The NAACP, along with two other civil rights groups, recently issued a travel advisory for Florida, warning potential tourists of the state’s “openly hostile” policies toward African Americans, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Joining the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and Equality Florida, the NAACP cited recent laws championed by Governor Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers for causing concern.
Florida is a highly popular state for tourists, with its tourism industry being one of its largest job sectors. The warning that was approved by the NAACP’s board of directors instructs potential tourists to look into the state’s devaluation and marginalization of African Americans and other communities of color before planning their travels. However, several of Florida’s Democratic mayors have emphasized that their cities welcome diversity and inclusion.
DeSantis’s administration rejected the College Board’s Advanced Placement African American Studies course in January, and continued to pass measures that ban state colleges from having programs on diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as critical race theory. The state also passed the Stop WOKE Act, which restricts certain race-based conversations and analysis among schools and businesses. LULAC cited a new law that prohibits local governments from providing money to organizations that issue identification cards to people illegally in the country, among other things, in its warning for Hispanic travelers considering a visit to Florida.
Equality Florida cited several factors in its warning to LGBTQ+ travelers, including recent efforts to limit discussion on LGBTQ+ topics in schools, new restrictions on abortion access, a recent ban on gender-affirming care for minors, and a law allowing concealed guns to be carried without a permit. Several Pride events in the state have been cancelled recently, with organizers citing the anti-LGBTQ+ laws as the reason.
All these policies combined have created an environment of fear and hostility for marginalized communities visiting Florida, with the groups warning that they pose a serious risk to the health and safety of those traveling to the state. The NAACP’s travel advisory comes amid speculations that DeSantis will announce a run for the Republican presidential nomination this week.
Credit: cbc.ca
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