Affirmative action was one of the pieces put in place to help create a more equitable future. It wasn’t the only one, but it was important.

In a perfect world, we would not need systems in place to unwind systemic racial barriers. But our world is not perfect, so we continuously work to build new systems to replace the old. One of those systems was a 40-year policy of considering race in college admissions to reduce racial disparities in admissions and foster a more diverse student body in our institutions of higher education. Diversity increases exposure to a variety of perspectives, which is the only way we’ll be able to dismantle racial stereotypes and prepare young people for a multicultural society and an increasingly global economy.

We encourage the nation’s higher-education leaders to continue your commitment to ensuring a diverse and inclusive student population at your institutions, and double-down on your support for applicants and students of color to erase the still-present inequities.

And to students from communities of color: you are an important part of America’s education and workforce; you are tomorrow’s talent. Do not let this ruling discourage you from reaching your potential.

The Court also struck down the Biden Administration’s student debt forgiveness plan—a plan that could have been transformative for low-income families with loans held by the U.S. Dept of Education. The cost of education has skyrocketed across the previous generations, and the financing of education is muting the potential of education as an economic equalizer. Forgiving a portion of that debt could have made social mobility a reality for many, strengthening and diversifying America’s middle class.

Lastly, the Court made a decision to erode the protections of our LGTBQ+ community. That decision moves our nation away from inclusivity, and opens the door to discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. It is antithetical to America’s promise of opportunity for all; instead of opening doors to opportunity, it closes them.

Our world isn’t perfect. But these Supreme Court rulings make it less so than it was just a couple of weeks ago. CareerWise will continue to pursue the mission that drove our founding eight years ago—putting the systems in place that create new opportunities for education and career that didn’t exist before; opportunities that will help drive America towards a more equitable, a more diverse and inclusive, and a more just economy.