Kentucky activists hold 'Day of DEI' at 8 college campuses to oppose possible DEI ban

Student activists recently took to college campuses to hold a “Day of DEI” across Kentucky in order to protest against anti-DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) legislation.

On Feb. 28, protests were held at various institutions, including at the state’s flagship school, the University of Kentucky.

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Dozens of students and faculty appeared at the Willy T. Young Library in Lexington to oppose the state’s proposed anti-DEI bills, House Bill 4 and Senate Bill 164, as reported by The Jessamine Journal.

The outlet reports that this was the last college protest out of 8 total that were organized that day against the bills. Student groups that reportedly made appearances included the United Campus Workers Union, the Latino Student Union, the Youth Communist League, the Asian/Asian American Association, and OUTlaw, which is an LGBT law school group.

The university’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter also promoted the event in a post to Instagram the day prior.

”The current UK administration disbanded the DEI office here at UK in preemptive capitulation to conservative lawmakers here in Kentucky and in the federal government!” the SJP chapter wrote. “This is simply unacceptable and we must show out with our brothers and sisters in all public universities to protest our administration’s policy which is not in favor of us as students and faculty, as well as Kentucky’s and the federal government’s policy which wish to destroy DEI!”

One of the leading organizers of the 8 protests was Kentucky Students for DEI, which is a “coalition of students who attend public universities and colleges across the Commonwealth to advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

On March 1, the group posted a recap of the “Day of DEI” on Instagram.

”All came together to rally against the racist and misogynistic legislation in the Kentucky State Congress,” the message read. “They attacked our education and we don’t go out quietly!”

In addition to the University of Kentucky, protests were scheduled at the University of Louisville, Eastern Kentucky University and Murray State University, according to Spectrum News.

[RELATED: University of Kentucky shuts down DEI office amid concerns over its divisiveness]

If passed, H.B. 4 would “prohibit a public postsecondary education institution from providing differential treatment or benefits on the basis of an individual’s religion, race, sex, color, or national origin.”

Similarly, S.B. 164 is designed to “prohibit a state or local government or public agency from providing preferential treatment to individuals or entities on the basis of religion, race, sex, color, or national origin when they contract or seek employment with the state or local government.”