Alumni Launch Fundraiser for Alabama Magazines Shut Down Over DEI Controversy

By Rob Redding

NEW YORK, Dec. 9, 2025, 11 p.m. — University of Alabama alumni are fighting back after the school shut down two print magazines over Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) concerns. The alumni-led nonprofit Masthead has launched a $25,000 crowdfunding campaign to revive Alice, a women’s magazine, and Nineteen Fifty-Six, which spotlights Black culture and lifestyle.

The university’s decision came under pressure from the Trump-era Justice Department, which argued that DEI initiatives could be considered discriminatory, citing a memo from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Officials claimed the magazines violated federal anti-discrimination laws by amplifying marginalized voices.

But critics say the move silences important viewpoints. Masthead president Victor Luckerson told AL.com that the shutdown amounts to viewpoint discrimination, punishing content that promotes diversity rather than excluding anyone from benefits.

The funds will cover printing costs, equipment, and student salaries. About $7,500 is needed to print 1,000 copies, Luckerson said. The campaign aims to give students a platform to continue sharing stories that authorities are trying to silence.

Heather Gann of AL.com reports the university’s official stance was based on a memo claiming DEI efforts could be considered discriminatory. However, legal experts like Mike Hiestand from the Student Press Law Center argue that the magazines’ mission is protected speech, as they amplify marginalized communities rather than exclude anyone.

As debates over free speech and diversity rage on, Alabama alumni are making a stand—proving that even in the face of censorship, voices fighting for inclusion refuse to be silenced.

(Rob Redding is the author of the forthcoming book Black Power in the Age of Artificial Supremacy Featuring Redding-Shim Kwet Yung out on Jan. 5, 2026. Redding is the No. 1 bestselling author of 17 books. He is the host of Redding News Review Unrestricted and creator of ReddingNewsReview.com. He is also an emerging visual artist, known for his piece “Black Power: Unapologetically Militant,” and he lives and teaches at two colleges in New York City).