Let’s be real: Ohio just took a major step back.
So here’s the deal — on March 28, 2025, Governor DeWine signed Senate Bill 1 into law. This bill was originally introduced as S.B. 83, but got rebranded under its new number but with the same agenda: shut down Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs at public colleges and universities statewide.
The bill goes into effect on June 27, 2025, unless a repeal effort fueled by grassroots volunteers can gather enough signatures to block it from taking hold see this article on a Campaign to repeal anti-DEI Ohio higher education.
Once the bill passes that means:
- No scholarships just for Black or Brown students
- No DEI or bias training to make campuses more inclusive
- No hiring or admissions that prioritize diversity
- No real talk about racism or systemic injustice in class
- No faculty strikes, weakened tenure protections, and forced patriotic civics curriculum
It’s giving silence. It’s giving erasure. And let’s be honest — we’ll feel it the most once this hits.
This law goes into effect June 27, 2025, so unless something changes, schools are already getting ready to cut things off.
Basically, anything that helped level the playing field is now off the table.
Black Students, Black Doctors, Black Futures — Blocked
One of the first hits? Scholarships for Black medical students.
Black doctors in Cincinnati started a scholarship to push more Black men into medicine. Now, because of this law, the program must move to a private foundation just to survive. And in a state like Ohio — where Black communities already face massive health disparities — this is a serious blow.
You can read more in this article from the Associated Press
What This Means for Black College Students
This law doesn’t just affect Central State — Ohio’s only public HBCU — it touches Black students across OSU, Kent, UC, and more. DEI programs weren’t about favoritism. They made space for students of color to feel seen and supported in environments where they were often underrepresented.
Now the state’s telling us our stories are “divisive” and that equity doesn’t belong in education.
We know better.
What Can We Do?
This isn’t the time to back down.
- Support groups that continue funding Black students
- Pressure colleges to find legal, private workarounds to support DEI
- Stay active — show up at school board meetings, vote in local and state elections
- Keep the pressure on with voices, votes, and action
Ohio Unity is here for it. We’re working to protect Black students’ access, equity, and opportunities — no matter what new laws say.
Contact us if you want to get involved or need support:
Bottom Line
This law isn’t just policy — it’s a message. And the message is that Black futures don’t matter. That’s why we can’t stay quiet.
We know our worth. And we won’t let anyone erase our presence, our progress, or our power.
If you feel that too — join us. Speak up. Act up. Let’s move forward together.
