President Holley discusses “Admissions Granted”

President Danielle R. Holley appeared on two MSNBC shows, “Velshi” and “The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart,” on June 30, 2024, to discuss the first anniversary of the Supreme Court decision to overturn affirmative action in higher education. 

Her appearances came before the world premiere of the MSNBC Films documentary “Admissions Granted” about the landmark Supreme Court case that pitted Asian American plaintiffs against Harvard University. President Holley is featured in the documentary. 

President Holley first spoke with Ali Velshi on his eponymous show on MSNBC, where she stated that overturning this ruling was a “substantial overturning of precedent with very little substantiating it.” She warned, “We are in a period of tremendous disrespect by the Supreme Court of their own precedents. It makes the law highly unpredictable.” She went on to say that future generations will be disrupted by an “activist Supreme Court.” 

On “The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart,” President Holley said, “Affirmative action is about racial equity” and postulated that the overturning of affirmative action is an “attack on the idea that we’re a multi-racial democracy” and on diversity, equity and inclusion. “Having holistic admissions that consider race really was an attempt to make sure that everyone in the United States could rise together,” President Holley continued. 

When asked about her hopes for what people will learn from watching the documentary, President Holley said, “It’s a complicated story, but I hope that people will take away that the Supreme Court … is trying to redefine America [and trying not to] let colleges and universities define who we are to ourselves. The Supreme Court is making a grab for power in so many spaces. We have to stand for our values.”

Watch President Holley on  “The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart.”

Watch President Holley on “Velshi.”