June 30, 2023
Dear HEAF Community,
Students across America deserve affirmed diversity in schools and colleges.
For as long as this country has been in existence, disadvantaged groups and particularly African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans have been confronted with de facto racial segregation in public spaces, in employment and of course in education. Yesterday, the highest court ignored years of this racism by way of constitutional law, purposefully rejecting Affirmative Action in admission processes.
I’m certain you are just as disappointed by the decision as I am. I wish I could say I didn’t see it coming. However, this one critical event is tied to many other unfortunate events and activities that have shaken our country in the past few years.
Our experiences and opinions matter at HEAF and we are proud to represent you. Yesterday evening, Fox 5 New York reporter Kendall Green reached out for our insight on what this decision will mean for students of color. The segment aired on the 10 PM news, here is a link to the news clip.
Our challenges are even greater today than they were 34 years ago when HEAF was founded. This decision is a nation-wide call to action, and you have our commitment to ensure that we will work tirelessly to prepare our students for today’s challenging world.
Our time spent with HEAF students is the greatest investment we can make in the future of a diverse, equitable and just country. Onward!
With gratitude,
Michael Johnson
President & CEO