As 60% of Miami-Dade Residents qualify as ‘working poor,’ community members urge importance of electing a governor ready to focus on working families
MIAMI – Community leaders and residents gathered today at Flava’s restaurant near Andrew Gillum’s hometown, Richmond Heights, to highlight the need for Florida’s next Governor to focus on expanding access to healthcare and helping Miami-Dade working families.
For many hopeful voters – like those in Richmond Heights left behind after the past eight years under Rick Scott – it’s clear addressing the problems facing these communities will require leadership who understands these communities. Mayor Andrew Gillum’s candidacy presents a chance to chart a fresh course for Florida.
With early voting beginning on Monday in Dade county, Miami leaders and community members called on their neighbors to get out and vote for leaders who will put the focus in Tallahassee back on Florida’s working and middle-class families.
“We can do this. But we simply have to remind ourselves that everything begins with a thought. The thought that Andrew Gillum can become our governor.” said State Representative Kionne McGhee. “From that thought, it forces us to change our attitude. And our attitude, it says “we believe Andrew Gillum should and will become our governor. And once we leave from that standpoint, we transfer to our behavior where we take 5 or 10 people to the polls to ensure our healthcare is protected, ensure that people have access to adequate resources. It begins to change those circumstances, the world but more than anything- our communities.”
“The issue that I see is that we have been forgotten- we have been forgotten for too long. And we tend not to make our elected officials accountable” said Juan Moore, a local activist. “Today we are making Rick Scott accountable- we are saying goodbye. November 6th we have the opportunity to have a governor who cares about the people of South Florida.”
“My dad came from a military family, and my mom comes from a family with a strong lady- my grandmother is from Honduras and also works extra hard nowadays just to survive and pay rent. It seems like as the cost of living goes up, I have less time to see my mom, my dad and my grandmother. It’s also been affecting me because I’ve had to switch middle schools twice when my parents have to find affordable places to live” said Fernando Gaston, Middle School Student at the Caribbean K-8 Center. “Andrew Gillum has a record of helping working families in Florida and making sure we all thrive. Make sure you get out and vote on November 6th.”
