- A FAMU alumni group known as "Keepers of the Flame" is planning an organized boycott to oppose Marva Johnson as university president.
- Johnson is subject to confirmation by the Board of Governors on June 18.
- Watch now to hear what their boycott entails and where they plan to redirect their money.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Alumni efforts to stop Marva Johnson from being confirmed as FAMU's 13th president are getting more organized.
I'm Alberto Camargo, your College Town neighborhood reporter.
Learning what the gameplan is for this group over the next few weeks.
"Even after you lose a battle, you got to get up and be ready to fight another day. We are asking you to stay in the fight for FAMU."
More than one thousand Rattlers joined a virtual meeting led by a group called Keepers of the Flame.
Notable names on the call included Board of Trustees chair Kristin Harper, former Tallahassee mayor Andrew Gillum, and Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor.
Organizers encouraged everyone to join in a coordinated boycott of all trustee-owned businesses — primarily the 21 McDonald's franchises owned by the newest trustee Raphael Vazquez.
Organizer Chekesha Kidd says the money not spent will go where it matters.
"This is about leveraging our economic strength to demand better leadership and better governance. We have some asks in terms of what we're looking for out of this. This is not a boycott for boycott's sake. And we're going to try to reinvest in students while we conduct these protests."
The group plans to reinvest by giving to the FAMU Rising Scholarship Fund.
Kidd says the fund is protected from being reallocated by university leadership — therefore it will directly benefit FAMU students.
After nominating Johnson last week, FAMU said Johnson expressed her commitment to FAMU's legacy as a top-tier HBCU and its rise in research, academic achievement, and social impact.
Organizers also encouraged alumni and stakeholders to write to the Board of Governors opposing Johnson and register for public comment at their next meeting, where they're expected to confirm her.
That meeting is happening on June 18 at Florida Atlantic University.
In College Town, Alberto Camargo, ABC27.
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