AnitaB.org Responds to the Supreme Court Decision on Affirmative Action

“We at AnitaB.org are extremely disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action that effectively ends race-conscious admissions practices in higher education,” said Brenda Darden Wilkerson, President and CEO of AnitaB.org.

“This is one more step in the wrong direction for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our country, along with many others that have occurred in the past year and a half. It is time for policymakers to realize they’re not only negatively impacting the future of millions of Americans but also the future of America itself. Eroding 45 years of precedent, this shift in policy will, without a doubt, result in talent pipeline issues causing a less diverse workforce, and ultimately will affect families, companies, and our economy.”

Consider that only 33.8% of entry-level technologists were women as of 2022 — and of that group, just 3.9% were Black, 2.8% Latinx, 1.1% multiracial, and 0.1% Pacific Islander and Native American (each). We will not tolerate a decision that precipitates a decline in these numbers.

In response to the Supreme Court’s ruling, AnitaB.org will not be deterred from fulfilling our mission to advocate for diversity, ensuring the opportunity for our community to realize their full potential. On the contrary: Our work to provide access and opportunity for Black, Latinx, Native American, and Pacific Islander women and non-binary people pursuing a future in tech is now all the more urgent. We are unwavering in our commitment to support students who are directly affected by this recent change and will use our platform and programs to provide an equitable way forward.

Ways to Continue Supporting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

AnitaB.org will continue to uphold our values and help power initiatives that create meaningful access and opportunities:

• The AnitaB.org Advancing Inclusion program extends access to Grace Hopper Celebration – the world’s largest gathering of women and non-binary technologists – for Black, Latinx, Native American, and Pacific Islander technologists.
• The Apprenticeship Pathway Program (APP) — in which participants earn while they learn and launch a full-time software development career upon completion — removes barriers to technical education while providing professional development, mentoring, and coaching.

We encourage women and non-binary technologists to participate in those programs, and take the following actions to stay engaged and informed:

• Learn how to participate in Top Companies 2023
• View the data broken down by tech workforce size on the Top Companies 2022: Action Is Now Dashboard
• Read the latest TechEES report to learn about the lived experiences of marginalized genders in tech
• Attend Grace Hopper Celebration
• Become an AnitaB.org Member
• Join AnitaB.org as a corporate partner
• Donate to AnitaB.org

Affirmative action programs opened doors previously closed by generations of active exclusion and entrenched discrimination. While the decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina undermines this progress, we will do everything in our power to ensure that those doors remain open.