Policy Brief

The recent Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College (2023) will have a direct influence, not only on admissions policies in higher education, but also on policies in other arenas of health and human services designed to combat the historic vestiges of structural racism. This ruling is likely to embolden efforts that support and maintain the status quo while denying the legacy of structural racism and oppression in the United States by those opposed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Without a counterbalance, the reemergence of conservative policies and practices that ignore the reasons that affirmative action measures were needed in the first place, are likely to continue to impede the progress in closing disparity gaps in health, education, and welfare among racial and ethnic minority communities. New strategies that address the historical legacy of discrimination and segregation are needed.