Samuel Case, FISM News

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The NAACP issued an official travel advisory against the state of Florida on Saturday, saying the state is “hostile to Black Americans” under the leadership of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. 

“Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals. 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 advisory reads. 

The advisory specifically targets DeSantis, saying under his leadership “the State of Florida has criminalized protests, restricted the ability of educators to teach African-American history, and engaged in a blatant war against diversity and inclusion.”

Last week, DeSantis signed two bills that prohibit federal and state funds from financing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in the state’s universities and ban higher education facilities from requiring students and employees to sign DEI compliance agreements.

In January, the Florida Department of Education rejected an Advanced Placement African American Studies class that contained a topic on “Black Queer studies” and featured authors known for promoting critical race theory.

The travel advisory also took issue with Florida’s constitutional carry law, abortion restrictions, and anti-riot and looting law.

Florida’s chapter of the NAACP first considered issuing a travel advisory in March. 

DeSantis commented on the idea at the time. “It’s a pure stunt. And fine, if you want to waste your time on a stunt, that’s fine. But I’m not wasting my time on your stunts. I’m going to make sure that we’re getting things done here,” he said. 

The NAACP says the travel advisory will remain in effect until further notice.