100 Women, 100 Stories: Ida V. Eskamani
Where do you live? O-TOWN! (Orlando, Florida)
Tell us about your job! My professional roots are in grassroots organizing and I approach everything I do as an organizer. I serve as Chief of Staff for Florida House Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, our state’s first openly Latinx lawmaker. I also serve on the Board of Directors for Organize Now, a nonprofit member organization dedicated to the principles of social, racial, and economic justice.
How did you get this role and what was your path leading up to this? I began my career as an undergraduate at the University of Central Florida (UCF), active in several campus organizations as well as community organizations and causes. Following graduation, I’ve been privileged to work as staff on some of the top campaigns and the most dynamic advocacy organizations in the state. This includes Senator Bill Nelson’s 2012 re-election campaign, The White House as a Presidential Personnel Intern, as well as Equality Florida, the states LGBTQ+ civil right organization. Throughout all these years, Rep. Smith and I have been fighting in the trenches together on various social justice causes. When he launched his campaign, I’m proud to say I was right alongside him and upon his election, I accepted this position. We represent House District 49, the district that literally raised me; it’s an honor to advocate for the hardworking families and students of my hometown.
What did you study in school? As an undergraduate at UCF, I earned dual degrees in Political Science and Sociology, and gained extensive experience in both academics and activism on campus. I cut my teeth in advocacy on campus, leading student organizations, organizing demonstrations, and interning with organizations on the front lines of much of this work. Academically, I gained a deep understanding of the intersections of oppression and had the opportunity to conduct academic research, present at conferences and complete an undergraduate thesis. In 2013, while working full time, I went back to school and earned my Masters in Public Administration in 2016.
If it’s relevant to your career now, how did you know you wanted to study that? When I first came to UCF, I changed my major several times. It was actually a service-learning project that taught me what I did not want to do, and student organizations that helped me realize where my passions were. I was also fortunate to find professors who mentored me and helped me pursue research and professional development.
I always give students a few key pieces of advice: a) don’t be afraid to change your major; b) you should feel challenged by your degree track, but excited to face that challenge; c) find professor(s) you love and take as your advisor(s); and d) get involved on campus via student groups, service learning, volunteerism, or internships. These experiences will not only teach you so much about yourself, but provide you real-world experiences and help you build important relationships.
Has anyone been a mentor to you? What role did they play and how do you feel about mentorship now? I absolutely love mentorship. I have been so fortunate to have incredible mentors throughout my career thus far, folks who support me, provide advice and feedback, and are there when I need them most. Mentors who are about 5–7 professional years ahead of you are an asset because they know the world you’re operating in and can provide really tangible advice; however the more seasoned mentors can provide a wide network and wisdom that is hard to find. I also consider my mentors incredible friends, and serve as a mentor whenever I can as well.
What’s the hardest thing that you’ve had to deal with in your career so far? The Pulse Nightclub shooting haunts me, and our entire community every single day. On June 12, 2016 I worked for Equality Florida here in Orlando, and served as a “second responder” during this tragedy. I worked directly with victims and families in coordinating services, and led the organizations fundraising efforts for the Pulse Victims Fund, raising $10 million dollars for the victims and their families. This work has been the most important work I have ever done, and it continues each and every single day through advocacy.
What has been a really rewarding moment in your career? In Orlando we have something we call our “movement family.” It’s a coalition of organizations and individuals, who work hand in hand to mobilize our community, dismantle oppression and fight for justice. Following the tragedy at Pulse, we organized several direct actions against lawmakers who had used the tragedy for political gain, but who had activity advocated against gun safety measures and the LGBTQ+ community. We organized the “Sit In for the 49” at Sen. Marco Rubio’s office, demanding action on these items. Nearly 100 people participated; most who had never done anything like this before but wanted to take action. We were committed to sitting in for 49 hours and were forcibly removed after 10 hours. In that process I accepted arrest along with 9 other community members, all from diverse backgrounds and most who had never participated in anything like this before but new we were on the right side of history. In that moment, they had realized their incredible power as citizens to stand up to injustice. To me, that is the most rewarding thing, to bring new people into this work and help them realize their power while we continue to grow our family.
What do you want to accomplish in your lifetime? I just want to continue dismantling our shared oppression.
What’s something you want young women to remember when thinking about their future? Don’t compare yourself to others, look at yourself a year ago and set personal and professional benchmarks to achieve. Remember that we operate in a patriarchal system that treats us as objects, holds us to contradictory expectations, trains us to feel insecure and demands that we must compete against one another for scare opportunity. The truth is women will only truly succeed when we do so together, and that celebrating one another helps us achieve liberation.
Where can people find you on social media if they’d like to connect with you?
Instagram/Twitter: @ida_v_e
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ida-v-eskamani-1278aa52/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ida.v.eskamani
