The Words Are Disappearing—And So Are the Leaders Who Defend Them
TAKE ACTION IN VIRGINIA NOW
A quiet but powerful censorship campaign is underway across America’s colleges and universities. TIME SENSITIVE ACTION INFO HERE AND BELOW
The Trump administration’s renewed war on what it calls “woke ideology” is not just rhetorical. It’s systemic, coordinated, and deeply consequential.
According to a recent New York Times investigation, federal agencies have flagged and discouraged the use of hundreds of words in public-facing materials—terms like women, Black, inclusive, and bias.
The list is staggering. See it for yourself (PDF).
This isn’t just about semantics. It’s about erasing values—and removing the leaders who defend them.
A Nationwide Pattern of Retaliation
Across the country, we’re seeing a wave of forced resignations, defunded programs, and political intimidation targeting universities that refuse to abandon their commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
This is not theoretical. It’s already reshaping institutions:
At Columbia University (NY): Interim President Katrina Armstrong resigned in March after federal funding was slashed. DEI language quietly disappeared from the website.
At Harvard (MA): The university has scrubbed DEI-related pages and is reorganizing internally to avoid further political fallout.
In Maine: At least five colleges—including the University of Maine—have renamed or closed DEI offices after warnings about federal funding.
In North Carolina: UNC suspended a required diversity course mid-semester under threat to $1.4 billion in funding.
In Wyoming: The University of Wyoming shut down its Office of DEI entirely.
In each case, the goal is clear:
To dismantle diversity, discredit inclusive leadership, and silence any resistance to a federal vision of higher education stripped of its responsibility to serve all.
Now—It’s Virginia
The playbook has arrived in Virginia.
February 2025: Ret. Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins, the first Black superintendent of VMI, was ousted when his contract wasn’t renewed.
June 2025: UVA President James Ryan stepped down amid federal pressure tied to university funding.
Now: George Mason University’s President Gregory Washington—its first Black president—is under federal investigation and internal review, despite record-setting achievements in enrollment, fundraising, and academic success.
This is not about performance. It’s about politics.
The Bigger Picture
The Times investigation shows this isn’t just about targeting university leaders—it’s about scrubbing the vocabulary of equity and justice from public life.
More than 250 government web pages have already removed terms like underrepresented, gender identity, and diverse.
And in many agencies, staff now avoid such words altogether, fearing retribution or rejection of proposals.
This is how censorship works—not through headlines, but through policy, silence, and fear.
What Happens in Virginia Doesn’t Stay in Virginia
This is not an isolated attack. It’s part of a national campaign to remake higher education in the image of a narrow, exclusionary vision of America.
Which is why we are taking action—loud, visible, and coordinated—to support President Gregory Washington and the principles he represents.
Join the Campaign to Defend President Washington
We’re asking supporters across Virginia and the nation to contact GMU’s Board of Visitors, urging them to stand by President Washington.
This peaceful campaign of postcards, letters, and emails is our way of saying:
We see what’s happening. And we will not be silent.
Deadlines:
Mail: Postcards or letters by Friday, July 25
Email: Send by noon on Wednesday, July 30
Board Meeting: Thursday, July 31
Where to Send:
Board of Visitors
George Mason University
4400 University Drive, MSN 3A1
Fairfax, VA 22030
📧 Email: BOV@gmu.edu
Download the full action toolkit (postcard & letter templates):
PDF version | Google Doc version
This isn’t just about one university president.
It’s about defending the freedom to speak, to teach, to lead—and to name injustice when we see it.
We won’t let them erase the words.
We won’t let them erase the people either.
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Dee Miner
The Virginia NAACP is calling on all members, supporters, and concerned citizens to join them Thursday, July 24 at 10:00 AM for a critical press conference in response to the ongoing attacks and political interference targeting Virginia’s public colleges and universities.