The nation’s largest and oldest African American fraternity is canceling its convention in Orlando.Alpha Phi Alpha was supposed to bring 15,000 people to its 2025 conference.It’s the fifth convention to cancel in the past couple of months.Organizers blame the governor’s policies dealing with race in schools and the workplace.The faith-based conference of predominantly African American delegates is in Orlando this week.Some told us off-camera they were considering not coming back because of Florida’s new laws restricting diversity, equity and inclusion. It’s part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ war on “Woke”, also referred to as “Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees” in the Stop W.O.K.E Act. It’s what he considers to be corporate and educational attempts to place blame for past racial injustices on today’s students and workers. The Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity’s conference won’t be coming here in 2025. The head of the fraternity said:”In this environment of manufactured division and attacks on the Black community, Alpha Phi Alpha refuses to direct a projected $4.6 million convention economic impact to a place hostile to the communities we serve,” said Willis Lonzer, the Alpha Phi Alpha general president. He specifically cited the Board of Education’s new history curriculum that includes “how slaves developed skills, which in some cases could be applied for their personal benefit” and references to “acts of violence against and by African Americans.” Democratic state Sen. Shevrin Jones is a fraternity member. “We will suffer greatly, financially, and in our tourism industry if this continues all for the sake of power and politics,” Jones said. Also, in recent weeks, AnitaB.org, the Association of Peri-Operative Nurses, and the National Society of Black Engineers canceled future events, citing Florida’s laws and education policies. Related: NAACP issues travel advisory for Florida, saying the state ‘devalues and marginalizes’ African Americans We reached out to the governor’s office for a comment.A spokesman responded: “This is a stunt.” The cancellation of this convention comes at a time when already for two straight months, tourist development tax collections have been down, and the county is contemplating spending billions of those tax dollars over the next decade on things like expanding the Orange County Convention Center. Orange County’s comptroller says canceled events eat away at the bottom line. “Tourist development taxes, you’re talking about sales taxes, you’re talking about hotel room nights. So it’s a big hit,” said Phil Diamond, the Orange County comptroller. And perhaps the first few of many hits to the area’s top industry.In May, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Human Rights Campaign issued travel advisories saying the state is “openly hostile” to people of color and LGBTQ+ people because of laws and policies that marginalize those communities.Top headlines: Florida officials release artist rendition of woman whose remains were found in suitcases Jennifer Odom murder: Florida deputies make arrest in 30-year-old cold case Florida allows teachers to use conservative PragerU curriculum in classrooms
The nation’s largest and oldest African American fraternity is canceling its convention in Orlando.
Alpha Phi Alpha was supposed to bring 15,000 people to its 2025 conference.
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It’s the fifth convention to cancel in the past couple of months.
Organizers blame the governor’s policies dealing with race in schools and the workplace.
The faith-based conference of predominantly African American delegates is in Orlando this week.
Some told us off-camera they were considering not coming back because of Florida’s new laws restricting diversity, equity and inclusion.
It’s part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ war on “Woke”, also referred to as “Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees” in the Stop W.O.K.E Act.
It’s what he considers to be corporate and educational attempts to place blame for past racial injustices on today’s students and workers.
The Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity’s conference won’t be coming here in 2025.
The head of the fraternity said:
“In this environment of manufactured division and attacks on the Black community, Alpha Phi Alpha refuses to direct a projected $4.6 million convention economic impact to a place hostile to the communities we serve,” said Willis Lonzer, the Alpha Phi Alpha general president.
He specifically cited the Board of Education’s new history curriculum that includes “how slaves developed skills, which in some cases could be applied for their personal benefit” and references to “acts of violence against and by African Americans.”
Democratic state Sen. Shevrin Jones is a fraternity member.
“We will suffer greatly, financially, and in our tourism industry if this continues all for the sake of power and politics,” Jones said.
Also, in recent weeks, AnitaB.org, the Association of Peri-Operative Nurses, and the National Society of Black Engineers canceled future events, citing Florida’s laws and education policies.
We reached out to the governor’s office for a comment.
A spokesman responded: “This is a stunt.”
The cancellation of this convention comes at a time when already for two straight months, tourist development tax collections have been down, and the county is contemplating spending billions of those tax dollars over the next decade on things like expanding the Orange County Convention Center.
Orange County’s comptroller says canceled events eat away at the bottom line.
“Tourist development taxes, you’re talking about sales taxes, you’re talking about hotel room nights. So it’s a big hit,” said Phil Diamond, the Orange County comptroller.
And perhaps the first few of many hits to the area’s top industry.
In May, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Human Rights Campaign issued travel advisories saying the state is “openly hostile” to people of color and LGBTQ+ people because of laws and policies that marginalize those communities.
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