On Saturday, Aug. 29 the nonpartisan nonprofit, Floridians for Democracy, is holding an event at a church in the Fort Myers Dunbar community called a Rally for Hope.
They chose the date to coincide with the anniversary of the historic March on Washington that brought about 250,000 people to Washington, D.C. in 1963 to advocate for the civil and economic rights of Black Americans. It's the rally that culminated with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his "I Have a Dream" speech.
Organizers say it’s meant to be a nonpartisan gathering rather than a protest, with a focus on promoting voter participation & civic engagement, and the moral traditions of the civil rights movement.
Floridians for Democracy was founded by a small group of Southwest Floridians in early 2023 in response to what they described as rising autocratic trends in Florida government. They've grown over the years and hold online events to discuss their outreach efforts and support for democracy and rights, including voting. We preview Saturday's event and talk about what they're trying to accomplish.
In the interest of full-disclosure, Floridians for Democracy has been running some paid promotions in our newsletter Daily Current.
Guests:
Jim Nathan, co-founder of Floridians for Democracy and former CEO of Lee Health
Sonya McCarter, founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit Bridging the Gap Center for the Arts — and she's on the planning committee for Saturday's rally
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