NURSE.
ADVOCATE.
FIGHTER FOR
WORKING FAMILIES.
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MY BACKGROUND
Hi. I'm Cynthia Butler, running for State House District 75, voice of the people of Charlotte County. I believe my experience as a caring nurse, nurse union leader, single mother, grandmother and great grandmother will help nurture our community back to a place where we all feel safe and and we grow.
My Mom was born and raised in Florida and met my father when he was on leave in the military. I was brought up in Massachusetts where my father was from. I pretty much raised my children myself as my parents retired back to Florida. I depended on housing assistance and childcare subsidies to help me as I worked full time and slowly tried to advance my education and career choices. I worked in banking and then as an Emt/Paramedic before moving to Florida permanently to keep an eye on my mother. At that point, I was caring for my mom, my kids and grandkids, working full time and going to school to get my RN. I bought my first house and became a homeowner, experiencing the fears and stressors of building back after disasters from Charlie to Milton. I was a nurse during Covid and experienced the fear, isolation and despair of my dying patients and their families
As a nurse, I care for people from all walks of life. I listened to them, assessed their needs, educated them and advocated for them.
As a Nurse Union leader, I helped organize actions, marches on the boss and committees to advocate for patient and nurse safety. We grieved unjust disciplinary actions and unfair working conditions.We went to Tallahassee to promote safe staffing bills and denounce unfair bills and networked with other unions like SEIU and teachers union, and other progressive groups like environmental and climate justice groups. We met with and endorsed candidates and our union, the NNU, are currently working with Bernie Sanders and Pramila Jayapal to fight for a universal health care system that all well off nations currently enjoy.
As your voice advocate, I want to build community . I'd like to see the Cultural Center reopen and promote small business, farmers markets, community gardens, community health centers and youth enrichment programs and activities. I want to make healthcare, homeowners insurance, property taxes, and higher education affordable. I want our public schools to promote learning, academia and science and become centers of excellence. I want to create jobs that protect our beautiful land and water and give people purpose.But our union could do nothing without the collective power of the nurses. And the legislature and government itself cannot change without the informed, organized and collective power of the people. The people in the streets and calling their representatives and holding them responsible is what is helping save our democracy right now and we all need to vote on what future we will have. I want to be that voice for we the people of Charlotte County. I'm ready to listen and lets do this together.