by Florida NOW and Debbie Deland, Vice President
80% of Maternal deaths are unnecessary. We can’t accept Florida’s maternal death rate.
By Debbie Deland
Florida has been facing a maternal health crisis marked by rising mortality rates, deep racial disparities, and shrinking access to maternity care. As hospitals close obstetric units and OB‑GYN shortages worsen, doulas and midwives have emerged as essential, evidence-supported solutions that improve outcomes, expand access, and provide culturally grounded care.
by Florida NOW and Debbie Deland, Vice President
The national NOW’s current stance reinforces a carceral approach to sex work that treats consensual adult sex work as inherently wrong, while hiding behind ‘safety’ language that functions as a moral judgment in disguise. Liberation requires trusting sex workers to define their own lives and safety. This includes respecting bodily autonomy, rejecting stigma, and violence against sex workers. In addition to refusing frameworks, often driven by white liberal women, that police and steal sex workers’ agency under the guise of protection.
by Florida NOW and Debbie Deland, Vice President
Florida NOW and allied coalitions successfully blocked every anti‑reproductive freedom bill in the 2025 legislative session, marking the first time in years that no new restrictions passed. This is a major win for reproductive justice and coalition strength in Florida.