what is affirmative action 
affirmative action refers to a policy aimed at increasing workplace and educational opportunities for people who are underrepresented in various areas of our society it focuses on demographics with historically low representation in leadership and professional roles it is often considered a means of countering discrimination against particular groups businesses and governments commonly implement affirmative action programs by taking individuals race sex religion or national origin into account when hiring it has been widely used in education settings in the united states particularly in college admissions however in the 2023 ruling of students for fair admissions v harvard the supreme court said colleges and universities could no longer take race into consideration as a specific basis for granting admission 1