Our office hours are changing!
Beginning Monday, March 28th, we will be open 3 days a week. Our office hours will be Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Our address is 2345 14th Ave., Suite 7, Downtown Vero Beach.
Newsletter Highlights
The Florida Democratic Black Women’s Consortium is hosting a forum for the Democratic Candidates for Governor. The event is this Sunday at 6 p.m. and is FREE! Read more and register in the Democratic Governor Candidate Forum section.
We have a school board candidate who needs petitions signed to get on the ballot and to support her campaign. Learn how to help in the School Board Candidate section
If you feel like laughing today, then watch the 1-minute video in Tidbits.
Democratic Governor Candidate Forum
Join the Florida Democratic Black Women's Consortium (FDBWC) as they welcome three Democratic candidates for governor: Nikki Fried, Charlie Crist and Annette Taddeo.
They are also welcoming former State Senator Dwight Bullard and Media Executive Jessica Garrett Modkins who will moderate the panel discussion using questions submitted by members of the FDBWC.
This event is free and open to the public via Zoom, but space is limited and registration is required.
Cindy Gibbs is running for Jackie Rosario’s seat on the school board. Here are ways you can help:
1. Get her name on the ballot! Please sign her petition (which you can access here: https://adobe.ly/33eLpve) and drop it off at the Democratic Headquarters OR you can also stop by the office and sign a petition and grab some to share with your friends!
2. Cindy only has 170 followers on her Facebook page. Please like and share the Cindy Gibbs for School Board Facebook page - @gibbs4schoolsLet’s get 1,000 likes on that page!Plus, that way you can see all the information Cindy shares about her campaign and goals for our school district.
3. Share her campaign website on your social media or in emails to friends and colleagues in Indian River County http://www.gibbs4schools.com
4. It takes money to run a campaign, especially when you are running against a Republican. Could you host a house party for Cindy? Invite some friends over for some light snacks and drinks and let Cindy speak for a few minutes. Then ask your friends to support Cindy with a donation.
The DWC Environmental Committee is asking for volunteers to stock and clean the Fellsmere food pantry refrigerator located on the Fellsmere Police Department property. They have a group Facebook page now for the Fellsmere Fridge. You can also sign up on their website:
We are sponsoring a Community Resource Fair on Friday at United Against Poverty to share the services available in Indian River County with the public. We have over 60 nonprofit businesses attending, food trucks, demonstrations, workshops, raffles and more! Please share on your social media pages if you are in Indian River County. We also need a few more volunteers to work the Democratic Club table, please email [email protected] if you are available on Friday.
FEDERAL
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmation Hearing
The blatantly partisan, non-judicial and inappropriate questions lobbed at Judge Jackson this week have been mind-boggling. Republicans are grandstanding with red meat, culture wars, and sound bites for Fox news. But Tennessee’s Senator Marsha Blackburn asking for the definition of woman takes the cake. Read more here about why it was important:
Florida Election News from the Florida Democratic Party
Cases challenging Senate Bill 90, last year’s voter suppression law, were heard last month. Plaintiffs argued that SB 90 imposes an unnecessary burden on voters, particularly Black, Latino, seniors and voters with disabilities. The statute makes vote-by-mail harder by reducing both the number of drop boxes and their hours of operation. These restrictions are significant because almost 1.5 million Floridians -- about 30 percent of all mail-in voters -- used a drop box to cast their ballot in 2020.
While we await the SB 90 ruling, the flurry of restrictive voting legislation continues. Recently passed SB 524, creates a 15-member “Office of Election Crimes and Security,” a so-called elections police force to investigate allegations — even anonymous ones left on tip lines — of election irregularities. SB 524 also dictates how election officials should scrub their voter-registration rolls; commissions a state-level study of vote-by-mail ballot operations; prohibits election officials from accepting grants to help administer elections; bans ranked-choice voting, and raises the penalty for voter-registration organization errors (charged at $250 per violation) from a cap of $1,000 to a cap of $50,000. SB 524 will make election administration more difficult and seriously hampers voter registration efforts.
In other concerning news, canvassers using the Republican’s third-party voter registration switched at least 141 Miami voters' party affiliation without their consent, according to the Miami Herald. The State Attorney's office has collected statements from a few impacted voters as part of an ongoing investigation into voter registration fraud. This incident is a timely reminder that our voter protection work is more critical than ever.
Florida Democratic Party’s Focus: Building a Strong Supervisor of Elections Network & Solving Voters’ Problems
The FDP is focused on expanding our Supervisor of Election (SOE) Liaison program. By interviewing SOEs from across the state to assess individual county needs, our team is now building county-specific advocacy plans to expand access to voting and improve election administration. Simultaneously, they have been phone banking voters who called the Voter Protection Hotline during the last election cycle with registration problems. One Miami-Dade county voter, Lawrence (who has a visual impairment), was having trouble voting. He wasn’t even sure if he had successfully requested his vote by mail ballot. FDP connected Lawrence with the Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections office, stayed on the phone with him to make sure his vote by mail ballot request was set up, and ensured that the SOE’s office will double-check that he gets his ballot come election time.
Florida Democratic Party Statement on Refusal by Ron DeSantis and Republicans to Divest from Russia
Yesterday, Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz noted:
“Right now, Florida has more than $300 million in public money invested in Russian companies, including energy conglomerates, oil producers, and banks with direct ties to high-ranking Russian oligarchs and government officials who are involved in Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
“As the war rages on, Ron DeSantis and Republicans have made empty statements of solidarity with Ukraine, while choosing to betray the Ukrainian people by refusing to divest from Russian assets.
“Not only is the Governor’s inaction putting our state pension funds at risk and potentially leaving working Floridians out to dry, but he is also supporting a corrupt Russian government that is needlessly killing innocent people. It is time for DeSantis and Florida Republicans to stop dodging questions, put their money where their mouth is, and actually take a stand against Vladimir Putin and the atrocities we are seeing in Ukraine.”
Senators Rubio and Scott have voted against aid for Ukraine. Florida needs to stand on the side of democracy. We must demand it from DeSantis, Rubio and Scott!
LOCAL
Pelican Island Audubon Society
Pelican Island Audubon Society is throwing a shindig with a delicious charcuterie to start, followed by a decadent dinner by Wild Thyme, live music by the "Leftovers", dancing, and a silent auction set in the middle of a beautiful pond with a waxing crescent moon to remind us of where we are, beautiful Florida. It all happens on Saturday, April 2 from 6-9 pm at Schacht's Groves.
PIAS is having this event to raise funds for public awareness of the referendum that will be on our ballots this fall.
Marine Resources Council Update on IRC Lagoon Health
Has the water quality and seagrass health improved in your region of the Indian River Lagoon? You can attend the Report Card update presentation on March 29th by registering here:
This week’s letter is the kind of ignorance and nonsense we must fight against. Sex education is NOT being taught in K-3 grades. But DeSantis and Erin Grall want you to believe it is because it benefits their hate agenda. As we know, this was about targeting the students whose families consist of 2 parents of the same sex. DeSantis and Grall don’t want “those” families being recognized or discussed. I hope you will strongly consider replying to this letter:
K-3 is not an age-appropriate time for sex education in schools
I don’t understand the opposition to the Parental Rights in Education bill, also misleadingly called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by opponents. I don’t think that sex education is an appropriate school topic for students from kindergarten through third grade.
There is an age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate time for that. K-3 is not the time.
Below is a list of resources from a friend of Stacey Klim’s who is from Ukraine and living in the U.S.
If you feel compelled to do something, below is a compiled list of organizations that can use our financial help, today. I’ve tried my best to vet them. I selected organizations that work on the ground, that have been in existence for a while and have an established infrastructure. Most have been doing this work since 2014 when the conflict in eastern Ukraine first started.
If the link directs you to a Ukrainian version, there is usually an option to change to English, or use Google translation.
If you are not able to give, I thank you for your moral support. Please continue supporting the sanctions and pray for the people of Ukraine and Russia. It is the darkest hour for the Russian people as well. 💙💛
**Organizations on the ground:**
1. “Hospitallers" (Госпітальєри) is a volunteer-based medical battalion operating on the front lines in Ukraine, providing first aid to wounded soldiers and civilians and equipping paramedics. It has been operating in eastern Ukraine since 2014.
Donation instructions, including Western Union, PayPal and Venmo: https://www.facebook.com/hospitallers/posts/3151434121808141
FB: https://www.facebook.com/hospitallers/
2. Ukrainian Women Veteran Movement (Жіночий ветеранський рух) – NGO focused on the advocacy and protection of the rights of women veterans and servicemen. Currently mobilizing rapid response headquarters to support the war efforts, deploying medical training, distributing first aid kits, making Molotov cocktails, etc.
3. Voices of Children (Голоси дітей) – This charitable foundation offers psychological and psycho-social support to children who have suffered war trauma. The group has been working in various villages and towns along the frontline in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. They are currently providing a crisis hot line and psychological support to parents and children affected by the conflict.
Learn More: https://voices.org.ua/en/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/vocukraine/
4. East SOS (Восток SOS) – NGO started in 2014 as a volunteer civil initiative and a hotline by activists of Luhansk and Crimea. They provide assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs), assist in the evacuation of people from the conflict zone, collect and distribute humanitarian aid. Now coordinating and distributing information on evacuation resources, shelter information and crisis hotline.
Learn More: https://vostok-sos.org/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/vostoksos
5. Come Back Alive (Povernys Zhyvym) - Since 2014 this charity has been providing the military with auxiliary equipment, thermographic cameras, night vision devices, specialized software, drones, personal body protection, training, and other supplies.
Donate: https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate/ (Select “help the Ukrainian Army and click TO CONTRIBUTE – this will take you to a CC payment form)
Learn more: https://savelife.in.ua/ (sorry for the limited English translation, this group is legit).
**World/Western Organizations:**
1. UNICEF is a UN agency that provides humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. It had 4 operating offices on both sides of the conflict for the past 8 years, trucking water to conflict-affected areas; delivering health, hygiene and emergency education supplies, providing psycho-social care to children traumatized by the chronic insecurity and working with municipalities to ensure there is immediate help for children and families in need.
Donate: https://www.unicef.org/ukraine/donate-now
Learn more: https://www.unicef.org/ukraine/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/UNICEFUkraine
2. United Help Ukraine – a US-based 501(c)(3) whose mission is receiving and distributing donations, food and medical supplies to Ukrainian IDPs (internally displaced people) and families of wounded or killed in Ukraine. Currently it’s delivering first aid kits and other emergency supplies to the front lines, according to a Facebook post.
