PHILADELPHIA, PA (January 23-24, 2023) – Philadelphia Branch President Catherine Hicks will join a coalition of city leaders, activists, and community members on Tuesday, January 24, in taking a stance against The Union League of Philadelphia and demanding that they do not honor Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis with the Gold Medal Award.
The protests/press conference will be held starting at 12 noon in front of The Union League of Philadelphia, 140 South Broad St., in Center City Philadelphia.
DeSantis will receive the club’s gold medal, an honor first awarded to President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, despite protests from more than 100 Union League members who have asked that the event be canceled.
During his time as Florida’s governor, DeSantis did not support the peaceful transfer of presidential power to President Joe Biden in 2021; supports political candidates who support the lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen; and violated the U.S. Constitution’s right to free speech in his state by supporting the banning of books from libraries and schools and the restriction of what school teachers can say and teach.
- DeSantis banned a new advanced African American History course from being taught in Florida Schools. DeSantis said it “ lacks educational value and is contrary to Florida Law.”
- He continued his anti-black tirade and threatened the National Hockey League (NHL) because the league attempted to recruit more minority players. His threats caused the NHL to back away from their recruitment efforts.
- He declared war on “ wokeness” in which he has trouble defining but appears to him to be anything that uplifts and supports the Black community.
- He failed to prosecute and treat differently the white Republicans voters who knowingly committed fraud by twice voting for Donald Trump in the Villages but arrested Black ex-felons who thought their rights were restored and were given voter registration cards by Florida officials.
- He bullied Transgender children and their parents by passing anti-transgender legislation and threatened to take these children away from their parents. And when the Walt Disney World company spoke out against this law, he took away their “Special Services District” designation which had been in place for 50 years.
What: Philadelphia Branch NAACP will participate and speak in the Fight Against Anti-Blackness Protest and Press Conference.
Who: Black Clergy Of Philadelphia and Vicinity; Philadelphia Branch NAACP; Black Women’s Leadership Council; Northeast Against Racism; Philadelphia NOW, Pennsylvania NOW, Black Voters Matter Fund, National Action Network Philadelphia Chapter; and members of Philadelphia City Council.
When: Tuesday, January 24, 2023, 12 noon press conference; the event should last about 30-45 minutes.
Where: The Union League of Philadelphia 140 South Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102.
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