With presidential nominee Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis causing havoc on Black education with his “Anti-Woke” agenda, a Black student organization at a community college in Tallahassee may have to look for another name or risk losing funding.
According to WSFU Public Media, the Black male students who are members of Black Male Achievers are looking for alternative names to call their organization due to the
possibility of losing state funding because of a new Florida law.During the Civil Rights Movement during the 60s and 70s, there were battles to level the playing fields due to racial politics and the racial imbalance that people of color had to endure. Sixty years later, it seems that certain states and one political party specifically are fighting to reverse that.
In Florida, a new law prohibits student-led organizations that “advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion” and other causes, whether social and/or political, from getting money from the state and/or federal funding. Under this new directive, the organizations can only receive funding from student-activity fees under the new law.
Tyler Soto, who attends Tallahassee Community College, is also a member of Black Male Achievers. Due to what may happen if they keep the name, he says the organization wants to change it. They’re considering choices like “Male Achievers” or “Scholar Male Achievers.” At least this way, they may not have to worry about not getting the funding necessary to keep the organization afloat.
“We’re going to have to change the name of our organization or they’re going to defund it because it has ‘Black’ in front of it,” Soto said.
Soto is also a part of the school’s Student Government Association, and he has stated that laws and policies like this have only encouraged him to become more involved in the political process.
“It has made me want to step up and be the change.”
But, for now, the name change must occur so there can be an organization to be a member of.