About Us
About Floridians for Democracy Institute
To accomplish our Mission we are organized as two nonprofits:
- Floridians for Democracy Institute (FFDI) is a 501c3 organization with charitable and educational purposes which provides education and awareness of the risks to freedoms in Florida.
- Floridians for Democracy (FFD) is a 501c4 organization, which promotes social welfare, education and awareness of the risks to freedoms in Florida.
The organizations are driven by despondence over the most destructive legislative sessions in memory as well as hope and determination to protect democracy.
Mission
Educate Floridians about current assaults on our democracy and constitutional rights --- and promote effective advocacy that will protect both democracy and freedom.
Purpose
Educate Floridians about current assaults on our democracy (including the right to vote, the independence of the courts and the rule of law) and constitutional rights (especially freedom of speech, equal protection and due process) --- and promote effective advocacy to protect democracy and freedom.
How We Preserve Democracy
We fulfill our mission through civic education, advocacy campaigns and collaborative efforts with state and regional partners. We work to equip Floridians with the knowledge and support needed to effectively protect and strengthen our democracy.
Key Strategies
We connect individuals and organizations to amplify the achievement of shared goals to win the fight to preserve democracy. With greater collaboration, we speak with a louder voice to confront the erosion of democratic freedoms.
Our Board
Dr. Michael Martin, Chairman
- President Emeritus, FGCU
- 50+ years in Public Higher Education
Jim Nathan, President
- Retired president, Lee Health
- Adjunct professor, Florida Gulf Coast University
- Co-Founder, SWFL Voices for Racial Justice
Bill Petrarca, Treasurer
- Board President, UU Congregation of Ft. Myers
- Board member, UU Justice of FL network
- Retired mgt. consultant, Strathman Associates
Jan Sommer, Secretary
Jan Martin
David Silverberg
Trudi Williams
Ella Nayor
David Silverberg
Geurt Peet
Bob Schaeffer
Wayne Smith
- President, Smith Family Foundation
Howard Simon
Organization Formation
FEBRUARY 2023
Small group forms
A small group assembled to discuss autocratic actions in Tallahassee and decided they needed a “1939-like” project. To get started, they initiated plans for a large in-person event.
APRIL 2023
Organizations Established
During a virtual meeting with more than 85 participants from Naples to Sarasota, the group decides to expand to state-wide participation. The mission is to create a network of organizations to protect democracy and 501c3 (Floridians for Democracy Institute) and 501c4 (Floridians for Democracy Inc.) organizations are established.
MAY 2023
Growing Statewide
Two virtual meetings are held with 150+ participants each time. Guest speakers were Nikki Fried & Bobby Block. Media coverage by WGCU-FM. The group grew to 450 registered supporters.
JUNE 2023
Taking Action
The group grew to more 500 registered supporters and regular meetings were established as well as a newsletter. Meetings were held with a county sheriff, a state representative, and David Pepper, author of Saving Democracy. The website development and Strategic Action Plan initiated.
July 2023
Next Plans Unfold
Strategic Plan and website "go live!" Next steps: Volunteer roles and network partners identified; funding the effort pursued.
August 2023
Zoom Event
FFD hosts Zoom featuring speakers Karen Svoboda (Defense of Democracy), Andrew Warren (former Hillsborough Co. State Attorney), Tommy Doyle (Lee County Supervisor of Elections) with 75 participants.
September 2023
Education Under Siege! How Should We Respond?
“Education Under Siege! How Should We Respond?” Zoom session hosted by FFD featured Dr. Pat Okker, Immediate past President of New College; and Gwyn Gittens, past Chair Lee County School Board; representatives of the Purple Group; and Maz Tuchman, an impressive candidate for Miami-Dade School Board. 114 people participated.
October 2023
Messaging Hope and Optimism
58 participants watched speaker Simon Rosenberg in “Messaging Hope and Optimism” via zoom. FFD hosted a Pro-Democracy Summit with David Jolly with 97 participants on Zoom.
November 2023
Voices For Democracy
Speakers Florida State Reps Rita Harris and Anna Eskamani talk to 40 participants on Zoom about “There Has Been a Freight Train of Bad Bills in Tallahassee.”
FFD also partnered with Florida Veterans for Common Sense and Choose Democracy Now for a Veterans Day Expo in Sarasota. More than 300 attended. The event was livestreamed. Professor Ruth Ben-Ghait, author of Strongmen discussed “Fascism at Our Doorstep.”
Dave Aronberg talked about the challenges and opportunities of democracy in Florida and beyond with 85 participants. Six individuals are recognized as “Voices for Democracy” Dr. Robert Hilliard, Dr. Maddie Stewart & Bobbie D’Alessandro (Purple Group), Phyllis Andrews & Michael Sales (Collier Freedom), and Jan Sommer.
Speakers Leslie Poole from Rollins College and Jaclyn Lopez from Stetson (professors and historian) spoke about the importance of our environment. They began by paying homage to Dick Jacobs with a video and some of his slides. Mr. Jacobs was a dedicated environmentalist, photographer and author of Democracy of Dollars who recently passed away.
January 2024
Event Series Launch
FFD launches Democracy at Risk event series. “Assaults on Our Freedoms” featuring speaker Karen Svoboda, The Purple Group and Bob Schaeffer.
January 4, 2024
Progressive Club of the Islands
Board members, Karen and Jim Nathan, attended the Progressive Club of the Islands on Sanibel, hosted by members Bob and Elaine Schaeffer. Jim shared the story of Floridians for Democracy, which was met with great enthusiasm.
January 13, 2024
In-Person Event
Floridians for Democracy held an in-person event at the Collaboratory in Fort Myers. Our four speakers were Karen Swoboda, co-founder of Defense of Democracy, Maddie Stewart and Marge Cox from the Purple Group in support of public schools, and Bob Schaeffer, political consultant, warning us about proposed bills in Tallahassee. The speakers were live-streamed. Prior to the event, table chats were set up in the lobby with The League of Women Voters, Defense of Democracy, Interfaith Alliance, The Purple Group, and The Right to Clean Water. Following the speakers, Nancy Terreri led a group of volunteers to do postcarding to our legislators in Tallahassee and/or to folks who had been removed from voter rolls asking them to re-register.
February 5, 2024
Statewide Zoom Call
Floridians for Democracy held a statewide Zoom where Bob Schaeffer spoke about the laws being proposed in Tallahassee that will greatly erode our democratic values and freedoms. Nancy Terreri presented the many ways to communicate with legislators while asking them to vote "no" for the harmful laws proposed and "yes" for the ones that uphold democracy.
February 10, 2024
Postcarding Event
Floridians for Democracy held an in-person postcarding event at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Fort Myers. Bob Schaeffer described the "worst" of the bills being proposed in Tallahassee and their status in various committees. Nancy Terreri provided guidance on effective postcarding. Over 240 postcards were written and sent to our legislators in Tallahassee.
February 12, 2024
Florida Veterans for Common Sense Collaboration
Florida Veterans for Common Sense collaborated with FFD with a legislative postcarding event preceding discussions with U.S. congressional candidates for FL District 17.
February 24, 2024
Right To Read Festival
Floridians for Democracy collaborated with the The Right to Read Festival in Venice to livestream and post concerns regarding book banning as part of our Florida's Assault on Our Freedoms Series. The impressive all-day event was held from 10 AM to 4 PM both inside and on the grounds of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Venice, Florida. Four speakers were live-streamed with plans to post on the FFD YouTube website. All discussions were designed to educate as to how Florida became the nation's leader in book banning by underscoring rights and freedoms under the First Amendment, and the importance of preserving intellectual freedom. It was co-hosted by the Social Justice Alliance of the Florida Suncoast and the UU Congregation of Venice, Florida.