LWVUS Press Release, February 28, 2025
Washington - Today the League of Women Voters of the United States CEO Celina Stewart issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s closing of civil rights offices in agencies across the federal government.
“On January 31, the Trump administration recognized February as Black History Month in order 'to celebrate the contributions of so many black American patriots who have indelibly shaped our Nation’s history.'
“This is the height of hypocrisy. Because all we’ve seen from the Trump administration this month are direct attacks on Black Americans. The President claims to value the contributions of Black and brown people in this country, but his actions show the opposite — eviscerating diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, weakening the Department of Justice’s civil rights work, and now gutting necessary civil and equal rights offices across the federal government.
“Under the guise of ‘efficiency,’ this administration is working to strip away the rights of Black, brown, disabled, women and other marginalized people. In reality, the weakening of this vital civil rights work impacts all Americans. This is not about race; this is about wreaking havoc on our country.
“At the League of Women Voters, we remain committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and working towards a multi-racial representative democracy. We are outraged by these attempts to discredit the experiences and expertise of marginalized people — the very people who built this country.
“And on the final day of Black History Month, a time to celebrate and honor Black people in this country, the President only gives us continued attacks on people of color, the abandonment of our collective principles and values, and the relentless assault on our democracy. We will not stand for any of it.
“We call on the American people to tell the President we will not take this. Reach out to your elected officials in Congress and tell them to reinstate the civil rights protections our predecessors fought for and contributed to our democracy.”
