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Senator Receives Helen Gordon Davis Lifetime Achievement Award
Senator Arthenia Joyner has received the Helen Gordon Davis Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hillsborough County Demo- cratic Executive Committee. The award was presented at the annual Kennedy-King Dinner earlier this month.
“We chose Senator Joyner for her lifetime com- mitment to civil rights and serving the people of Florida,”
noted Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Com- mittee Chair Ione Townsend.
“As a trailblazer for equal- ity and human rights, Helen Gordon Davis was not only an inspiration, but a mentor,” said Sen. Joyner. “Receiving this award is a special recog- nition that her spirit lives on and her causes endure.”
Helen Gordon Davis
SENATOR ARTHENIA JOYNER
was the first Hillsborough County woman elected to the Florida House of Representa- tives, and she later went on to win election to the Florida Senate. She was an outspoken advocate for women’s rights, and a strong voice for minori- ties in Tallahassee.
Senator Joyner, first elected to the Legislature six- teen years ago, is the outgoing leader of the Senate Demo-
cratic Caucus, the first Black woman elected to the posi- tion. Like her mentor, she has built an international reputa- tion for championing the rights of women and minori- ties, and for advances she’s made in reforming the crimi- nal justice system.
The Tampa Democrat has been practicing law longer than any Black female attor- ney in the history of Florida.
Equality Florida Condemns Rubio’s Remarks
NADINE SMITH Equality Florida CEO
On the two-month anniver- sary of the shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Marco Rubio attended the anti-LGBT “American Renewal Project” conference in Orlando. Equality Florida condemns Rubio’s cynical posturing and calls on him to put an end to the dis- crimination against LGBT peo- ple whose lives have been made less secure by his rhetoric and actions.
Equality Florida CEO, Na- dine Smith, made this state- ment: “Two months ago, 49 people were murdered by yet another angry young man em- bracing a hateful ideology who targeted an LGBT nightclub. Our gun laws are so appalling, this madman was able to pur- chase weapons capable of mass slaughter.
“Rubio wants to invoke the names of the victims to deflect criticism of him sharing the stage with notorious bigots. He used this platform to gin up anti-Muslim hatred while op- posing the most basic LGBT protections and gun safety measures that have been shown to dramatically reduce gun deaths. His hypocrisy is ap- palling.”
MARCO RUBIO
Smith also said if Rubio truly wanted to make discrimi- nation against LGBT people a thing of the past, he would sup- port the passage of state and federal legislation that prohibits discrimination against LGBT people.
“If Rubio truly represented Florida’s constituents, he would have voted for legislation re- quiring universal background checks on all gun purchases in- stead of voting it down just a few weeks after the Pulse mas- sacre.
“If Rubio truly wanted the American church to abandon the spirit of judgment, he would not share a stage with those who use hate speech as a weapon and call on people to martyr themselves to oppose equal pro- tection for LGBT people.”
Smith said Rubio supports laws that treat LGBT people s his inferiors and deny them the same protections he demands for himself and his family.
“His statement at the ex- tremist conference was tone- deaf and spineless and we do not need his hollow thoughts and prayers. His cruel actions, not his pandering words define his character.”
PAGE 8-A FLORIDA SENTINEL-BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016