TAMPA, Fla. — A multi-city protest is rolling through Florida this week, urging voters to “stay woke” in the face of new laws signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
A bus adorned with a bold-faced “vote” and the face of late civil rights icon John Lewis rolled through East Tampa Tuesday night, one of 15 stops the NAACP and Transformative Justice Coalition’s “Stay Woke, Vote” protest on wheels will make this week.
Local Democratic leaders and a number of progressive groups were on hand rallying voters and members of the community.
“We are doing voter registration, voter engagement and letting people know about the horrible legislation that has been inflicted on people,” explained Yvette Lewis, president of the NAACP – Hillsborough County Chapter.
Their hope is to get bigger voter turnout and engagement in 2024 and future elections.
“HOPE means how to overcome problematic elections,” said Florida House Minority Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa) said to the crowd.
The “votercade” comes as the NAACP and other civil rights groups have issued travel advisories for Florida in response to laws they say are “hostile” to people of color and the LGBTQ community.
DeSantis has called the advisories a stunt.
“I just wish Ron DeSantis could see this right now, I wish he could see the strength of our community, I wish he could feel the energy and what I love about this is, it’s for us and led by us,” Driskell added.
The bus will be back on the road for a stop in Sarasota Wednesday morning.