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# Florida Governor’s War on “Wokeness” Hits the Arts
- URL: https://hyperallergic.com/ron-desantis-florida-governor-war-on-wokeness-hits-the-arts/
- Published: 2023-02-22T18:54:23.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-24T15:50:05.000Z
- Description: An exhibition was canceled after the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota deemed works about diversity and inclusion “potentially offensive.”
- Author: Taylor Michael
- Tags: News, diversity and inclusion, Florida, Ron DeSantis, Sarasota, #wp, #wp-post, #image-position-hidden, #Import 2025-11-24 09:29 (2023, 2024, part 1)

A traveling outdoor art show has canceled anexhibition at theState College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF)afterthe schoolrequested the removal of certain artworks depicting issues such as abortion, police brutality, and diversity and inclusion. The cancellation comes following Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s announcement of plans to [remove diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs](https://apnews.com/article/ron-desantis-florida-state-government-race-and-ethnicity-b1d847ddc5e1f136b17f254f71fd15dc?ref=hyperallergic.com) from state universities a few weeks ago.

Nonprofit Embracing Our Differences's (EOD) 20th-anniversary show launched on January 18 in Sarasota, Florida, with plans for a show in Bradenton, south of Tampa, to open on April 26\. However, the public college requested that three banners be removed before EOD traveled to the SCF campus in the spring.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2023/02/eod_body-and-voice-by-diego-dillon.jpg)

SCF asked EOD to remove "Body & Voice" by Diego Dillon

The school told the [*Sarasota Herald-Tribune*](https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/education/2023/02/15/embracing-our-differences-exhibit-canceled-at-state-college-of-florida-over-diversity-and-inclusion/69907264007/?ref=hyperallergic.com) that itdeemed “[Good Trouble](https://www.embracingourdifferences.org/gallery/2023-gallery/good-trouble/3495/?back=gallery&ref=hyperallergic.com)” by Clifford McDonald, a collage depictingayoung Black boy, civil rights leader John Lewis, and the letters BLM, “potentially offensive.” The college also reported issues with Diego Dillon's “[Body & Voice](https://www.embracingourdifferences.org/gallery/2023-gallery/body-voice/3510/?back=gallery&ref=hyperallergic.com),” which portrays a pregnant woman asking a group of men, “Do We Not Have A Voice About Our Own Body?” and a caption for "Being Different Gives the World Color" by Taira Akiko Hiraguri written by Indian fifth-grade student [Raaina Chadha](https://www.embracingourdifferences.org/gallery/2023-gallery/being-different-gives-the-world-color/3513/?back=gallery&ref=hyperallergic.com) that reads, “Diversity and inclusion are like the needle and thread that stitch together the harmonious fabric of peace for humankind.”

The State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, has not yet responded to *Hyperallergic’s* request for comment.

Executive director Sarah Wertheimer told *Hyperallergic* that the nonprofit’s board of directors decided unanimously to withdraw their show from SCF's campus as the college’s request did not align with EOD’s mission to use the arts to promote positive global change.

“Embracing our Differences has remained and will continue to remain true to our core values, and those values include embracing and promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity,” said Wertheimer in a statement. “To do otherwise would betray our mission and turn our backs on those who have supported us over the past two decades.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2023/02/eod_being-different-gives-the-world-color-by-tairo-akiko-hiraguri.jpg)

"Being Different Gives the World Color" by Taira Akiko Hiraguri with caption by Raaina Chadha

DeSantis has amped up his war on what he terms “[woke](https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/ron-desantis-rally-pennsylvania-doug-mastriano-takeaways-20220820.html?ref=hyperallergic.com)" ideologies in recent weeks, specifically targeting the teaching of race theory in schools. About a month ago, DeSantis appointed conservative activists to the [New College of Florida board of trustees](https://www.npr.org/2023/02/01/1153150917/fla-gov-desantis-is-now-looking-to-overhaul-the-state-s-colleges-and-universitie?ref=hyperallergic.com), who have pledged to overhaul the school's progressive policies including DEI initiatives. SCF's campus in the Bayshore Gardens area sits about five miles north of New College, which is also a publicly funded school. On January 31, DeSantis held a press conference at SCF in Sarasota to discuss funding cuts to DEI programs. The same day, [vandals](https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/02/02/embracing-our-differences-non-profit-art-exhibit-vandalized/69867173007/?ref=hyperallergic.com) slashed and removed “Women of the Bluest Eye,” a piece byDonna M. Richardson at EOD’s show at Bayfront Park inspired by Toni Morrison’s first novel, *The Bluest Eye*. ([PEN America’s](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hTs%5FPB7KuTMBtNMESFEGuK-0abzhNxVv4tgpI5-iKe8/edit?ref=hyperallergic.com#gid=1171606318) Index of School Book Bans reports that Morrison’s novel has been the subject of book-banning efforts in the Sarasota County School District.)

EOD has hosted its juried international art exhibition since 2004\. For the 2023 season, themed "Embracing Kindness," the nonprofit received over 13,000 entries from 119 countries and 45 states,which they narrowed to 50 billboard-sized artworks with accompanying inspirational quotes. Their annual show drew over 370,000 visitors last year and more than 4 million to date. The organization is working to secure a new venue in Bradenton after the Bayfront Park stops in North Port, Florida.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2023/02/eod_field-trip_we-want-justice_photo-by-barbara-banks.jpg)

School visit to 2022 Embracing Our Differences art exhibition