[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 213 (Thursday, December 9, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1346-E1347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN RECOGNITION OF STEPHANIE PORTA FOR HER CAREER AS A COMMUNITY 
                               ORGANIZER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DARREN SOTO

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 9, 2021

  Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, as a community organizer, Stephanie Porta 
served Central Florida for the past 18 years working to support low-
income communities in their fight for equity. Through various 
strategies including

[[Page E1347]]

community organizing, ballot initiatives, local and statewide 
legislative campaigns, and corporate campaigns, Stephanie has been 
committed to ensuring low-income communities have the power to decide 
their own destinies. Ms. Porta has worked on successful campaigns for 
candidates and issues-including environmental justice, community 
safety, community development, health care, public education and more.
  Stephanie served as the Florida Director of ACORN where she organized 
communities across the State. She successfully led the effort to raise 
Florida's minimum wage, pass police accountability reforms, as well as 
advocate for foreclosure prevention programs and affordable utilities.
  She later co-founded Organize Florida, a nonprofit member 
organization of low- to moderate-income people. She led efforts to 
expand Medicaid, pass paid sick days, gun control, and clean energy 
legislation. In 2016 and 2018, she supported outreach efforts to more 
than four million voters across Florida.
  Stephanie has been recognized by the Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Weekly 
and Orlando Magazine for leadership on government transparency and 
issues facing the working poor.

                          ____________________