TALLAHASSEE — Tomorrow, Thursday, August 26th, at 10:30am, United Faculty of Florida (UFF) will partner with Building Back Together to host a virtual press conference about the free two-year community college plan included as part of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda. With college students returning to campuses across the state this week, speakers will highlight how this transformative plan would expand access to two-year and vocational training programs, ease the burden of student debt, and give thousands of Floridians the job skills they need to provide a better life for themselves and their families.
United Faculty of Florida President Andrew Gothard will lead the discussion. The UFF represents more than 25,000 faculty members across all of Florida’s universities and community colleges.
Congressman Darren Soto has been a longtime advocate for expanding access to higher education. He will highlight the ways that two years of free community college would greatly benefit the people of his district by extending additional opportunities for job training and academic certification to thousands of workers.
State Senator Janet Cruz is a community college graduate who was able to use the education she received there to eventually own and operate her own small business and provide a better life for her children as a single mother.
State Representative Tracie Davis will speak about her own experience with student loan debt and what offering two years of free community college could mean to many children from low income areas who may not go to college because of the cost.
Adela Ghadimi is the proud daughter of immigrants, the Organizing Specialist and Service Unit Director for United Faculty of Florida, and a doctoral candidate in the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy at Florida State University. Adela will discuss how student debt has affected her personally and what relieving that debt burden could mean for thousands of other students.
All speakers will be available for questions upon the conclusion of remarks.
The Zoom link for the event can be found here.
Progress Florida and Florida Watch will also be live-streaming the event on Facebook here and here.
Who: Andrew Gothard
President, United Faculty of Florida
Congressman Darren Soto
District 9
State Senator Janet Cruz
District 18
State Representative Tracie Davis
District 13
Adela Ghadimi
Doctoral candidate & organizer with UFF
What: Virtual press conference supporting President Biden’s plan to Build Back Better by providing two years of free community college
When: Thursday, August 26th, 10:30 am
