The Seminole County NAACP Vows to Stand Firm in the Fight for Justice

The Seminole County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People held its 72nd Annual Freedom Fund Awards Banquet  on June 1 at the Sanford Civic Center.  The theme for the evening was "We Shall Not Be Moved."  Faye Henderson and Gospel Praise provided world class gospel and jazz entertainment throughout the evening. 

The guest speaker, Dr. Peola Butler-Jackson, asked the question, "From what are you not going to be moved?"  Dr. Butler-Jackson is the founder and president of DEWS Associates.  She is an international motivational speaker, lecturer, consultant and researcher.  She is passionate about community uplift and promoting world peace.  Her passion led her to Sanford, where she gave a fiery speech that was part pow-wow, part scolding and part history lesson.

Dr. Butler-Jackson started the speech by warning that the NAACP may not ever invite her back after hearing what she had to say.  She said that she was tired of "feel-good sessions" where everyone goes home and then back to the status quo.  Dr. Butler Jackson admonished the crowd that the African American community as a whole (and in Seminole County specifically) has some serious problems that need to be dealt with.  She said that the issues are so grave that "there is a coming generation that can take us back into slavery."  She mentioned the challenges of teen pregnancy, educational failure, and disproportionate prison rates.  She directed each listener to look in the mirror and ask, "What am I doing to make a difference?"

Dr. Butler-Jackson also warned the NAACP to fire up the younger members of the community to get involved, because "an organization that has more old people than young is a dying organization."

Turner Clayton, Jr., the branch president, answered Dr. Butler-Jackson's question, saying the branch would not be moved from its mission to make sure that all students receive a quality education and that all citizens are treated fairly under the law.  He said that the minority community of Seminole County will never go back to second-class citizenship and that there will be justice for all people.

Several awards were given to the community leaders of Seminole County.  Gloria Cummings received an award for earning "Life Member" status in the NAACP.  Pastor Valerie Houston (Allen Chapel AME Church), Pastor Lowman Oliver (St. Paul M.B. Church) and Dr. Velma Williams (Sanford City Commission) were presented with presidential awards for their dedication to bringing about justice for Trayvon Martin. Clayton was presented with the "Earl T. Shinholster Through the Storm Award."   This award is given by the Southeast Region of the NAACP, which consists of the states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

If you would like to become a part of the Seminole County Chapter of the NAACP, you can call (407) 328-7496 or send e-mail to naacp-seminole@prodigy.net.  You can join or get more information at www.naacp.org.

Ladies of Sanford PMF Club Deliver a Taste of Kentucky

The sisters of the Pearlie Mae Ford Community Service Club of Sanford gave Central Florida "A Taste of the Kentucky Derby" on Saturday, May 4 at the Longwood Community Center.  The ladies put on a party like no other, drawing both women and men of all ages to strut their stuff and show off their fiercest hats.

They danced everything from the "Twist" to the "Cupid Shuffle", ate delicious Southern-style food, took pictures with "Cinnamon the Horse", watched "Orb" win the race and of course delivered some serious swag in fabulous hats of all sizes, colors and styles.  Now the evening was fun-filled, but the party also had a purpose.  The ladies held the event to raise money for their scholarship fund.

PMF just celebrated its one-year anniversary.  The club mission is to assist in community programs, support charities, provide scholarships and provide support and encouragement to its members.  The club motto is "Changing Lives...One Pearl at a Time." They support programs such as the Seminole County Public Schools "Red Bag Campaign," Wicklow and Hamilton Elementary School projects, and "Dress for Success Greater Orlando."  In just one year, PMF has already made a mighty impact in Sanford!

If you are interested in working to make our community stronger by building bonds of sisterhood and love or to find out scholarship information, you can contact PMF at (407) 592-1850.

Seminole School Board Rezoning Could Unfairly Impact Black Students

    
The Seminole County School Board will have a very important meeting on February 25 to vote on rezoning. Students will have to be shifted around because of overcrowding at many elementary schools.

      At the meeting on Monday, board members will vote on a plan. The board could vote to do away with the Northwest Cluster (a cluster of schools that includes Bentley, Wilson, Wicklow, Crystal Lake, and Idyllwilde). This would take away school choice altogether. The favored plan is to keep the cluster and divide it into two regions. Currently, students in the cluster can attend any school within the cluster.

      Of course, any time rezoning comes up in any district, there will be controversy. Many parents do not want rezoning because their children will have to change schools. This can be both inconvenient and traumatic for students.

      However, some of the controversy is due to issues of race and class. The district is supposed to maintain a racial and economic balance due to a federal order and an agreement with the federal government. However, it doesn't look like the plans are really addressing this issue at all. The more affluent schools such as Heathrow and Wilson will remain lily white. (It seems that some of the parents at these schools are concerned that there could be a negative impact on property values if color is added to the campus). Often, schools in more affluent neighborhoods have better resources and more experienced teachers. Shouldn't all students have access to the best?

      The rezoning issue also affects black students because the students who live in the predominately black (and not so affluent) neighborhoods (Lincoln Heights, Academy Manor, Lockhart and Goldsboro) that are attending Idllywilde Elementary could be forced to change schools, depending on which plan is chosen. It would certainly not be fair to put all of the burden and inconvenience on this group.

      Regardless of which plan we favor, we need to get out to the meeting to let the Board know we care about and support our children. We need to make sure that the burden of rezoning is equally shared and that all of the students have access to a top quality education. Then we need to keep showing up and participating to make sure that no matter what school they attend, all of our children will excel.

The meeting will be held on Monday, February 25 at Seminole County Public Schools (400 E. Lake Mary Blvd) at 5:30 p.m.

Big Trouble in Little Sanford

Sanford is a small town with people whose roots go way deep. Its image was tarnished last year because of the killing of Trayvon Martin. I have heard a few say Sanford's image was unfairly stained by the whole situation. In fact, the City of Sanford and local groups are working to "restore" Sanford’s old fashioned charm. But before we take out the cans of fresh paint, I think we are going to have to do some further examination. Since Trayvon Martin’s death, there have been more shootings of young black men. Just as senseless. Just as tragic. The difference is most of these shootings have been by other young black men. Reports say many of the shootings are the result of a killing that took place 10 years ago, causing a war between two groups from two different neighborhoods. As far as I know, there have been no marches. There have been no rallies. No prayer vigils. No tributes. No memorials. Just sad funeral after sad funeral. Weeping mother after weeping mother. Sanford is a small town. (I used to think it was the smallest.) But it has the same big problems among black males as big cities like Chicago and Detroit. I’ve been asking myself what can we do. I know many others are asking the same question. I’ve heard it said that all this is a result of God’s judgment. Well if God is punishing, whose actions are under indictment? Is it the young men or is it us who have failed to help nurture, teach and raise them? What about when some “innocent” person gets caught in the crossfire? We’ve all heard the saying... bullets don’t have names on them. What about the next Trayvon Martin or Jordan Davis who gets taken to be “one of the thugs?” How many more jail cells need to be filled? How many more funerals do we need to have before we stop pointing the finger and do something about this? It’s going to take more than a march. More than gun control. More than a speech. More than a t-shirt. And more than a superficial image makeover. We have a much bigger restoration project. The churches, organizations and individuals need to ask themselves are they doing enough? I know I am asking myself what more can I do.

Sanford Speaks Up About Trayvon Martin...Keep Talking

The death of Trayvon Martin transformed our tiny riverside town of Sanford, FL into a media magnet. The city was overrun with local, national and even international news organizations. National leaders like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson came to town. Before the shooting, we had to go to Atlanta to see a CNN truck. But in the last few weeks, it’s become a common occurrence to see one parked right there on 13th Street.

But soon, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and CNN will move on to the next case. Although we appreciate the attention this all brought to the injustices in Sanford, they all have to go home at some point. Some people criticize them for coming, saying they are all exploiting the tragic situation. There is even a sign on French Ave. saying Al Sharpton doesn’t speak for Sanford. But I’m grateful. If they wouldn’t have come here, Trayvon would have been just another dead black boy in Sanford. We here in town know there have been quite a few senseless and tragic deaths. But those all got ignored. That’s why many in Sanford are saying God used Trayvon to shine the light on Sanford.

But now what? Trayvon Martin was not the first black boy to fall victim to an unjust system. What will we do for the black boys who still live in Sanford? The ones who still walk these streets, viewed as suspicious. Our boys are profiled and sized up at a very early age, even at birth. We tell them to pull their pants up, speak good English and stay in school. However, the irony is that the profiling often begins in school.

When a little black boy walks into the classroom, the teacher has often formed an opinion of him before he says one word. Just like the walk Trayvon took from 7-Eleven to his stepmom’s house, the school system is a treacherous path that way too often leads to tragedy for black boys. They are more likely to be placed in remedial classes. They are more likely to be sent to the principal’s office. They are more likely to be suspended. They are more likely to drop out. They are more likely to find some criminal way to support themselves. They are more likely to go to jail. They are more likely to get the death penalty than anyone else. So black boys are way more likely to have their lives cut short by a bad education than by a racist vigilante.

Let’s rally together about that. Let’s march and protest and argue and discuss the system that is killing our boys. Let’s fight for them. We need them. They need us. We don’t have to wait for Rev. Sharpton to do this. If we want to change the criminal justice, educational, or political systems. We can do it. We can join together and make it happen. Enough little voices can have just as much power as one big voice. Here are a few ways to get started in Seminole County:


Register to vote or run for office.

Seminole County Supervisor of Elections
http://www.voteseminole.org


Go to government meetings.

Seminole County Commission
http://seminolecountyfl.gov/bcc

Seminole County School Board

http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/schoolboard/Home


Join civic organizations.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
www.naacp.org

National Urban League
www.cful.org


Volunteer in a school.

Seminole County Dividends
http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/dividends/Home

Sanford Lofts Becoming a Hot Topic: Let's Stay Focused

The piece that ran in the Sanford Herald on the Sanford Lofts was never intended as a letter to the editor. I wrote that as a blog entry for my community, friends and family. I sent a link to my post to the Sanford Herald, because nothing but oppositional pieces had been written about the Sanford Lofts. I wanted to show that there was support for the project. The reporter also wanted to run the piece to show the other side of the argument. I never expected the anger and venom that came as a result.

I would like to clarify that I never said the Sanford Lofts issue is a race issue. In fact, I couldn’t care less whether the people who are against it are racists, classists or elitist. That does not matter one bit. It doesn’t even matter that those who spoke up against the project at public meetings made racists, classist and elitist comments. (Though they certainly did.)

What matters is that our local governments have not come out to explain why they are not moving on this project. In fact, at the last city commission meeting, commissioners would not even listen to those in support of the project. I don’t expect an explanation from any of the citizens as to why they don’t want the Sanford Lofts project downtown. I don’t know any of those who spoke at the meetings or wrote in response to my blog post. With all due respect, their personal beliefs don’t really matter much to me at all. But I do expect an explanation from the local government to which I pay taxes. Citizens have the right to be racist, classist and elitist. However, our government does not have the right to base its decisions on prejudice.

Florida SPECS owns the property downtown. They have the right to build whatever they want, unless the City of Sanford and Seminole County give good reasons why this property owner can not go forward. So if our governments have other reasons for being against the project, they need to state them. This was the purpose of my blog post.

County & City Could Make Sanford Lofts Dream Homes for Senior Citizens a Nightmare

Minority companies and organizations are striving and making strides toward greatness in Seminole County. Unfortunately, in one case the powers that be (and who have always been) are working to block instead of promote this achievement.

Florida SPECS is a minority-controlled, nonprofit organization that is working to improve often blighted and underserved communities across Florida. They are based in Seminole County. The organization has been recognized for helping to improve the quality of life for people in Orange, Osceola, Volusia and Duval counties. However, it is in its hometown where it seems to be least appreciated, even unwanted.

The entire board of directors from Florida SPECS is from Seminole County. Most members are from Sanford. When an opportunity to serve in Seminole County came to the operators of Florida SPECS, they jumped at it, excited to finally give back to the community in which they lived and were raised. Seminole County received funding to build housing for low income senior citizens. They sent out an announcement asking various companies and organizations to send in proposals for the project. Florida SPECS won the bid to do what became known as the Sanford Lofts Project three years ago.

Once their plans were approved, they purchased the land and got ready to commence building. However, they have had nothing but contention and strife from some members of the staffs of Seminole County and the City of Sanford ever since. They were asked to change the plans numerous times. What seemed to be unnecessary requirements were put upon them. For example, they were required to purchase insurance for the land on which the housing is to be built, before anything has been built. However, they complied with all the rules and submitted to all the requirements. Even staff from the department of Housing and Urban Development (who oversees this funding provided to the County) said the requirement to maintain insurance on an empty piece of land is ridiculous. Florida SPECS used its own money to make all the changes and purchase the land and insurance.

Why such a hassle has been given to a hometown company is a mystery. When people suggested to the members of Florida SPECS that it might be because of the color of their skin, they balked. Even when a white former government official told them that their problems were due to skin color (and even offered to take over the project for them so that it would go through more smoothly), they didn’t want to believe that this would happen in the town that they love. Even when the former mayor, Linda Kuhn blatantly said that affordable housing would attract unwanted residents, the idealistic members of Florida SPECS didn’t want to sound any alarms that would damage the reputation of Sanford and Seminole County. Kuhn and others came to a public meeting held in April of 2011 to “voice their concerns” about the project. However, their “concerns” amounted to nothing more than a litany of elitist, racist and classist attacks against the Sanford Loft Project and the very people who built and live in Sanford. These citizens said that they did not want to attract seniors or low income people to downtown. Well, exactly who do they think might be visiting the farmers markets, stores and antique shops in downtown Sanford, rich teenagers?

Now the project is in jeopardy. A deadline is looming for Florida SPECS to meet with the Sanford City Commission. They have requested to be placed on the commission meeting agenda for months. They have received no communication regarding this request. No one is talking to Florida SPECS. However, the County and the City are talking to each other. And neither seems to want Florida SPECS or certain Sanford citizens to make any progress.

Florida SPECS was looking to put up a beautiful building that would enhance downtown Sanford and attract people of all ages, races and classes. Even though the housing would be for senior citizens on fixed incomes, it will be of high quality and well kept. Seniors have already been inquiring about the facility. These people are not riff raff to be kept out. They are hard working members of society who have given to the community already. They would just like a nice place to call home in their golden years. They would love to visit the farmers market on Saturdays. I’m sure their visiting children and grandchildren would too. However, if some in the City of Sanford and Seminole County have their way, the dream for our elders will die on Monday, August 22.

If you are in support of progress, contact your city and county commissioners. Let them know that all ages are welcome and wanted in Sanford. Also, you can attend the upcoming Sanford City Commission meeting on Monday, August 22 at 7 p.m.

Seminole County Commission

District 1 (407) 665-7215 Bob Dallari
District 2 (407) 665-7205 John Horan
District 3 (407) 665-7207 Dick Van Der Weide
District 4 (407) 665-7201 Carlton D. Henley
District 5 (407) 665-7209 Brenda Carey (Chairman)

City of Sanford Commission

Jeff Triplett, Mayor, Jeff.Triplett@sanfordfl.gov
Mark McCarty, Commissioner, District 1, Mark.McCarty@sanfordfl.gov
Velma Williams, Commissioner, District 2, williamv@sanfordfl.gov
Randy Jones, Commissioner, Dsitrict 3, jonesr@sanfordfl.gov
Patty Mahany, Commissioner, District 4 pmahany@sanfordfl.gov