(Photo credit: bit.ly/FCBphotos)
Declaring it is time to return the people’s voice to Tallahassee, South Miami-Dade civic leader and businesswoman Franccesca Cesti-Browne officially launched her campaign for Florida House District 115 with a reception in Kendall.
“Like many of us, I put my faith in our elected officials, for them to be our true advocates and represent us with our best interest in mind. But that hasn’t been the case. What happened during our most recent legislative session — from arming teachers to an inattention to our deteriorating environment and voter suppression efforts in the wake of the passage of Amendment 4 — is unacceptable,” Cesti-Browne told a packed room of supporters at The Brick in Downtown Kendall. “What are we leaving for our children?
Instead of them being able to build on what we do, they will have to fix what has been neglected and depleted.”
Cesti-Browne also announced that 2018 gubernatorial candidate and former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and Forward Florida have endorsed her bid for District 115.
“Franccesca is a business woman and civic leader who, like me, is tired of how Republicans have taken the power out of the hands of the people. I’m proud to endorse her, as we work together to flip Florida blue,” said Gillum of Forward Florida.
Born in Peru and a resident of District 115 most of her life, Cesti-Browne is a nonprofit executive and business strategist, the former chair for the Miami-Dade County Hispanic
Affairs Advisory Board, a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and a board member for BeStrong International, an organization based in Palmetto Bay dedicated to teaching young people about healthy relationships, financial literacy and educational success.
A mom of two young girls, Cesti-Browne is a graduate of Miami-Dade County Public Schools and is a first generation college graduate with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Florida International University.
State House District 115 was won by Gillum in 2018 by a nearly 2 percent margin and won by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson by a 4.5 percent margin. It is one of the most vulnerable Republican held seats in Florida and represents a prime opportunity for Democrats in 2020.
To learn more, visit franccescaforflorida.com.
