ABOUT ME
A Lifetime of Care, Commitment, and Community
Hi, I’m Cynthia Butler, running for State House District 75 to be a voice for the people of Charlotte County. As a nurse, nurse union leader, single mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, I bring a lifetime of experience caring for others and advocating for my community. I believe my experience can help nurture Charlotte County into a place where everyone feels safe, supported, and able to grow.
My connection to Florida began with my mother, who was born and raised in the state and met my father while he was on military leave. I was raised in Massachusetts, where my father was from, and largely raised my children on my own after my parents retired to Florida. While working full time, I relied on housing assistance and childcare subsidies as I worked to advance my education and build a career.
My professional path took me from banking to becoming an EMT/paramedic. I eventually moved permanently to Florida to help care for my mother. At the time, I was balancing caring for my mother, children, and grandchildren while working full time and attending school to become a registered nurse. I eventually purchased my first home, becoming a homeowner and experiencing firsthand the fear and stress of rebuilding after disasters, from Hurricane Charley to Hurricane Milton.
As a nurse, I have cared for people from all walks of life. I have listened to their concerns, assessed their needs, educated them, and advocated for them. During COVID, I witnessed firsthand the fear, isolation, and despair experienced by dying patients and their families. My commitment to advocacy continued through my work as a nurse union leader. I helped organize actions, marches on management, and committees focused on patient and nurse safety. I advocated against unjust disciplinary actions and unfair working conditions and traveled to Tallahassee to promote safe-staffing legislation and oppose policies that would harm nurses and patients.
Through my union work, I also built relationships with other labor organizations, including SEIU and teachers’ unions, as well as organizations working on environmental and climate justice. I participated in meetings with candidates and helped make endorsements. My union, National Nurses United, continues to advocate for a universal healthcare system that provides access to care for everyone. Now, I want to bring that same spirit of advocacy to the State House.
I want to help build a stronger, more connected Charlotte County by supporting small businesses, farmers markets, community gardens, community health centers, and youth enrichment programs. I believe healthcare, homeowners insurance, property taxes, and higher education should be more affordable and accessible. I want our public schools to champion learning, academics, and science and become centers of excellence. I also want to create good jobs that protect Charlotte County’s beautiful land and water while giving people purpose and opportunity.
I know from my experience as a union leader that meaningful change requires collective action. A union can accomplish nothing without the collective power of its members, and government cannot effectively serve its people without an informed, organized, and engaged community.
People calling their representatives, demanding accountability, organizing in their communities, and participating in the democratic process are essential to protecting our future. We all have a role in deciding what kind of future we will have.