Festival for Florida’s Future

The AFL-CIO is staging the Festival for Florida’s Future at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. The event is in response to Gov. Rick Scott's leadership as governor. The AFL-CIO is urging citizens to become active Scott's agenda and protecting Medicare. The event will have live musical entertainment.

STATEWIDE, FL – On Saturday, June 4th from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., families from across the state will celebrate what it means to be a working Floridian. Instead of focusing on creating jobs and addressing high unemployment, Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature proved that they are out of touch with real Floridians, the families living paycheck to paycheck, the retirees surviving on meager state pensions, the unemployed searching for jobs that are not there and students working their way through college. The Festival will combine activism, education and music while serving as a kick-off for a sustained campaign to organize and mobilize working people from all backgrounds and walks-of-life, to demand meaningful action by the state Legislature and make a difference in the lives of all Floridians.

At the festival, attendees can participate in workshops to learn how they can fight for Florida. They can participate in direct actions such as writing letters and recording video messages. They can also register to vote in the upcoming elections in 2012. A diverse range of speakers and live music will entertain families throughout the day. There will be a supervised play area for children, so busy parents can participate in the numerous activities. There will be a food court, educational booths, and various building trades will have their mobile demonstration units on hand to showcase their expertise. Please visit http://festival.fightforflorida.com/ for more information.

When: Saturday, June 4, 2011 from 10AM – 6PM
Location: Central Florida Fairgrounds
4603 West Colonial Drive
Orlando, FL 32808
Highlights: KIDS KLUB: Bounce houses, obstacle course, toddler area, face painting, X-BOX truck, fire engine
TRADE DEMO’S: Crane operation simulator, Solar Truck, etc.
RAFFLE: Flat screen TV and other prizes
Speakers & Live Music:

NOTE: All Speakers will be available via live video feed from the event. Please tune in at FightForFloridaLive

10:00AM Ethno Tek Members of the Musicians Union of Orlando
11:00AM Speakers -Silvia Peres, Immokalee Worker & Lily Ekelsen, NEA , VP Silvia Perez, Immokalee farmworker with translator. Since she came to this country, she has been working under extreme work conditions and low pay. Only able to continue in the hopes that her children will have greater opportunity, through quality public education. Now this legislature is cutting more and more, and ensuring that great teachers go elsewhere.
11:30AM Mother Shockers Members of the Musicians Union of Orlando
12:30PM Speakers – Elton and Barbara Wright Husband and wife schoolteachers who, after receiving advanced degrees, teaching for nearly 20 years, including summer school and tutoring, still don’t come close to $100K per year combined. They have a disabled teenage son and now must face a 6% cut their family income, due to changes in FRS.
2:00PM Speakers – Fred Barr & Magda Torres Public sector worker who has lost job and house will talk about how to deal with bills piling up, children suffering and how the 2011 Legislature spent their time giving tax breaks to the rich and beating up public sector unions, instead of creating jobs for the Floridians who are out of work. Magda Torres, radio personality, will highlight some of the stories she hears on her radio show every day and draw connections.
2:30 pm to 3:20 pm Plan B
3:35 pm to 4:25 pm Josh Lamkin & Automatic Heat 2010 Suncoast Blues Challenge Winner, 2011 IBC Semi Finalist
4:40 pm to 5:30 pm The Pitbull of Blues Band 2010 Orange Blossom Blues Society Central Florida Blues Challenge Winner, 2011 IBC Semi Finalist

Workshop Topics:
Speaking to Power: Using your Story and Voice to Fight Back!
Tech Me Over: Online Communication Tools and Resources
Labor Community Solidarity: Why Coalition Building Matters
Labor to Neighbor: How to Build a Grassroots Network in Your Neighborhood
Fighting for Fair Food: The Coalition of Immokalee Workers and Florida’s 21st Century Farmworker Movement
Awake the State: Best Practices Panel
Why Grandma isn’t Dead: Stopping the Destruction of Medicare and Social Security
Affordable Health Care Act
Activist Recruitment: Engaging People in THEIR Political Program
Running for Office 101
Other: Reserved parking and special interview area for media