Star-studded ¡Vamos Florida! weekend backs Annette Taddeo, primes Miami women for Primary Election

A cadre of community organizers, progressive Latinas and fellow elected Democrats, including Homestead Rep. Kevin Chambliss, joined Annette Taddeo for a rally and canvassing kickoff event last weekend. Image via Latino Victory.

This past weekend proved fruitful for progressive, politically minded celebrities with an eye on the Sunshine State, as dozens of celebrated performers, journalists and activists with roots in Latin America united for the “¡Vamos Florida! Weekend of Action.”

Led by Latino Victory co-founder Eva Longoria, Chair Luis Miranda and President and CEO Nathalie Rayes, the two-day festivities featured a series of events encouraging women to support climate-minded candidates — most notably Democratic state Sen. Annette Taddeo, who is running for Congress.

The weekend kicked off in Coral Gables with “Brunch Like a Madre,” named after Latino Victory’s “Vote Like a Madre” initiative to combat air pollution and climate change at the ballot box. Attendees, including a passel of influential Latinas, made a “pinky promise” take bold action to protect the planet and enlist others in the cause.

Among those in attendance: TV host, author and motivational speaker Mariana Atencio; actress Renata Bresciani;  journalist, model and TV host Candela Ferro; Democratic National Committee Director of Hispanic Media Maria “Maca” Casad; actor and producer Christian de la Fuente; actress Jeanine Mason; TV journalist and sportscaster Adriana Monsalve; Miami Freedom Project co-founder Ana Sofia Pelaez; playwright, actress, producer and political consultant Carmen Pelaez; actor, musician, model and TV personality Carlos Ponce; broadcast journalist María Elena Salinas; actor and comedian Daniel Sarcos; actress and former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres; political strategist Marcos Vilar; and TV host and producer Alessandra Villegas.

The brunch event also featured a panel discussion between Rayes, Longoria — a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award nominee — and Emmy-winning journalist and TV producer Maity Interiano and Yoca Arditi-Rocha, executive director of The CLEO Institute.

After the brunch event, Rayes and Miranda — father of award-winning actor, playwright, filmmaker and songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda — joined Taddeo for a canvassing kickoff at the Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood.

Taddeo is running in a Primary contest against Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell and Democratic socialist candidate Angel Montalvo for Florida’s 27th Congressional District. The winner will face either incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar or her Primary opponent, Frank Polo.

On Sunday, Longoria, Rayes and a cadre of community organizers met at Taddeo’s office for a “Get Out the Vote” rally and canvass kickoff event.

Latino Victory Fund, the lobbying and political spending arm of Latino Victory, has endorsed Taddeo as its preferred representative in CD 27.

“(She is) part of the organization’s investments in Latino candidates and voters in this key battleground Latino state,” the group said.