When Research and History Become Political Targets: What We Lose
This week brought two alarming headlines. The Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to cut nearly $800 million in NIH grants that fund research into health disparities affecting minority, gay, and transgender communities. At the same time, the White House released a list of Smithsonian exhibits it deems too “woke” — most of them dealing with slavery, race, and America’s unfinished history with inequality.
On their own, each is disturbing. Together, they reveal a strategy of erasure: labeling both science and history as “ideological” in order to reshape reality itself. At Earthtopia, we see this as part of a wider battle over truth — whether it’s climate change, public health, or the story of our past. The cost of erasure will be measured in lives and in the integrity of our democracy.
Science Isn’t Ideology — It’s Survival
The NIH decision halts more than 1,700 studies already underway — including research into cardiovascular disease in the rural South, kidney disease in underserved communities, and the connection between pollution and dementia.
These studies don’t only benefit minority populations. Medical breakthroughs often ripple outward: a treatment pioneered for one community saves lives everywhere. To call this “woke” is to misunderstand science, or to weaponize that misunderstanding for politics.
At Earthtopia, we know that truth in science is non-negotiable. Whether it’s environmental health, disease prevention, or climate resilience, research saves lives. Cutting it midstream is reckless.
History Isn’t “Woke” — It’s Truth
The White House’s so-called “woke list” of museum exhibits is equally alarming. It targets displays on slavery, race, and the long fight for equality in America. These aren’t partisan narratives. They’re historical fact.
Museums exist to tell the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. As with climate change, denial doesn’t erase reality — it only delays our ability to face it.
The Bigger Pattern: Erasure
These aren’t isolated actions. Both the NIH cuts and the museum censorship represent a larger strategy: to redefine inclusion as political and exclusion as neutral.
If equity research is “ideological,” then only studies of majority populations count as “real science.” If slavery exhibits are “woke,” then erasing them becomes “objectivity.” This isn’t neutrality. It’s a narrowing of reality to serve power.
Why It Matters to All of Us
At Earthtopia, we believe truth — in science, in history, in culture — is a cornerstone of a livable future. When science is silenced, cures are delayed. When history is censored, democracy is weakened. When climate data is denied, our planet suffers.
We all lose when facts are treated as optional.
What We Can Do
Support researchers and institutions under attack. Share their stories, highlight the life-saving work that’s being cut.
Defend museums and educators. Visit, donate, and amplify their exhibits. Show that the public values truth.
Push back against false framing. When leaders call facts “woke,” respond: what’s under attack is not ideology, but reality.
Join Earthtopia. Our mission is to amplify truth-tellers — scientists, educators, artists, and activists — who stand at the frontlines of this fight. Learn more at Earthtopian.org.
The Bottom Line
Science and history belong to everyone. They are not partisan luxuries. They are the foundation of progress, survival, and democracy.
As Earthtopia reminds us every day: our world depends on truth. What some dismiss as “woke” is simply real. And reality is worth defending.
👉 Visit Earthtopian.org to get involved — share stories, join campaigns, and help us protect science, history, and the future we all depend on.
