The trial of federal case of ​“Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard”​ began earlier this week.

Although the plaintiffs frame their arguments in context of anti-Asian bias on the part of the
Harvard admissions process, ​it is evident​ that the case intends to dismantle decades of
race-conscious admissions policies.

We, the Asian Pacific American Mentoring Program (APAM) at Claremont McKenna College,
oppose the use of Asian Americans to reverse policies that were implemented after years of
activism, policies that benefited so many students, including those from ​Asian, Black, and Latinx
communities​. While we condemn the ​anti-Asian discrimination​ Harvard admissions is accused
of, we do not agree with the elimination of race conscious college admissions policies.

There is a long history of Asian Americans being used to continue the oppression of other
minority groups, especially with the particularly tenacious ​Model Minority Myth​. However, we
will not be silent in face of the efforts to systematically exclude students of marginalized
communities from higher education. We refuse to be ​a pawn ​in the ​conservative political game​.

In doing so, we stand in solidarity with ​many Asian American organizations and coalitions
across the nation who have​ spoken out in favor of race-conscious admissions.​ Asian American
activists have been part of the fight for these policies, and their words are still relevant today.
Here we quote at length from ​a speech​ by Asian American activist and author, Mari Matsuda in
April 1990.

"We need affirmative action because there are still employers who see an Asian
face and see a person who is unfit for a leadership position. In every field where we have
attained a measure of success, we are underrepresented in the real power positions.
And yet, we are in danger of being manipulated into opposing affirmative action
by those who say affirmative action hurts Asian Americans. What is really going on
here? When university administrators have hidden quotas to keep down Asian
admissions, this is because Asians are seen as destroying the predominantly white
character of the university. Under this mentality, we cannot let in all those Asian
overachievers and maintain affirmative action for other minority groups. We cannot do
both because that will mean either that our universities lose their predominantly white
character or that we have to fund more and better universities.
To either of those prospects, I say, why not? and I condemn the voices from my
own community that are translating legitimate anger at ceilings on Asian admissions into
unthinking opposition to affirmative action floors needed to fight racism."

We will not act as a wedge between other communities of color and their access to higher
education. Rather, we will stand alongside them in the fight against systemic racism through our
support of affirmative action.

Signed,
Mentors of the Asian Pacific American Mentoring Program