July 14, 2023 CFWM News

CFWM responds to Supreme Court’s ruling on Affirmative Action and catastrophic flooding in New England

Recent Supreme Court decisions on June 29 and 30, particularly on access to and the affordability of higher education, have dominated the headlines. These decisions are seen by many as a setback to progress made on behalf of individuals who have been marginalized by our society.

As the debate around the implications of these decisions continues, locally, the devastation of climate change has taken center stage. Assessing the impact of torrential rains and flooding on people’s lives, livelihoods and property has just begun.  

In the face of recent developments, it would be reasonable to feel discouraged. The Community Foundation’s commitment to equity and opportunity, prioritizing racial equity in all facets of our work, compels us to act. As the community’s foundation, we earnestly stand with and for all members of our region.

Actions:

• As a first step, we have endorsed a joint statement by funders and philanthropic organizations in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings in Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College.

• We will continue to double down on our strategic priority to increase access to post-secondary education and training, with an equity focus. We will be reaching out to students, colleagues, friends, and family in our region who may be impacted to inform our continued efforts.

• As we learn about relief efforts to address the flooding in our region, we will post information about how members of the community can contribute to these efforts. We also welcome information about other ways we can help.

We invite you to be in conversation with us as we continue to seek partners in this work and to find new ways to advance equity and opportunity for all in our region: wmass@communityfoundation.org.