Asian Americans for Affirmative Action: Why Should We Care?
Opinion piece by former OCA intern and Sri-Lankan American graduate from Columbia University, Melinda Samaratunga.
“Don’t you agree that affirmative action harms we Asian Americans?” My college friend posed this question to me as we sat in our dorm lounge, our go-to site for countless discussions and debates. We had just been speaking about affirmative action as two Asian Americans, and my friend expressed that, while she supports affirmative action because it creates more equity, she also believes it operates at the expense of Asian Americans. I knew I had to do more reading and research before giving her a well-informed answer. The Supreme Court is currently facing this decision, as it is considering whether race-conscious admissions programs at institutions such as Harvard University are legal (Liptak and Hartocollis, “Supreme Court Will Hear Challenge to Affirmative Action at Harvard and U.N.C.”). In Harvard’s case, the university was accused of discriminating against Asian American students (Liptak and Hartocollis). Affirmative action has divided the Asian American community: some support the challengers in the Harvard case, while others have joined organizations like OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, which advocate for affirmative action (Liptak and Hartocollis). As Asian Americans, it is easy to fall into the trap of opposing affirmative action because we think it harms us. However, it is crucial to reconcile America’s racist history with the necessity for restorative programs such as affirmative action. We Asian Americans must advocate for affirmative action in order to reject the exploitation of our identities and demand equity for America’s most marginalized populations.
It can often be confusing for we Asian Americans to determine how affirmative action may impact us, as it is sometimes suggested that affirmative action pulls opportunities away from Asian Americans and toward other racial groups. In reality, however, it is crucial for our racial group to support this policy; if Asian Americans oppose affirmative action, we fall into the trap of allowing our identities to be exploited for the sake of white dominance. Asian Americans have historically been taken advantage of in the pursuit of anti-Black policies, as early as the civic disenfranchisement of Chinese immigrants in the 1860s (Kim, “The Racial Triangulation of Asian Americans”). For example, the model minority myth is the idea that Asian Americans succeeded independently only to be hampered by Black inclusion; it is a white construction that allowed white decision-makers to oppose race-conscious programs without appearing racist (Kim). The model minority myth rests on othering Asian Americans; it attributes our success to our cultural distinctiveness — in other words, our foreignness (Kim). In higher education and beyond, Asian Americans have become pawns to advance the anti-Black interests of white individuals. For example, the Harvard Supreme Court case was brought by Students for Fair Admissions, which was founded by white conservative strategist Edward Blum (Liptak and Hartocollis). Does Blum care that much about the well-being of Asian Americans? Or is he simply exploiting us to advance Black exclusion from higher education? Also, like Black individuals, Asian Americans have benefited from — and continue to benefit from — affirmative action (Kim). Such race-conscious programs level the playing field between white Americans and people of color (Kim). To oppose a policy that empowers and benefits one’s own community is simply irrational. Asian Americans must actively support affirmative action in order to benefit our own people and resist exploitation by white decision-makers.
Affirmative action is essential to build a fairer playing field for one of the most marginalized groups in American society: Black communities. As Asian Americans, we should be invested in such issues because we too were once considered inferior by American society. White Americans originally associated Chinese immigrants with Black individuals. We must have empathy for victims of anti-Black discrimination because such intolerance could have just as easily continued to affect us. It is no secret that Black Americans have not been afforded equity. Even legislation that supposedly treats all citizens equally has denied Black individuals certain rights. For example, while the 1944 G.I. Bill purportedly applied to all veterans, it actually widened the country’s racial gap (Katznelson, When Affirmative Action Was White). Thus, even with seemingly progressive legislation, Black communities often were and are left behind when it comes to higher education. It is critical to remember that Asian immigrants were first associated with Black communities in America. We ourselves are no strangers to prejudiced laws. Therefore, we should feel compelled to oppose racist policies of any kind, as we know what it is to be discriminated against.
Asian Americans are not biologically different from Black Americans or any other racial group. Race instead relies on invented, power-based rules (Roberts, Fatal Invention). Thus, we cannot categorize an entire race as inherently inferior or more deserving of success. To oppose unfounded racial disparities, we must first fix our own biases and correct our thinking when we assume affirmative action unfairly harms Asian Americans. As a society, we will all benefit from more diversity and equity in higher education. These gains operate on a scale that is larger than any perceived individual loss for Asian Americans. Maybe the person who cures cancer — or establishes world peace — will be a recipient of affirmative action. Surely the advantages we would gain from such achievements are unparalleled. Furthermore, because race is a political system, we must use political means to undermine its harmful impacts (Roberts). This can take the shape of joining organizations committed to affirmative action such as OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. It can also mean expressing open support for affirmative action through online platforms or marches, as public opinion can influence the Supreme Court. This will be seen today, October 31st, 2022, as thousands of students gather on the steps of the Supreme Court to rally in support of affirmative action. It is my hope that, no matter the results of both affirmative action cases, we will continue to see these public displays of civic engagement to advance justice and equity. As Asian Americans, we must demonstrate ongoing advocacy for affirmative action in order to reject the exploitation of Asian identities, provide equity for all races, and create opportunities that would benefit society. Sitting in my dorm lounge with my friend, I wish I had known then what I do now about the history and implications of affirmative action. I pass on this writing in the hope that, in another dorm room, classroom, or courtroom, it can inform and ignite more constructive conversations among Asian Americans.
Melinda Samaratunga, a Sri Lankan-American, graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University in May of 2022 with a B.A. in Political Science. She is a former Summer Intern at OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates and currently serves as Policy Intern. Melinda is passionate about empowering the AAPI diaspora with regard to immigration policy, gender equality, and civic engagement.
Works Cited
Katznelson, Ira. When Affirmative Action Was White: The Untold History of Inequality in the Twentieth Century. New York, NY: W.W. Norton and Company. 2005.
Kim, Claire. “The Racial Triangulation of Asian Americans.” Politics and Society 27(1):105–138. 1999.
Liptak, Adam and Hartocollis, Anemona. “Supreme Court Will Hear Challenge to Affirmative Action at Harvard and U.N.C.” The New York Times, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/24/us/politics/supreme-court-affirmative-action-harvard-unc.html.
Roberts, Dorothy. Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty First Century. New York, NY: The New Press. 2011.
