State government’s attacks on Black Floridians demand powerful, modern-day civil rights action | Opinion

During the height of the civil rights movement, Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us that, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Florida’s current political landscape is a stark reminder that the arc doesn’t bend without all of us working together.

In recent years, Florida’s political leaders have been working in earnest to put that justice further out of reach.

Anti-protest laws aimed at Black demonstrators; racially gerrymandered redistricting maps; undermining a super-majority of voters who sought to restore voting rights for more than a million of their fellow Floridians; attacks on school diversity, equity and inclusion programs; restricting lessons on Black and LGBTQ+ history, an epidemic of book banning in Florida schools. These are just a few of the ways these politicians are trying to take us back. Back to the time of Jim Crow, segregation and subjugation.

We won’t go back.

We’ve been subjected to a seemingly endless string of political attacks against Black Floridians in the so-called “Free State of Florida.” We must rise to the challenge and vigorously defend our civil rights, voting rights and human rights. Otherwise, we risk losing the hard-won gains of previous generations. We can’t afford to sit idly by and hope someone else stands up for us, speaks up for us. The cavalry isn’t coming, unless it’s us.

What does a modern era civil rights response look like? First, our response must be year-round. I hear people complain all the time that we only hear from candidates when they’re courting the Black vote.

But I see it differently. We need to be engaged in what’s happening in the Legislature, making sure politicians from both parties know we’re watching and that we’ll hold them accountable come Election Day.

So have your protests now, your walkouts, your teach-ins, your sit-ins and rallies. Call your legislators, show up at their offices. Make sure they know we’re not waiting to hear from them anymore — because they’re going to be hearing from us. Then, make sure you, your family, friends and colleagues are educated about how lawmakers are trying to suppress our vote. Make sure you’re registered. Make sure you know where your polling place is and then get out and vote.

The right to vote is one of the most fundamental expressions in our democracy. Nothing is more critical to enhancing freedoms and protections for Black Americans than raising our collective voice at the ballot box. But even that basic freedom is under attack in Florida, creating even more urgency for us to act.

The two leading contenders for the 2024 Republican nomination for president — Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis — both are from Florida and they have led the attacks on people of color and the LGBTQ+ community. With so much at stake, Florida stands at the crossroads of America’s future and we, as Black Floridians, are on the front lines. Will our civil rights be stripped away or will we rise up and fight for the rights of future generations, as our ancestors did for us?

Preventing further rollbacks of our civil rights will require an earnest and ongoing effort across our state, and the NAACP Florida State Conference is well-positioned to lead that effort, with Black Florida behind us.

We must realize, with the fierce urgency of now, that Florida is at the forefront of a nationwide campaign to silence Black voices and erase the history and experiences of Black people.

These attacks increasingly jeopardize public safety, particularly for ours and other marginalized communities. Last month, as state lawmakers rammed through more anti-Black education legislation, the NAACP Florida State Conference of Branches membership voted unanimously to request a travel advisory from our national board of directors warning Black Americans to be cautious about travel to Florida.

This travel advisory sounds the alarm — Florida is not safe for Black people. DeSantis responded by saying, “What a joke.” I fear my grandchildren won’t be laughing in the future if we don’t seize the moment and fight back for our freedoms today.

Dr. Adora Obi Nweze is president of the NAACP Florida State Conference.