The Anna for Florida Blog

Letter cites unpermitted bout, unlicensed referee, missing state record, and a 112-pound weight mismatch; requests emergency suspension and referral to prosecutors ORLANDO, Fla. — State Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani (D-Orlando) last night sent a letter to the...

Orlando, FL: Yesterday Florida’s State University System Board of Governors voted unanimously to ban undocumented students from attending the state’s 12 public universities. Here is her statement in response: "Yesterday the Board of Governors voted unanimously to slam...

Featuring Rindala Alajaji, the Associate Director of State Affairs at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Alasdair Whitney, Legislative Counsel at Institute for Justice, and Reem Suleiman, the Senior Campaign Director at Fight For the Future Orlando, FL - On...

ORLANDO, Fla. — State Representative Anna V. Eskamani (HD 42) released the following statement after the Florida Department of Transportation announced it is revoking all permits for automated license plate readers on state roads, giving agencies 30 days to remove the...

Featuring Rindala Alajaji, the Associate Director of State Affairs at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and others Orlando, FL - On Wednesday, September 2nd from 5:00pm - 6:00pm, Florida State Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani will host a virtual community...

Orlando, FL - This year is Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani's last term in her seat as a State House Representative in the Florida Legislature, and as her office looks back on years of engaging young people across the district, we are excited to bring students and...

Bipartisan 2026 law required quarterly accounting of a fund that spent $566 million on immigration enforcement last year; Legislature has yet to receive it as hurricane season peaks ORLANDO, Fla. — A group of Democratic Florida lawmakers this week sent a letter to...

"I want to begin by thanking the hundreds of community members who showed up to public meetings, to our legislative office, and to their neighbors' kitchen tables to make their voices heard about the future of Harry P. Leu Gardens. You wrote emails, you asked hard...

Featuring Rania Soliman of Soliman Law and Regina Nunnally of Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida Orlando, FL - On Monday, August 31st from 4:00pm - 5:00pm, Florida State Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani will host a virtual workshop and discussion focused on...

Winter Park, FL- August 26, 2026 – Florida Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani will proudly hand a ceremonial grand-scale check for $500,000 to Share the Care, Inc. on August 26. This State of Florida Fixed Capital Outlay grant will directly support the Building a...

Today, the Orange County Sheriff's Office issued the following report regarding its investigation of Sloth World. The conclusion they reached is: "Their comprehensive investigation concluded that the deaths of the transported two-toed and three-toed sloths were the...

ORLANDO, Fla. — After serving in the Florida House since 2018 and reaching the eight-year term limit established in the State Constitution, State Representative Anna V. Eskamani (House District 42) will host a public "Office Goodbye Party" — a last-call celebration at...

English:  Our hearts are with the people of Colombia following the powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the country this morning, centered in the Chocó region near San José del Palmar. The reports coming in are devastating. Lives lost, families displaced, and...

Event to be Hosted in Partnership with IDEAS For Us Orlando, FL - As summer winds down, Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani is excited to announce the return of our 2nd annual Clothing Swap Party, hosted alongside community partner IDEAS For Us. This event is a great...

Orlando, FL: Today, Orange County Commissioners unanimously voted to approve Commissioner Wilson's proposal for the County to explore stronger protections and enforcement on the import of exotic animals for entertainment purposes. Wilson wants the board to create new...

Team Anna, Team Frost, and Team Samuel to host Get-Out-the-Vote Rally and neighborhood lit drop in final push before Election Day WHAT: A Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) Rally and Lit Drop bringing together volunteers and supporters for the final stretch before the August...

Looking at your sample ballot and unsure how to research the candidates or where to start? We've got you covered at Team Anna! You can re-watch our full ballot review for the August 2026 Election here: https://youtu.be/YSQ2xqQyklQ You can also view our slide deck...

In Partnership with Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith, Mills 50 District, O-Town Compost, and Keep Orlando Beautiful Orlando, FL - This year is Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani's last term in her seat as a State House Representative in the Florida Legislature and we...

ORLANDO, Fla. — In case you missed it, More Perfect Union has released a new mini-documentary featuring State Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani on the regressive nature of Florida's tax system and the case for real tax relief for working families. ▶ Watch and share...

ORLANDO, Fla. — The inaugural Pints + Pigtails fundraiser raised nearly $7,000 for Harbor House of Central Florida, the region's certified domestic violence center, at a sold-out community event held last week at Redlight Redlight in Orlando's Audubon Park...

Dear Friend, The Florida Department of Education (DOE) just passed two rules to bar undocumented students from Florida's public colleges and adult education programs, and now the Florida Board of Governors is attempting to do the same with our State University System....

In Partnership with United Against Poverty and Keep Orlando Beautiful Orlando, FL - This year is Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani's last term in her seat as a State House Representative in the Florida Legislature! As we reflect on the work that our team has done...

Event to be Hosted in Partnership with A Gift for Teaching Orlando, FL -  With the first day of school right around the corner, Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani is excited to announce our annual back to school supply drive benefiting A Gift for Teaching!  House...

Orlando, FL: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit today struck down the higher-education provisions of the Stop W.O.K.E. Act, a classroom-censorship law in Florida that severely restricted educators' ability to teach about race and gender in schools and...

Dear Friend, To me, being American is a reflection of the sacrifices so many have made to call this country home. My own family made that journey from Iran, chasing a simple but powerful idea: that in America, the circumstances of your birth don’t have to determine...

Orlando, FL: Today, the Florida State Board of Education voted to implement two rules that would exclude undocumented students from Florida's public colleges and adult education programs. The Board set aside only 30 minutes for public commentary and limited public...

Dear Friend, This last week saw devastating news for members of both the Venezuelan and Haitian diaspora, both of whom call Florida home in large numbers. On June 24, two catastrophic back-to-back earthquakes — magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 — struck near Caracas and the...

Orlando, FL: Wednesday evening’s 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes were among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century and could be felt throughout the region. Right now, we know that at least 164 people have been killed and more than 1,000 are...

Orlando, FL: Today, the Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the Trump administration to remove legal protections from thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants in the United States, meaning they could now be subject to deportation. The court, on a 6-3 vote...

Orlando, FL: Today, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has announced changes to sloth ownership in Florida. You can read the full policy change memo here. It reads, in part: "After the expiration of EO 26-12, Permits to Import Class III Wildlife for...

ORLANDO, Fla. — State Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani, in partnership with Alchemy Hair Salon and Blevins & Adams Law Group, will host Pints + Pigtails, a hands-on hairstyling night benefiting Harbor House of Central Florida and its mission to support...

Dear Friend, Did you know that the Florida Department of Education (DOE) has proposed two rules to bar undocumented students from Florida's public colleges and adult education programs? Read more here. Here's the thing: the Legislature already rejected these exact...

Dear Friend. Today, I want to wish a heartfelt Happy Father’s Day to every dad and father figure out there. Your love, hard work, and guidance make a lasting difference. I’m especially thinking of my own Dad, who raised my twin sister and me, along with our big...

Dear Friend, Whether you call it Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, or our nation's second Independence Day, Juneteenth remains one of the most important anniversaries in American history. Five years ago, Congress and President Joe Biden officially recognized Juneteenth...

Dear Friend, Ten years ago, on June 12, 2016, our Orlando community was forever changed when 49 lives, most of them young, LGBTQ+, and of Latin background, were taken in an act of gun violence at Pulse nightclub. In the aftermath, we came together to grieve, to heal,...

Five-point reform package submitted to state wildlife regulators follows mass die-off of imported sloths in Florida ORLANDO, Fla. — State Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani (House District 42) today announced that she and the Sloth Protection Alliance have formally...

Orlando, FL: The U.S. Department of Energy on Thursday ordered the Orlando Utilities Commission, a municipal utility, to continue running its 465-MW, coal-fired Stanton Unit 1 instead of placing it in “cold shutdown” to address what the department deems to be an...

These Are Her Last Summer Library Office Hours as a State House Representative Orlando, FL - Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani, representing parts of Orlando, Winter Park, Belle Isle, Edgewood, Eatonville, and Maitland in the Florida House, is once again taking her...

In Partnership with County Commissioner and Vice Mayor Dr. Kelly Martinez Semrad, County School Board Member Stephanie Vanos, and Keep Winter Park Beautiful Winter Park, FL - This year is Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani's last term in her seat as a State House...

Today, the Florida House and Senate passed Governor DeSantis' Property Tax Proposal. Here is Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani's statement in response:  "There is no doubt in my mind that Floridians need relief. But Governor DeSantis’s proposal is not the answer. In...

Dear Friend, Every June, I think about what Pride really means here in Orlando. It means joy; block parties, rainbow flags, chosen family, and the freedom to love who you love, and to be your authentic self. And it means remembrance. This month marks ten years since...

State Representative successfully champions $3.06 million in bipartisan investments to fund local infrastructure, public safety, non-profit community resources, and youth programs. ORLANDO, Fla. — Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani today announced that she has...

Today, after two months of delay, the Florida Legislature finally passed the 2026-2027 state budget. Below is Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani's statement:  I voted yes on the budget because we have several local projects that will benefit from this budget and the...

There is no question that Floridians need meaningful relief right now—but this proposal from Governor DeSantis is not a tax break, it’s a tax shift. Instead of lowering costs, it risks redistributing them in ways that disproportionately harm renters and working...

Dear Friend,  Today, we express our gratitude to our fallen heroes and send love and support to their families. Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. This day...

Orlando, FL: Today, the Central Florida Zoo shared online that Mr. Ginger has passed away. Mr. Ginger was the youngest sloth brought into their care via the now-bankrupt "Sloth World." 13 sloths were brought to the Central Florida Zoo; Mr. Ginger is the fourth to pass...

Tallahassee, FL: State Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani, representing District 42, today released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a lower-court ruling that would have ended telehealth and mail-order access to mifepristone, allowing...

ORLANDO, FL — State Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani released the following statement in response to today's reporting that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is preparing an executive order to temporarily halt all importations of sloths...

ORLANDO, FL — State Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani (D-Orlando) released the following statement today in response to widespread reporting that federal and state officials are in active discussions to close the so-called "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention...

ORLANDO, FL — State Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani (D-Orlando) released the following statement after today's meeting with officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), The Sloth Institute, and the Sloth Conservation Foundation...

Dear Friend, In 2004, I lost my Mom after her long and courageous battle with colon cancer. My twin sister and I were just 13 years old. It’s a loss that has shaped my life, and one that continues to fuel my commitment to ensuring other families don’t have to...

Dear Friend, By now, you've likely heard the heartbreaking news out of Sloth World, the for-profit roadside attraction off International Drive that has since gone bankrupt. Over the course of its operation and now closure, 55 wild sloths have died, animals that, in...

Orlando-area volunteers will hit the doors to mobilize voters in defense of Orange County Public Schools ORLANDO, FL — On Saturday, May 16, State Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani (D-Orlando) will kick off her Defend Public Schools canvass series alongside Orange...

Dear Friend, Happy Mother’s Day from my family to yours. I’ll be honest, this day can be a hard one for me. My mom passed away in 2004 after a long fight with colon cancer. I was just 13 years old, and I miss her every single day. This photo, taken around 1995 at a...

Dear Friend, May the 4th be with you. For fellow Star Wars fans, today is a celebration of courage, resistance, and hope in the face of overwhelming odds. But it also feels a little closer to home than fiction, because the struggle between progress and extremism is...

Dear Friend, I am a proud UCF Knight, through and through. The University of Central Florida has shaped nearly every chapter of my life. I earned five degrees there, including dual master’s degrees in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management, and most recently,...

Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani responds to the Florida House passing Governor DeSantis' partisan, gerrymandered map:  Today, the Florida Legislature advanced a deeply partisan congressional map mid-decade, once again putting politics over people. This map is not...

Orlando, FL: Following widespread concerns and advocacy surrounding the proposed Sloth World attraction on International Drive, our community came together to demand accountability and protect vulnerable animals. Thanks to those efforts, the facility will not open,...

Orlando, FL — Last night, Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law legislation filed by Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani focused on drowning prevention. This new policy marks a major step forward in protecting Florida’s children and families from preventable...

Established on April 22, 1970, Earth Day reminds us of the importance of protecting and advocating for our planet. From our wetlands to our wildlife that makes Central Florida special, Earth day reminds us of our collective responsibility to protect them. Team Anna...

In Partnership with Senator LaVon Bracy Davis, Representative RaShon Young, and Keep Orlando Beautiful Orlando, FL — This Earth Day, Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani (D-42), Representative RaShon Young (D-40), Senator LaVon Bracy Davis (D-10), and Keep Orlando...

Yesterday, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a deeply troubling 8–1 decision in Chiles v. Salazar, holding that state laws protecting children from so-called “conversion therapy” are presumptively unconstitutional under the First Amendment when applied to...

Orlando, FL: Yesterday, Florida Phoenix reported that Florida’s Republican sheriffs want President Donald Trump to end mass deportations of undocumented immigrants who haven’t committed crimes, a striking shift from law enforcement in the nation’s most aggressive...

The 2026 Regular Legislative Session has officially concluded, and we want to take time to review what happened in Tallahassee: the bills that passed, the ones that failed, and what it all means for our community and state. During this conversation, Representative Dr....

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, Central Florida’s leading elected women will come together for a timely and inspiring virtual panel to reflect on the progress made in advancing gender equity, uplift the voices and leadership of women in public service, and...

Join us in celebrating the vibrant spirit of Nawruz and the arrival of spring at the heart of Orlando—a joyful gathering that honors themes of hope, renewal, and new beginnings shared across cultures. Presented in collaboration between the Orlando Museum of Art, the...

Dear Friend, The Florida Legislature gaveled its 2026 regular session to a close a little after 3 pm Friday.  This year’s session came at a time when Floridians are facing a growing affordability crisis. From rising housing costs and skyrocketing insurance premiums to...

Passed in 2025, SB 180 was an emergency response bill that barred counties and cities from imposing new restrictions on rebuilding after major storms. The measure was framed as a way to help homeowners rebuild following major hurricanes, but unfortunately, this...

Florida's 2026 Legislative Session has come to a formal close, with still more work to do. Here is Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani's statement in response.  "This year’s session came at a time when Floridians are facing a growing affordability crisis. From rising...

Tallahassee, FL: The Orange County School Board gave final approval late Tuesday to close seven schools. The schools are Union Park Middle School and Bonneville, Chickasaw, Eccleston, Meadow Woods, McCoy and Orlo Vista elementary schools. They will close their doors...

Tallahassee, FL –  On Wednesday, March 11th at 7:00PM, Representative Dr. Anna Eskamani and The Atlantic Institute respectfully invite you to join us for a Ramadan Iftar; an evening of shared tables and conversations.  During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until...

Dear Friend, Well, we’ve made it to the final week of the 2026 Session. Or, at least, what was supposed to be the final week of session.  Unfortunately, House and Senate leaders are in a stalemate over the state budget and have yet to even begin the negotiations to...

Orlando, FL – In recognition of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani will host a community town hall on Tuesday, March 17 focused on colorectal cancer awareness, prevention, and early detection. Colorectal cancer is the...

Dear Friend, We’re getting very close now to what should be the end of the 2026 Legislative Session. Last week was Week Seven of the normally-nine-week session, and it was intense. Republican leaders fast-tracked bills intended to suppress the vote among college...

Below is Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani's statement on today's news of the United States launching strikes on Iran: "The Islamic Republic of Iran is a brutal and repressive regime. For 47 years it has imprisoned, tortured, executed, silenced, and massacred its...

Dear Friend We’re entering the homestretch of the 2026 Legislative Session (sort of).  We just wrapped up the sixth week of what is usually a nine-week session, which means we should be two-thirds of the way through it. Things are a little more unclear this year,...

Dear Friend, We’re excited to share several clips of Representative Dr. Eskamani presenting her bills this legislative session. Each of these bipartisan proposals is focused on uplifting our most vulnerable community members, strengthening public safety, expanding...

Dear Friend We have officially passed what should be the halfway point of the 2026 Legislative Session. After some gamesmanship, the House and Senate both released their proposed budgets for the new fiscal year, which begins on July 1. There are already big and...

It is deeply unfortunate that at a time when the Iranian people are courageously fighting for freedom and human rights, some individuals have chosen to spread false and harmful misinformation about Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani's record and values. These...

Dear Friend, We are almost halfway through the 2026 Legislative Session (assuming we actually finish on time this year, of course).  Last week was the fourth of nine weeks in the regular 60-day session. And the schedule was packed: Legislative leaders started moving...

Dear Friend, I want to be unequivocally clear in condemning the deeply racist and abhorrent social media post shared by President Trump, in which former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were depicted as apes. This imagery is not accidental, nor is...

As protests have continued in Iran against the Islamic Republic, Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani again expresses a statement of support: "Today, I reaffirm my solidarity with the people of Iran, courageous individuals and families who continue to raise their...

Dear Friend, Last week was the third week of the 2026 Legislative Session, and it was the busiest one yet.  An amendment was slipped into what had been a good bill to undermine the rural boundaries in Orange and Seminole counties. House Republicans unveiled a plan to...

Dear Friend, I am en route back to Tallahassee for the third week of the 2026 Legislative Session, which is supposed to last 60 days – nine weeks in all. But before we get going again, I wanted to get you an update from week two. The second week of Session is always...

Dear Friend, Now that we’ve completed the first week of the 2026 Legislative Session, we’re restarting our weekly Session Update newsletters.  Below you’ll find information on dozens of bills that moved forward during Week One of the session – from dangerous bills...

Dear Friend, Today, we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and recommit ourselves to the work he called us to do: building a more just, compassionate, and connected community. This morning, I had the honor of attending the Arthur “Pappy” Kennedy...

Here is Rep. Eskamani's response to federal officials considering opening an immigration detention facility in Orlando: "The idea of expanding ICE detention in Orlando comes at a moment when immigration enforcement has increasingly looked like vigilante-style...

In recent weeks, people across Iran have taken to the streets in response to deepening economic hardship, political repression, and longstanding restrictions on civil liberties.  As demonstrations have spread across cities and provinces, it is important that everyday...

2025 tested us — politically, personally, and as a community. We faced painful losses, harmful policies, censorship, political violence, and economic uncertainty. The Trump administration’s agenda hit close to home. We witnessed the targeting of immigrants and the...

Eatonville, FL — Black Girls Govern will host a CROWN Act Community Conversation to address hair-based discrimination in Florida schools and workplaces. The event will feature individuals personally impacted by hair discrimination, along with a panel of state and...

Dear Friend, 2025 has been another year of challenges and triumphs. Through it all, we’ve been humbled to stand by your side, and we hope that wherever you are, the spirit of the season finds you surrounded by peace, love, and joy. Growing up in a working-class...

2025 tested us — politically, personally, and as a community. We faced painful losses, harmful policies, censorship, hatred, and economic uncertainty. But we also saw the very best of Orlando: generosity, creativity, resilience, and people who refuse to give up on one...

ORLANDO, Fla. — Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani (D-Orlando) and Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) today filed legislation to create a professional licensure system for music therapists in Florida, a step advocates say is urgently needed after recent...

ORLANDO, FL — Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani (D–Orlando) and Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith (D–Orlando) today announced the filing of legislation to ensure comprehensive, equitable coverage for stuttering treatment across Medicaid, private insurance, group health...

Hello Team Anna Family, The new year is almost here, and we are excited to invite you to our Volunteer Orientation Kick Off Call! Are you looking to get more civically engaged this year? Want to plug into Florida’s upcoming legislative session, support local...

Dear Friend, As we pause for Thanksgiving, I want to say thank you. Thank you to every volunteer who knocks doors, makes calls, writes postcards, shows up to community events, and keeps hope alive. Thank you to every donor, whether you give $3 or $300, who ensures we...

Orlando, FL — Today, Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani (D-Orlando) and Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) announced new legislation to help prevent childhood drownings by ensuring every new parent in Florida receives evidence-based water safety and safe...

Orlando, FL — Today, Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani (D-42) and Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-17) announced the filing of the Small Business Disruption Assistance Act (link here), legislation aimed at providing critical support to small businesses affected by...

Orlando, FL: Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani and Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith have filed the Right to Repair Act for Mobility Devices, legislation aimed at empowering wheelchair users by ensuring they can access timely and affordable repairs for their essential...