Saving Florida's Education System with Susanne Peña

Saving Florida's Education System with Susanne Peña

Lee Perry interviews Susanne Peña, candidate for Orange County School Board District 3. From growing up on a military base in Puerto Rico to navigating NYC public schools as a teacher and district administrator, Suzanne brings a wealth of hands-on expertise to the table. They discuss the urgent need to expand AP/IB programs, the emotional toll of school closures on our Central Florida neighborhoods, and why local down-ballot elections matter immensely for our community's future. * Episode Timestamps * 0:00 - Intro * 1:12 - Growing up in Puerto Rico & Career Journey * 4:50 - Juggling a Campaign, teaching, and a PhD Dissertation * 8:26 - How Mom & Grandma Instilled the Value of Education * 11:06 - Navigating Florida's Culture Wars, Union Attacks, and Living Wages * 12:46 - What Led Suzanne to Run for School Board * 15:15 - Facing the New Wave of Defunding, Vouchers, and Book Censorship * 19:30 - Campaign Priorities: Expanding Access to AP, IB, STEM, and Multilingual Programs * 26:29 - The Disintegration of Federal Language Access and ESE Safety Nets * 31:57 - Why Local August Down-Ballot Elections Matter Just as Much as November * 37:09 - The Traumatic Impact of Immigration Raids and School Closures on Kids & Teachers * 50:12 - How to Volunteer and Support the Campaign Connect & Support Suzanne’s Campaign: * This is a true grassroots movement fueled by families, students, and community members. Help Suzanne cross the finish line: * Website, Newsletters & Volunteer: vote4pena.com Support the Podcast:If you liked what you heard today, please comment, subscribe, and share this episode to help spread the word! For more resources on how we're actively organizing around the issues that matter most this year, visit us at organizingvictory.com.

Protecting Our Right to Vote (with Tim Ayers)

Seniors are aging out of traditional political networks, and the modern electoral system is making it harder than ever for them to stay connected. How do we fight back? In this episode, host Lee Perry welcomes Tim Ayers, Florida Democratic Party State Committee Member and the new President of the Orange County Senior Caucus. Tim brings decades of generational knowledge to the table, tracing his roots from a young mayor in Ohio to a grassroots organizer in Orlando. Topics discussed include: How do we counter the demand for instant gratification in a slow-moving political system? What is the impact of rapid local redistricting ahead of 2026? Most importantly, they discuss concrete strategies for re-engaging marginalized and older communities left behind by typical "three-months-before-the-election" door knocking campaigns. Timecodes: 0:00 - Intro 0:54 - Tim’s political background 8:51 - Overcoming voter burnout 14:11 - Deconstructing populist messaging 17:42 - Organizing in marginalized communities 20:02 - Why seniors heavily rely on vote-by-mail 21:43 - Contested vs. competitive races in Orange County 25:46 - The local impact of redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections 31:16 - Replicating the latest Senior Caucus success using micro-targeting 33:03 - How different generations get their news 36:06 - Navigating strict new rules for signatures, licenses, and registration 38:56 - How the state-level party infrastructure must adapt to win 46:14 - Corporate PACs, union-busting, and shifting worker rights in Florida 53:33 - Re-framing the narrative on government spending and local impact 56:54 - How national immigration rhetoric directly impacts local economies 1:01:26 - Ageism in voter suppression 1:02:28 - Actionable steps for seniors

How to Fix Florida (with Antione Fields)

Antione Fields, candidate for Florida House District 21, joins us to talk about what drove him into politics: from the murder of Trayvon Martin to fighting the state takeover of Gainesville's municipal utility. They discuss Florida's affordability crisis, the push for universal healthcare at the state level, corporate influence in the legislature, gerrymandering, criminal justice reform, and why Antione believes bold progressive politics is the only answer to Florida's increasingly dark political climate. Learn more at https://www.fieldsforflorida.com/ Timecodes: * 00:00 Intro & Background * 07:10 Why Run for Office? * 10:32 Universal Healthcare at the State Level * 16:12 Gun Violence & the NRA's Influence * 18:27 How Trayvon Martin Shaped Antione's Path * 23:46 The District 21 Primary & Rejecting Corporate PAC Money * 26:08 The Fight to Restore Control of Gainesville's Utility GRU * 31:10 Florida's Property Insurance & Climate Crisis * 39:01 Housing, Smart Growth & Public Transit * 44:52 Gerrymandering & the Congressional Map Special Session * 49:04 Criminal Justice Reform & Free Prison Calls * 53:32 Closing Message & How to Get Involved

Criminal Justice Reform (with Janet Buford-Johnson)

Lee Perry sits down with Janet Buford-Johnson, a grassroots candidate running for the Florida House of Representatives in District 41. Janet shares her 32-year journey from the hospitality and food industry, to facing unimaginable personal tragedies. She opens up about loss, survival, and the fight for justice for her son. She also talks about how Hurricane Ian completely destroyed her home, stripped away a lifetime of irreplaceable memories, and has left her locked in a battle with insurance companies to rebuild what was lost. Learn more at https://janetforoffice.com

Fire Randy Fine! (with Ronnie Murchinson-Rivera)

Lee Perry sits down with Ronnie Murchinson-Rivera, a grassroots Democrat challenging Randy Fine for Florida's 6th Congressional District. Born and raised in New York City and now a Lake County homeowner, Ronnie brings the perspective of a former EMT, law enforcement officer, husband, and father of five to a race the national party has all but written off. In this conversation, Ronnie shares the moment that pushed him to run, what it's like to lose your home to back-to-back hurricanes and fight FEMA and your insurance company for years, and why the DNC told him Florida wasn't worth the investment. He and Lee dig into the issues hitting families in District 6 hardest: skyrocketing property insurance, unaffordable healthcare, underpaid teachers and nurses, gerrymandered maps, and a state government that keeps choosing billionaires and Alligator Alcatraz over working people. Ronnie talks about getting money out of politics, refusing corporate and AIPAC dollars, supporting term limits, expanding the Supreme Court, and why he believes the path to flipping Florida runs through honest conversations with Republicans and independents. He also opens up about raising five kids in a country that feels less safe for them every day, and how his family keeps him grounded through it all. Learn more or get involved at ron4congress.com or firerandyfine.com.