Improving the Quality of Life for African American Women and Their Families

September 14, 2005

To the Leaders of the University of Florida:

I bring you greetings from the University of Florida section of the National Council of Negro Women. My name is Imani D. Hope and I am the president of this historical organization. Mary McLeod Bethune, an African-American woman of humble beginnings and steadfast determination, founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935. Ms. Bethune was an advocate for the rights of African-American women and other minorities, as well as for the advancement of her people in the realm of public education. The history of this historic organization is one which emphasizes the right of the people to stand up and take action against injustice.

It is for this very reason that I am taking this opportunity to request that the community of the University of Florida come together to speak out against racially offensive and inappropriate commentary and images that have recently become commonplace in the Independent Alligator newspaper; more specifically, the cartoon found in the editorial section of the September 14, 2005 issue of the newspaper. It is imperative that we stand together as a collective and let the administration and the community know that we will not stand quietly by and allow this newspaper to continue to insult us at our own institution.

The University of Florida Section of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. implores all students at our institution to begin a massive email campaign to our President, J. Bernard Machen, requesting that the UF administration to take outlined action against the Independent Alligator newspaper. For those who are interested, I also propose a sit-down conference with the President to discuss this matter face to face. It is my belief that the Alligator newspaper should be required to issue a retraction, as well as an apology for this offensive and racially insensitive piece. I also believe that the creator, Andy Malette, and the newspaper itself, should be prevented from distribution on this campus. If you or your members have other suggestions or requests, please let me know, anything would be helpful. We, the student body, pay Activity and Service fees, and as such should not be subjected to this kind of blatantly disrespectful material on our campus. If you or the members of your organization are interested in seeing this mission accomplished, please contact me via telephone or email by tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m.. If there are already initiatives in the works that I am not yet aware of, please let me know about those as well. It is important for us to come together as a unified body and let our voices be heard. The University of Florida has committed to working diligently to improve diversity and racial sensitivity on campus. Let us hold them to their word.

Sincerely,

Imani D. Hope

President, UF Section

National Council of Negro Women, Inc.

(407) 529-5792

UF_NCNW@yahoo.com , zurione@ufl.edu