Celebrate Black History Month! Defend DEI!

This February National SDS celebrates Black History month by continuing to defend Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and Affirmative Action in our universities and workplaces- especially in the face of recent attacks by Trump’s administration. We honor the Black student activists and community members who fought for these progressive policies in the first place. We affirm the importance of Black History and policies which insure equal access to education for Black students. Trump’s last minute attempt to retroactively recognize Black History Month, after passing an executive order which dismissed it, is a testament to the unpopularity of his racist agenda. We recognize Trump’s attacks on diversity programs and initiatives as a reactionary attack on the victories of progressive movements and especially the Black Liberation movement. As a student activist organization we know our history and we know that the establishment of these programs were only made possible by the bravery of Black student and community activists who occupied buildings, marched through campuses and organized for years to win.

We are angered but unsurprised at this attack on DEI, as we’ve been following similar legislation in states like Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, and Kansas. This move also follows the Supreme Court’s overturning of Affirmative Action in 2023. We’ve seen that for years now college campuses have caved to racist attacks, reformatting their programs and courses. Sometimes even quietly shutting them down to conform to anticipated anti-DEI legislation. Attacks on DEI, ethnic studies and cultural centers not only deprive students of important educational resources and opportunities but also leave university staff without jobs.

In the first week of his administration the passing of the executive order entitled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-based Opportunity” tore down Civil Rights era wins across all federal departments. SDS rejects the backwards narrative that diversity initiatives are divisive measures which impede unity. Instead, we recognize that there can be no unity and progress without protections for those systematically oppressed. SDS once again affirms that DEI and affirmative action are crucial for protecting black and brown people, LGBTQ people and women and people with disabilities across workplaces and institutions. As a national student organization we recognize this as an attack on the Department of Education, and therefore education as a whole across this country. Students must take up the fight for fair and inclusive education.

National SDS calls on all their chapters and allies to take up the fight to defend DEI and ethnic studies on their campuses. SDS chapters should continue to build relationships and lend support to Black student groups and cultural centers. In addition to protests and campaigns which demand our administrators not comply with the erasure of diversity programs, we encourage our chapters to organize teach-ins that focus on Black history. We continue to demand that our universities increase enrollment and opportunities for Black students.