The Florida Commission on the Status of Women is a non-partisan body with a focus on raising awareness and celebrating the contributions and successes of all Floridians, along with providing a collaborative platform for those seeking information on issues that affect women, girls and their families in our state.
Our goal is to provide communication, promotion, and collaboration among the hundreds of organizations working in all 67 counties that are focused on the welfare of the women of Florida. We are all interested in improving the well-being of Florida women and girls – and by extension, all Floridians. In doing so, we strive to be a resource for lawmakers, businesses, and residents so they have a better understanding of these important issues.
The Florida Commission on the Status of Women is excited to announce Florida Suffrage Tea Time, a monthly virtual series of fun and informative interviews, lectures, and discussions on the Woman’s Suffrage Movement. You bring your tea and internet, and we’ll provide the rest! Learn more at floridasuffrage100.org
Florida Celebrates Women’s Suffrage Centennial
2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which enfranchises US citizens regardless of sex. For 70 years, women throughout the United States had petitioned at the state and national levels for their right to vote, and on August 18, 1920, US women won a huge battle with the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Work was still left to ensure voting rights for all women, especially in the Jim Crow south, and Women of Color would not see full legal voting rights and protections until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and subsequent legislation. Notwithstanding, the passage of the 19th Amendment is a monumental moment in US history, and this historic centennial offers an unparalleled opportunity to commemorate a milestone of our democracy. The Florida 2020 Women’s Suffrage Centennial Collaborative, a non-partisan collaboration of women-centered institutions, organizations, and scholars from across Florida will work to ensure that this anniversary, and the journey to achieve it, are commemorated and celebrated throughout the state. We hope you will join us throughout 2020 and 2021 as we commemorate and celebrate the centennial of women’s suffrage and the women who fought for their rights. Visit floridasuffrage100.org to learn more.
The Florida Commission on the Status of Women seeks entries for the 2020 Women’s History Video Contest from students in grades 9-12, beginning August 1 through September 30, 2020. The Commission invites students to participate in order to gain a more thorough appreciation of women’s contributions throughout history, to celebrate those contributions, and to increase awareness of the contributions specifically of Florida women, past and present. The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed by the United States Congress on June 4, 1919 and was ratified on August 18, 1920. This amendment granted the vote to women, which was considered a radical change to many Americans. Since 1980, women have voted in equal or greater number than men. To help get out the vote and increase voter participation in the 2020 Florida elections, the FCSW invites high school students to create 30 to 60 second public service announcement videos encouraging eligible voters to register and turn out at the polls. “As we begin 2020, we hope that this contest will inspire our high school students to learn more about the women and men who contributed to such a major turning point in our country’s history,” says FCSW Commission Chair Rita Barreto Craig. “The Florida Women’s History Video Contest was established to encourage young people to think creatively about our nation’s great history and learn about the importance of voting.” The FCSW will widely distribute and publicize the winning videos and others from the contest as part of the 2020 Women’s Suffrage Centennial Celebration, a statewide commemoration of the passage of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. Click here for all the rules and details. For more information on the Video Contest, please call Rebecca Lynn at 850-414-3529.