The NAACP is warning people of color about traveling to the state of Florida.
The organization issued a travel advisory for Florida “in direct response to … DeSantis’ aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools,” the group said Saturday in a statement, as DEI programs are being targeted by the GOP across the country.
“Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals,” the NAACP said. “Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color.”
The travel advisory follows DeSantis’ administration’s decision in January to prevent Florida high schools from offering an AP course in African American studies.
In a letter to the College Board rejecting the course, the administration said: “As presented, the content of this course is inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value.”
NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement that “failing to teach an accurate representation of the horrors and inequalities that Black Americans have faced and continue to face is a disservice to students and a dereliction of duty to all.”
Under DeSantis, “the state of Florida has become hostile to Black Americans and in direct conflict with the democratic ideals that our union was founded upon,” Johnson added. “He should know that democracy will prevail because its defenders are prepared to stand up and fight. We’re not backing down, and we encourage our allies to join us in the battle for the soul of our nation.”
Following the rejection of the AP African American studies course by the DeSantis administration, the NAACP gave 10,000 books to 25 predominantly Black communities across Florida in partnership with the American Federation of Teachers’ Reading Opens the World initiative, according to the NAACP. The majority of the donated books were titles that were banned under the state’s increasingly stringent restrictions.
According to the NAACP president, such measures are “not business-attractive policies.” He asked members to consider hosting conventions elsewhere. “The policies that he has put in place are harmful to far too many individuals,” Johnson remarked.