TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — One Florida woman is forming an “unemployment army” to advocate for suffering Floridians with unemployment claim issues.
Unemployment expert Vanessa Brito is towing about 200 unemployed Floridians with her all the way to Tallahassee through a picture protest.
“After talking to DEO so many times over the last month and getting no clear solutions has really pushed me to be there physically,” Brito said. “I’m going to be taking the photographs of claimants DEO owes money to and plaster them all over their lawn.”
In order to stay socially distant, Brito is encouraging her followers to stay home, support from afar, and participate by sending her their pictures to be post of the Department of Economic Opportunity’s lawn.
Brito has formed a small team of three to tackle the feat of making each Floridian a unique sign to be represented at DEO.
“They will be there with us,” said Gia Cuccaro, who will be accompanying Brito. "Their picture will be there. This is a statement and it needs to be made.”
Though they have never met in person, Cuccaro has become Brito’s right-hand woman after being unemployed herself.
“I started following her, did everything she said and then two weeks later I got all of my backpay. Three months’ worth,” Cuccaro said. “So I felt like I had to pay it forward.”
Mike Drake and his wife Blanca Beach will be the last two assisting Brito and representing Florida’s unemployed.
“When Vanessa said she was going up to Tallahassee, I’m going too,” Drake said.
Drake and beach have both been furloughed from their jobs during the pandemic and Brito’s skills helped them navigate Florida’s unemployment system.
“Look at how many people she’s helping,” Drake said. “If I can help her help people. I’m all for it.”
These three helpers are stepping up to assemble the picture protest. Brito is attempting to meet with DEO personnel to get claim issues fixed once and for all.
“I want people to feel heard and seen and represented,” Brito said.