Look what you’ve done, Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Nearly a week after the Florida governor got his wish and the entire diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program at the University of Florida (UF) was eliminated, the NAACP has had enough.
On Monday, in a letter sent to NCAA President Charlie Baker, the NAACP urged Black student-athletes to not attend any state schools in Florida, writing, “To all current and prospective college student-athletes - the NAACP urges you to reconsider any potential decision to attend, and compete at a predominantly white institution in the state of Florida.”
The letter continued, “This is not about politics. It’s about the protection of our community, the progression of culture, and most of all, it’s about your education, and your future.”
While the entire letter speaks to the importance of DEI programs and why it positively affects Black educators and students at these universities, NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson took it a step further, saying in a statement, “Florida’s rampant anti-Black policies are a direct threat to the advancement of our young people and their ability to compete in a global economy.”
He added, “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are paramount (to) ensuring equitable and effective educational outcomes. The value Black and other college athletes bring to large universities is unmatched. If these institutions are unable to completely invest in those athletes, it’s time they take their talents elsewhere.”
Even though the NAACP is strongly opposed to Black student-athletes attending Florida colleges, they also understand that not every Black student has the luxury to do that.
More from the NAACP’s letter:
While it is our duty to spread awareness, and encourage action around these egregious assaults, we also recognize that protest can come at a price. The sad reality is, for many Black student-athletes, collegiate sports may be their sole opportunity at achieving the upward mobility necessary to propel them into their rightful places in society.
DeSantis is mostly responsible for having many of the DEI programs in the state relinquished: In January, the Florida Board of Education announced a new rule that banned the use of state funds for DEI programs. That rule was ushered in by DeSantis through legislation that he signed in May 2023, according to NBC News.
DeSantis has also gone against DEI on social media, writing in a post on X earlier this month, “DEI is toxic and has no place in our public universities. I’m glad that Florida was the first state to eliminate DEI and I hope more states follow suit.”
While DEI programs in Florida are becoming a rarity, many notable Black people have shared their support of it, including University of Florida alumnus Emmit Smith, who was “utterly disgusted” by the school’s decision to eliminate its DEI program.
If Black-student athletes took a stand, it would be a huge blow to universities in Florida, most notably UF. From 2021 to 2022, the school’s sports teams made more than $177 million, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Of the more than 500 student-athletes at UF, 133 of them are Black, according to student-athlete data from the school.
If all of them just decided to not attend UF out of the blue, it would be a huge blow to their pockets and would make a huge statement on how they feel about the elimination of its DEI program.