Notre Dame prof laments court victory for race neutrality
The professor’s op-ed centered on a lawsuit that targeted a race-exclusive program to be illegal.
‘[T]his ruling has struck another blow against attempts to make the nation’s economy and society more equitable, just and inclusive,’ she wrote.
A Notre Dame University professor recently bemoaned a court decision that declared a racially-exclusive program to be illegal.
In 2023, The American Alliance for Equal Rights sued the Fearless Fund, a group “built by women of color for women of color” that “invests in women of color led businesses.” The lawsuit centered around the Fearless Fund’s Strivers Grant Contest, a funding contest “open only to businesses owned by black women,” according to the 11th Circuit Court opinion on the case.
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The Court found on June 3 that the Strivers Grant Contest violated a statute that “prohibits private parties from discriminating on the basis of race when making or enforcing contracts.”
In an Aug. 7 op-ed for the Mississippi Free Press, Angela R. Logan, a University of Notre Dame professor and a director at Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, condemned the court’s decision.
Logan called the lawsuit “problematic,” and alleged that The American Alliance for Equal Rights is “distorting U.S. racial history” in its legal arguments.
Logan expressed dismay at the possibility that the successful lawsuit could encourage other efforts to end Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives in corporations, and stated that “this ruling has struck another blow against attempts to make the nation’s economy and society more equitable, just and inclusive.”
The Notre Dame professor also stated her belief that the Supreme Court will hear the case.
“If that happens, I hope the justices realize that opportunities for entrepreneurs of color remain limited. I believe they should recognize the need for efforts like the Fearless Fund and its Strivers Grant Contest that seek to level the playing field for Black women.”
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Logan has “over 25 years of experience in higher education and philanthropy, with a particular focus in the areas of education and diversity.”
In response to a request for comment, Logan told Campus Reform: “Everything I have to say on this topic was included in the [op-ed].”
Campus Reform has reached out to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
