Greater New Hope Church hosted its NAACP Jubilee Program 2022. The church invited U.S. Rep Val Demings as its keynote speaker. 

Protecting Right to Vote

In a report with Ocala StarBanner, Pastor Bishop J. David Stockton welcomed the attendees to the event. According to the report, the program celebrated the Emancipation Proclamation. 

The said proclamation freed slaves in the United States on Jan. 1, 1968. 

According to the news outlet, the theme was "Protecting Our Right to Vote."

Rev. Jerone Gamble told the news outlet that the event marked Black Independence Day. He encouraged members of the African American community to fight for social issues. 

He cited that the community should gather to end gun violence and fight for better education. Gamble is the local NAACP chapter's first vice president. 

The faith leader pointed out that voter suppression was one of the major issues that needed to be addressed. He admitted that there was still a lot of work to be done on the matter. 

DeNaya Wilkerson led the attendees in reciting the "Emancipation Litany."

Leave Pandemic Decisions to Local Officials

Demings told attendees that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis should leave the entire pandemic situation to local experts. 

She addressed concerns about the new law signed by DeSantis that fined businesses and hospitals which required its workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Demings stressed that Gov. DeSantis should leave the decisions on mask-wearing and vaccinations to local officials. She also called on DeSantis to be more sensitive to the needs of healthcare workers. 

The congresswoman said that she grew up in Jacksonville. Her mother worked as a maid, and her father was a janitor. She added that her legislative agenda included fighting inflation and giving people equal opportunity. 

Protecting Voter's Rights

Demings emphasized the importance of the right to vote. She added that it was everyone's duty to protect it. 

The congresswoman called on everyone to put aside their differences and preserve the right to vote. 

Love for Hard Work

According to the website, Demings' parents instilled in her a love for hard work and resiliency. 

As a child, she began working at the age of 14. The young Demings had a dream in her heart. She worked hard, saved money, and studied to put herself through college. 

Her hard work paid off when she became the first in her family to graduate with a degree. Demings said that her graduation was a testament to the hard and sacrifices of her parents. 

Demings is the wife of Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. They have three sons and five grandchildren. 

Demings urged attendees to fight for their right to vote. She said that it was a gift that was worth fighting for.

She told audiences that she was present during the attacks on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. 

Demings said she thought it would be a peaceful transition of power, but she was wrong. Instead, rioters broke into the Capitol building and vandalized the place. 

She hoped that more people would choose peace instead of taking riots into the streets. Demings said that the incident at the U.S. Capitol made her more apprehensive than her more than 20 years of experience in the police force. 

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