The Florida Democratic Party launched a year-long ad campaign in African American newspapers focused on educating voters on the damaging effects President Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis and Florida Republicans are having on communities of color.

The series titled “Don’t Fear The Future. Fight For It.” began in African American outlets last week and each month will highlight policies implemented by President Trump, Governor DeSantis, and Florida Republicans that marginalize communities of color including defunding public education, placing guns in schools, continued voter suppression, and building an economy that leaves the majority of Florida behind.

The first ad began running in African American newspapers last week and is a call to action to stand up against the NRA backed policy of placing more guns in schools, which was passed by Republican lawmakers this year and will put our children, and particularly children of color, in harm’s way.

Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo knows that a sustained information campaign into communities of color is necessary to win in 2020 and Florida Democrats are investing in outreach nineteen months before the election.

Rizzo stated: “The Florida Democratic Party will continue to expose the harm Donald Trump and Republican policies inflict upon our communities. This ad campaign highlights the fact that Donald Trump and Florida Republicans are fighting for policies that put our children in harm’s way, defund education, restrict voting rights that erode the voices of black and brown communities across the state. Democrats have a path forward that lifts all of us up and this ad campaign allows us to make our case directly to voters.”

In addition to the advertising campaign, Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Juan Peñalosa published an Op-Ed highlighting the GOP’s assault on voters of color which ran in multiple outlets across the state, including the Florida Sentinel Bulletin. An excerpt describes this attack on voters of color from right-wing lawmakers and how Democrats are fighting to support all Floridians:

“The end of this year’s legislative session is one of the most shameful in our history. From Jim Crow-era voting laws, to placing children of color in harm’s way — undermining the rights of people of color was a constant in nearly every major piece of legislation that passed in 2019.

As the political power of communities of color grows, conservative lawmakers in the Florida state legislature are doing everything they can to strip us of our power and our vote. While Democratic champions fought against arming teachers, dismantling our public schools, and Jim Crow voting bills – Florida Republicans, under the direction of Donald Trump, betrayed all of us.

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Unfortunately, most people don’t find out about this kind of hurtful legislation until it’s too late. We want you to know Democrats are fighting and we ask you to join us to fight against the bills that defund our access to education. Florida Republicans keep making these moves because they recognize the power of our black and brown votes, and are passing bills that defund our access to education and restrict our rights to vote. Florida Democrats are demanding change to make Florida a better state for ALL Floridians, not just those in power, and we will never stop working toward that end. We don’t fear the future. We will fight for it.”

Click here for the full op-ed in the Florida Sentinel Bulletin.