Tickets are available for a suggested donation of $40 and can be obtained through The Lab Theater’s website or box office. Space is limited and tickets are expected to sell quickly. All funds raised will go to FFD’s Get Out the Vote effort for the November elections.

Speakers include:

· Cindy Banyai, a non-profit leader, business owner, activist and candidate for political office.

· Kaci Davis, a director at the Laboratory Theater.

· Dr. Robert Hilliard will speak of the perils of not protecting democracy. He is a WWII hero who saved thousands of Holocaust survivors in displaced persons camps after the War. Dr. Hilliard is an accomplished author, playwright, professor and humanitarian.

· Jim Nathan, co-founder of Floridians for Democracy and former CEO of Lee Health.

· Earl Sparrow, racial justice activist, teacher, musician and community leader.

· Roger Williams, award-winning journalist and columnist will emcee the event.

Common Ground will perform patriotic, freedom music between speakers. The musical group is comprised of lead vocalist and guitarist Chuck Coffman, accomplished cellist Diane Coffman as well as David Pincus and Keith Lopez. There will be a non-partisan comedy act by Mark Evans, a North Port resident who has been performing comedy routines around the nation for 30 years.

“Freedom Rocks is an event to not only raise money and awareness for the need to vote to preserve democracy but also to unite and inspire our Southwest Florida community,” said Ella Nayor, a board member for Floridians for Democracy and a Holocaust and human rights activist. “We are all part of the great American family and connected in our beautiful medley of ethnicities, faiths, shared traditions, way of life and ultimately our freedom to be. Please join us for a night of unity, enlightenment and celebration of living in a democracy.”

Laboratory Theater of Florida, a venue for award-winning shows and high caliber programming and education is donating space and manpower in support of this non-partisan community event and fundraiser.

About Floridians for Democracy: Floridians for Democracy is a 501c4, non-profit organization. We envision a state of Florida where all elected leaders proactively implement laws ensuring all residents have equal opportunity, regardless of race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation as granted by democratic freedoms dictated in the constitution. FFD collaborates with national and state pro-democracy organizations and individuals to protect and preserve democracy.