FAC Weekly Update 2025-10-22-Do Not Walk Away

Weekly update for October 22, 2025. This is recording number 334.

Dear Members and Advocates,

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor spoke at the University of Vermont this week, and her message could not be more relevant to the work we do. “We are in a difficult part of American history,” she said, warning that “we have great risk right now of our republic government changing in some fundamental ways.” Yet, she reminded us that “what you shouldn’t do is walk away from the fight… we lose the war when you walk away.” Those words resonate deeply as we reflect on the increasingly hostile political and legal climate we face in this country.

Every week, we see new evidence that our democracy is strained — laws and policies once thought settled are being reopened, civil rights are being reinterpreted, and human dignity is too often treated as expendable. For those of us engaged in advocacy for the marginalized and stigmatized, it can feel as though the system itself is growing more entrenched, less compassionate, and more punitive. But as Justice Sotomayor reminds us, this is precisely when engagement matters most. Walking away in moments of difficulty only ensures that the loudest and most extreme voices prevail.

For FAC, this means doubling down on our commitment to defend constitutional rights, to challenge unjust laws, and to remind our lawmakers and communities that fairness and humanity are not negotiable. The temptation to disengage is real. Fatigue and frustration are natural when progress feels slow, but the moral imperative to persist is greater still. The more our legal system bends away from justice, the more vital our voice becomes in pulling it back toward balance and truth.

Justice Sotomayor’s warning is also a call to hope. It reminds us that endurance is itself a form of resistance. Every meeting we attend, every story we tell, every case we challenge is an act of faith that America can still live up to its promise.

This past weekend, several of our members attended the annual NARSOL conference in Atlanta, Georgia. This year’s conference was a rescheduled event — one that had originally been disrupted by a hate group, forcing organizers to postpone and relocate it to a new venue in a different state. Despite those challenges, the conference went forward with tremendous spirit and resolve, a testament to the resilience of this movement and the dedication of advocates nationwide. Attendees heard from legal experts, reform leaders, and directly impacted individuals, all united by a shared mission to challenge misinformation, promote evidence-based policy, and restore humanity to those affected by registry laws. The energy in the room reflected both determination and hope — a powerful reminder that even in the face of hostility and hate, our community refuses to be silenced.

So, as we navigate this difficult chapter of history, let’s take the advice of Justice Sotomayor to heart: do not walk away. Keep showing up, standing firm, and speaking truth. The moment we stop, the cause of justice loses its defenders. And that, we cannot allow to happen!

In closing, we want to alert our members that this week we will be posting an important Call to Action regarding HB 45 / SB 212. These bills represent yet another attempt to expand the reach and burden of Florida’s already excessive registry system, adding unnecessary restrictions that do nothing to enhance public safety but further punish individuals long after they’ve served their time. We urge every member to stay tuned, read the upcoming alert carefully, and make your voice heard. Contact your legislators, share the message, and stand with us in strong opposition to these harmful measures. Now, more than ever, we must speak out — because silence allows bad policy to win.

Sincerely,

The Florida Action Committee