MIAMI, Fla., – On Wednesday, May 27th, community members and leaders of grassroots organizations led funeral processions and direct actions all over Florida to honor the lives lost to COVID-19, and to hold Governor DeSantis and Trump accountable for their inaction and recklessness. Community members demanded Governor DeSantis to act immediately by expediting and expanding unemployment benefits for Floridians in need as our state faces one of the worst unemployment crises of our time, and rent relief for families who are at risk of being evicted after the Moratorium on Evictions is lifted on June 2nd.

“DeSantis and Trump are two peas in a pod of irresponsibility and recklessness. The entire country has seen they don’t care about us, they only care about their power and their corporate friends,” says Serena Perez, organizing director for the New Florida Majority.

“While many of us are still struggling to survive, pay back months of owed rent and bills, DeSantis is rushing people back to work even if that means putting our health and the lives of our families and coworkers at risk. We don’t need an arbitrary reopening based on flawed data cooked by our state government, we need unemployment checks and rent relief now!”

The events were led by the New Florida Majority, Organize Florida, Central Florida Jobs with Justice, Florida Student Power Network and Dream Defenders.