American Hero Yi Fang Chen fights for equal opportunity in New York City schools
Yi Fang Chen came to America from China as a teenager with limited English. Through hard work and academic achievement, she earned a PhD from Stanford and built a better life for her family. Her journey showed her the power of merit-based opportunity—and why it must remain open to every student.
When New York City expanded a supplemental admissions program for its prestigious, public Specialized High Schools—including Stuyvesant and Bronx Science—and based eligibility partly on which middle school a student attended, Yi Fang knew she had to challenge it. The policy was designed to change the schools’ racial makeup.
Eight years ago, when her oldest son was a first-grader, Yi Fang joined a lawsuit challenging the policy because she feared it would deny hardworking students—including her own child—opportunities they had earned. The court dismissed her claim, saying her son was too young to be harmed.
Today, the harm she predicted is her family’s reality. Her son missed admission to Stuyvesant by just three points on the entrance exam—a score that would have earned him a seat the previous year. With two younger children—and thousands more across New York City, Yi Fang is continuing the fight.
“I knew this was going to happen eight years ago. That’s why I joined the lawsuit. Eight years later, the harm has actually occurred. Justice delayed is justice denied.”
On this month’s American Heroes, Yi Fang shares what this fight means for her family and why she believes merit—not race—should open doors.
Represented free of charge by Pacific Legal Foundation, Yi Fang is back in federal court. Her case, Yi Fang Chen v. Zohran Mamdani, defends a simple constitutional principle: Public educational opportunities should be available based on individual merit—not a student’s race.
Listen to the latest episode of American Heroes to hear why Yi Fang refuses to give up—not only for her children, but for every student in New York City.
American Heroes with Kathy Hoekstra is a monthly radio report from Pacific Legal Foundation airing on American Radio Journal. Each episode defends liberty, empowers individuals, and celebrates the heroes who stand up for what’s right. If you’re standing up to unlawful government overreach, we’d love to hear your story. Contact us at .
Be sure to follow American Heroes on your favorite podcast platform to be notified whenever a new episode drops.
- A special America 250 Edition – Listen
- The government took their children at 1 a.m. without a warrant – Listen
- Is a doctor’s call a crime? – Listen
- Beating illegal tariffs with Eva St. Clair and Rebecca Melsky – Listen
- When the government wipes out your property rights and your family legacy—overnight – Listen
- Fighting for homeowners’ rights with Christina Martin – Listen
- Her family built a safe product. The government destroyed their business. – Listen
- From Steinway to sawdust: The fight to save Alaska’s last timber mill – Listen
- When California regulates Pennsylvania trucking – Listen
