♪ MUSIC ♪ >>GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES FROM OUR HOME STUDIOS.

I'M DAVID DUMKE.

>>AND I'M KATIE CORONADO.

WELCOME.

>>TODAY, WE ARE JOINED BY ANNA ESKAMANI WHO REPRESENTS FLORIDA'S 47TH DISTRICT IN THE STATE HOUSE.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW, ANNA.

>>THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE, BOTH OF YOU.

>>ANNA, WELCOME AGAIN.

I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A VERY HUGE RESPONSIBILITY HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, BUT YOU ALSO REPRESENT THE IRANIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?

>>YEAH, I'D LOVE TO.

SO I'M THE FIRST IRANIAN-AMERICAN ELECTED TO ANY PUBLIC OFFICE IN FLORIDA.

AND BOTH OF MY PARENTS ACTUALLY CAME FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF IRAN, BUT THEY MET EACH OTHER, WORKING AT A DONUT SHOP IN ORLANDO.

AND MY DAD WAS REALLY HESITANT TO SHARE HIS CULTURAL IDENTITY WITH OTHERS, JUST DUE TO THE POTENTIAL STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

BUT MY MOM ON THE OTHER HAND WAS A LOT MORE OPEN AND RECOGNIZED MY DAD'S ACCENT AND ASKED WE'RE HOME WAS FOR HIM.

AND THEY STARTED SPEAKING PERSIAN OR FARSI AND THE REST WAS HISTORY.

AND SO I GREW UP HERE IN ORLANDO, BUT IN A VERY MULTICULTURAL HOME WHERE WE CELEBRATED THE PERSIAN HOLIDAYS WHILE ALSO EMBRACING SOME OF THE PARTS THAT DEFINE US AS AMERICANS.

AND SO, I GREW UP NAVIGATING THOSE TWO WORLDS OF BRINGING THEM TOGETHER AS A FIRST GENERATION KID, AND EVENTUALLY WENT TO UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA MYSELF, I'M STILL PURSUING A PHD RIGHT NOW.

AND I'VE MADE THE DECISION TO RUN FOR OFFICE BACK IN 2018.

>>YOU'VE MADE YOUR PERSONAL STORY AS THE CHILD OF IMMIGRANTS, VERY MUCH PART OF YOUR CAMPAIGNS AND VERY MUCH PART OF YOUR IDENTITY AS A PUBLIC FIGURE.

HOW HAS THAT HELPED YOU RELATE TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND OTHERS IN FLORIDA, ESPECIALLY FLORIDA BEING A STATE THAT ACTUALLY HAS MANY DIFFERENT IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES?

>>WELL, YOU SAID IT, DAVID, WE'RE A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS.

WE'RE A STATE OF IMMIGRANTS.

AND I GREW UP AS BEING, USED AS THE ONLY IRANIAN KID IN A CLASS.

I HAVE A TWIN SISTER, SO WE COULD BE EACH OTHER'S EMPATHY PARTNERS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS WHEN WE WERE NAVIGATING RACIAL TENSIONS, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE TRAGEDY OF SEPTEMBER 11TH, WE SAW THIS INCREASE OF HATE CRIMES AND PREJUDICE, ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THOSE WHO HAVE ROOTS IN SOUTHWEST AND EAST ASIA.

AND SO GROWING UP, I ALWAYS HAD A PROUD SENSE OF MY IDENTITY.

I WASN'T ASHAMED OF IT.

I WOULD BRING CULTURAL FOODS TO MY CLASSMATES AND CELEBRATE THE PARTS THAT MAKE MY CHILDHOOD SO SPECIAL, LIKE PERSIAN HOLIDAYS, LIKE NOWRUZ AND OTHERS.

AND SO I ALWAYS KIND OF CARRY THIS BADGE OF HONOR, BUT IT ALSO DID ATTRACT AN OTHERNESS IN ATTRACTED MOMENTS OF FEELING LIKE I DIDN'T BELONG AND FEELINGS WHERE FOLKS WOULD PUSH ME ASIDE AS BEING AN OUTLIER VERSUS EMBRACE US FOR ALL OF OUR DIFFERENCES.

AND SO WHEN I MADE A DECISION TO RUN FOR OFFICE, I KNOW THAT THOSE ARE EXPERIENCES THAT EVERY TYPE OF PERSON HAS, AND SOMETIMES IT'S NOT ALWAYS A LONG CULTURAL IDENTITY.

SOMETIMES IT'S A LONG ISSUES OF CLASS, DISABILITY STATUS.

IT COULD JUST BE AROUND AGEISM.

I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT DYNAMICS WHERE SOMEONE MIGHT NOT FEEL INCLUDED AND I NEVER WANT SOMEONE TO HAVE TO RELIVE THOSE EXPERIENCES, LET ALONE HAVE THOSE SAME EXPERIENCES THAT I HAD AS A KID WHERE I DID NOT FEEL LIKE I COULD BE A PART OF A SPACE JUST BECAUSE OF MY CULTURAL EXPERIENCES AND IDENTITY.

SO PART OF MY MISSION IN RUNNING FOR OFFICE WAS TO LEAD WITH EMPATHY AND BUILD A COMMUNITY THAT EMBRACES DIFFERENCES VERSUS EXPLOITS IT, AND PUSH IT APART.

AND SO IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO NOT HIDE FROM MY IDENTITY, BUT ACTUALLY LOOK AT IT AS A STRENGTH AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO THE SAME.

AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, DAVID, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE THERE'LL BE MOMENTS WHERE I'M ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL OR ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.

AND SOMEBODY WILL JUST COME UP TO ME AND TELL ME ABOUT THEIR BEST FRIEND IN COLLEGE WHO WAS IRANIAN, OR THEIR FIRST BOSS WHO WAS IRANIAN, OR THEIR COWORKER OR THEIR SON-IN-LAW IS IRANIAN.

YOU JUST KIND OF HEAR ALL THESE REALLY COOL STORIES, THE FACT THAT PEOPLE HAVE THIS EXCITEMENT TO SHARE THOSE STORIES WITH ME.

IT FURTHER BRINGS US TOGETHER, BUT IT DEMONSTRATES ONCE MORE, HOW DIVERSE WE REALLY ARE AS PEOPLE.

>>ANNA, WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE YOU DOING AT THE MOMENT TO INTEGRATE COMMUNITIES AND TO USE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR FAMILY BACKGROUND AND CULTURE?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MAYBE EDUCATE THROUGH POLITICS?

>>WELL, KATIE I THINK THERE'S TWO ANSWERS TO THAT.

THERE'S THE CIVIL SOCIETY PIECE.

THERE'S ALSO JUST THE POLITICAL ADVOCACY PIECE.

SO FROM A CIVIL SOCIETY PERSPECTIVE, WE TRY REALLY HARD TO UPLIFT ALL THE DIFFERENT CULTURE IDENTITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THAT DOES INCLUDE THE PEOPLE, WHOEVER IS IN IRAN.

SO NOT ONLY DO WE PARTICIPATE IN CELEBRATIONS LIKE FUSIONFEST THAT TAKES PLACE AROUND THANKSGIVING IN ORANGE COUNTY.

WE ALSO HOST PERSIAN NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS.

AND SO, I ACTUALLY HOSTED THE FIRST EVER NOWRUZ PARTY IN THE FLORIDA STATE CAPITAL.

WE HAD LAWMAKERS ATTEND.

WE HAD FOLKS FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, FOLKS TRAVEL TO JOIN US.

DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, OUR LAST NOWRUZ CELEBRATION WAS VIRTUAL.

AND SO WE TRIED REALLY HARD TO INTRODUCE NON-IRANIANS TO THESE TRADITIONS.

AND ACTUALLY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, I USED TO HOST A CHAHARSHANBE SURI PARTY, WHICH IS WHERE WE JUMP OVER FIRE WITH A PERSIAN NEW YEAR.

THE WHOLE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THAT, THE ORIGIN OF THAT IS WE JUMP OVER FIRE TO GIVE THE FIRE TO YOUR YELLOW, YOUR SICKNESS, AND YOU TAKE IT'S RED, IT'S HEAT, IT'S ENERGY.

AND IT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CELEBRATE THE END OF THE PERSIAN NEW YEAR.

SO WE'D HOST THIS BIG PARTY AT MY HOME IN ORLANDO.

AND I'M TELLING YOU, I THINK MAYBE ONLY FIVE OF OUR ATTENDEES WERE ACTUALLY IRANIANS, EVERYONE ELSE ARE JUST FOLKS THAT WANT THAT EXPERIENCE AND WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.

SO THERE IS THIS EFFORT FROM THE CIVIL SOCIETY PIECE, THE ORLANDO MUSEUM OF ART RECENTLY HAD A BEAUTIFUL EXHIBIT THAT FEATURED ARTISTS FROM SOUTHWEST AND EAST ASIA.

AND WHEN I LOOK AT IT FROM THE POLITICAL ADVOCACY PERSPECTIVE, I'VE BEEN VERY ENGAGED AS AN ADVOCATE, SINCE MY DAYS AT UCF, ACTUALLY I WAS THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MY SISTER WAS PRESIDENT OF THE IRANIAN STUDENT ORGANIZATION.

AND THERE WAS A CULTURAL GROUP.

WE ALSO DID HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY, AND WE COLLECTED PETITIONS TO UPLIFT THE HUMAN RIGHTS ATROCITIES HAPPENING IN IRAN.

AND THEN TODAY I'M A VERY BIG ADVOCATE TO SUPPORT IMMIGRATION REFORM AND TRYING TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE OUR STUDENTS WHO COME TO STUDY IN THE UNITED STATES ARE WELL SUPPORTED.

ONE WHERE UNACCOMPANIED MINORS ARE GOING TO BE SAFE, SEEKING SHELTER ALONGSIDE THOSE WHO ARE ASYLUM SEEKERS.

I'VE BEEN VERY PROACTIVE IN SUPPORTING AFGHAN REFUGEES.

AND SO I DO THINK MY IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE AND MY IDENTITY AS A DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANTS, IT ALSO PROPELS ME TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR IMMIGRANTS AND REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE PUSH BACK AGAINST SOME OF THIS XENOPHOBIA THAT HAS BEEN CIRCULATING IN DIFFERENT POLITICAL SPACES, AND REALLY GO BACK TO OUR ROOTS AS AMERICANS WHO EMBRACE THE IMMIGRANT STORY, BECAUSE WE ARE SUBSTANTIALLY A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS ALONGSIDE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE MUCH LONGER THAN ANY ONE OF US, BUT ALL THESE IDENTITIES ARE ONES THAT WE HAVE MORE IN COMMON THAN APART.

>>OF COURSE, YOU WERE JUST MENTIONING A LOT OF THE WORK YOU'VE DONE WITH DIFFERENT IMMIGRANT GROUPS AND INDIVIDUAL IMMIGRANTS.

AND YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF STORIES, OF COURSE, THAT HAVE MOTIVATED YOUR WORK AND PART OF YOUR JOB IS RESPONDING TO PEOPLE.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LESSONS YOU'VE LEARNED AS A LEGISLATURE AS TO HOW WE CAN, WE AS BEING PART OF A COMMUNITY CAN BE MORE WELCOMING TO IMMIGRANTS AND ACTUALLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A SOURCE OF ECONOMIC STRENGTH OR IS IT A SOURCE OF ECONOMIC STRENGTH?

>>YEAH.

IT IS.

IT REALLY IS.

FIRST OF ALL, JUST WHEN IT COMES TO THE STEPS WE NEED TO TAKE TO MAKE FLORIDA A WELCOMING HOME TO EVERY PERSON, WHETHER THEY ARE LOCAL OR IMMIGRANTS IS THE SAME, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, GOOD PAYING JOBS, SAFE COMMUNITIES, CLEAN STREETS, AND WATERWAYS AND AIR.

SO THERE REALLY ARE JUST SOME IMPORTANT PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED WHERE EVERY PERSON BENEFITS FROM THOSE EXPANSIONS AND ADVANCEMENTS.

BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE IMMIGRANT POPULATION, BEING AN ECONOMIC DRIVER, YOU CAN LOOK AT EVERY SECTOR IN FLORIDA AND IMMIGRANTS PLAY A VERY LARGE ROLE.

I THINK MOST OF US DON'T REALIZE THE ROLE THAT IMMIGRANTS PLAY WHEN IT COMES TO AGRICULTURE.

FARM WORKERS IN PARTICULAR ARE A MAJOR MIGRANT FORCE THAT KEEP OUR PEOPLE FED.

THEY KEEP OUR TABLES FULL OF FOOD.

AND SO EVEN JUST LOOKING AT IT FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR MIGRANT FARM WORKERS, WHO IN A LOT OF CASES, THEY LIVE IN SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS.

THEY'RE PAID VERY LOW AGES.

THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME INCREDIBLE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS THAT JUST FOCUS ON SUPPORTING MIGRANT FARM WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, BECAUSE THESE ARE FOLKS THAT DON'T TYPICALLY STAY ONE PERIOD OF TIME.

SO IMAGINE, BEING A CHILD IN A MIGRANT COMMUNITY, YOU'RE MOVING WHEREVER THE WORK IS.

AND SO WE DO HAVE THIS NATIONAL NETWORK OF CHILDCARE PROVIDERS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY AVAILABLE IN MULTILINGUAL SPACES AND ARE HERE FOR GIVING SOME STABILITY TO THOSE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, AS THEY DO THE HARD LABOR.

ALSO LOOKING AT THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, A LOT OF MIGRANT POPULATION IS EMPLOYED IN CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IN A STATE LIKE FLORIDA, WHERE WE'RE ALWAYS GROWING ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT SECTOR THAT WE CAN'T OVERLOOK.

BUT THEN EVEN SHIFTING GEARS TO THINK ABOUT STEM AND THINK ABOUT SOME OF OUR TALENT, PIPELINE ISSUES AND JUST TALENT GAP CONCERNS.

IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES HAVE FILLED IN THOSE AREAS FOR GENERATIONS.

AND WHEN WE DON'T HAVE SUPPORTIVE POLICIES, WHEN IT COMES TO WELCOMING INTERNATIONAL STUDENT OR INTERNATIONAL FACULTY, THEN IT DOES ACTUALLY MAKE IT HARDER FOR US TO COMPETE ON A NATIONAL SCALE, IN A NATIONAL SCALE.

BECAUSE IF YOU ARE A TALENTED YOUNG PERSON ANY PART OF THE WORLD THAT IS LOOKING AT UNIVERSITIES TO STUDY AT, IF A STATE LIKE FLORIDA DOESN'T HAVE THOSE WELCOMING POLICIES, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CHOOSE FLORIDA.

SO EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO MAINTAINING OUR SPACE COAST, MAINTAINING THE NEW JOBS THAT ARE GROWING IN SIMULATION HERE LOCALLY, A LAW THAT IS ALSO TIED TO OUR PROACTIVE EFFORTS IN ATTRACTING AND RETAINING IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES TO CALL FLORIDA HOME.

>>ANNA, AMONG THE WORK YOU'VE DONE, THE IMPORTANT THINGS YOU'VE DONE WHILE IN OFFICE, YOU'VE HELPED A LOT IN THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE YOU DOING AT THE MOMENT?

>>THAT'S A FANTASTIC QUESTION.

UNFORTUNATELY, FLORIDA IS NOT TRACKING WELL WHEN IT COMES TO ISSUES OF EQUITY AND EQUALITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, PULSE NIGHTCLUB IS IN MY DISTRICT.

AND SO I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A VERY VOCAL ADVOCATE OVER ISSUES OF EQUALITY ON EVERY FRONT, BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY, WHICH WE ALSO KNOW IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, INCLUDING PARTS OF IRAN, BEING ABLE TO LIVE AS YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF IS DANGEROUS.

AND I PUSHED THIS COUNTRY TO BE ONE WHERE YOU CAN BE SAFE EXPRESSING YOURSELF.

AND WE HAVE SUCH A THRIVING, ROBUST COMMUNITY HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

BUT AS I SAID, POLICY WISE, WE'RE MOVING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

IN FACT, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST EFFORT DURING THE 2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS PUSHING BACK AGAINST A POLICY THAT WAS BANNING TRANS KIDS FROM PLAYING IN SPORTS, WHICH IS NOT EVEN A PROBLEM IN FLORIDA.

THERE'S NEVER BEEN A REPORTED COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS, BUT OF COURSE IT'S JUST A POLITICAL AGENDA.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, REALLY DEMONIZES A LOT OF KIDS WHO IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER OR GENDER NON-CONFORMING LET ALONE ADULTS THAT HAD THOSE EXPERIENCES AS A CHILD.

AND THEN YOU FAST FORWARD JUST THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THE RECENT DECISIONS BY THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION.

THEY VETOED FUNDING THAT WE HAD SECURE IN THE STATE BUDGET FOR PULSE SURVIVORS.

THEY ALSO VETOED FUNDING WE SECURED FOR ZEBRA COALITION IN THEIR EFFORTS NOT JUST OPEN UP A SHELTER, BUT ACTUALLY TRANSITION A CLOSED MOTEL INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS A REALLY IMPORTANT EFFORT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE FOR EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT A VERY LARGE POPULATION OF HOMELESS YOUTH IDENTIFY AS LGBTQ+ BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY ONCE THEIR PARENT OR GUARDIAN LEARNED OF THEIR IDENTITY, THEY WERE KICKED OUT OF THEIR HOMES.

AND I THINK ANOTHER RECENT EFFORT THAT WE'VE BEEN PUSHING IS ENSURING THAT OUR ANTI-BULLYING CURRICULUM IN OUR SCHOOLS IS INTENTIONALLY INCLUDING THE LGBTQ+ EXPERIENCE.

BECAUSE, UNFORTUNATELY WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A VERY HIGH RATES OF SUICIDE AMONG OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

AND OFTENTIMES IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH EXPERIENCING BULLYING, BOTH IN PERSON AND ONLINE ATTACHED TO THEIR IDENTITY.

AND SO IF WE'RE NOT INTENTIONAL IN TRAINING COUNSELORS AND TEACHERS AND OTHER FACULTY ON THE NUANCES OF LGBTQ+ IDENTITY FOR CHILDREN AND THE FACT THAT EVEN IF THEY COME OUT IN A SCHOOL SETTING, THEY HAVE RIGHTS OF PRIVACY WHERE IF THEY'RE NOT READY TO COME OUT YET AT HOME, THERE MIGHT BE A REASON FOR THAT.

SO THERE'S SO MUCH CONFLATION TRYING TO DISTRACT FROM THESE REAL LIFE EXPERIENCES.

AND WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO BE THAT GOOD ACCOMPLICE IN AMPLIFYING LGBTQ+ VOICES AND PUSHING BACK AGAINST THOSE THAT WANT TO ERASE THIS IDENTITY.

>>ONE OF THE ISSUES OF COURSE, YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T EXPECT TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS EXTENT WAS RESPONDING TO PANDEMICS.

OBVIOUSLY COVID HAS AFFECTED EVERYONE'S LIVES.

HOW HAS IT SHAPED YOUR JOB AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU SEE CENTRAL FLORIDA FACING AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THE PANDEMIC STILL GOING ON?

>>WELL, DAVID, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST EFFORTS HAS JUST BEEN FOCUSED ON CONSTITUENT SERVICES.

WE BELIEVE FIRMLY THAT LEADERSHIP RISES IN MODES OF UNCERTAINTY, AND THIS HAS BEEN A SERIOUS MOMENT OF GLOBAL UNCERTAINTY.

AND OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S STILL SO MANY UNKNOWNS WITH DIFFERENT VARIANTS.

AND SO I REALLY ENCOURAGE MY TEAM THAT AS PUBLIC OFFICIALS, IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO CREATE CHAOS, IT'S OUR JOB TO CREATE CALM AND TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.

AND SO FROM THE VERY FIRST DAYS OF CASES BEING DETECTED IN FLORIDA, WE JUMPED INTO ACTION, RESPONDING TO WHATEVER PEOPLE NEEDED, SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF TO THE BROKEN UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM AND SECURING BENEFITS FOR FLORIDIANS, WHICH HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA WAS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT STEP TO TAKE BECAUSE OF OUR SERVICE ECONOMY, WHICH IS ALSO MADE UP OF IMMIGRANTS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR JUST BEING COMPLETELY DECIMATED.

>>AND SO YOU HAD NOT ONLY A BROKEN WEBSITE FOR SECURING YOUR BENEFITS, BUT OF COURSE, DIFFERENT LANGUAGE BARRIERS, DIFFERENT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, FEDERAL PROGRAMS BEING IMPLEMENTED.

SO OUR OFFICE HAS HELD MORE THAN 50,000 PEOPLE SECURED THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND DOING SO DURING A TIME OF SERIOUS NEED.

WE ALSO ASSISTED WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE, SECURED FUNDING FOR THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMUNITY, PUSHING CONGRESS TO MAKE STEPS IN OPENING UP GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR SHUTTERED VENUES HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND SO WE REALLY JUST STEMMED INTO ACTION IN EVERY WAY THAT WE COULD TO NOT ONLY ADDRESS THE HEALTH ISSUES BY HOSTING VACCINE EVENTS AND MAKING TESTING MORE AVAILABLE, WORKING WITH OUR FAMILIES WITH DISABILITIES, BECAUSE THESE WERE SOME VERY VULNERABLE POPULATIONS THAT NEEDED QUICK ACCESS TO THE VACCINE ALONGSIDE OUR SENIORS.

BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO THIS CULTURAL PIECE.

AND WE DO KNOW THAT THROUGHOUT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THERE WAS A RISE OF HATE BEING EXPRESSED TOWARDS THE ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY.

AND SO WE WERE VERY INTENTIONAL IN BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR API COMMUNITIES JUST BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, BUT THAT BECAME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT DURING THE PANDEMIC TO MAKE SURE THAT MEMBERS WHO IDENTIFY AS API WOULD NOT BE FEARFUL TO ACCESS SERVICES.

WE HOSTED A VACCINE EVENT ALONGSIDE THE VIETNAMESE AND KOREAN COMMUNITY HERE LOCALLY AT ONE OF OUR CATHOLIC CHURCHES.

AND THEN ACTUALLY IN THE 2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE HAVE FILED A BILL TO IMPLEMENT AND INTEGRATE THE HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF API FLORIDIANS INTO THE FLORIDA SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHICH WE'RE EXCITED TO SAY, IT'S A BIPARTISAN BILL.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE REPUBLICAN CO-SPONSOR.

AND SO WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO ALSO LEARN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE TO ONLY MAKE OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM STRONGER, OUR SOCIAL SAFETY NET STRONGER, OUR EMERGENCY RAPID RESPONSE MORE EFFECTIVE, WHICH IS WHERE MY RESEARCH FOCUS IS.

BUT TO ALSO THINK ABOUT THE CULTURAL DYNAMICS AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO REPAIR THESE RELATIONSHIPS.

AND AGAIN, BUILD A STRONGER UNDERSTANDING WITHIN FLORIDA AMONG ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT CULTURES.

>>ANNA, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LACK OF REPRESENTATION WHEN IT COMES TO THE EDUCATION SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, ADMINISTRATION AND MANY PLACES IN STATE POSITIONS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND CULTURES AND IMPORTANT POSITIONS THAT ARE DECISION MAKING POSITIONS IN OUR STATE?

>>YEAH.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, KATIE.

I MEAN, WHEN I WAS MAKING DECISION TO RUN FOR OFFICE, IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT ONE BECAUSE I DID NOT SEE ANYONE WHO LOOKED LIKE ME ACTUALLY RUN FOR OFFICE AND WIN AND SERVE.

AND I'M YOUNGER, I'M A PERSON OF COLOR, I'M A FIRST GENERATION KID.

AND SO THERE WERE ALL THESE DYNAMICS THAT I FELT LIKE PUT ME IN A PLACE WHERE RUNNING FOR OFFICE WAS KIND OF IMPOSSIBLE.

ALSO, I DON'T COME FROM MONEY.

MY FAMILY WAS WORKING CLASS.

SO ALL THESE DIFFERENT DYNAMICS THAT HELD ME BACK, EVEN THOUGH YOU WOULD ARGUE THAT I WAS WELL POSITIONED, RUN FOR OFFICE.

I HAD AN ACADEMIC BACKGROUND.

I HAD A BACKGROUND ADVOCACY.

I WORKED IN NON-PROFITS.

LIKE I KIND OF HAD THIS REALLY GREAT RESUME.

AND YET LIKE INSIDE MY HEART, I JUST HAVE THESE DOUBTS THAT WERE FUELED BY THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO REPRESENTATION.

AND SO I HAD TO OVERCOME THAT FEAR OF LOSING.

AND ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID WAS I WROTE WHAT WOULD SAY IF I LOST AS A MEANS OF ACCEPTING THAT AS A REALITY, BUT ALSO NOT LETTING IT HOLD ME BACK.

AND I WAS ABLE TO RIP UP THAT SPEECH ON ELECTION DAY WHEN WE FLIPPED OUR SEAT AND WON OUR ELECTION.

BUT I THINK THOSE INNER DOUBTS ARE SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING TOWARDS ANY ADVANCEMENT IN THEIR PERSONAL LIFE AND THEIR PROFESSIONAL LIFE, EVEN ASKING FOR A RAISE CAN BE A LOT HARDER FOR SOME PEOPLE JUST DUE TO THE PERCEPTIONS THAT ARE WE VALUED, ARE WE DESERVING?

AND SO I THINK REPRESENTATION IS SUPER IMPORTANT, BUT THERE'S ALSO EFFORTS EACH ONE OF US CAN MAKE.

AND JUST BUILDING CONFIDENCE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE.

I DO A LOT OF MENTORSHIP.

I HAVE A REALLY ROBUST INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AS WELL, AND I KEEP IN TOUCH WITH EVERY YOUNG PERSON THAT CONNECTS WITH OUR WORK, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT I'M VERY BLESSED TO HAVE INCREDIBLE MENTORS AT UCF.

AND EVEN IN MY HIGH SCHOOL, ONE OF MY BIGGEST CHEERLEADERS IS MY AP GOVERNMENT TEACHER, MR. NORRIS, WHO IS THIS KIND OF EVERYDAY FLORIDIAN.

AND HE REALLY BROUGHT INTO THE CLASSROOM, THE STORIES OF IMMIGRANTS, THE STORIES OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND HELPED US UNDERSTAND OUR EFFICACY AS YOUNG PEOPLE.

AND THEN WHEN I WENT TO UCF, DR. MARIA CRISTINA SANTANA WITH THE WOMAN GENDER STUDIES PROGRAM, DR. AT THE TIME LEANDRA PRESTON, JUST SO MANY AMAZING FACULTY MEMBERS THAT REALLY INSPIRED ME TO REACH FOR THE STARS.

I MEAN, I THINK ABOUT DR. JIM COONEY, WHO WAS MY ASTRONOMY PROFESSOR, AND I'M A BIG NERD, I'M A BIG STAR WARS FAN, AND I LOVE CARL SAGAN.

AND SO EVEN JUST HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY, I DIDN'T PURSUE THE HARD SCIENCES, BUT EVEN JUST BEING IN THOSE CLASSROOM SETTINGS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE UNIVERSE WAS SO EYE OPENING TO ME THAT IT KIND OF PAINTS THIS PICTURE, THAT THIS WORLD IS OURS TO SHAPE AND TO IMPACT.

AND SO I DO THINK MENTORSHIP FOR ALL OF US IS VERY IMPORTANT AND OPENING UP DOORS FOR OTHERS.

I GET INVITED TO SO MANY DIFFERENT COMMUNITY EVENTS.

AND SO, I TRY TO BRING SOMEONE WITH ME THAT MAYBE DOESN'T TYPICALLY HAVE EXPOSURE TO THAT ENVIRONMENT.

SO I MIGHT INVITE AN INTERN TO JOIN ME AND I WILL PAY FOR THEIR TICKET.

I TRY TO REDUCE THE FINANCIAL BARRIERS FOR SOMEONE TO PARTICIPATE IN A WAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO NETWORK, BUILD THEIR SOCIAL SKILLS.

WE OF COURSE, REALLY DO EMBRACE THE POWER OF STORYTELLING AT TEAM ANNA, WE ALSO DO PUBLIC SPEAKING TRAININGS BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, WE'RE NOT JUST IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD, THAT WE'RE ALSO BEING ABLE TO BE STRONG COMMUNICATORS IN PERSON.

SO WE EXPLORE ALL THOSE DIFFERENT METHODS OF TEACHING.

BUT I THINK THAT MENTORSHIP PIECE FOR ALL OF US IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

SO NOT ONLY FIND MENTORS, BUT TO BE A MENTOR.

>>WELL, YOU'VE GIVEN ME A VERY EASY TRANSITION TO THE NEXT QUESTION, WHICH WE'RE RUNNING A LITTLE LOW ON TIME.

WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LEFT.

WE RECENTLY HAD LEON PANETTA ON THE SHOW, FORMER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND CIA DIRECTOR, CONGRESSMAN, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF.

AND HE ESTABLISHED AN INSTITUTE TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED IN PUBLIC SERVICE.

YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE FEAR OF LOSING AND THE ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IT CAN TAKE TO GET ACTIVE IN POLITICS.

>>BUT HE WAS DESCRIBING PUBLIC SERVICE, THE NEED FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AS A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE AND A REAL THREAT TO DEMOCRACY.

YOU CAME INTO OFFICE WITH A LOT OF STAR POWER.

YOU WERE ON THE COVER OF MAGAZINES.

YOU WERE HIGHLIGHTED A YOUNG WOMAN OF COLOR, ELECTED, PROGRESSIVE RECORD.

THAT'S PROBABLY I IMAGINE IS PRODUCED EXTRA PRESSURE ON YOU TO ACTUALLY NOT ONLY PERFORM YOUR JOB WELL, BUT ALSO TO ENCOURAGE OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED.

SO I'D LIKE TO JUST COMMENT A LITTLE ABOUT THAT.

>>YEAH.

AND I'LL BE BRIEF, BUT IT'S SUCH A GREAT POINT OF HOW CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IS CRITICAL TO A HEALTHY DEMOCRACY.

AND ACTUALLY ONE INITIATIVES THAT I'VE EMBARKED ON IS LAUNCHING MY OWN VOTER REGISTRATION ORGANIZATION CALLED PEOPLE POWER FOR FLORIDA, WHICH I MANAGE ALONGSIDE MY CONSTITUENT SERVICES AND BEING A CANDIDATE FOR REELECTION EVERY TWO YEARS.

BUT I MADE THAT DECISION BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT IF WE'RE NOT INTENTIONAL IN RESTORING FAITH IN DEMOCRACY AND THEN FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY IS AT RISK.

AND WHEN I TALK TO FOLKS OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND DIFFERENT GENERATIONS, THERE IS THIS LACK OF TRUST TOWARDS GOVERNMENT.

AND I PUT THAT BLAME ON POLITICIANS WHO HAVE BROKEN THE TRUST, WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE UNETHICAL THINGS THEY'VE ARE PRIVY TO CORRUPTION, OR THEY'VE TRIED TO ACTUALLY BREAK THESE INSTITUTIONS BY CALLING THEM FAKE OR CALLING THEM FRAUDULENT.

AND SO WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO OUR ROOTS AND WE ALSO HAVE TO TEACH EVERYDAY PEOPLE TO BE SELF INFORMED.

AND WHAT DO THEY FIND THE ACCURATE INFORMATION VERSUS A MEME ON WHATSAPP OR FACEBOOK, LIKE TO ACTUALLY DIG FOR INFORMATION.

I REMEMBER LEARNING MY FIRST SEMESTER, UCF, JUST WHAT IS AN ACADEMIC RESOURCE?

AND DON'T QUOTE WIKIPEDIA.

AND YOU LEARN THOSE BASICS, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO KNOW THESE TYPES OF RESEARCH STEPS.

SO IT'S ALSO UP TO US TO BE THAT SOURCE OF INFORMED, A CIVIC ENGAGEMENT SO THAT WE CAN GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND GROW.

I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT KNOWLEDGE IS POWER AND SOMETHING THAT I DO EVERY SINGLE WEEK IS WE HOST A VIRTUAL FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM LIVE EVENT JUST TO ANSWER PEOPLE'S POLICY QUESTIONS.

AND I KIND OF GIVE FOLKS THAT EASY ACCESS TO THEIR STATE REPRESENTATIVE SO THAT SOME OF THESE BIG, SCARY IDEAS OR ISSUES OR FIGHTS OR POLICY DEBATES DON'T FEEL AS BIG AND SCARY ANYMORE, THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE FIVE MINUTES TO UNPACK IT, WHICH YOU KNOW IS A LOT MORE, YOU GET COMPARED TO A 10 O'CLOCK NEWS OR A MEME ON THE INTERNET.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO CUT THROUGH THAT NOISE, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY CAN BE CHALLENGING AND IT HAS TO BE A TWO-WAY COMMITMENT.

SO WE HAVE TO BUILD TRUST WITH YOU, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO BUILD THAT TRUST WITH US.

>>ANNA, WE HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT.

WHAT WORDS DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE FOR THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS YOUR WORK THAT'S COMING UP, YOUR PROJECTS, YOUR FOCUS?

30 SECONDS.

>>WELL, DEFINITELY STAY ENGAGED.

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ONLINE AND YOU CAN ALWAYS CONTACT ME AT ANNA.ESKAMANI@MYFLORIDAHOUSE.GOV BUT TUNE IN TO AT LOCAL NEWS LIKE THIS TO FLORIDA CHANNEL.

SO MANY WAYS TO GET PLUGGED IN AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR STATE GOVERNMENT.

>>ANNA ESKAMANI THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I ALSO NOTE THAT YOU ARE PERSONALLY A BIG SUPPORTER OF PBS, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU.

>>AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK ON ANOTHER EPISODE OF GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.