By Bacardi Jackson, Executive Director, ACLU of Florida

September was a sobering reminder of both the dangers we face as well as the strength we carry together. Across our nation, we have seen families shattered by political violence, students silenced by the epidemic of school shootings, and immigrants continually confined to inhumane treatment in Florida’s detention centers. We have also seen teachers threatened with investigations and removal for speaking honestly about the news of the day.

These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a larger pattern of cruelty, censorship, and retaliation designed to intimidate communities into silence. Political leaders are testing how far they can go in stripping away constitutional rights and in punishing those who dare to speak against them. The intention is not only to control today’s headlines but to shape tomorrow’s future by teaching people that fear is safer than truth, and silence is safer than resistance. We must refuse to accept this as normal. We must name it for what it is: an attack on democracy itself, carried out in classrooms, detention centers, courtrooms, and even in the digital spaces where people share their views.

And yet, Florida has never been a place where silence prevails. The courage of our communities is a constant reminder that holding power through fear is a losing strategy. We see professors who refuse to abandon academic freedom, even when threatened with retribution. We see families of schoolchildren demanding more than condolences and instead calling for policies that value their children’s lives. We see immigrant communities standing together with advocates to expose the cruelty of Florida’s detention facilities and insist on dignity for every human being. Each act of resistance, whether it happens in a courtroom, a classroom, a congregation, or a kitchen table, is part of a larger mosaic of courage that reminds us that power ultimately rests with the people.

Our movement is not only about pushing back against cruelty. It is about building something more just and more humane in its place. It is about classrooms where students are free to learn the truth, workplaces where people can speak without fear of retaliation, and neighborhoods where people’s needs are met and their voices matter. It is about creating a Florida where civil liberties are not carved away piece by piece, but are fully protected and expanded for all who call this state home. And it is about instilling the belief that freedom is not a privilege granted by politicians but an inalienable right we claim together, through vigilance, persistence, and solidarity.

The ACLU of Florida stands with every community that chooses peace over violence, dialogue over division, and justice over oppression. We know the path forward is long and often difficult, but history shows us that progress has always come from people who dared to resist and dared to dream of something better. The torch of that resistance is now in our hands.

Together, we are those people. Together, we are writing the next chapter of Florida’s story — one rooted in dignity, safety, and freedom for all. And together, we will ensure that out of this moment of division and fear rises a future of resilience, unity, and truth.

We inherit this charge from those who came before us, and we are proud to carry it forward with courage.

Because we are the frontline of resistance.