Walt Disney World’s governing district, now under the control of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees, took action on Tuesday to abolish its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. This move mirrors the governor’s broader agenda, which aims to restrict similar programs in higher education and other areas.
According to a statement from the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee will be disbanded, along with any job responsibilities associated with it. Additionally, the district is removing initiatives from the previous Disney-controlled period that focused on awarding contracts to promote racial or gender equality.
Glenton Gilzean, the district’s new administrator and an African American with a background as the former head of the Central Florida Urban League, labeled such initiatives as “illegal and simply un-American.” Gilzean has affiliations with two conservative institutions, the James Madison Institute and the American Enterprise Institute Leadership Network, and was appointed by DeSantis to the Florida Commission on Ethics.
In a statement, Glenton Gilzean, the new administrator of the district, asserted that they would no longer engage in any activities that promote division based on race or support the idea that we are not all equal. Drawing from his experience as the former head of the Central Florida Urban League, a civil rights organization, Gilzean emphasized that their community can only prosper when everyone collaborates and works together, embracing their differences.
