Everyone in college sports need to stand against anti-DEI bills in Florida, Alabama

I can’t believe it’s actually come to this.

No, wait, allow me to amend that: I can believe that it’s come to this, but can’t believe it would be this brazenly stupid.

With Republicans in many states including Florida and Alabama waging their war on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion offices (more on that later), the elimination of these DEI offices has finally hit the world of sports. The University of Florida eliminated their entire DEI office, firing employees in the office and ending contracts with outside contractors:

This of course drew the ire of Hall of Famer and arguably the greatest running back in history, Emmitt Smith. Smith played at Florida from 1987-1989, and has his jersey on the stadium, but what he did on Friday was as profound as anything he did on the field in his career. Smith penned a letter that he published on social media condemning the university for shuttering their DEI division.

“To the MANY minority athletes at UF, please be aware and vocal about this decision by the University who is now closing the doors on other minorities without any oversight,” Smith wrote.

Smith has one of the most powerful names in the ENTIRE university, and because of the idiots running the state of Florida, he’s calling for athletes at the flagship school to reconsider the people that are making the decisions.

In Alabama, an anti-DEI bill that’s similar to the one enacted in the state of Florida has come with major pushback. The bill, which would forbid any public institution in the state from “maintaining any office, physical location or department that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion” among other rules has drawn the ire of everyone, from students to Birmingham mayor Randall Woodfin. Students in the hundreds lined up at the Alabama statehouse to protest the banning of diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the state, handing out flyers and waiting to speak with lawmakers.

Woodfin perhaps had the most fiery response, one that should get the state’s attention if true. When the bill was announced to be headed for final passage in the House, Woodfin posted this on social media:

The important part here is very clear:

“To the parents of minority athletes who are helping their children decide if they want to play sports at these institutions: Would you be cool with your child playing at schools where diversity among staff is actively being discouraged? Although I’m the biggest Bama fan, I have no problem organizing Black parents and athletes to attend other institutions outside the state where diversity and inclusion are prioritized.”

Outside of the obvious stupidity of eliminating DEI offices and practices because they’re, per the state of Alabama, “divisive” (lol, lmao even), Alabama may have put themselves at odds with ... ahem ... THE NCAA.

What this ultimately boils down to is that both decision-making parties in Alabama and Florida don’t want people of color on their campuses in any capacity outside of the athletic department. Their choice to put blatant racism over the health of their state and children entering institutions of higher learning is both asinine and it places the sports programs directly in the crosshairs of the NCAA. An incredible job by everyone involved, all the lightbulbs are sure firing up there!

Yet, this might be what’s needed. Mayor Woodfin and Smith’s voices are needed for an impact to truly be felt. It not solely on the athletes that already go to the university; former athletes, parents of athletes, and people in power have to put the fire to the state in order to bring DEI practices and offices back. It’s a necessary first step by both Woodfin and Smith, but it can’t be the only step. It’s going to take Black and brown parents to advise their children to go to universities that see them as people off the field. It’s going to take public-facing former athletes to do what Smith did and advise their own children and other recruits to take their talents somewhere else, places where they’ll be valued.

It might take a while, but people of color have the ability to force change.