callin ur attn away from the ish in dc to my latest! the court's decision to uphold Harvard's affirm action has been framed as a loss for AAPIs. in reality, 70% of Asian Americans support the race-conscious program. i explore the nuances around the issue https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/70-asian-americans-support-affirmative-action-here-s-why-misconceptions-n1247806

Why has this been so hotly debated among AAPIs? The yearning to attend elite schools is rooted in the belief education is the only way for Asian American children to compete with others, particularly whites, for promising employment & a stable future, scholar @phdhingra1 explains

“Bc many immigrant parents got ahead through education rather than sports or the arts, they rely on academics as their main avenue to help their kids outcompete others..The logical outcome of such a commitment by parents is elite college admissions for their children.” @phdhingra1

another pt -- affirm action isn't what's stealing spots from AAPI, it's legacy & other admissions. A report from the National Bureau of Economic Research revealed 43% of white students admitted to Harvard fell under recruited athletes, legacy students & children of faculty &staff

the report reads:
“Removing preferences for athletes and legacies would significantly alter the racial distribution of admitted students, with the share of white admits falling and all other groups rising or remaining unchanged.”

however, a vocal minority of AAPI still continue to stand in the way of affirmative action. @ProfJanelleWong noted a dangerous misconception is that affirmative action equates to giving Black and Latino students unearned opportunities.

“No, affirmative action is not a special preference. It is one tool to address current systemic barriers for Black and Latino students who are both qualified and deserving of higher education,” Wong said.

Vincent Pan, co-executive director of nonprofit Chinese for Affirmative Action noted that while the support & leadership from AAPI on the issue is too often ignored, there does continue to be a segment that is complicit in the right-wing agenda to upend race-conscious programs.

“Their positioning undermines work against anti-Asian racism that requires multiracial solidarity, making more visible the needs of less visible AAPI groups and dismantling anti-Black stereotypes," Pan said.