SCOTUS Ruling and its Impact on Business

Authors:  J. Kelly Conklin, Founding Member and Board chair of MSA, and Chanda Causer, MSA Executive Director

For small businesses, recent Supreme Court decisions on Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina have brought important issues to the forefront. We can ensure you that our goal of equitable and sustainable communities that support everyone remains unchanged.

At Main Street Alliance, we reaffirm our commitment to our values rooted in equity and inclusion, focusing on underrepresented people. We are undeterred by the day-to-day challenges we face while working toward our long-term goals with patience, focus, and determination. We live out these values externally and internally across our community organizing, policy strategy, staff recruitment, and retention.

The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court effectively ended race-conscious admission programs at colleges and universities across the country. The Roberts Court's decisions on equal rights stem from a flawed ideology that claims inclusivity is inherently exclusionary. The decision reverses decades of precedent upheld over the years. While June's ruling does not directly impact employers because it does not involve workplace bias laws, it could signal that the Court would apply the same standard to companies' diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. 

This zero-sum game approach perpetuates a flawed narrative reminiscent of the Jim Crow era. In the context of a Supreme Court decision, the statement that to end discrimination based on race, we must stop considering race altogether is an oxymoron. Applied universally, this "logic" would relieve our justice system of addressing any discrimination directed toward anyone. This contradicts our core values of equity and care for each other.   

Our vision is centered on building schools, businesses, and communities that embrace inclusion. We recognize that when everyone has the opportunity to contribute, create, and build, we foster a growing, sustainable, and secure future. This vision is a practical approach that harnesses our multicultural society's diverse talents, energies, and creativity—the same society that sustains small businesses like ours every day.

Supporting our communities goes beyond the principles of raw capitalism. It requires a public investment supporting commerce, businesses, workers, and families. We advocate for policies that promote healthy lives, a healthy climate, and a sustainable economy. Our community embraces justice while rejecting exploitation and opportunism. Regardless of whether your small business has a fully remote, hybrid, or local workforce, its diversity can significantly impact your local community by providing job opportunities and resources. 

Healthcare has been a crucial aspect of our mission since our founding. In 2009, rising insurance premiums drove our efforts to transform accessibility to healthcare in the United States. We understood that increasing coverage for more people would provide access and lower the cost of care and premiums. Universal access to healthcare is not just a liberal ideal; it is a practical solution. The regressive ideologies reflected in recent court decisions hinder our progress toward achieving universal access, but we remain resolute in our fight.

Our agenda is forward-looking and practical, not driven by ideology. We advocate for a care economy—one that prioritizes inclusivity and recognizes the importance of supporting small businesses. We believe those who benefit the most should contribute to public investments enabling this possibility. Access to affordable credit is a fundamental principle in our version of capitalism, and we reject corporate usury and exploitation. In essence, we care about one another and organize ourselves with patience, focus, determination, and an unwavering commitment to making our vision a reality.

Together, as Main Street Alliance, we can create a future where small business owners thrive, fairness and justice prevail, and the values we hold dear shape the fabric of our society. Let us continue our journey with unwavering resolve and united purpose.