User:Gwen022/sandbox

Annette Collazo is an educator, community organizer, and Hialeah native. She is proud to be a first-generation Cuban-American. Annette is running to be the next State Representative for Florida's 110th District because she knows we deserve a leader who lives it-- who knows what it's like to fight hard every day to make a better life for ourselves and our families. In Tallahassee, she will focus on the needs of the community, addressing individual concerns and defending our values, allowing our families and children to thrive. Annette is a candidate who will serve with honesty, integrity, passion and perseverance.

From an early age, Annette learned the value of hard work by observing the sacrifices her parents made to provide for their family here and relatives still in Cuba. With the untimely passing of her parents, Annette would learn the meaning of resilience by observing the strong women that are the core of her family: her sisters. Annette understands that stories of hardship are not unique, they are what make people in our district strong-- because she is a leader who lives it.

Over the last ten years, Annette has worked as a teacher in our public school system. Annette sees her students’ hopes for a brighter future and the challenges they face getting there. She sees their need for a loving and safe home -- where all their caretakers, from their parents to their abuelos, can live a life of dignity. She sees how a lack of work opportunities or not having access to healthcare can destroy and traumatize families. She understands that her students’ futures will be determined, in part, by making sure we take care of our state's fragile environment. And she understands that all of her students, regardless of who they are, where they were born, whom they love, or where their talents lie -- want to learn and succeed, and have the right to do so. Even before becoming a teacher, Annette was deeply involved in her community. While pursuing a BA in Economics at FIU, she worked at Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly. At Little Brothers, Annette saw first-hand the great need of many of Miami’s elderly residents -- and she saw the great impact that people can make when they commit to improving the lives of community members.

During the 2012 presidential campaign, Annette continued to pursue her passion for the community by leading local volunteers, from Miami Gardens to Hialeah, to connect with residents on the issues they cared about, such as housing, affordable healthcare, economic opportunities, and representation in government. More recently, Annette became one of the founding board members of the non-profit organization Engage Miami, which focuses on voter engagement and bringing attention to local issues, as well as registering and informing voters. Annette used that model in her backyard and created ¿Qué Pasa, Hialeah? (QPH), a civic engagement group that connected Hialeah, Miami Lakes and Northwest Dade residents interested in green spaces, community beautification, the arts, voter education and youth involvement. Annette is currently pursuing a Masters in Educational Leadership at FIU and teaches elementary, middle school, and high school classes.