To be honest with you, it took me some time to gather my thoughts.
After the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action today, I couldn't stop thinking about what this means for those in my generation.
To the kid who came from a town where the fires of hate still ravage, whose first experience with a different point of view was in a classroom debate, whose views changed when they met a new friend that didn't look like them — affirmative action made a difference.
To the child of immigrants whose parents came to this country with nothing but the clothes on their backs, who saw them work cold nights and through holiday dinners without complaint, whose motivation to keep going at 2 AM in the library is fueled by the sacrifices of all those who helped them get there – affirmative action made a difference.
To the young girl from the concrete jungle whose first trip on an airplane is to her new college, whose neighborhood church uses her as an example for the school children in her community, who by the power of her acceptance turns someone's idea of impossible into something within their grasp — affirmative action made a difference.
Of course, the question of who gets in and who does not will still extend beyond the question of who is the most 'qualified.' Some find their way to the cushioned seats of freshman orientation because their school gave them favor due to their parents having attended. Others get there because they went to a school where gifted and talented programs were offered to nourish their potential. Often, we don't ask whether these kids, born to circumstances they could not control, are truly qualified solely on their own merit.
By no means am I faulting the parents of these kids; their parents are using every means necessary to give their children the best possible chance to succeed — I think we'd all do the same with the tools we have access to. But what about the kids with parents born with fewer tools in their toolbox? Is true equality really telling kids to touch the top of a ten-foot pole when some start with a nine-foot stepping stool?
Affirmative action was not perfect; it did not solve every problem, write every wrong, but it extended the ladder of opportunity to many children without distinguished family names or sought-after zip codes. Time and time again, these children demonstrated that our strength lies in our diversity, not despite it.
I am aware that many young people of my generation, vying for the same opportunities, are now uncertain about what the future holds — many of you are worried. I want you to know that we see you, we hear you, and we stand united with you. In times like these, it is crucial that we uplift one another amidst adversity. Today marks the beginning of another arduous battle to preserve the progress won by our ancestors — a fight I assure you we will win, no matter how long it takes.