NAACP Warns Black People Visiting DeSantis' Florida About Hostility

The NAACP has warned Black people planning to visit Gov. Ron DeSantis' Florida that they would be traveling to a 'hostile' environment

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reacts after signing HB 7, the "Stop WOKE" bill, at Mater Academy Charter Middle/High School in Hialeah Gardens, Florida, on Friday, April 22, 2022. Daniel A. Varela/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

• Major civil rights organization issues a travel advisory for Black people planning to visit Florida.
• The NAACP said it was "hostile toward African Americans, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals."
• Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration have overseen a swathe of controversial laws and policies.

A prominent civil rights organization has issued a travel advisory warning for Black people and LGBTQ+ planning to visit Florida, saying the sunshine state had become "openly hostile." 

The NAACP announced the advisory on Saturday was the result of "unrelenting attacks on fundamental freedoms." It took aim at "Governor Ron DeSantis' aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools."

The travel advisory warns that those traveling to the state should be aware that "Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals."

The advisory also described DeSantis and his Florida government as on a "seeming quest to silence African-American voices." 

NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson said, "Under the leadership of Governor DeSantis, the state of Florida has become hostile to Black Americans and in direct conflict with the democratic ideals that our union was founded upon."

Chair of the NAACP Board of Directors, Leon Russell, said, "Governor Ron DeSantis and the state of Florida have engaged in a blatant war against principles of diversity and inclusion and rejected our shared identities to appeal to a dangerous, extremist minority."

Russell added "hate-inspired state leaders" were putting politics before people.

The LGBTQ+ rights group Equality Florida announced a travel advisory in April, saying, "Florida's slate of laws and policies targeting basic freedoms and rights pose a serious risk to the health and safety of those traveling to the state."

These advisories come after DeSantis and his administration have overseen a swathe of controversial laws and policies, including the "Don't Say Gay" bill, book banning, and the "Stop Woke" act. 

Recently, DeSantis also signed a slew of anti-transgender rights bills into law that will limit access to healthcare, public restroom usage, and measures aimed at the school curriculum.

On Friday, PRIDE in St. Cloud became the latest LGBTQ+ community in Florida to cancel its festival, with organizers citing a "climate of fear," reported Orlando.com.

It follows several others, including Tampa, that have abandoned celebrations, said the outlet.