In response to the Governor’s band-aid offer of additional funding for Edward Waters University instead real efforts at correcting his harmful policies and rhetoric, Representative Angie Nixon (D-Jacksonville) offered the following:
“Let me be perfectly clear: no amount of money can erase the pain caused by years of marginalization and oppression. Our historically Black institutions have faced an uphill battle for decades, and I invite DeSantis to go back through unfilled budget requests and line item vetoes to begin to provide the funding they’ve needed for years. For it to take murder for him to dig in his overflowing coffers for support is appalling.
“The recent Jacksonville shooting, which targeted Black individuals, is a stark reminder of the dangerous consequences of unchecked racism. While DeSantis may feign concern now, his track record speaks louder than his hollow words. We need actions, not publicity stunts.
“I urge the Governor to do more than make empty gestures and call folks names. It’s time for him to truly reckon with the damage he has caused, to apologize for the harm he has inflicted, and to actively work towards undoing the racist system he’s helped uphold and grow.”
