Stop W.O.K.E. Act” ruled unconstitutional


We celebrate the recent decision in the case of Honeyfund.com, Inc. v. State of Florida, No. 22-13135 (Mar. 4, 2024), by the United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, declaring Florida’s “Stop W.O.K.E. Act” unconstitutional.

Named the “Individual Freedom Act” and signed into law by reactionary Governor Ron DeSantis in 2022, the Act made it unlawful for employers to host Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)-oriented trainings that address what have been described as “banned concepts.” These banned concepts contest racial- and gender-based power and privilege and examine and disrupt the ways systems and institutions sustain and perpetuate these dynamics.

The provisions of the Act refer to “an individual,” “members of one race,” and “members of a particular race,” silently shouting the whiteness and maleness of those “individuals” and “members” in an extraordinary embodiment of the principle of the “strategic rhetoric” of whiteness.  

A Brief History of Redlining


The origins of the term "redlining" in Dade County Florida can be traced to the Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC), a federal New Deal agency of the 1930's. HOLC developed an elaborate appraisal and rating system for different neighborhoods in cities across the country. These neighborhood appraisals were plotted on "residential security maps''. These maps were used for years afterwards as a tool for denying loans to residents of Dade County's black communities.

In honor of Black History Month,...

Shaun Swanger, Swire Properties’ Senior Vice President of People and Operations, and Roni Bennett, Executive Director of South Florida People of Color, sat down for a candid conversation about diversity and inclusivity in Miami and Swire Properties’ work with South Florida People of Color. For the last 4 years, Swire has partnered with this nonprofit organization that is bridging differences through education and facilitating meaningful dialogue to foster equity and a sense of community in South Florida.

The 20th of May: The History and Heritage of Florida’s Emancipation Day Digital History Project is an online portal documenting nearly 160 years of the history and culture celebrating the 20th of May, Florida’s Emancipation Day.

The 20th of May, Florida’s historic emancipation celebration, has been observed in many Florida communities with the majority of the state’s Black population since 1865. In fact, in St. Augustine and Key West, because of the presence of the U.S. Army during the U.S. Civil War, Black people celebrated emancipation as early as 1863....

Celebrating Success at the Greater Miami Shores Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner

South Florida People of Color (SFPoC) is a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to empowering South Florida’s diverse communities through education, dialogue, and advocacy with a focus on healing, equity and inclusive leadership.

WE ARE SOUTH FLORIDA PEOPLE OF COLOR

We are committed to creating a transformative experience that fosters healing and advances a society built on equity and inclusivity.

We curate enriching and educational community programs that celebrate diverse perspectives and empower individuals with different identities to connect and collaborate. Through the exploration of history, arts, and culture, we aim to foster meaningful dialogues that pave the way for healing, genuine inclusiveness, and a sense of belonging.

We firmly believe that sustainable transformation starts with nurturing relationships, addressing conflicts, implementing strategies to dismantle oppression, and actively advocating for change.

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RESPONSE TO THE ENACTMENT OF THE 'STOP WOKE' ACT

On July 1, 2022, Gov. DeSantis’s Stop WOKE (Wrongs against Our Kids and Employees), embodied in FLORIDA HOUSE BILL 7, went into effect in the State of Florida. This unwarranted and unprecedented law weaponized White discomfort with being exposed to the realities of institutional and systemic racism and the plain facts of our nation’s racial history.

This law strikes directly at the work of the South Florida People of Color and our mission to dismantle racism through education and advocacy. Unfortunately, we expect that this unjust law will have some chilling effect on the work of our Unity360 Institute, which conducts diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training for colleges, universities, and corporate entities. 

Nevertheless, we will not be silenced. Our work will continue because it is more critical now than ever. 

As evidenced by this law, we are witnessing the reemergence of White supremacist ideology into our national and local politics, in a way not seen since before the 1960s, even to the point of becoming the modus operandi of a political party. Laws like HB 7 are expressions of this ideology that use policy violence to silence conversations that help to create a foundation for a more inclusive and equitable society. This is a countermovement in direct response to the popularity of the 1619 Project, which complicated the common understanding of America’s history by centering the Black experience in this country over 400 years, and the Racial Reckoning of 2020 in the aftermath of the murders of Ahmed Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. The combined effect of these social and intellectual movements, and the continuing echo for social justice and equity, are threats to those who are not interested in true inclusion or equity. 

There are some people who are only comfortable with a narrative of America’s history that glorifies White triumph and promotes American exceptionalism, even when they were created at the expense of the lives and humanity of systemically marginalized groups like Blacks and Indigenous people.

Even DeSantis’s invocation of the word “our” in the title of this horrendous piece of legislation reveals his singular focus on the feelings of White people. He and the members of the legislature that passed this egregious law stand on the ridiculous belief that exposing “their” children to the facts of this nation’s history and current practices of institutional and systemic racism, as documented by the plain facts of history, is a “wrong” to them. But what of the Black and indigenous children in this state who need to understand the facts of their own history? What about the “wrongs” that are committed to employees of color who have for years suffered microaggressions and other forms of interpersonal and institutional bias, often unwittingly perpetrated by their colleagues, that affect their mental health and career trajectories? 

DeSantis and the socially violent political agenda he has enacted in Florida is only a microcosm of what is to come if those of us who are committed to inclusion, justice, and equity are silent and disengaged. The constitutionally protected rights of speech and assembly have actively been curtailed. Our values of intellectual freedom are being attacked with censorship and book banning. False narratives of history are being enshrined into the state-sanctioned civic curriculum. These activities are not only dangerous but anti-democratic and a threat to our nation, now and in the future.

Each of us must determine where we stand and what we are willing to do to protect ourselves, our children, and our future. The South Florida People of Color maintains its commitment to building an equitable future for everyone.

With the recent release of its updated African American History curriculum, the State of Florida goes out of its way to highlight its assertion that enslaved Black individuals gained skills during slavery that they were able to use for their personal benefit.

This troubling development is just one part of the ongoing assault, particularly accelerated by reactionary Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, on the realization of a plural, multiracial, and inclusive democracy that we all rightfully deserve.

Numerous informed and thoughtful commentaries have shed light on the methods and consequences of these efforts, which we highly recommend exploring.

It is crucial to note that the current controversy surrounding Florida's Black History curriculum underscores a series of significant issues that demand equal, if not greater, attention:

These distortions of American history are part of a broader ideological project that supports American White Supremacy and White Nationalism, and Ron DeSantis is just one of several rising figures associated with it:

The ongoing experiences of Black and other marginalized communities illustrate how the dissemination of racial and economic misinformation, masquerading as academic knowledge through state-approved curricula, can have long-term detrimental consequences. Florida's recent African American history standards are just one example of these dangerous deficiencies, but they shed light on the actions of individuals like United States Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, United States Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, as well as their fellow travelers with reactionary views. Their myth-based, distorted worldview results in public policies that inflict suffering upon all of us.

Professor James W. Loewen explores these themes and helps us understand how the harmful myths we teach about our country, its founding, its past, and its present hinder our ability to achieve our fullest collective potential. For more insights, we recommend reading James W. Loewen's book, Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong (The New Press, 2018).

written by: Alex Rundlet, Chair
graphics by: Ithan Payne

On August 11, 1973, in the vibrant borough of Bronx, NY, Hip Hop took its first breath and began a cultural revolution that continues to shape the world even after 50 years. As we commemorate this golden anniversary at SFPoC, we do so with boundless love and admiration for the artistry and resilience that Hip Hop embodies. Our dedication to this cultural milestone is unwavering, and we express it through the vibrant tapestry of storytelling in our educational content, immersive live experiences, and captivating visual and performing arts. Hip Hop has been a mirror reflecting the struggles faced by marginalized communities, and today, it has evolved into a powerful global force and a way of life.

At SFPoC, we take pride in telling our own stories and researching the intricacies of societal inequalities ingrained in institutions, practices, and policies. In the spirit of healing and progress, we engage in meaningful discussions about the enduring racial disparities that persist despite the formal repudiation of white supremacy in the mid-20th century. Our mission is to educate, advocate, and dismantle systemic oppression, empowering communities to unite and challenge the status quo. This love letter to Hip Hop is a testament to our commitment to uplifting and empowering all, as we stand together, united in the timeless rhythm and beat of this cultural phenomenon.

SFPoC PROGRAMS

Dismantling racism in all of its forms – individual, institutional, and systemic through education and advocacy.

SFPoC RECENT EVENTS

SFPoC SUPPORTS

The South Florida People of Color condemn the brutal treatment and mass deportation of Haitian migrants seeking refuge at the Texas border from the devastation of the recent earthquake, a series of hurricanes, tropical storms and a deepening political crisis following the mysterious assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July.  Due to these crises people are desperate for a safe place for their families, only to be further brutalized by U.S. Border Patrol Agents and "whipped like cattle.”

Our mission is in unison with the struggle for stability and democracy in Haiti. To people of African descent worldwide, this triggers traumatic images of Black people being lynched, trampled, killed, beaten, chased; being treated less than humans. No human being should be brutalized!

For further action, feel free to visit The Institute of the Black World/Haiti.

SFPoC PRESS

SFPoC ON PODCASTS

SFPoC AWARDS

  • Awkward Dinners won the 2018 Philanthropy Miami’s Shark Tank contest.
  • Awarded a grant from the Florida Humanities Council for Unity360 Race In Retrospect Author Lecture Series in 2019.
  • Awarded grants from Miami Shores Community Alliance for 2019 and 2020 Black History Month programs.
  • Awarded a grant from Unite Miami Shores in 2017 for Unity360 Community Race Dialogues.

 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

With your donation, SFPoC can bring ground-breaking research to the community through antiracist education and advocacy.