Under Ron DeSantis, Florida has become an unfriendly, uninviting and fearfully hostile state for Black people.
The Florida Governor has used bullying and fascist tactics to strongarm his will across the Sunshine State, with a particular focus on whitewashing and eliminating Black history and impeding equitable progress by attacking and destroying DEI efforts.
His policies have given rise to book bans, voter intimidation, limitations on abortion rights, horrendous educational reform, anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment and the elimination of DEI efforts at colleges and universities.
It’s a frightening movement that we have detailed numerous times, each time calling on sports, and Black athletes in particular, to take action against what is being done in Florida.
It’s so bad that last May the NAACP issued a formal travel advisory for the state of Florida.
“Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals,” wrote the NAACP. “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.”
Some athletes, like Coco Gauff, F1 superstar Lewis Hamilton and basketball Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, have spoken out against the ridiculous “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Wade even moved his family out of the state for fear of what could happen to his daughter.
But very few superstar athletes if any have spoken out publicly against DeSantis’ anti-DEI efforts and the attack on Black culture through his foolish “Stop WOKE Act” policies, much less initiate a rallying cry to take action against the fascist regime DeSantis has crafted.
That is until Sunday when one of the greatest athletes in Florida sports history decided to take a stand.
Responding to the decision by his alma mater, the University of Florida, to shutter its DEI office and eliminate all DEI-related positions to comply with DeSantis’ policy mandating the end of all such programs/efforts at state-funded colleges and universities, Smith vented his thoughts on Twitter/X.
“I am utterly disgusted by UF’s decision and the precedent that it sets,” wrote Smith. “Without the DEI department, the job falls to the Office of the Provost, who already has their hands full, to raise money for the university and continue to advance the academic studies and athletic programs. We cannot continue to believe and trust that a team of leaders all made up of the same background will make the right decision when it comes to equality and diversity. History has already proven that is not the case.
“We need diverse thinking and background to enhance our University and the DEI department is necessary to accomplish those goals.
“Instead of showing courage and leadership, we continue to fail based on systemic issues and with this decision, UF has conformed to the political pressures of today’s time.”
But most impressively, Smith called on “minority athletes” to recognize what’s going on in Florida and take action.
“To the MANY minority athletes at UF, please be aware and vocal about this decision by the University who is now closing the doors on other minorities without any oversight,” he wrote. “And to those who think it’s not your problem and stay on the sidelines and say nothing, you are complicit in supporting systemic issues.”
Yes Emmitt! Preach!
It’s time for this generation of Black athletes to revive the once strong backbone Black athlete activists had during the Civil Rights Movement and take action against individuals, administrations, policies and systems that are destroying the histories, institutions, communities and the way of life for Black Floridians across the state.
It’s time for Black athletes in the state at all levels to come together as the Black athletes at the University of Missouri did in 2015 when the administration failed to respond to racist incidents on campus.
And in that situation, Black football players were joined by white coaches and teammates and they all stood in unity with the students who first called out the administration.
Black athletes, you have the power to force change.
NIL has given athletes the power to change the trajectory of their futures, and it’s given Black athletes the opportunity to close the wealth gap that’s long existed in America.
But it’s also given them leverage and options, which in turn gives them the power to transform.
If four and five-star recruits left Florida to play in states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Maryland and New Jersey, college football programs there would suffer. Athletic department revenue would fall, fans would be upset and it would be harder for Florida teams to compete nationally.
Don’t think it could work?
Look at what happened when Travis Hunter committed to Jackson St. over Florida State. College football purists lost their minds and HBCU football received a much-needed boost. Now he’s in Colorado raking in millions in NIL deals and helping Coach Prime forge the Buffaloes into a national attraction despite not having a winning record.
Meanwhile, DeSantis has allocated $1 million for Florida State to sue the CFP after wrongly being left out of the Playoffs this past season, but he forced the University of Florida to cut $5.3 million it was spending ($3.4 million of which was state-funded) on DEI efforts, which included courses like “Impact of Disabilities.”
Black athletes are using their athletic talents to transform the college sports landscape.
But more significantly, Black athletes have the opportunity to unite and use their talents and leverage to transform oppressive states like Florida at the political level and bring change systemically.
Emmitt Smith has taken the field. Now it’s your chance to join him.
