The National Black Nurses Association says a racist political and social environment in Florida has driven the group to relocate its annual conference from Hollywood, Fla., to San Francisco.

In an Oct. 23 statement, the NBNA said, “The passage of anti-Black policies and laws, which have taken a destructive position to erase and silence Black history, and restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools, together with the NAACP travel ban, and the recent senseless, racially motivated, hate-fueled murders of three innocent Black Americans in Jacksonville, Florida has created a hostile, dangerous environment in the state.” 

Bay Area station KTVU reports that NBNA surveyed its members before deciding to relocate the conference. 

“The overwhelming majority, 84 percent, said that we should move the conference,” Sheldon Fields, NBNA president, said. “This decision ultimately was made out of the utmost safety for our members. We really could not take the risk of anybody being hurt." 

It cost NBNA about $592,00 in fees to cancel its July 24-28 reservation at the Diplomat Beach Resort, located North of Miami, according to The San Francisco Standard.

“Our attempts in good faith to negotiate with the hotel property in Florida to reschedule our conference to a later year when the conditions would hopefully be safer for Black identified groups like ours were unsuccessful,”NBNA said, adding that the organization “will now have to adjudicate” the disputed fee.

In May, the NAACP issued a formal travel advisory for Florida in “direct response to Governor Ron DeSantis' aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools,” a statement from the civil rights organization said.

DeSantis, now a 2024 GOP presidential primary candidate, has grabbed national headlines for a series of controversial policies that negatively impact Black Floridians.

In January, he emerged as the de facto leader of a trend among conservative governors to ban Advanced Placement African American Studies in high schools. DeSantis also signed into law on May 15 a measure restricting how race and gender can be taught in Florida colleges and banning them from using public funding for diversity programs.

NBNA is not alone in deciding to relocate a major conference from Florida over DeSantis’ policies. In July, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., canceled plans to hold its 99th General Convention and 119th Anniversary Convention in Orlando.