Candidate Information
Candidate Name:
Shaniqua “Shan” Rose
Campaign Website:
www.vote4shan.com
Are you a member of the Rainbow Democrats of Orange County? (Y/N)
Yes
Are you a member of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus? (Y/N)
No
Are you a member of the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee (DEC)? (Y/N)
Yes
Please list any other LGBTQ+ organizations you are affiliated with and any donations you have given.
N/A
Please summarize your history of community involvement. This may include city boards, civic associations, non-profits, etc.
I run a nonprofit organization, Change For The Community, where I mentor youth and do community outreach, such as weekly food deliveries to the seniors, community clean-up, COVID vaccines & testing and more. I have participated and hosted voter registration drives to increase voter turnout. I have showed up for community gatherings for the rights of people. I sit on committees to help better the community, from community policing to homeless advocacy to youth engagement and more.
Young Democrats of Orange County
Orange County DEC (precinct person & membership)
Orange County Black Caucus Secretary
League of Women’s Voter
NAACP (former secretary)
Central Florida Urban League (former program manager)
National Congress of Black Women
Parramore Education Innovation District
Parramore Community Engagement Council
Please summarize the work you have performed in the past five years to further LGBTQ+ rights.
I have signed petitions, attended forums, marched, and will continue to use my voice to be a sounding board to advance the rights of the LGBTQIA+ rights. I will be eyes and ears for the community and I will have an open door policy, so we can work together to address the issues being faced. We need work on teen bullying, family rejection, homelessness, counseling, hate crime, and creating policies that will be inclusive to meet the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community.
General Questions
What motivated you to run for this position?
I realized we needed a voice and strong representation. The community is hurting right now, businesses are closing their doors, people are committing suicide, families are separating, and we need someone who understands the role of being commissioner and is willing to roll up their sleeves to glue the community back together.
What does being an ally or advocate for the LGBTQ+ community mean to you?
It means creating inclusiveness for a group people who are humans and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
Have you attended an LGBTQ+ Pride Month celebration or Orlando’s Come Out With Pride? (Y/N)
Yesss and I will be at the one next month!!
How would you ensure that your office celebrates LGBTQ+ Pride Month?
I will bring the LGBTQIA+ organizations together to figure out how and where we want to celebrate. Figure out funding opportunities and work together to bring awareness and acceptance.
Will you ensure that you and your staff receive competency training on the LGBTQ+ community, emphasizing unconscious bias?(Y/N)
Yes
Would you condemn instances of hate speech in your organization and the community at large?(Y/N)
Yes
Specific Questions
What steps will you take to increase your office’s visibility with the LGBTQ+ community, including encouraging voting participation?
Collaborating with existing organizations to get their guidance on what visibility is not happening and how we can work together to strengthen.
As an Orlando City Commissioner, how would you support creating an LGBTQ+ Advisory Board that would act as a direct link between the City of Orlando and the LGBTQ+ community?
I would highly encourage, in fact on the NAACP we have a committee and I would work with former chair to bring awareness.
Research performed by True Colors United found that 40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ+. Reasons for this include abuse and family rejection of a youth’s sexual orientation or gender identity. What immediate actions would you take as an Orlando City Commissioner to reduce and prevent homelessness amongst LGBTQ+ youth?
Build relationships and partnerships with the LGBTQIA+ organizations to be the nucleus so we can work together. Research funding opportunities to ensure resources are available and become a streamline to make the community aware of the resources.
Where do you believe the focus should be for Orlando in preparing for and preventing the damaging effects of climate change?
Educate the people about their activities and how they may be negatively impacting the community. We need to be cognizant of our carbon footprints. Find and create ways and policies to be more green, create more green space where possible and become eco-friendly.
A recent study found that the Orlando metropolitan area has the 8th highest wage gap in the nation. The estimated hourly wage is $12.94, but the wage required to afford a one-bedroom apartment in Orlando is $23.60. What actions would you take as Orlando City Commissioner to decrease this wage gap and promote affordable living in Orlando?
In 2019, as a union steward I fought for wage increases to $15 per hour by October 1, 2021, so I will continue to work with local organizations and encourage them to increase their minimum wage. I will also work with legislators to encourage the poverty line be raised, so that wage increases do not negatively impact families with some of their assistance, such as childcare.
Building upon the previous question, single-parent households faces even higher costs of living due to childcare. This further exasperates the wage gap, making raising a family in Orlando nearly impossible. What actions would you take as Orlando City Commissioner to help struggling parents and make Orlando an affordable place for families?
I would educate the community on resources available on my Commisisoner website; this includes jobs, training, childcare, food, clothing, and medical assistance. I would meet people where there at with advertising of services, such as in the barbershops, corner stores, daycares, and more.
Despite mental illness among adults and children being at an all-time high, Florida ranks next to last on per capita spending on mental health programs. Mental illness, if left untreated, can lead to suffering, homelessness, and death. What are both your immediate and long-term plans for addressing this epidemic in Orlando?
I will turn underused facilities into trauma centers, especially one for the youth. I will be a voice to encourage the residents to seek mental health services.
2021 has been a record year in terms of political attacks against transgender and non-binary communities. Ron DeSantis signed a trans youth sports ban in Florida, the most anti-LGBTQ+ law Florida has seen in over 20 years. Despite this, studies show that 62% of Americans are more supportive of transgender rights than they were five years ago. What programs do you envision for the City of Orlando that could educate residents about transgender and non-binary people, reduce incidents of hate and violence, and ultimately further transgender rights?
Collaboration with existing organizations to ensure the information is spread in the community. Be a voice to equality for all regardless of their sexuality or race. Work together with legislators to advance transgender rights.
Rainbow Democrats, Inc. 