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FAMU Student Says She Couldn’t Use the Word “Black” for Black History Month Florida’s DEI crackdown is still rippling across college campuses, and now a law student at Florida A&M University says it reached Black History Month. Aaliyah Steward, a final year student at the Florida A&M University College of Law, says she ran into repeated barriers while promoting Black History Month events for the Black Law Students Association. According to Steward, the issues came up during the approval process for event flyers, according to News 6. She says specific words were flagged and blocked. Those words included “black,” “affirmative action,” and “women.” Steward says she was told those terms could not be broadcast or published in event materials. Because of that, she says her organization was pushed to abbreviate or remove language tied directly to Black History Month. “We couldn’t use the word ‘black’ in Black History Month,” Steward said. “We would have to abbreviate it.” That restriction hit hard for her, especially given the school’s history and mission. “I was very angry and baffled because this is a Historically Black College and University,” she said. “For them to say we can’t use the word ‘black’ was kind of insane.” The situation connects back to Florida’s broader DEI restrictions. In 2024, the Florida State Board of Governors voted to ban the use of state or federal funds for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and activities across the state’s 12 public universities. That vote aligned with legislation signed by the governor and later reinforced through board regulations. When Steward’s concerns were raised to university leadership, Florida A&M University did not deny that the restrictions exist. Instead, the school emphasized compliance with state law. In a statement, the university said it has remained in full compliance with Senate Bill 266 and Board of Governors Regulation 9.016. The statement added that the school supports and has implemented the policy direction set by the governor, the Legislature, and the Board of Governors, while also pointing to federal court rulings connected to DEI policies. The university also said it remains committed to free expression and the exchange of ideas within an environment of mutual respect, safety, and awareness. Still, for Steward, the experience feels like censorship. “I just don’t want us to be censored this way,” she said. “Not being able to use the word ‘black’ is very frustrating.” She says the restrictions have cast a shadow over what should be a celebratory final year of law school. Steward recently resubmitted a Black History Month flyer without abbreviations and says she is still waiting for a response from university officials. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Baller Alert (@balleralert) https://balleralert.com/profiles/blogs/florida-am-dei-restrictions-black-history-month/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky