2026 Kennedy King Gala
Moving Forward & Defending Democracy
Chair’s Welcome Message
Dear Friends and Fellow Democrats,
On behalf of the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee, it is my honor to welcome you to our 11th Annual Kennedy King Gala.
This year, as we gather around our theme, "Moving Forward & Defending Democracy," we reflect on over a decade of coming together under the banners of two of America’s most transformative leaders.
President John F. Kennedy and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr led the way with intentionality. We return tonight not just to honor their legacies, but to actively carry them forward into a defining moment for our community, state, and nation.
President Kennedy challenged a generation to serve, while Dr. King bent the arc of the moral universe toward justice. Despite their differences, they shared a profound belief in a more hopeful, inclusive, and equitable America. They understood that progress and freedom are earned and defended through courage, conviction, and collective action.
That is the spirit that fills this room tonight. We are a big tent party. We are rich in diversity of thought, background, and experience. We do not agree on everything.
While we may not agree on every detail, what unites us far outweighs what divides us. Right here in Hillsborough County, we must stand firm on the values we share and work side by side to defend our democracy, protect our rights, and fight for our state and country.
It is this common purpose that drives our tireless volunteers who knock on doors, our grassroots organizers who build broad coalitions, and our Democratic candidates who step up to fight for our families. Together, we are building a community where every voice is heard, every person is treated with dignity, and every family has the opportunity to thrive.
As we celebrate tonight’s honorees and enjoy this evening of fellowship, let us recommit ourselves to the crucial work ahead. The challenges before us are great, but our collective resolve is greater. Let this evening inspire us to organize, mobilize, and elect Democrats up and down the ballot in 2026.
Thank you for your generosity, your dedication, and your unwavering belief in our mission. Please take a moment tonight to consider how you can deepen your involvement—whether by contributing financially, volunteering your time, or inviting others into our big tent.
As President Kennedy reminded us, “United, there is little we cannot do.” Thank you for standing side by side with us as we move forward together.
In solidarity,
Vanessa Lester
Chair, Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee
With Gratitude to our sponsors
Featured Speakers
U.S. Representative Kathy castor
Congresswoman Kathy Castor is a native Floridian and the first woman elected to represent the people of Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties in Congress. Since her election in 2006, she has dedicated her career to serving the Tampa Bay community, building a record of results that has earned trust across the region and across party lines.
Few members of Congress can match Congresswoman Castor’s deep roots in their community and sustained commitment to public service. For nearly two decades, she has delivered for Tampa Bay families by strengthening the local economy, securing grants and investments that create good-paying jobs, and fighting to improve quality of life throughout the region.
As a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Castor has relentlessly worked to lower energy costs for working families, protect Florida’s natural environment, expand access to affordable health care, and strengthen America’s energy future. She has also been a strong advocate for veterans, ensuring they receive the benefits, services, and support they have earned through their service to our nation.
Following Florida’s illegal redistricting process, Congresswoman Castor now represents a newly shaped Florida district 14. While she has represented portions of Tampa Bay for nearly two decades, the district includes many new voters and remains one of the most closely watched congressional races in the country. Florida district 14 is home to a large number of independents and unaffiliated voters who will play a decisive role in the outcome of the election.
Congresswoman Castor’s consistent record of delivering results, and her ability to build support across partisan divides position her as a strong advocate for the people of Tampa Bay and the families of Florida's 14th Congressional District.
F.D.P. Chair Nikki Fried
Nikki Fried, Chair of the Florida Democratic Party, served as Florida’s 12th Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services from 2019-2023. She is a lifelong Floridian, attorney and passionate activist. Born and raised in Miami, Chairwoman Fried graduated from the University of Florida, where she received her bachelor’s, master’s in political campaigning and juris doctor degrees.
While at the University of Florida, she served as student body president – the first woman to hold the position in nearly two decades.
When Nikki was elected in 2018, she became Florida’s only statewide elected Democrat, and the first female ever elected to serve as Commissioner. As Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner, she helped build the state hemp industry, stood up for LGBTQ+ equality, fought for clean water, improved the gun licensing process, and much more.
In 2021, Nikki announced her campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor. After the primary, she founded Won’t Back Down – an organization dedicated to electing pro-choice women to office in Florida. She traveled the state to get out the vote for down-ballot candidates throughout the 2022 election.
Prior to being elected, Fried was the head of the Felony Division at the Alachua County Public Defender’s Office and worked in private practice in South Florida, defending homeowners against foreclosure during the 2007-2008 housing crisis. She also worked at law firms as a government consultant, advocating on behalf of clients before the Florida Legislature. In 2017, she formed her own firm to advocate in Tallahassee for at-risk children, the Broward County School Board, and for the expansion of patient access to medical marijuana.
Throughout her career she has served with numerous organizations including the Young Lawyers Board of Governors, Chair of the Broward Days Board of Directors, Legal Needs of Children Bar Committee, LeRoy Collins Institute, Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, University of Florida Governmental Relations Advisory Committee, University of Florida Board of Trustees, Florida’s Children First, and others.
Hon. david jolly
David Jolly is a former Congressman from Pinellas County, where he and his wife Laura are raising their two children. He’s running for Governor of Florida with a simple focus: putting people over politics and Florida first.
During his time in Congress, David built a reputation for independence, standing up for what is right, calling out what is wrong, and taking on political corruption when others wouldn’t.
David’s campaign is grounded in three core values that can bring people together across party lines:
1. The economy should work for everyone
2. Government can be a force for good
3. Ending the culture wars that have divided Florida
David has earned the endorsement of more than 150 current and former elected officials, has held over 225 town halls, and is traveling across Florida meeting with and listening to voters. He is currently leading the Republican candidates in most public polling. To learn more, please visit DavidJolly.com.
Hon. Jose Javier Rodriguez
Jose Javier Rodriguez’s commitment to justice was shaped by his family’s story. The son of Cuban immigrants, he learned the values of faith, community, and standing up for others from an early age.
After graduating from Brown University and Harvard Law School, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal before returning home to Florida to work as a legal aid attorney representing low-income workers and immigrants. That experience reinforced his deep belief: everyone deserves access to justice, regardless of income or background.
As an attorney, Jose Javier fought for working people and held powerful interests accountable when they violated the law. In the Florida Legislature, he earned a reputation as a fearless advocate for transparency, consumer protection, and accountability. As U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor, he worked to expand opportunity and strengthen America’s workforce.
But his most important role is not professional—it is being a husband and father. Along with his wife, Sonia, they are raising two young sons, and are deeply committed to creating a brighter future for the next generation of Floridians.
Commissioner Harry cohen
Harry Cohen is a member of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners representing District 1, a position to which he was elected in November 2020 and re-elected in November 2022.
He has dedicated his life and career to public service. A lawyer by profession, Harry served as Chief Deputy Clerk of the Circuit Court for Hillsborough County from 2005-2011, as an elected member of the Tampa City Council from 2011-2019 and as general counsel to the Clerk from 2019-2020.
As a Hillsborough County Commissioner, he presently sits on the following boards and committees:
Tampa Bay Water, Chairman of the Board
Hillsborough County Aviation Authority / Tampa International Airport
Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission, Vice Chair
David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts
Transportation Planning Organization, Immediate Past Chair
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
Florida Association of Counties
Harry is also a former commissioner of Port Tampa Bay and a former board member of the Florida Orchestra, the Florida Aquarium and Community Tampa Bay.
A Tampa native, he is a graduate of Berkshire School, Gettysburg College and New York Law School. He is a member of the Florida Bar and of the Tampa Bay Area Committee on Foreign Relations.
Dr. Neil Manimala
Dr. Neil Manimala is a physician and surgeon, a Hillsborough County native, and a new father to a nine-month-old daughter. He is the Democratic nominee for the Hillsborough County Commission's at-large District 5 seat, a countywide seat, which means every Hillsborough resident can vote for Neil on the ballot this November 3.
He was raised in Hillsborough County, attended its public schools, and graduated from the University of South Florida for both college and medical school. He runs a urology practice caring for patients across East and South Hillsborough County, including his hometown of Valrico.
As the 123rd President of the Hillsborough County Medical Association, he serves as the voice of physicians across the county, and he has served on the Hillsborough County Health Care Advisory Board, which oversees the county's safety-net health plan, and on the Health Council of West Central Florida.
He is running to relieve traffic congestion, stop overdevelopment, protect against flooding, and safeguard healthcare access for all.
Neil is honored to be endorsed by many groups and organizations, including the West Central Florida Labor Council of the AFL-CIO, the Sierra Club, Equality Florida, Congresswoman Kathy Castor, and House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell.
He and his wife, Rachel, are active parishioners at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and they live with their daughter, Mariam, and rescue dog, Benji.
Bracy Davis
Senator LaVon Bracy Davis currently represents Florida's Senate District 15 in West Orange County. Before her legislative career, Senator Bracy Davis made significant contributions as an arts executive in Central Florida. She played a key role in diversifying community programming and engaging with the arts community, collaborating with over 200 local arts groups, nonprofits, and community-based organizations. Her efforts infused millions of dollars into the economic development of Orlando and its surrounding areas.
Among her notable achievements, Sen. Bracy Davis served as Chair of the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, a 15-member advisory council that advises the Secretary of State on cultural grant funding and related matters. A highlight of her tenure was selecting the sculptor for the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune statue now in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, DC. Additionally, she is the 2nd Vice Chair of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, a non-profit organization supporting state and jurisdictional arts agencies across the nation.
Sen. Bracy Davis's commitment to community service is also reflected in her past roles as a board member of Pace Center for Girls – Orange County and as a volunteer for Valencia College's Take Stock in Children/Horizons Mentorship program. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
A West Orange County native, Sen. Bracy Davis attended Dr. Phillips High School and participated actively in its visual and performing arts magnet program. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater Arts from Howard University and a Juris Doctor from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, College of Law as part of the inaugural class. As a licensed attorney, she previously served as a Senior Attorney for the Department of Children and Families.
Throughout her legislative career, Sen. Bracy Davis has been a staunch advocate for minority and marginalized communities. She has been a champion for causes such as public education, sensible gun reform, affordable housing, voting rights, women's reproductive healthcare, and social justice and equity. During the 2026 legislative session, Sen. Bracy Davis successfully secured an unprecedented $4 million in the state budget for the families and descendants of the Groveland Four.
Senator Bracy Davis is the daughter of civil rights activist, Dr. LaVon Bracy Davis, and Rev. Dr. Randolph Bracy, Jr. She is married to Rev. Dr. Adrian R. Davis, pastor of The Bethel Church in Mount Dora, Florida.