Donna Deegan tells her story in emotional FSU commencement speech. (A.G. Gancarski, Florida Politics)

I love Donna Deegan. We were seated at the same candidate table at a 2020 event at the Willie Galimore Center.  I love how her election in Jacksonville puts the lie to the Madison Avenue malarkey and mendacity circulated by Dull Republicans, that "no Democrat" can ever win here in adjoining St. Johns County.  We've elected proud Democrats to public office, including Jeanne Moller, Trish Becker, et al.  Ignore Yul Nivver and the rote Republican propaganda.  As Donna Deegan said in her FSU commencement address, "“When you walk out of here tonight, carry love with you. Fear is a liar meant to keep you down. And no matter what may come your way, instead of judging it, just stay curious. The unconquered spirit will light your path.”   More here:  https://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2018/08/dont-be-discouraged-by-yul-nivver.html

Donna Deegan tells her story in emotional FSU commencement speech. 

By A.G. Gancarski, Florida Politics, May 4, 2024

'When you walk out of here tonight, carry love with you.'

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan spoke at Florida State University’scommencement for the colleges of Fine Arts, Communication and Information, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Social Work and Music

She talked about a number of topics, including her family, her time at FSU, her television career, her personal health struggles, her win in the 2023 mayoral race, and Seminoles football coach Mike Norvell.

And along the way, she encouraged recent grads to take a trip east on Interstate 10 and consider Jacksonville for their homes.

Among the ruminations on her family: a discussion of its legacy at FSU, where one of her children followed in her collegiate footsteps, illustrating that despite being platformed to speak, it wasn’t that long ago the Mayor was one of the parents in attendance herself.

“As I look out over this sea of beautiful people, I’m reminded of my son Drew’sgraduation back in 2017. I was one of those parents with the cell phone, trying to find him in the crowd. Screaming inappropriately when he crossed the stage and videoing every step. I’m proud to say he’s here with me tonight. And it goes without saying, since my daughter decided to attend college at what I affectionately call ‘the evil empire,’ Drew is in fact my favorite child,” Deegan said, joking about the University of Florida in Gainesville along the way.

The Jacksonville Mayor also discussed her own time in Tallahassee, and how her college career led to her accomplishing her “dream of becoming a broadcast journalist.”

“It was quite the leap, given that I was deathly afraid of public speaking, a hurdle I wasn’t sure I could get over. You see, I always loved journalism, but figured I’d hide behind a headline in the newspaper. It wasn’t until Dr. Sandra Rackley that I truly believed I could conquer my fears and step in front of the camera. You learn who you are when you face adversity, she said. Get past your fear, and everything’s possible.”

(On Sunday, Deegan stressed in comments to Florida Politics that she meant by the “newspaper” line that there were “new opportunities for women in broadcast” and that she saw herself as a “writer at (her) core” who was “not comfortable speaking in front of people” before her time at Florida State.)

She noted that college work led her to covering then-Gov. Bob Graham in Tallahassee, before describing her own cancer journey and dismissing “pundits” who dismissed her chances of becoming Mayor even though she led in all public polling of the race.

“Last year, believing I could help more people if I could influence public policy, I ran for Mayor of Jacksonville. My platform was ‘change for good’ and built on a message of unity. True to my promise I didn’t run one negative ad. I just couldn’t see how tearing our community apart could ever move us forward. Some of my consultants thought it a flawed strategy. The pundits gave me no serious shot to win. But on May 16th people from across the political spectrum swept me into office and on July 1st I was sworn in as the first female Mayor of the 10th largest city in the country.”

Deegan also referenced the man who brought the Seminoles football program back to relevance nationally also.

“It takes a great deal of practice, a gratitude for everything that comes. But to be unconquered doesn’t mean to always get what we want, Coach Norvell could host a clinic on that – to be unconquered means to ultimately embrace what we get.”

Additionally, she urged graduates to “consider Jacksonville when you’re looking for a place to set down roots.”

“I am working every day to make it a destination city that new graduates will be proud to call home, and I could use a lot more garnet and gold in my life.”

Finally, she closed on an aspirational note.

“When you walk out of here tonight, carry love with you. Fear is a liar meant to keep you down. And no matter what may come your way, instead of judging it, just stay curious. The unconquered spirit will light your path.”

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has written for FloridaPolitics.com since 2014. He is based in Northeast Florida. He can be reached at AG@FloridaPolitics.com or on Twitter: @AGGancarski