month’s Week of Action! The week was quite a success for ND4Y Changemakers, partners, and CLASP staff who met with policymakers, rocked out to the Future Band and DJ Olo, had an amazing open mic, participated in a story-telling workshop, and left their mark on D.C. with a beautiful collaborative mural. You can still take virtual actions to support ND4Y.

The groundbreaking waiver, approved by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will lead to greater health outcomes and ensure that children have consistent access to medical care. The waiver effectively eliminates a significant part of the red tape typical in Medicaid programs by preventing people from having to navigate the renewal process and its paperwork as frequently – a burden that disproportionately falls on people of color with low incomes.