For Immediate Release
November 12, 2019
Livingston, New Jersey: On November 5, 2019, Washington voters rejected race-based affirmative action as in Referendum Measure 88 (R-88). The Asian American Coalition for Education (AACE) congratulates local grass-root efforts and our national alliance of Asian-American organizations on this historical achievement in our collective pursuit of equality and equal education rights.
Tuesday’s ballot result concerning R-88 in Washington signifies a triumphant milestone in Asian Americans’ civil rights movement nationwide. Started only in recent years, this bottom-up movement has gained consistent momentums in influencing policy making, winning public opinions and building national alliances. Despite being driven by grassroot efforts with limited funding, the LPV-led campaign to reject R-88 defeated a colossal opponent with the backing of deep pockets and the political establishment. In addition to local mobilization, the Reject R-88 campaign was also supported by a national alliance of over a dozen prominent Asian-American organizations, which was organized by the AACE. R-88’s dismissal is a victory for all participating organizations, to name a few: the American Coalition for Equality, Silicon Valley Chinese Association, San Diego Asian Americans for Equality, Chinese American Alliance, the Association for Education Fairness, 80-20 DC Chapter, Dallas Fort Worth Political Action Committee, the Orange Club PAC, GOP-Asian American Association, Michigan Chinese Conservative Alliance, Houston Chinese Alliance, and the Chinese American Heritage Association.
Washingtonians’ repudiation of racial discrimination in R-88 and I-1000 through the democratic process epitomizes predominant public opinions across the country embracing the fundamental American spirits of meritocracy and equality. To elaborate with the case of higher education, authoritative national surveys such as a 2016 Gallup poll and a 2019 Pew Research survey confirm that an overwhelming majority of Americans support merit-based college admissions while oppose consideration of race or ethnicity, which allies with AACE’s position. As such, the AACE vows to carry on this collective and just fight to champion equal education rights nationwide.
AACE president, Mr. Yukong Zhao said: “In the Washington state, a divisive campaign to legalize racial discrimination through the passage of I-1000 in the state legislature was successfully challenged and reversed by Asian Americans’ courageous endeavor to put R-88 in the November ballot and vote it out through a fair election. Our movement to fend against encroaching racial discrimination has redeemed the American dream and strengthened our democracy! Liberal politicians shall fulfill their obligation to provide equal protection of the laws to all citizens and focus on addressing the root causes behind racial disparities in education and many other policy areas, rather than perpetuating a race-based and unjust regime to masquerade their failures in providing quality K-12 education for black and Hispanic communities!”
Asian American Coalition for Education
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dr. Wenyuan Wu, telephone: (786) 393-8028, email: [email protected].
Ms. Swann Lee, telephone: (617) 906-6380, email: [email protected].
About the AACE: www.asianamericanforeducation.org
Asian American Coalition for Education (AACE) is a non-political, nonprofit, grassroots national organization, the proven leader in fighting for Asian-American children’s equal educational rights. On May 15, 2015, the founders of AACE united 64 Asian-American organizations and jointly filed a civil rights complaint with the Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to request that they conduct investigations into Harvard University’s discriminatory admissions practices against Asian-American applicants. As the largest joint action taken by Asian-American communities over the last few decades, this complaint is now being investigated by the Justice Department. Over the years, we have advanced the cause of equal education rights for the Asian-American community.