I’m Cynthia Dela Rosa, and I’m running for Florida State House of Representatives for District 23 as a Democrat in 2020 because I care for the future of Florida.

I’m not a politician—I’m a 23 year old woman who loves her hometown. I care about the increasing levels of crime, but the decreasing access to rehabilitation and mental health. I care about The Ocala National Forest, and the agriculture of Florida. I care that we need to make an unprecedented change, and we need to make it now. As the daughter of small business owners in Ocala, I’ve noticed the constant struggle to keep afloat while bigger corporations that don’t play by the same rules get to run with profits. Marion County has always been about a small town feeling, but big town opportunities. But that feeling is now fleeting.

But politicians aren’t willing to take the necessary bold steps. As representative for District 23, my first priority will be to implement protections for our people, our businesses, and our environment. A crisis is underway—we have to work together to stop it, or risk losing the heart of our county. The stakes have never been higher.

Once I understood the magnitude of this problem, and that our current politicians were not going to take the steps necessary to stem the tide, I had no choice but to act. I currently work as a Registered Behavioral Technician, working with diverse kids affected by autism spectrum disorder. I know that their Florida will be different than ours, and I want to look back at my life knowing I did everything in my power to create the kind of future our all generations deserve—a Florida of opportunity, liberty, equality, and prosperity.

My parents, Chey and Forwen, immigrated to Flint, Michigan. They obtained their citizenship before moving to Ocala, Florida, to start a physical therapy clinic in The Villages, a community right outside of Ocala. My brother, Chris, and I went to Blessed Trinity Catholic School and Trinity Catholic High School. In 2018, I graduated from the University of Florida with my Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology, with a concentration in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience. While studying, I began my work and research for kids with autism spectrum disorder and related disabilities. Despite my parents’ push for me to do physical therapy, I was studying to be a doctor.

But, shortly after I was accepted into the University of South Florida’s Master’s of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis, I was presented with a challenging situation: the political sphere. I didn’t want to be worried with political problems. The politicians would take care of those, right? They would take care of the environment, my parents’ business, the kids I work for, our healthcare. They did not, and it seemed that they would not. I didn’t want to get worried with political issues-- but these were challenges of the people, not just of politics. It became my business to not only worry about it, but to act on it. I knew that if we truly wanted to see the changes that we wanted, we would have to do it ourselves. 

My name is Cynthia Dela Rosa and I am running for Florida State House of Representatives for District 23. While it’s incredible to believe that someone of my background can affect change with a generation of citizens much older, I stand on the shoulders of these leaders who helped me get where I am. The Marion County, Florida of the next generation will be different than ours, and I want to look back at my life knowing I did everything in my power to create the kind of future that every generation deserves—a Florida of opportunity, prosperity, liberty, and equality. I’m looking forward to working with you in the journey to move Marion forward.