Congressional Briefing.
Holding powerful systems accountable
On Monday, July 3, 2023 chica project along with African Community Economic Development of New England (ACEDONE) and the Greater Boston Latino Network (GBLN) brought forth a civil rights complaint against Harvard University challenging its preferential treatment of Legacy and Donor applicants in its admissions process––which overwhelmingly benefits white students and systematically disadvantages students of color. The civil rights complaint was filed by Lawyers for Civil Rights with the U.S. Department of Education with the intent to terminate Harvard’s practice of preferential treatment of Legacy and Donor applicants. Research shows that 70% of Harvard’s Legacy and Donor applicants are white and make up nearly 15% of the total of admissions for any given year. Harvard’s special preference for Donor and Legacy applicants provides a significant advantage as Donor applicants are 7 times more likely to be admitted, while Legacy applicants are 6 times more likely to be admitted.
On October 18, 2023, our Executive Director, Zaida Ismatul Oliva joined Lawyers for Civil Rights in Washington DC and a member of ACEDONE who is a current student at Harvard University to brief congress on the discriminatory impact of legacy and donor admission, and how they disproportionately affect BIPOC students.
Zaida shared the following “We want our chicas to know that chica project will hold powerful systems accountable. We can use our voices and experience to highlight how discriminatory practices affect us.” Statistics show that one of the reasons students of color, in particular latinos (4 out of 10) don’t go to college is because they do not believe they will be admitted and the donor and legacy admission preference is actually confirming that. It sends the wrong message to students and lets them know that regardless of their brilliance, determination, potential and merit, there is a white student that has a leg-up on them simply because of their family’s wealth or legacy ties.
Corryn Barnes, our Network Operations Manager attended in support of our Executive Director, and she thought the briefing was phenomenal, illuminating and educational with a lot of dynamic statistics thrown in the mix. Additionally, she acclaimed that “There was not only the data to support the claims, but also personal experiences in the room that stimulated the environment.”
How does she feel about chica project being vocal? She LOVES it. We embark on new and different tiers because it is necessary, as we preach all the time that we are empowering Women of Color—the heart of the mission, vision and values at chica project. “Being in this space has shown to the world that we STAND for cases like this, STAND for the equity of our chicas and teaches our chicas that it’s in our DNA to STAND UP and STAND OUT.” The briefing has allowed us to take back our radical power!
At chica project, we value diversity and believe in the benefits it brings to students’ educational experience and life. We support all students in their lifelong journey of community building and self discovery rooted in collective power and advocacy. We want chicas to know our voices have power and with them, we can help create change toward a more equitable world.
In solidarity,
chica project
