State Rep. Bryan Ávila, a top leader of the Florida House, is claiming that Disney employees’ diversity training program includes exercises where employees complete a “white privilege checklist,” which could put the company in violation of a new law he’s sponsoring.
Ávila’s office did not respond Wednesday when asked for the source of his information, but it appears to come from a conservative magazine that obtained a document and information purportedly from Disney employees in May.
Disney has previously said elements of its employee diversity, equity and inclusion program were taken out of context. Representatives for Walt Disney World did not respond when reached for comment.
Ávila, R-Miami Springs, made the remark when answering questions from other representatives during a committee meeting on House Bill 7, and said the training “claim[s] and outlin[es] that America was founded on ‘systemic racism,’ ” and called it “beyond egregious” and “despicable.”
He cited American Express, Coca-Cola and CVS as other examples of companies that he said force employees into feeling guilty over their racial or gender identity through employee training.
HB 7 would restrict discussions on race and identity in schools and the workplace and consider instruction that causes someone to feel distress over the issue as discriminatory. The measure is in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ calls to battle “woke” educators and corporations in Florida.
The State Affairs Committee approved the bill Tuesday and it moved to the Education & Employment Committee.
Eric Clinton, president of the union that represents Disney workers in roles including attractions and custodial work, said Ávila’s claims were “absurd.”
He has never experienced the type of training Ávila referenced in 24 years of working at Disney, he said.
“If Representative Ávila was genuinely concerned about the issues facing cast members, he would spend time legislating affordable housing and health care control costs and COVID workplace safety procedures,” Clinton said. “Those are the real issues facing Disney cast members at the moment, not what he’s talking about.”
Disney’s custodians, attractions and service employees are not required to undergo yearly diversity and inclusion training, Clinton said.
Tammy Hodo, president of Jacksonville-based educational consulting firm All Things Diverse, said certain privilege recognition exercises could be part of diversity, equity and inclusion training, but she did not think Disney would use a “privilege check sheet.”
“The problem is this is some type of dog [whistle] to a particular group of constituents when the reality is when we teach the true history of America, it’s not about guilt or shame,” she said. “It’s about empathy and understanding that not everyone is starting at the same vantage point because of historical policies that have been federally implemented that have impeded particular groups from reaching their full potential.”
In May 2021, the conservative City Journal magazine published a document it claimed was leaked from Disney’s “Reimagine Tomorrow” diversity and inclusion program. The document refers to systemic racism in American society and includes exercises on recognizing privilege, acknowledging feelings of guilt or shame and fostering inclusion.
The City Journal article claimed the “white privilege checklist,” while not included in the document provided, was part of a training program called “21 Day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge” created in partnership with the YWCA.
In a follow-up story, The Independent, a British newspaper, reached out to Disney about the City Journal’s claims and received an unsigned statement from a spokesperson saying the information was misrepresented.
“These internal documents are being deliberately distorted as reflective of company policy, when in fact their purpose was to allow diversity of thought and discussion on the incredibly complex and challenging issues of race and discrimination that we as a society and companies nationwide are facing,” the statement read.
Ávila mentioned Disney’s training in response to a question asked by State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, about whether the bill would expand the definition of discrimination under the Florida Commission on Human Relations and allow employees to file a complaint if they felt “discomfort or guilt” over such training.
Disney added “Inclusion” as its fifth “Key,” or guiding principle for operations, in April and pledged to recognize and amplify underrepresented voices.
According to its data, 49% of The Walt Disney Company’s workforce identifies as non-white or biracial, though white employees make up over 70% of executive and managerial positions.
Clinton said his union, Unite Here Local 362, applauds Disney on its diversity and inclusion efforts.
“I think Disney has done an excellent job with their policies and practices,” he said.
