Rollins College sits toward the top of District 42, which has been represented by Anna Eskamani since 2022. Eskamani has overseen the area for the past 7 years, including when Rollins fell under District 47, and is soon to be termed out.
Next election season in November, the constituents of District 42 will have the chance to elect someone new to office, and a new face to step into the light is Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet. He’s a registered Democrat running to fight for affordability, education, healthcare, and more.
In a one-on-one interview, Sousa-Lazaballet said that allowing businesses to thrive allows the community to thrive by providing jobs. As a representative, the economy would be the first item on his agenda. This topic is somewhat personal for him as his sister, who raised him in the United States, was a business owner herself. As someone who migrated here from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, when he was 14, he wants to support all the other people like him and give them an equitable shot at contributing to the community. One example of how he can accomplish this is to work with local government and institutions to provide support like capital loans. He also wants to address construction issues that business owners may face. Damage due to flooding is very common in the area, so he wants to focus on creating a “resilient” infrastructure.
On the topic of businesses, when asked if DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) training initiatives for employees are an acceptable and effective policy, Sousa-Lazaballet responded that there are many studies done that show that companies can be successful while making DEI a priority. He thinks that by allowing employees to work without the stress of having to look over their shoulders, they can bring more power to their work. Sousa-Lazaballet studied business, and one thing he recalls learning in school is how to eliminate inefficiencies. If you have a solid and inclusive workforce, then it leads to better productivity. “DEI isn’t a leg up, it’s a way to pull people up,” Sousa-Lazaballet says.
The interview then moved to his thoughts on healthcare. He aims to ensure that local clinics are properly funded. Sousa-Lazaballet said that attacks made on accessible healthcare have created a “perfect storm” that was “made by the irresponsibility of the Republican state house.” However, he says that we have the tools to put things back on track.
Sousa-Lazaballet wants to prioritize providing quality education. He also advocates for increased funding for programs such as AP classes, which he describes as “critical for working-class students.”
To better understand Felipe’s identity, I asked him to tell me more about what has shaped his life and character. He’s married to a wonderful husband, and they have two little dogs together, Papito and Cocito. Even though he had to leave his mom behind in Brazil, she taught him the lesson of perseverance: to never back down and always do the right thing. He marched in the Trail of Dreams in 2010, a 1,500-mile walk from Miami to Washington D.C., to support the DREAM Act. Sousa-Lazaballet wants to represent people of all backgrounds and ensure their right to work, live, and vote. Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani has officially endorsed him, and they have previously collaborated together. If elected, he intends to continue to carry forward the progress she made.
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