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Organize Florida

Parent Organization: Center for Popular Democracy (CPD)
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(4)

Type:

Community Organizing Group
Executive Director:

Stephanie Porta
Status:

Merged with New Florida Majority to create Florida Rising Together

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Organize Florida was an Orlando-based tax-exempt social welfare organization. It trained community activists and regularly organized protests in the Central Florida and Tampa Bay areas to advance social, economic, and environmentally left-of-center agendas throughout the influential Tampa-Orlando “I-4 corridor.” It had satellite offices in Tampa and Kissimmee, and frequently coordinated activities with other Florida-based activist groups. Organize Florida was formerly known as Organize Now. 1 The group was associated with the left-wing organizing network Center for Popular Democracy, which has been at the forefront of demonstrations against the Trump administration.2

Organize Florida claimed to be nonpartisan, but its activities and leadership were decidedly left-leaning. 3 In early 2017, the group organized protests outside of Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-Florida) Orlando office, demonstrated at a Bank of America branch to demand the financial institution divest from a natural gas pipeline,4 and rallied with partner organizations at Walt Disney World to call for Disney CEO Bob Iger to resign from President Donald Trump’s business advisory council.5 which he later did. 6 Organize Florida also cosponsored the Florida People’s Climate March, a series of 21 Florida-based marches coinciding with the larger People’s Climate March in Washington, D.C. Organize Florida organized protest marches in Tampa and Orlando, while partner groups Sierra Club and Peace, Justice, Sustainability Florida targeted the Trump Organization-owned Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach.7

Past advocacy campaigns include “Fight for $15” minimum wage protests,8 lobbying Orange County officials to impose sick leave leave benefits for restaurant employees and other private sector workers,9 and “Que Vote Mi Gente,” a political effort aimed at “turning out the most Latinos ever in a national election.”10

On January 20, 2021, the group merged with left-of-center advocacy group New Florida Majority to create Florida Rising Together, an advocacy group focused on voter mobilization and community outreach. 11

Background

Organize Florida was one of 43 state partner organizations (across 30 states) of the Center for Popular Democracy.12 CPD is a national activist organization that partners with community organizing groups, organizing alliances, and progressive unions. In addition to Organize Florida, other Florida-based partner groups include Manufactured Housing Action, New Florida Majority, and the Organize Florida Education Fund.13

CPD’s largest donor was activist billionaire George Soros. Its network also included former chapters of the controversial and now-defunct Association of Community Organizations and Reform Now (ACORN).14 In May 2017, CPD unveiled an $80 million effort to challenge Trump administration policies, influence Democratic Party policy debates, and boost electoral candidates at the local, state, and federal levels while simultaneously mobilizing new voters.15 According to its 2015 tax filing, CPD reported $14.7 million in revenue.16

Activism

Organize Florida listed a dozen different priority issues, including affordable housing, healthcare, civic engagement, electoral organizing, and Hispanic and Puerto Rican engagement.17 The organization was structured around three distinct committees: the Climate Justice Committee, the Racial Justice Committee, and the Reproductive Justice Committee.18

Climate

Since 2015, Organize Florida had helped orchestrate Florida People’s Climate Movement day of action marches, and in September 2016 it hosted the Powershift Southeastern Convergence in Orlando.  Powershift is an activist network that connects college and youth activists with trained community organizers.19 The three-day Powershift conference centered on mobilizing hundreds of young climate change activists from across the Southeast. Organize Florida held trainings and workshops with partner groups Central Florida Jobs with Justice, Florida Immigration Coalition, and the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).20

The organization actively opposed the Sabal Trail pipeline — a $3.2 billion, 515-mile multi-state natural gas pipeline that crosses Central Florida. Pipeline proponents assert that it would deliver relatively cheap, clean, and safe energy to more than one million Florida homes. 21 Organize Florida said the natural gas, which is derived from fracking, could contaminate drinking water and exacerbate climate change. 22

Election

Organize Florida assisted progressive Latino groups in 2016, in mobilizing the Central Florida Puerto Rican community to vote in the November general election. The campaign was called “Qui Vote Mi Gente” (translated, “Vote, My People”) and the effort was aimed at turning out the most Latino votes ever. 23 Florida is the nation’s largest presidential election swing state, and Puerto Rican-Americans are an increasingly key electoral demographic to winning the state.24 The voting bloc is expected to surpass Cuban Americans in Florida in 2020.25

Abortion

Organize Florida’s women’s rights platform included a number of issues most prominently abortion and no-cost birth control, and extended to cover gun control, climate change, and illegal immigrant rights.26 The group’s related activities ranged from handing out flowers to women at the Orange County Department of Health along with literature condemning congressional attempts to repeal Obamacare,27 to holding “Awake the State” protests and events across Florida on the same day of the Florida Governor’s annual State of the State address. In 2016, Organize Florida’s Awake the State agenda included demands for increased access to abortions.28

Leadership

Organize Florida’s executive director and co-founder was Stephanie Porta. Porta was also the executive director of the Florida Institute for Reform and Empowerment (FIRE), also known as the Organize Florida Education Fund.29 The organization’s board chairs were Debbie Soto and Lacresha “Sista Queen” Thomas. It’s director of political operations was Tim Heberlin.30

In June 2017, Organize Florida leadership participated in the Florida Democratic Party’s Leadership Blue gala. Former Vice President Joe Biden was the event’s keynote speaker. An Organize Florida representative sat on the event’s “Resistance Panel,” which was moderated by Black Lives Matter activist DeRay McKesson. Other panelists included Dominik Whitehead of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees government-worker labor union, Charo Valero of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, Maria Rodriguez of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, Carrie Feit of the Women’s March of Florida and Karla Hernandez Mats of United Teachers of Dade.31

Florida Rising Together

On January 20, 2021, Organize Florida merged with left-of-center advocacy group New Florida Majority to create voter mobilization outfit Florida Rising Together. 32

See Also

Organize Florida Education Fund33

Center for Popular Democracy

New Florida Majority

Florida Rising Together

References

  1. “Organize Florida.” Linkedin. Accessed July 17, 2017. https://www.linkedin.com/company/organize-now-.
  2. “Organize Florida.” The Center for Popular Democracy. Accessed July 20, 2017. https://populardemocracy.org/our-partners/organize-florida.
  3. “Organize Now and FIRE Announce Name Changes to Organize Florida and Organize Florida Education Fund to Reflect Growth Across Florida.” Organize Florida. Accessed July 20, 2017. http://www.orgfl.org/organize_now_and_fire_announce_name_changes_to_organize_florida_and_organize_florida_education_fund_to_reflect_growth_across_florida.
  4. “Organize Florida.” Resist and Protest. Accessed July 20, 2017. https://www.resistandprotest.com/organizer/organize-florida.
  5. “Organize Community Calls for Disney CEO Iger to Leave Trump Council Nationwide.” Organize Florida. February 13, 2017. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.orgfl.org/orlando_community_calls_for_disney_ceo_iger_to_leave_trump_council_nationwide_disneylethimgo_campaign_launched_on_resisttrumptuesday.
  6. Calia, Mike. “Disney CEO Iger Quits Trump Council Over Climate Decision.” CNBC. June 1, 2017. Accessed July 20, 2017. http://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/01/disney-ceo-iger-quits-trump-council-over-climate-decision.html.
  7. “Florida People’s Climate March Press Advisory.” Our Santa Fe River. April 21, 2017. Accessed July 20, 2017. https://oursantaferiver.org/florida-peoples-climate-march-press-advisory/.
  8. Brinkmann, Paul. “’Fight for $15’ Minimum-Wage Rally Comes to Orlando.” Orlando Sentinel. September 28, 2015. Accessed July 20, 2017. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/brinkmann-on-business/os-fight-for-15-minimum-wage-20150928-post.html.
  9. Ruble, Joe. “Judges order sick leave initiative on 2014 ballot.” WDBO Radio. February 15, 2013. Accessed August 01, 2017. http://www.news965.com/news/local/judges-order-sick-leave-initiative-2014-ballot/loPiROsfGzEhxl1EDREu8M/
  10. “Our Campaigns.” Organize Florida. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.orgfl.org/our_campaigns.
  11. New Florda Majority. “Two Anchor Organizations of Florida Civic Engagement Infrastructure Announce Merger to Increase…” Medium. Medium, August 4, 2020. https://medium.com/@newfmcomms/two-anchor-organizations-of-florida-civic-engagement-infrastructure-announce-merger-to-increase-6f75183f2764.
  12. “Organize Florida.” The Center for Popular Democracy. Accessed July 20, 2017. https://populardemocracy.org/our-partners/organize-florida.
  13. “Partners.” The Center for Popular Democracy. Accessed July 20, 2017. https://populardemocracy.org/about-us/our-partners.
  14. Schoffstall, Joe. “New $80M Anti-Trump Network Spearheaded by Soros-funded Org with Former ACORN Employees.” Washington Free Beacon. March 27, 2017. Accessed July 21, 2017. http://freebeacon.com/issues/soros-funded-anti-trump-network-has-acorn-ties/.
  15. Krieg, Gregory. “Progressive Activists to Unveil New $80 Million Network.” March 23, 2017. Accessed July 21, 2017. http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/23/politics/new-progressive-fund-fight-trump/.
  16. “Center for Popular Democracy.” Nonprofit Explorer, ProPublica. Accessed July 20, 2017. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/453813436.
  17. “Our Issues.” Organize Florida. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.orgfl.org/our_issues.
  18. “Our Committees.” Organize Florida. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.orgfl.org/our_committees.
  19. Averhart, Sandra. “UWF Students Encouraged to Become Activists.” WUWF, National Public Radio affiliate for Northwest Florida. September 7, 2016. Accessed July 21, 2017. http://wuwf.org/post/uwf-students-encouraged-become-activists.
  20. “Our Impact.” Organize Florida. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.orgfl.org/our_impact.
  21. Kassab, Beth and Kevin Spear. “Gas Pipeline Across Central Florida Brings Cheap Energy and Protests. Orlando Sentinel. March 29, 2017. Accessed July 23, 2017. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/environment/os-sabal-trail-pipeline-impact-20170329-story.html.
  22. “Sabal Trail Petition.” Organize Florida. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.orgfl.org/sabal_trail_petition.
  23. “Our Campaigns.” Organize Florida. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.orgfl.org/our_campaigns.
  24. Flegenheimer, Matt and Amy Chozick. “As Puerto Ricans Move to Florida, the Clinton Campaign is Waiting for Them.” The New York Times. August 11, 2016. Accessed July 23, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/12/us/politics/puerto-rican-voters.html?mcubz=1.
  25. Cordeiro, Monivette. “’Qui Vote Mi Gente’ Coalition Opens Kissimmee Office to Rally Puerto Rican Voters.” Orlando Weekly. October 14, 2016. Accessed July 23, 2017. https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2016/10/14/que-vote-mi-gente-coalition-opens-kissimmee-office-to-rally-puerto-rican-voters.
  26. “Stand with Women and Families.” Organize Florida. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.orgfl.org/stand_with_women_and_families#.
  27. Roen, Terry. Group Gives Mothers Tulips and Information on the AHCA.” Orlando Rising. May 12, 2017. Accessed July 21, 2017. http://orlando-rising.com/group-gives-mothers-tulips-and-information-on-the-ahca/.
  28. “Coalition Seeks New State Agenda.” Orlando Sentinel. January 19, 2016. Accessed July 20, 2017. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-ed-stephanie-porta-awake-state-the-interview-20160118-story.html.
  29. “About Stephanie Porta.” Orlando Sentinel. October 9, 2015. Accessed July 21, 2017. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/central-florida-100/os-about-stephanie-porta-20151009-story.html.
  30. “Core Leadership Team.” Organize Florida. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.orgfl.org/our_team.
  31. De La Rosa, Christian and Andrea Torres. “Vice President Joe Biden Speaks at Fundraiser in Hollywood.” Local 10 News, ABC. June 17, 2017. Accessed July 21, 2017. https://www.local10.com/news/politics/vice-president-joe-biden-speaks-at-fundraiser-in-hollywood.
  32. “Florida Rising.” Florida Rising, October 20, 2021. https://floridarising.org/.
  33. “Partners.” The Center for Popular Democracy. Accessed July 20, 2017. https://populardemocracy.org/our-partners/organize-florida.
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