Fentrice Driskell (FL-HD67) has been nominated for the 10th Annual 2023 Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award, a prestigious honor that is sponsored by EMILYs LIST and recognizes an EMILYs List woman who holds state or local office.

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In 2022, Rep. Fentrice Driskell became the first Black woman minority leader in the history of the Florida House of Representatives. She has a bachelor’s degree from Harvard, where she was the first Black student elected as student government president, and a J.D. from Georgetown University. Leader Driskell is a practicing attorney and is currently serving her third term in the Florida House, where she is a champion for reproductive freedom, public education, and voting rights.

EMILYs List President Laphonza Butler released the following statement:

“Leader Fentrice Driskell has been a beacon of hope to the people of Florida’s 67th House District during a time when state Republicans have been determined to roll back freedom for all Floridians by any means necessary. Leader Driskell has seen the challenges that her community faces and risen to the occasion, and that ability has defined her career as a legislator and an attorney. In office, she has fought to fund Florida’s schools, reform the criminal justice system, and defend reproductive health care in spite of attempts to restrict it. We applaud Leader Driskell for all that she has accomplished and are proud that she is one of our nominees.”

Named in honor of the dedicated and courageous Gabrielle Giffords, the Rising Star Award celebrates an extraordinary woman serving in state or local office. The award honors a woman who demonstrates the sort of commitment to community, dedication to women and families, and determination and civility that have been the highlights of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ career, in and out of office. Previous Rising Star Award recipients include former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams in 2014, former Boston City Councilwoman Ayanna Pressley in 2015, former Colorado House Speaker Crisanta Duran in 2016, Philadelphia City Councilwoman Helen Gym in 2017, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx in 2018, and California Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo in 2019; former Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes in 2020; Harris County, Texas Judge Lina Hidalgo in 2021; and former Georgia Rep. Bee Nguyen in 2022.