STATEMENT ON SUPREME COURT’S AFFIRMATIVE ACTION RULING Girls With Impact CEO Jennifer Openshaw Calls for New Paths for Access & Equal Opportunity
Jennifer Openshaw, CEO & Founder of the Girls With Impact, the leading nonprofit business education program for young women, released the following statement:
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling may be a real setback for individuals from diverse backgrounds and for the future of the US economy.
“Affirmative action programs were designed to level the playing field for people from diverse backgrounds by increasing their odds of being accepted into institutions of higher learning.
“Without such programs, people of color will continue to suffer disproportionately from a lack of opportunity to get ahead, more limited educational achievement, and a persistent and insidious wealth gap.
“Today’s ruling means that many who would have been given an opportunity to benefit from better education, and realize the advantages of better career prospects and higher incomes will be shut out. It means that income inequality will remain an integral part of life in America.
“The majority of diverse women who enter Girls With Impact’s Business & Leadership Academy do so to help them get into college. Over 55% want to be their own bosses, according to research here.
“And diverse teams, research shows, lead to better outcomes – in markets, in corporate performance, in college venture competitions, and more. Homogeneous experiences - including college - hold us back from realizing the benefits of diversity of thought and experiences.
“As a result of todays’ ruling, we will have to find alternative ways to overcome the wealth gap -- with programs like Girls With Impact, for example -- that provide people from all backgrounds with access to critical education needed to thrive in today’s changing world.
“Programs like Girls With Impact not only reach a diverse student base (of over 70% of color), but also serve a largely under-resourced student body. By investing and educating them early on -- as early as 15 or 16 -- we can literally change their career and financial trajectory: They gain a new leadership mindset, build critical foundational skills, access a support network of peers nationwide, and have access to internships and other work experience opportunities through our partners.
“There are many other great organizations delivering education, support services, and other resources to diverse individuals that should now receive even greater support from governments, philanthropists, foundations and companies, to make up for the damage that this Supreme Court ruling will do to the future prospects of diverse individuals, their families, and their descendants.
“My dream on this day is that every philanthropist and CEO demonstrate leadership in the spirit of America -- by partnering to support the next generation of diverse leaders who can continue to bolster America’s economic competitiveness.”
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About: Girls With Impact, a 501c3, is the nation's leading online business education program, serving women 14-24. Having served over 10,000 young women to date, is mission is to level the playing field for all women in business and beyond. The organization is supported by companies and philanthropists including Citi,U.S. Bank, J&J, Nestle, and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey. Watch the sizzle reel here. See our annual report. Bio of CEO Jen Openshaw.
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Emily Adji
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