Rep. Barbara Lee is teaching Republicans what “woke” means with a resolution.

U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., introduced a resolution within the U.S. House of Representatives this week in an try and educate Republicans on the true meaning of the word “woke” and its connection to Black culture.

In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill called the “Stop WOKE Act,” which prohibits businesses and schools from teaching concepts related to race or racism. DeSantis and other Republican leaders have argued that “woke ideology” indoctrinates children and discriminates against white people. Some conservatives have gone thus far as to take legal motion against racial equity programs in business and education.

In his resolution, Lee calls on Republicans and the media for misusing the term “woke” as “fashionable new slang, undermining its cultural associations and disconnecting the term from its historical roots in social justice.” It also specifically cites DeSantis’ Stop WOKE Act for “targeting the teaching of US history and Black teachers.”

The resolution was approved by the NAACP and reflects the resolution of the civil rights organization resolution confirming the term “woke”.

Like the NAACP resolution passed in 2023, Lee’s congressional resolution states that “wokeness” has existed in Black culture since at the least the early twentieth century. In 1940, black mine staff used the term to talk out against discriminatory wages. The term was also utilized by famous scholar and Pan-African activist Marcus Garvey, who notably said, “Wake up, Ethiopia!” Wake up, Africa!” of their try and unite people of African descent.

“Educating the public and starting a truth movement in this country is essential to ensuring restorative justice for our communities,” Lee said of the importance of her resolution. “Standing vigil means remaining vigilant against injustice everywhere and not allowing MAGA extremists to perpetuate it.”

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