We grieve Kirk’s loss especially for his wife and kids, but we do not mourn him.

Making Charlie Kirk a hero is wrong.

Florida NOW Condemns Charlie Kirk’s Anti-Democratic, Anti-Feminist Rhetoric.

Political violence is not acceptable in the US. Demonizing the left however is ridiculous when we don’t know the killer’s motive and we know he was not affiliated with any party. Just to put this killing in perspective and counter the MAGA lies, left wing propensity for violent acts is 33%, right wing extremists is 61%.

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For Immediate Release: September 4, 2025

President Julie Kent, Florida National Organization for Women (FL NOW)

Will Compromise Public Health, Women’s Workforce Stability, and Children’s Safety

Orlando, FL — Florida NOW vehemently condemns the reckless plan announced by Governor Ron DeSantis and Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo to eliminate all vaccine requirements for schoolchildren statewide. This move endangers the health of millions, undermines decades of public health progress, and disproportionately harms women and children—especially those in low-income, Black, brown, and disabled communities.

“For decades, routine childhood vaccinations have protected our schools, our families, and our economy,” said Julie Kent, President of Florida NOW. “Rolling back these requirements is not just irresponsible—it’s a direct attack on public health and parental peace of mind and health.”

Florida’s current mandates include vaccines for measles, polio, pertussis, and other highly contagious diseases. Removing these protections will:

•  Expose immunocompromised children and infants to preventable illness
• Force working mothers—especially single parents—to miss work to care for sick children
• Increase school absences, destabilizing learning environments and widening equity gaps
• Threaten childcare and early education centers with outbreaks that could shutter facilities

Already, Florida’s kindergarten vaccination rate has dropped below 90%—well under the 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks. Experts warn that this rollback could trigger a resurgence of diseases once considered eliminated.

“This is not about parental rights—it’s about political theater at the expense of our children’s lives,” said Debbie Deland VP of FL NOW. “There are no credible medical studies that conclude vaccines are broadly unsafe. The study showing a connection between autism and vaccines was totally discredited. The science and medical research are clear that vaccines are critical to the health of our communities. There are exceptions for people, including children who should not get vaccines, e.g., immunocompromised. Women will bear the brunt of this crisis, as caregivers, educators, and frontline workers. We will lose many children’s lives. We don’t remember the days of polio (all the dead and crippled), measles (children and adults die), severe flu (not enough coffins) because it is not part of our lived experience. We can’t be stupid and ignore the lessons of history. Ladapo should be ashamed of bringing God into the discussion of vaccines. God expects us to apply our knowledge to protect our communities. FL NOW demands school vaccinations with only medical science-based exceptions.”

Florida NOW calls on legislators, school boards, and community leaders to reject this dangerous proposal and uphold science-based health protections. We urge parents, educators, and advocates to mobilize against this rollback and demand a future where every child can learn in safety.

About Florida NOW

Florida NOW is a statewide feminist organization committed to intersectional advocacy, systemic change, and the protection of women’s rights, health, and safety. We fight for policies that center equity, science, and justice.

FL NOW demands a Florida state budget to adequately support community needs.

Orlando, FL — The Florida National Organization for Women (FL NOW) denounces the 2025 state budget and escalating detention practices as a coordinated attack on women, LGBTQ+ communities, and immigrant families across the state.

Governor Ron DeSantis’s budget slashes essential services while expanding systems of surveillance, incarceration, and abandonment. The consequences are deadly.

Budget Cuts That Harm:

• Mental health support for survivors of the Pulse massacre vetoed—erasing trauma-informed care for LGBTQ+ Floridians.
• Housing programs for homeless LGBTQ+ youth defunded, halting shelter expansion and leaving vulnerable teens without safe options.
• Over 1,000 positions were cut from the Department of Health and Department of Children and Families—gutting maternal care, domestic violence response, and elder services.

Detention Facilities in Crisis:

• Krome Detention Center (Miami) is operating at nearly triple capacity. Medical emergencies have surged, and at least three deaths have been reported this year. Advocates working with those confined at this facility describe conditions as “absolutely horrendous.”
• Baker Correctional Institution (Sanderson) is being repurposed into a mass deportation hub, despite community opposition. Lack of transparency in repurposing plans resulted in local residents being blindsided, and fears are mounting.

“This is a deliberate dismantling of care infrastructure and a deepening of carceral control,” said Julie Kent, President of FL NOW. “Florida’s most vulnerable are being sacrificed to political theater and cruelty.”

FL NOW calls on elected officials, community leaders, and national partners to reject this budget and demand accountability for the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Florida’s detention centers.

We demand:

• Restoration and increases in funding for LGBTQ+ mental health and youth housing.
• Full staffing and oversight of public health agencies.
• Immediate investigation into deaths and conditions at Krome and Baker with immediate action to rectify the problems.
• A moratorium on detention expansion and carceral repurposing.

“Florida deserves a budget rooted in care, equity, and liberation—not one built on fear and disposability.” said Debbie Deland, VP of FL NOW.