ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Welcome to 9 Questions with…, an exclusive Spectrum Bay News 9 feature in which we get to know some of the Bay area’s movers and shakers a little better. It could be a politician, an artist, a first responder, a bartender—just about anyone, really. This week, we spoke with Nadine Smith, executive director of LGBTQ+ advocacy group Equality Florida, just after the state passed its controversial bill banning trans athletes from competing in girls’ sports and on the eve of its annual St. Pete Gala fundraiser. Is there someone you’d like to answer 9 Questions? Let us know!
What You Need To Know
- Spectrum Bay News 9's series spotlights notable members of the Tampa Bay community
- Nadine Smith is co-founder and executive director of Bay area-based Equality Florida
- Check back every week for a new "9 Questions with..."
Are you a Tampa Bay native? If not, where are you from?
No, I grew up in the Panhandle of Florida. Callaway.
How would you describe your job or claim to fame?
I'm the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Equality Florida, the statewide LGBTQ education and advocacy organization.
What’s your favorite Tampa Bay restaurant?
Pia's [Trattoria] in Gulfport.
Do you have a personal Tampa Bay “secret spot” and/or “hidden treasure”?
Dog walking at Clam Bayou.
What is your favorite Tampa Bay tradition?
High turnout elections.
What’s one thing many people don’t know about you that you’re willing to share with us?
I like a certain slice of country music. And battle rap.
If you could change one thing about the Tampa Bay area or your community specifically, what would it be?
More front porches on houses. More talking to neighbors.
What is your reaction to Florida’s bill banning trans athletes from women’s sports passing at the last minute after being added to a separate bill?
The passage of the trans bill was an underhanded act of cowardice from a GOP legislature so eager to pander to extremists that they do not care that they are harming children. In fact, the cruelty is the point. It is evidence of the complete capitulation of the entire Florida GOP leadership to Trumpism.
What’s one simple thing an individual could do to help further the causes of tolerance and equality in our community?
Follow the Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Be curious about experiences that are different from your own and develop empathy. This is a dangerous moment in American life. The shifting demographics toward a more multiracial, multicultural America has given rise to emboldened racism and phony nostalgia. We have to connect across a chasm of instigated division, manufactured grievance, and the strategic deployment of conspiracy theories to destabilize our country.