This semester our Generation Action students developed their own local campaigns, targeting issues that mattered to them, with the help of state and national support. Choosing their own local campaigns promoted creative organizing, while creating a campaign that allowed students groups with less capacity to pick up and go provided important support for chapters that are still learning their organizing 101’s.
Our FAMU and FSU Generation Action were instrumental to recruitment and organizing of the 2019 Women’s March
Medicaid Petition Collection
University of Florida and University of Central Florida students decided to pick campaigns that focused on petition collection. Because Medicaid expansion is a petition related to health care that has been getting a lot of traction, both student groups decided they were interested in trying to create their own on campus petition collection efforts!
Effective strategies for on campus collection revolved around canvassing in crowds and tabling at events. Dorm storms were also used, but were found to yield less petitions overall.
Ultimately, Generation Action students in the state of Florida were able to collect hundreds of petitions!
Stigma Busting
Three campuses lead campaigns to bust stigma this semester. Two of these campaigns, at Florida State University and Florida Atlantic University, focused on motivating legislative action, while the third, at Miami Dade College, focused on engaging the campus population by hosting the college’s first speak out event.
Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College (MDC) decided to create an event that put a creative spin on a more traditional speak out event, MDC students hosted an “artivism” event where artists could use their work to speak out about abortion experiences and the importance of abortion access.
Art featured at MDC Generation Action's "A Basic Right" event.
Florida State University
Florida State University played a central role in not only campus organizing, but also organizing for legislative session, with their focus on generation on campus and off campus advocacy.
On campus students hosted multiple messaging trainings, counter protest anti-abortion groups, and lead student resistance to legislative attacks on campus.
Some major off-campus highlights of the campaign include turning out speakers and activists regularly for session events, including the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates silent protest of the Six Week Abortion Ban press conference and the Senate protest of parental consent legislation.
Our Florida State Generation Action turned out students for our action in the Senate against SB 1774
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University Students worked to destigmatize abortion by hosting multiple education session and hosting on-campus opportunities to engage with the legislative process. These students succeeded in their campus campaign goal to organize around session, but also found an exciting way to engage in the legislative process on their campus.
Helped to pass a bill within their student government which requires the school to alert students when people are on campus protesting against abortion. This is a major win for students of FAU, and Generation Action will be working with student government to help with the implementation of this legislation.
FAU students speaking out against abortion stigma on campus!
NCF and Menstrual Products
New College of Florida focused their goal on obtaining free menstrual products on campus by Fall of 2019. Through coalition events, work with the student government, and networking with companies, they were able to win this campaign!
As a first step, the students conducted a survey about the need for menstrual products on campus. where almost 20% of the school’s student body participated. Generation Action worked closely with their student government and Aunt Flo to provide menstrual product dispensers. Not only will these dispensers be installed in 20 of the college’s bathrooms on campus, but the products inside will be offered to all students for free! This makes menstrual product more available for all students who live on campus!
FAMU’s Consent Campaign
Florida Atlantic and Mechanical University students worked to increase consent education on campus, hosting multiple consent education workshops, hosting Take Back the Night at FAMU, and collected hundreds of petitions that advocate for consent education as a mandatory part of freshman orientation.
FAMU has exciting plans for Fall of 2019 to continue this campaign, and we look forward to seeing the amazing changes they make on campus!
FAMU student Kayla Lawson delivering hundreds of petitions to support consent education to FAMU administration.
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