Floridians from across the state gathered in Tallahassee on Wednesday to address bills they are against and championing during a voting rights rally hosted by Equal Ground.
Equal Ground is a Black-led, non-partisan, non-profit organization working to expand Black political power in Florida.
Wednesday’s rally was billed as a “Day at the Capitol,” and featured hundreds of people present to listen to citizens address Florida legislators on what they should prioritize.
The goal of the rally was to bring together a coalition of Black-led community partners from across the state to send a message to lawmakers and discuss the effect recent Florida legislation has had on Black Floridians and other marginalized communities.
“It speaks to our ability to organize and know what our community needs and how to address any harm in the legislation now — we’re not waiting for Election Day,” Equal Ground’s founder, Jasmine Burney Clark, said. “We want to hold them accountable.”
One of the bills Clark talked about was HB 601 and SB 576, which preempt regulation of complaints against law enforcement officers and correctional officers.