2023 Annual Report

thriving in uncertain times

On June 29th, the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action programs at the University of North Carolina and Harvard, effectively ruling affirmative action in university admissions unconstitutional. While the ruling spoke specifically to race-based admission policies in colleges and universities, the decision set a precedent, effectively undermining all uses of affirmative action and stigmatizing the use of race-explicit language in advancing racial justice work.

An Ecosystem Under Attack

In August, the reverberations of the Supreme Court ruling hit our ecosystem hard with a lawsuit against Fearless Fund, a Black women-led fund, over a grant program targeting women of color. It was a “shot across the bow” signaling that our mission and the work of social justice warriors everywhere was under attack. Just three years after the commitments of investment and solidarity towards racial justice and Black economic empowerment, the pendulum is recklessly swinging in the opposite direction. 

Given a torrent of lawsuits, major institutions across society from universities, to corporations to government are scrambling for fear of litigation, whitewashing and further diluting their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. According to a survey released last month by the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals, “more than 80% of executives with a role in corporate responsibility have either changed the language they use to talk about their [racial equity] work or cut down on external communications about their efforts”.

The 2023 Journey of BIA

Growth, Disruption, and Impact

At the Black Innovation Alliance, we face major headwinds, but we’ve got the winds of justice to our backs.

Our legacy is strong. Our cause is just. And our time is now.

IN THIS REPORT, WE WALK YOU THROUGH BIA’S 2023 JOURNEY, ACCORDING TO THREE MAJOR THEMES:

Growth

Disruption

Impact

THRIVING IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

Explore the BIA 2023 Annual Report