Political Fun and Advocacy in Florida 2007 - 2012

For several years, I enjoyed canvassing, helping campaigns, organizing staffs, founding caucuses, advocating and running both a local political party office, sitting on the State Leadershipm Board and running two very close campaigns for public office. 

Outside of the CPG, there were two political accomplishments I am most proud of. The first was in 2007 I was asked by the ANCA to talk to Congresswoman Katherine Harris (R) Sarasota to change her vote to affirm the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. My (ex) wife and I did, and she changed her vote and the U.S Congressional Foreign Relations Committee recognized the Armenian Genocide as a result for the first time in October, 2005.

The second time was the Racial Profiling Bill passed the Florida House in 2011, the accompanying E-Verify Bill, the seemingly innocuous Bill was set to pass the Senate. We showed up with dozens of groups and 800 plus people strong, standing in silent protest, in the halls of Tallahassee. If State Senator Anitere Flores' E-Verify Bill passed, it would be coupled with the Racial profiling Bill in Committee and some version of both would become the law of the land for Florida. I personally lobbied Senator Flores effectively after a hearing and she agreed to meet with the protest leadership. During that meeting, she dropped support of the Bill and Senate Leader Alexander pulled the Bill shortly thereafter dooming the overly racist Bill that had seemed poised for passage.