We have several fresh faces on the board. Get to know them by reading their responses to the ACLC’s new “Fresh Faces” questionnaire!
1) Why did you decide to step up and fight for Alachua County’s working class and most vulnerable residents?
Jenn Powell—Co-Chair: I’ve been a member of ACLC since 2015. I’ve been personally affected by all of the issues ACLC is fighting to change so it made sense to be a part of the solution once I was able to. I’ve been in survival mode for the majority of my adult life raising 3 kids mostly on my own, when I was at home raising my 4th & newly married, I decided to become more involved.
Melissa Hawthorne—Co-Chair: I’ve been one of those vulnerable residents. As a young single mother, I’ve worked many underpaid jobs, knowing the stress of not knowing how you’re going to budget for food and transportation. That experience will never leave me. As I grew older, I learned I share this experience with an overwhelming majority of Americans. These issues are systemic. I was inspired by the ACLC’s work on the living wage locally, which taught me that focused, local campaigns can and do make a difference.
Pam Paris—Secretary: We all depend on Alachua County’s working class to provide services that keep our communities operating smoothly. I decided to join the fight to protect their rights and the rights of the most vulnerable residents because they are all members of our community and they deserve respect and assistance.
Adolfho Romero—Treasurer: Coming from a low-income working-class family and neighborhood, I sympathize with families’ struggles. Seeing my parents work in factories with unjust working conditions makes this fight personal. The vulnerability of being unable to speak up for fear of retaliation by employers was common in my home and community. During the 2008 recession, my family almost lost their home. The anxiety, fear, and trauma of living day to day, not knowing what tomorrow holds is taxing. Knowing others struggling through similar circumstances, empowered me to step up and give back to the community, as others had done for my family. One thing I realized is there’s great knowledge that needs to be shared. I hope to let the marginalized gain confidence and know that they are not alone in this fight for social justice and there can be equity for all.
Nina Zaremba—Legal Systems Transformation Coordinator: I think my drive for social justice and fighting for the most vulnerable comes from a calling I’ve had since I was little. I was made aware of the privileges I hold at a young age and learning that others were not having their basic human needs met and rights respected the way mine were filled me with anger and upset. My fundamental belief in equality, equity, and health for all drives me to fight for Alachua County’s working class and most vulnerable residents.
Tyler Foerst—Membership Coordinator: Growing up in a working-class family, we faced many of the same struggles we continue to face today. While progress has been made, there’s still so much we can do to level the playing field.
Allan Frasheri—YDSA Delegate: As a student, I wanted to get more involved in the local community. I believe that as students we should give back to the city and county which hosts us. Back home in Pinellas County, I was involved in the fight for working-class issues by canvassing for the Richie Floyd for St. Pete City Council campaign and the campaign for social housing in St. Pete to solve the housing crisis. Moving to Gainesville, I wanted to continue this fight.
2) Why did you choose to be a leader in the ACLC?
Powell: Once I found out Jeremiah Tattersall was leaving, I knew we needed to step up to ensure we continued our mission. I lost my best friend to suicide in 2021 and ACLC is where we met, so in honor of James Thompson, I am here.
Hawthorne: Really, it’s because Jenn Powell showed me the need is there, and as Marion Wright Edelman says, “Follow the need.” Jenn and I are serving to honor the memory of our best friend, James Thompson, whose untiring dedication to public service and local issue advocacy continues to inspire.
Paris: The ACLC has clear objectives and the leaders are committed, focused, and incredibly persistent in working towards goals that improve the lives of people in our community. As a newer member of ACLC, I welcome the chance to work with them and learn from them.
Romero: I firmly believe in justice for all through the economic, environmental, civil, and social rights of working people and communities. I also feel strongly about protecting the ecological systems that sustain us. Through the mentorship of Sheila Payne and Dr. Ortiz, I’ve become aware that if we want to create change, we need to step up and be active in our communities.
Zaremba: Though many speak of the need to reform the criminal justice system, I find that few actually put in the work and have the patience to push for the changes long term. Having known criminal justice reform was one the issues I most wanted to see dealt with, a friend of a friend of mine recommended me for the Criminal Justice Reform Committee at the ACLC. I went to a few meetings to check it out. Having met people with troubling stories about the local criminal justice system issues and feeling the passion around the need for change compelled me to stay and be a leader at the ACLC. Just as importantly, I saw the team in front me was knowledgeable—though they’d likely deny it—on how to make local change happen and that convinced me I was in the right place.
Foerst: Growing up in Gainesville, I was aware of the ACLC and have always been supportive of their work. Sheila Payne asked me to help, and I was at a point in my life where I could contribute to the cause, so, I’ve taken on the role of Membership Coordinator. Please feel free to contact me about signing up or renewing your membership!
Frasheri: I wanted to be on the board to represent the Young Democratic Socialists of America chapter at UF. I wanted our chapter to get more involved in the community off campus and to build links with other progressive and pro-labor organizations in Alachua County.
3) What issues are you most excited about working on with the ACLC?
Powell: My family has been affected by the failings in the “Justice” system, lack of affordable healthcare, housing & wages. I am excited to see more changes come to fruition on all of those topics.
Hawthorne: All of the issues are tied together—you can’t pull on the string of one without moving another. So, all of them! To me, all of the issues—living wage, affordable housing, just healthcare, and legal systems transformation—all come back to economic justice.
Paris: Affordable Housing, Renters’ Rights (particularly enforcement at both county and city levels), and Living Wage.
Romero: I enjoy working on Affordable Housing and Renters’ Rights issues. Talking to tenants to provide legal resources and knowledge on renters’ rights has been an enriching experience. Just taking time to speak with and educate people, we often see renewed hope and confidence in the faces of individuals who’ve lost both.
Zaremba: Criminal Justice Reform. Specifically, I’m excited to focus on decreasing and/or eliminating the cost of phone calls for Alachua County inmates (alongside UF student group Sunshine Forum) and increasing/improving the use of deflection and diversion. However, I’m sure our agenda will be getting longer soon enough.
Foerst: In my view, affordable housing will continue to be the greatest challenge for working families for decades to come. While the rate of people moving to Florida has slowed, it hasn’t stopped, and we still have too many people who cannot afford housing. With the continued selling of our state government to the highest donors, we must do what we can locally to fight for policies that benefit working class Floridians.
Frasheri: I’m most excited to engage in solidarity work with unions in their organizing drives and contract bargaining. I’m also excited about working on housing issues. The ACLC did an amazing job pushing for the Renter’s Right Ordinance in both Gainesville and Alachua County but there’s still a lot of work to be done to ensure safe and affordable housing for all.
4) Are you an activist with any other organization or fight for any causes as an individual?
Powell: My day job is full time Union Organizer for CWA Local 3170. I’m also a NCFLCLC Delegate and precinct leader with the local Democratic Executive Committee.
Hawthorne: I’m an active member of the local teacher union, the Alachua County Education Association, where I serve as my school’s Site Leader.
Paris: Until I joined ACLC, I fought for causes as an individual, including LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and equal pay for equal work. I am learning the value of collective action and look forward to making a difference through collective action.
Romero: As Assistant Director for the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, we interview community members and leaders making change within their local communities. We are currently working on “Challenging Racism at UF: Using History to Create a Welcoming University and a Vibrant Intellectual Atmosphere” to address racism at UF and acknowledge our past to create a more intellectually rigorous campus in the future.
Zaremba: Whenever I hear of a protest, call to action, or way to support any cause I feel needs traction and attention, such as Black Lives Matter, standing against “Don’t Say Gay”, or protecting Roe v. Wade, I’m there and ready to lend my support.
Foerst: I’m the Field Staff for the North Central Florida Central Labor Council, the regional arm of the FL AFL-CIO.
Frasheri: I was one of the founders of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) at UF. The YDSA is the largest youth socialist groups in the US with chapters at over 130 different universities and colleges. Our goal is to extend democracy into all spheres of life: economic and political through elections, labor solidarity, mutual aid, and education.
5) As an activist, what are some of the issues you’ve worked on in the past? With what groups? Did you see any major victories?
Powell: I founded the grassroots campaign for Bernie Sanders in 2015—Bernie only lost Alachua County by 45 votes, a win considering we were grassroots/volunteer funded. After that, we set out to join the local DEC and now Bernie supporters to make up over half of membership. Fellow Bernie supporters have been in DEC leadership for the last 5 years.
I’ve run for office twice—Gainesville city commission in 2017 and Mayor in 2019—during which we saw the commission end prison labor, which was a part of my platform. I didn’t win, but I led many people who often sit on the sidelines into the political process, pushing ACLC-supported causes.
Hawthorne: I first became involved with activism with Women’s March in 2016. Previously, I hid my head in the sand hoping someone else would take care of things. I’m proud of the work we did in Gainesville helping to organize against Richard Spencer. We saw firsthand that when people unite around principles and stick together against overwhelming odds, it can and does change the course of the future. Working closely with seasoned activists on that campaign helped radicalize me and pushed me further into this kind of work.
Paris: I would characterize my previous experience as volunteer work for political campaigns. I have volunteered for many local, state, and national political campaigns, canvassing, making phone calls, writing letters, and sign-waving. I did see victories in that some of the candidates I supported won.
Romero: As an activist and intern, I worked with the Farmworkers Association of Florida (FWAF). During the Covid-19 pandemic, I reached out to emergency response management agencies to request free PPE gear for each FWAF district. During this time, Governor DeSantis had not deemed farmworkers as essential. During the first months of the pandemic, we distributed 10,500 food baskets and hot meals throughout Florida. FWAF provided Covid-19 shots in the local farmworker communities. During my time with FWAF, the organization provided 57 families with assistance for rent and utilities. The organization also provided education to the communities they served by hosting workshops often.
Through FWAF, I joined the Food Justice Coalition, the group that helped end the long-running contract between UF and Aramark. Aramark’s updated contract was critically analyzed and disseminated throughout the university, along with information about poor working conditions, stories of worker exploitation, and Aramark’s connection to prison labor—they are no longer UF’s food provider!
Zaremba: I used to work with a student group called Chomp the Vote at UF that registered students to vote on campus. We helped many students register and update their voter registration. Additionally, at the end of high school and beginning of college, I wrote and distributed a children’s book for kids in foster care that provided a simple, relatable story about a girl named Josie going through the foster care system. It served as an explanation, relatability, and support tool for the kids entering the system. I did this as part of my Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest prestige attainable in Girl Scouts.
Foerst: As an individual, before working for the AFL-CIO, I volunteered on several local political campaigns pushing many of the same issues the ACLC addresses with substantive policy. I’m most proud of helping to elect Alachua County’s first openly LGBT County Commissioner, Mary Alford.
Frasheri: I am a student leader of the Free UF Coalition, a coalition of students, faculty, and staff fighting against censorship and political interference at UF. We formed after the academic freedom scandal at UF, in which the administration prevented professors from testifying in court against the state. The coalition includes all campus unions (UFF, GAU, and UCW) as well as the YDSA and College Democrats. This past year, we leafleted the UF Board of Trustees meeting with the faculty union’s demands, organized a massive teach-in about the censorship occurring at UF, and co-wrote an opinion piece in the Tampa Bay Times responding to an op-ed written by UF’s president.