by Florida NOW
Kaitlyn Kirk, FLNOW Communications Director, has created an action linktr.ee and it is terrific!
The linktr.ee is titled Florida NOW Legislative Action.
Check out the email actions that you can do in just a few minutes. It is easy, quick and clear. Speak out!
Thank you, Judi Marraccini, FL NOW Legislative Director
by Florida NOW
For Immediate Release: January 20, 2026 / President Julie Kent, Florida NOW, president@flnow.org
Florida NOW condemns Governor Ron DeSantis publicly labeling Broward County Public Schools a “disaster” and announcing that the state should consider placing the district under receivership:
“Governor DeSantis’ latest attack on Broward County’s public schools is an attack on local democracy, on students, and on the families who rely on a stable, community‑driven school system,” said Julie Kent, President of FL NOW. “Calling an A‑rated district a ‘disaster’ is not leadership — it is political theater designed to justify stripping power from voters.”
This week, the Governor claimed that Broward County Public Schools are failing and suggested that the Florida Department of Education should take control of the district. He made these remarks despite the district earning back‑to‑back A ratings, achieving zero D or F schools for the first time, and showing measurable academic gains across student groups.
“Parents, educators, and students deserve solutions — not manufactured crises,” Debbie Deland, VP FL NOW continued. “A state takeover would silence local voices, destabilize classrooms, and hand control of one of Florida’s largest school districts to political appointees instead of the community.”
State takeovers across the country have repeatedly resulted in:
Broward’s School Board Chair has already invited the Governor to visit classrooms and see firsthand the progress students are making — an invitation that underscores the district’s commitment to transparency and improvement.
“Florida NOW stands with Broward families, educators, and students who are working every day to strengthen their schools,” Julie Kent, President FL NOW, concluded. “We reject any attempt to undermine local control or use our children as political pawns. Our communities deserve investment, not takeover threats.”
Media Contact: Debbie Deland, VP FL NOW, vp@flnow.org, 407 234-6408
by Florida NOW
For Immediate Release: January 15, 2026 President Julie Kent, Florida NOW, president@flnow.org
Orlando— The Florida National Organization for Women (FL NOW) is sounding the alarm about the accelerating impact of authoritarianism on public media in the United States and around the world. As authoritarian tactics spread — including censorship, propaganda, and digital surveillance — public media systems are increasingly targeted because they serve as essential watchdogs, truth‑tellers, and platforms for civic participation.
Authoritarian governments have long used media control to consolidate power, but new digital tools have dramatically expanded their reach. Research shows that modern authoritarian regimes now rely on digital censorship, surveillance, and manipulation to shape public opinion and suppress dissent. These tactics are no longer confined to foreign governments; they are influencing political behavior, media ecosystems, and public trust in the United States and globally.
“Public media is one of the last remaining institutions dedicated to truth, transparency, and the public good,” said Julie Kent, President FL NOW. “Authoritarianism thrives when people are misinformed, intimidated, or silenced. Undermining public media is a direct attack on democracy — and on the rights of women, LGBTQ+ people, and marginalized communities who rely on factual reporting to hold power accountable.”
Authoritarian Tactics Are Reshaping Public Media
Authoritarian regimes increasingly deploy digital firewalls, content blocking, and algorithmic suppression to restrict access to independent journalism. These tactics limit citizens’ ability to access diverse viewpoints and weaken public media’s role as a democratic safeguard.
New research shows that authoritarian propaganda spreads most effectively in societies where information networks are either highly fragmented or tightly controlled. This allows regimes to flood the public sphere with biased narratives while drowning out independent reporting.
Around the world and here in the U.S., journalists face harassment, intimidation, silencing, and violence for reporting on government abuses. Public media outlets — which often investigate corruption, human rights violations, and state misconduct — are frequent targets.
Countries like China now export surveillance and censorship technologies to other governments, accelerating the global spread of digital authoritarianism. This threatens press freedom worldwide and emboldens leaders who seek to control information.
Why This Matters for Women and Marginalized Communities
Authoritarianism disproportionately harms women, LGBTQ+ people, and communities of color. Public media plays a critical role in:
“When public media is weakened, the most vulnerable communities lose one of their strongest defenders,” said Debbie Deland, VP FL NOW. “Authoritarianism is not just a political threat — it is a direct threat to gender justice and human rights. In the U.S., we are seeing all media being intimidated with some caving to the pressure. This is not free speech which America has always prided itself on. The U.S. leadership at all levels is violating our rights under the First Amendment. We won’t allow this fascism to take away our rights.”
FL NOW Calls for Action
FL NOW urges policymakers, civic organizations, and the public to:
About Florida NOW
The Florida National Organization for Women (FL NOW) is the state’s largest feminist advocacy organization, dedicated to advancing gender justice, racial equity, reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ rights, and the protection of democratic institutions.
Media Contact: Debbie Deland, VP FL NOW, 407 234-6408, vp@flnow.org
