In a letter sent on March 11, NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson called on Black student-athletes to reconsider any decision to attend public colleges and universities in Florida. Since passage of the Stop WOKE Act last year, the University of Florida and other public institutions have dismantled their DEI programs and departments.
Said Johnson, “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are paramount 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.”
In his letter, Johnson added that “Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has made no effort to conceal his administration’s devaluation of Black America.”
The state of Florida includes some of the nation’s largest public colleges and universities, many of whom rely on Black talent to drive their recruiting and athletic success.
Earlier this month, NFL Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith expressed similar sentiments, asking minority athletes to “be aware and vocal” about such policies. “We need diverse thinking and backgrounds to enhance our University and the DEI department is necessary to accomplish these goals,” he wrote. Smith played college football at the University of Florida, where he won national player of the year, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
For more information on the NAACP’s letter to student athletes, see the press release here.
Featured image by photo-gator on Flickr, used under Creative Commons license.
