A private home in San Marco was ground zero for one local family looking to make a statement about inclusion, understanding and growing compassionate allies for the LGBTQ community. For Dino and Christine Ragazzo, the issue hits home: The couple’s son declared he was gay and came out several years ago during a college visit. The couple shared their personal story in a supportive, welcoming setting in their backyard as they invited neighbors, friends and leadership from Equality Florida to rally for inclusion and understanding.
For Equality Florida, the event was an opportunity to earn grassroots support and expand its reach into areas it may not typically tread. Working to build more coalitions of like-minds, educating the public on the mission, fighting for representation and rights, and supporting those that seek guidance to better understand the plight of LGBTQ community is the primary set of objectives.
Local representative, Mason Manion, development leader representing Equality Florida in Northeast Florida, introduced members of his team, kicked things off and encouraged folks to join them in the battle for belonging, respect and advocacy.
“We need you, we need your support, we need your voice. Because very often, our ally straight community, they can reach people we otherwise would not reach,” said Manion. He spoke of the ability some men or women may have to shift conversations: Quite often, in social settings where friends are comfortable, they may speak of others poorly, sarcastically speaking of members of the LGBTQ community; these moments are ripe for changing the dialogue, according the Manion.
“Maybe that could be your opportunity,” Manion said. “Instead of calling them out, rather, call them in.”
Following Manion’s remarks, John Harris Maurer, an Equality Florida public policy director and attorney based in Tallahassee, took the microphone to deliver a legislative update. Speaking to the crowd gathered at the backyard soiree, Maurer shared that only four anti-LGBTQ bills were currently in play, a marked contrast to the previous session when Equality Florida successfully stopped or neutralized 21 out of 22 such bills during a politically charged election year.
Maurer emphasized the organization’s push to shift legislative focus toward issues affecting everyday Floridians, such as inflation, housing scarcity, and rising insurance costs. “If we can change those hearts and minds, we can change policy along with it,” said Maurer, concluding his update.
He was followed by Ian Siljestrom, director of health, education, and program impact for the Safe Schools Program. A former Duval County educator now based in Tallahassee, Siljestrom shared his role in helping school districts respond to state and federal mandates.
“My role is, is basically, whatever does pass… whatever comes down from the federal government is our team’s responsibility is to figure out, alright…‘How do we mitigate the most harm possible,’” Siljestrom said.
Siljestrom, who has worked directly with 20 school districts across Florida for the past eight years, described efforts to develop frameworks and resources that help schools support LGBTQ faculty, staff, students, and their families.
“Our responsibility is, we have got to work with our school districts to help them figure out ‘How do you take ownership over the needs of our LGBTQ faculty, staff, students and their families,’” Siljestrom said.
He also addressed how the team assists parents. “If I’m a parent of an LGBTQ child, how are you all handling situations so I can best educate my kid, because they have a right to a great education too,” he said
Established in 1997, Equality Florida is “the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s [LGBTQ] community.”
