The “Moms for Liberty” national summit will take place at Tampa’s Water Street Marriott from July 14-17, and Tampa Bay’s Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and the Tampa Bay Coalition for Women’s Rights plan to protest the event on July 16 at 10 a.m.
The protest will first congregate at Lykes Gaslight Park (241 E Madison St.) and march to the Marriott at 505 Water St.
According to a July 8 post on PSL Tampa Bay’s Instagram (@psltampabay), “Moms for Liberty is a fascist organization that organizes nationally for book banning, not teaching Black history in schools, not requiring vaccines or masks in schools, and any mention of LGBTQ people in schools.”
The conference will also feature a number of speakers who have championed anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, like Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) and former Trump administration Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.
At the same time as the Tampa protest, the Women’s Advocacy Movement of Pinellas (WAMP) will organize a protest at St. Petersburg’s City Hall in support of the Tampa march.
According to a post on WAMP’s Instagram (@womensadvocacymovementpinellas), the protest will feature speakers, give attendees an opportunity to learn about other activist organizations in the area and “take to the streets and march in solidarity with our friends across the bay.”
Meanwhile, the Florida Democratic Party will also hold its Leadership Blue conference at the Waters Street Marriott July 15-17.
According to a press release, the conference will be emceed by State Representative Anna Eskamani and Vice Mayor for the City of Coral Springs Joshua Simmons to “convene grassroots activists, elected officials, and party faithful” and “coordinate future strategies to shift Florida blue.”
This article appears in Jul 7-13, 2022.

