Miami Beach Democrats May Meeting Recap: Civil & Education Rights in Focus

This month, we focused on civil and education rights. With the current state of our country and our state, we found this topic imperative. And now—with the unconstitutional redistricting efforts in Florida—we cannot stop. Our work at the local level matters more than ever, and this meeting was a powerful reminder of what’s at stake.

Club President Amanda Knapp, ACLU Organizer Dariel Gomez, Board Member Tim Johnson

Civil Rights Discussion: Guest Speakers & Key Issues

We were honored to hear from an incredible panel of leaders working at the forefront of these issues:

School Board Member Joe Geller

ACLU Organizer Dariel Gomez

FL for Strong Public Schools

• Dariel Gomez, Field Organizer, ACLU of Florida

• Damaris Allen, Executive Director, Families for Strong Public Schools

• Joseph Geller, School Board Member, Miami-Dade County Public Schools

  
  

Damaris Allen spoke about the growing concerns regarding the co-location of public schools and the broader challenges facing public education in Florida. She highlighted how lawmakers have failed to deliver on key priorities like increasing funding, protecting special education, and ensuring fair pay for educators. She also warned of significant potential funding losses—including hundreds of millions in federal support—that could impact teacher training, student services, and essential programs. Her message was clear: authentic, well-resourced classrooms matter, and advocacy right now is critical to protecting our schools. Check out the presentation here.

Dariel Gomez focused on immigration and civil liberties, detailing how the ACLU of Florida is actively defending immigrant communities across South Florida. He discussed challenges to state policies such as SB 168 and SB 4-C, which expand local law enforcement’s role in federal immigration enforcement and disproportionately impact undocumented individuals. He also highlighted ongoing advocacy to prevent the detention of asylum-seekers, combat discrimination, and provide resources that help protect families from separation.

He further emphasized the importance of rapid-response and community-protection efforts, including partnerships such as the Rapid Response Alliance for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment (RAISE) and the Florida Rapid Response Network. Through this network, a statewide hotline (1-888-600-5762) is available for anyone to report ICE activity, seek immediate support, and access legal resources, including Know Your Rights information. His remarks underscored the importance of community awareness, preparedness, and staying engaged in protecting civil liberties.

Joseph Geller provided insights into the Miami-Dade County Public Schools superintendent search, outlining what’s at stake for the future direction of education in our community. He also shared concerns about communication challenges from the County District office, noting that delays can undermine transparency and community trust. Notably, he was the only Democrat to win in Miami-Dade County in 2024, underscoring both the challenges and opportunities facing local elections. He closed with a powerful and motivating message: this is our time this year—a call for all of us to step up, stay engaged, and lead.

Club Updates & Wins

We also shared exciting updates from the Club and the incredible impact our members continue to make:

Club Members

Member Check In

Discussion

🌈 Pride Parade Fundraiser Success – Our most successful Pride fundraiser yet! We raised over $5,000, which will go directly toward expanding our voter outreach efforts this election cycle. This success was made possible by the energy and generosity of our members and supporters—and a special thank you to Bill Warren for helping make this event such a success.

📬 Vote-by-Mail Re-enrollment Campaign – In April alone, we helped secure over 300 Vote-by-Mail re-enrollments, ensuring voters stay engaged and receive their ballots ahead of the August Primary. With changes to Florida law requiring re-enrollment, this work is critical—and our volunteers stepped up in a big way through texting, phone banking, and in-person outreach.

☀️ Summer Volunteer Showdown – We officially launched our Summer Volunteer Showdown, a fun and impactful way to keep momentum strong through the summer months. Whether from home or in person, members can participate in texting and phone banking to reach voters across Florida. This initiative is designed to meet people where they are—proving that meaningful civic engagement can happen anytime, anywhere.

🗳️ Precinct Captains & Poll Watching – We continue building our precinct captain program and expanding our poll watching efforts to ensure strong voter protection at every stage of the election. From recruiting volunteers to hosting trainings, we are laying the groundwork to safeguard the vote and strengthen our presence across Miami Beach.

Looking Ahead

There will be no regular June meeting, but we’re excited to gather for our Primary Forum on June 18th. This will be a key opportunity to hear directly from candidates and stay informed ahead of the election. RSVP is required.