ORLANDO | Hundreds gathered in front of Orlando’s City Hall Feb. 26 for a rally protesting several proposed bills in the Florida legislature that look to attack the rights of marginalized communities including the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and the “Stop WOKE Act.”
The Rally For Our Collective Rights was hosted by a coalition of organizations collectively called Floridians Mobilizing Against Hate and includes Central Florida Jobs with Justice, Come Out with Pride, Contigo Fund, Equality Florida, FLIC, FLIC Votes, Florida Farmworkers Association of Florida, Florida Rising, Hope CommUnity Center, One Orlando Alliance, Impulse Group Orlando and others.
The event was hosted by Come Out With Pride’s executive director Tatiana Quiroga and Equality Florida press secretary Brandon Wolf and featured politicians, activists and community leaders speaking to the crowd including Sister Ann Kendrick, a catholic nun who has fought for immigration justice for more than 50 years, and Yoseline Rodriguez from the immigrant community service group Hope CommUnity Center in Apopka; Shea Cutliff and Yasmine Prosper, co-founders of the trans-led organization R.I.S.E. Initiative; Lavon Bracy Davis, a local Black leader of faith; Wendy Doromal, president of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association; and Nattaly Guerra, a member of the political organization Florida Rising.
The crowd also heard from elected officials Johanna Lopez, Representing District 2 for Orange County Public Schools; Orlando City Commissioner for District 4 Patty Sheehan; Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer; and Florida House Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, who represents District 47, and had just drove down from Tallahassee after voting against the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which was still able to pass the House.
The rally also featured entertainment with Blue Star, who opened the rally by getting the crowd dancing, and a closing number by drag legend Darcel Stevens.
Photos by Jeremy Williams.
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