We recently hosted a discussion about the Supreme Court's
recent decisions eliminating the consideration of race in college
admissions, what this means for our institutions, and how we can
mitigate the impact on diversity in our schools and
workplaces.
Our friends at Leadership Brainery joined Partner and Co-Chair
of the firm's Education Industry Vertical, Madeleine Rodriguez, in a direct and honest
conversation about what really changed, what's at stake, and
why now is the time to recommit to programs that promote equitable
representation of first-gen and historically underrepresented
communities and empower them to lead.
Highlights of our conversation included:
- A brief overview of the Court's decisions in SFFA v. Harvard College and SFFA v. UNC;
- A look at anti-DE&I legislative efforts across the country and the impacts of laws defunding DE&I programming on academic institutions, non-profits, and corporations;
- How to enhance your support for historically underrepresented communities of color by committing to impactful, strategic outside partnership and collaboration; and,
- A call to action for K-12 students, families, and their communities.
Leadership Brainery is a 501(c)(3) organization
addressing inequitable access to master's and doctoral degrees
and workforce leadership opportunities for underrepresented talent,
including people of color, individuals from a lower socioeconomic
status, LGBTQ individuals, and other demographics who are
systematically excluded from higher education. Leadership Brainery
works with prospective and current graduate students, academic
institutions, employers, and committed community members to
eliminate systemic barriers to education and create inclusive
communities.
Speakers:
- Rosa Nuñez, Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Foley Hoag (opening remarks)
- Madeleine Rodriguez, Partner and Co-chair of the firm's Education Industry Vertical, Foley Hoag
- Jonathan Allen, JD, MTS, Co-founder & Director of Development, Leadership Brainery
- Derrick Young Jr., MPH, Co-founder & Executive Director, Leadership Brainery
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