Several diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting firms have now reportedly encountered difficulties in Florida in the years following the “Stop WOKE Act.”
According to Roni Bennett, the Executive Director of South Florida People of Color, her annual revenue of nearly $300,000 has been reduced by half as a result of Florida’s recent policies, as reported by the Miami Herald on Thursday.
“We’re in trouble,” Bennett remarked.
In 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis enacted the “Stop WOKE Act” or the “Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act.”
It focused on the application of critical race theory in educational programs and the workplace. Bennett discovered that numerous businesses discontinued their requests for services from her organization, despite a minor increase in demand during the pandemic.
Bennett further explained that she observed changes in the attitudes of certain clients even before the act, which indicated that their initial interest was “performative.””
Bennett and other consultants are currently endeavoring to remind their existing and prospective clients that the “Stop WOKE Act” does not specifically target private businesses, despite the national apprehensions surrounding the legislation.
The First Amendment was found to be violated by the employment portion of the law by a federal appeals court in March.
In July, a permanent injunction was issued by a federal magistrate against that particular section of the law.
Nevertheless, the section of the law that pertains to education has been permitted to persist.
Rundlet stated that the growing anti-woke culture is the reason why DEI consultant businesses continue to struggle, despite the favorable ruling.
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