NAACP leader Derrick Johnson has urged Black student-athletes to reconsider attending universities in Florida amid its crackdown on DEI, which includes new legislation barring schools from using federal or state funds on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. In a letter addressed to current and future student-athletes, NBC reported that Johnson implored them to “choose wisely” about which institution they want to rake in millions for. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are paramount to ensuring equitable and effective educational outcomes,” he said. “The value Black and other college athletes bring to large universities is unmatched.” Johnson told Black athletes they shouldn’t attend universities that “are unable to completely invest” in them. The new anti-DEI legislation, passed in January at the behest of Gov. Ron DeSantis, has already led the state’s flagship institution, the University of Florida, to eliminate all DEI positions last week—a move that was condemned by NFL legend Emmitt Smith, an alumni of the university. “I’m utterly disgusted by UF’s decision and the precedent that it sets,” he said, adding that history shows that “a team of leaders all made up of the same background” don’t always “make the right decision when it comes to equality and diversity.”
