First Anniversary Issue
Following the first couple of months under the moniker "The 1939 Project," Floridians for Democracy (501c4) and Floridians for Democracy Institute (501c3) were incorporated May 1, 2023. In our first year, we have forged state and national affiliations with pro-democracy organizations and now have nearly 1000 FFD participants. We held many educational programs and have worked with other pro-democracy organizations to assist with getting the word out that Democracy Truly is At Risk in Florida and in our Nation. Education and awareness of the facts and challenges are essential for each of us to strengthen our knowledge and our voices. Future communications will also focus on how we can assist individually and collectively to protect and preserve democracy and the importance of VOTING!!!!! Thanks for being with us on this journey! Together we made positive contributions; now we need to do even more. We cannot depend on the courts or policy makers. It is up to us collectively and individually. Time is of the essence. Complacency and apathy will only feed into what occurred in the 1930s: They came for others but not for me. Let's not let history repeat itself!
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First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.
Reverend Martin Niemöller
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Assault on Public Health
Dr. Scott Rivkees
Former Florida Surgeon General
May 14, 2024
Register Here 7-8:30 pm EST
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This program is in collaboration with the national organization, Ask Nurses & Doctors (AND) with a history of looking at anti-democracy and anti-science impacts in Florida.
See this site.
Organizers of this Florida Democracy at Risk Series event are hopeful that individuals and organizations will sponsor "Home Watch Parties" concurrent with Dr. Rivkees comments to learn from and discuss the impacts of not following research and science.
Dr. Rivkees is a pediatric endocrinologist, professor and physician research scientist. He served as Florida’s State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health from June 2019 to September 2021. When the Covid pandemic hit, he faced the challenge of trying to protect the people of Florida while Covid was being politicized. He faced rampant misinformation causing growing vaccine hesitancy. That hesitance continues today affecting more than Covid. It is an "Assault on Public Health!"
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Presently, Dr. Rivkees is Professor of Practice and Interim Chair of Health Service, Policy and Practice at Brown University’s School of Public Health where he focuses on pandemic preparedness.
Dr. Rivkees served as faculty at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Before moving to Florida, Dr. Rivkees served as professor of pediatrics with tenure at Yale University. His work has been published extensively, and he has had more than 35 years of continuous research funding from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Rivkees has received numerous honors and recognitions.
See Dr. Rivkees full, impressive bio here.
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Helpful information prior to this special program: "Assault on Public Health" | |
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Read Dr. Rivkees insightful recent articles:
Time, From COVID-19 to Measles, Florida’s War on Public Health, Feb 27, 2024: Discusses anti-science and anti-vaccine political agenda in FL as well as recent FL laws and how they impact education, the ability to speak freely about the science, and public health.
The Hill, Florida loves individual rights — unless you want a COVID vaccine, Jan 19,2024: The politicization of COVID-19 vaccines in FL, including altering a report and advising people to avoid mRNA vaccines citing debunked claims by the current FL Surgeon General.
Watch CBS News Miami's Jim DeFede interview with former Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, who was removed during the COVID crisis by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The two discuss how the current surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, is handling the measles outbreak.
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Randy Kammer, FFD - Jacksonville
Randy Kammer is a representative of Floridians for Democracy in Jacksonville. She served as Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, and is president of The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida. Read her guest editorial from The Palm Beach Post: Beware the seven steps toward tyranny
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Lois Frankel, Florida U.S. Representative
Lois Frankel has been a civic leader, state legislator, mayor and current member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Read her opinion column from The Palm Beach Post: As Florida's strict abortion ban takes effect, look to November and vote to overturn it
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PRO-DEMOCRACY COLLABORATION | | |
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Joyful Resistance: Together, We Win! | |
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The goal of the Joyful Resistance GOTV Summit is to strengthen collaboration with diverse community partners in getting out the vote for the 2024 election.
Steve Phillips, author and political expert, will kick off the event with a keynote at noon (EDT), which will be live streamed, and the video made available on YouTube. Watch for more info.
Leaders from various organizations will meet at the summit to focus on developing GOTV strategies for three groups: Black & Hispanic voters, young voters, and voters who signed ballot petitions on protecting abortion access and legalizing adult use of marijuana. The opening session address is being opened to all, for virtual viewing.
The event will close with a call to action by a panel of activists and experts:
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Anna Eskamani, founder of People Power FL
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Genesis Robinson, political director of Equal Ground
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Josh Weierbach, Executive Director, Florida Watch
- moderator Angie Nixon, regional director, FL for All
Click here to watch the May 8, 30 minute Keynote with Author Steve Phillips..
Steve Phillips is a national political leader, bestselling author, and founder of the multimedia platform, Democracy in Color, where you can find his color-conscious political podcast, “Democracy in Color With Steve Phillips.”
Steve is a columnist for The Guardian and The Nation. He is the author of The New York Times bestseller Brown Is the New White: How the Demographic Revolution Has Created a New American Majority and the newly released national bestselling book How We Win the Civil War: Securing a Multiracial Democracy and Ending White Supremacy for Good.
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The Joyful Resistance Summit is hosted by Beaches Activists Movement, Indivisible Mandarin, Indivisible Jax Riverside, in partnership with the Northside Coalition of Jax and Florida for All.
Steve Phillips’ opening remarks will be live streamed with the assistance from Floridians for Democracy and Florida Veterans for Common Sense.
The summit is funded through a GROW grant from national Indivisible.
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We collaborate with a Florida network of social justice advocates dedicated to saving and preserving democracy by helping link individuals and organizations to achieve shared goals, create connections throughout a wide community, and speak with a louder voice. | |
Consider a donation to assist with our efforts to preserve and protect democracy! | | | | |
