(Image source from: www.xinhuanet.com)

Scores of demonstrators approached in Boston's Copley Square on Sunday to show support for Students for Fair Admissions just as the organization commences its battle in federal court against the Ivy League institution.

Students for Fair Admissions has sued Harvard, alleging discrimination in admissions practices, specifically against Asian Americans.

The rally, hosted by the Asian American Coalition for Education, along with other organizations, was titled "Rally for the American Dream - Equal Education Rights for All."

As the protest unfolded, dozens of American flags waved in the air. Appeals to celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. expressions peppered speeches. A jumbo banner giving thanks to President Donald Trump for advocating for meritocracy was unfurled nearby, although no speakers mentioned the president directly in speeches.

"Harvard is an American gem," said Edward Blum, founder of Students for Fair Admissions. "We are not here to bash Harvard. We are here specifically because their admissions practices are discriminatory. Your race shouldn't help you or hurt you."

"This is not a controversial goal," he added. "Over 70 percent of Americans agree that a student's race should not be a factor in the admissions process."

Another speaker, Vijay Chokal-Ingam, author of "Almost Black: The True Story of How I Got Into Medical School By Pretending to Be Black" and brother to actress Mindy Kaling, told his tale of how he shaved his head and made some other modifications to his appearance to "look black" rather than Indian-American before medical school interviews to have an improved chance to gain admittance. However, it worked, gaining him acceptance to some of the top-rated medical schools in the country at the time, despite having a below average GPA and MCAT score.

Indian-Americans at the rally were cited among the Asian American communities discriminated against by Harvard and other colleges' admissions patterns. Others represented included representatives from Korean, Chinese, and other Asian-American communities.

"Schools are taking your taxpayer money to discriminate against you (when the) only crime was the color of your skin and the shape of your eyes," Chokal-Ingam said.

Several speakers as well addressed an issue within the Asian American community - apathy to political activism. One communicator vented that her parents told her "to avoid saying things that will upset the authority, but what has model minority done for us? Our children's personalities have been assassinated."

By Sowmya Sangam