Purdue student organizes petition against DEI legislation

One Indiana college student started a petition to fight back against anti-DEI legislation that’s making its way through the statehouse.

The online petition was created in opposition of Senate Bill 289, which would ban Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, or DEI efforts and programs in state government and public institutions.

Purdue University sophomore Jaekwon Akins started the petition, which has garnered over 1,400 signatures from students and community members across the state.

Akins said the bill will have harmful effects on Indiana students, including a loss of safe spaces and reduced academic support for minority students.

“Our cultural centers play a big, big portion, in a lot of the minority students lives here,” he said. “We want everybody to understand that this is not just a fight for Purdue students or just Black Purdue students. This is a fight for all students, collegiate students in the state.”

Along with the risks at the state level, anti-DEI legislation and executive orders have been enacted federally. Recently, the U.S. Department of Education “warned educational institutions to stop considering race in decisions affecting students.”

Indiana schools and universities had until the end of February to eliminate race-based policies or they risk losing federal funding.

Akins is working to create a coalition of students statewide to continue the fight against the anti-DEI legislation.

“This is a long, lasting effort,” he said. “We have to be willing to be voices of opposition to things we don't agree with.”

The bill is now being deliberated in the House.

Contact WFYI Morning Edition newscaster and reporter Abriana Herron at aherron@wfyi.org.