Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 4-16-21

Features
National Urban League Reinstates Local Branch
BY MONIQUE STAMPS Sentinel Staff Writer
Since 2006, Hillsborough County has been without one of the bastions of civil rights in America, an affiliate of the National Urban League. Those days are now over as a local group has achieved re- instatement from the organi- zation.
A local sponsoring group has been working for years to achieve the goal of bringing the Urban League back to the Tampa Bay area. The new af- filiate will be named the Urban League of Hillsbor- ough County (ULHC.)
In 2018, members from the national organization vis- ited Tampa to do an assess- ment to determine the critical need for the organization’s returned presence.
Early advocate and facili- tator, businessman Stanley Gray has been leading the charge to reestablish the affil- iate.
Today, the affiliate has an executive board that includes Nicholas Glover, Natasha Goodley, Sammy Hicks, Karen Perez, Lionel But- ler, Christopher Harris, Christopher Hunter, Debra Bellanti, Charles Klug, Les Miller, Ken
Ray, Jerome Ryans, Ron Weaver, Jim Kirkpatrick, Sarah Lahlou-Amine, and Vanessa McCleary.
The mission of the ULHC is to assist with the attain- ment of economic equity for the African American and mi- nority communities of Hills- borough County through “hands up” and collaborative means. They have five areas of focus: education, housing, health awareness, judicial and legal, and employment.
Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment to elevate the standard of liv- ing in historically under- served urban communities. Today, the National Urban League has 90 affiliates serv- ing 300 communities, in 37 states and the District of Co- lumbia, providing direct serv- ices that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 mil- lion people nationwide.
The Urban League offers many different levels of memberships, from individ- ual memberships to member- ships for students. Email info@ulhc.org for more in- formation.
Tampan Is Florida’s 2021 Social Work Educator Of The Year
DR. DEBRA THROWER, MSW, Ph.D ...Social Work Educator of the Year
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
March was National Social Work Month
The National Association of Social Workers, Florida Chapter, celebrated National Social Work Month via Zoom on March 31, 2021. There were approximately 100 persons on the Zoom event. One of those was Tampan Dr. Debra E. Thrower MSW, Ph.D. Also on the Zoom were the National President, Mildred “Mit” C. Joyner, DPS, MSW, BSW, LCSW, who was the speaker, and the Tampa Bay Unit Chair, Susan Barber, LCSW, MCAP.
A part of the celebration was naming the “2021 Social Work Educator of the Year.”
That award went to Dr. Thrower, National Association of Social Workers, Florida Chapter, Tampa Bay Unit. Her plaque says “For outstand- ing contributions to the social work profession and the community.” She gives God the glory for her award recognition. And expresses gratitude
to her students for having a part in making this happen.
“I am staying humble. I’m honored to teach these undergraduate students,” she said.
Dr. Thrower is an Undergraduate Social Work Instructor in the College of Education and Social Services a St. Leo University, Tampa Cen- ter, where she has been a fulltime employee since 2017. She obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from the University of South Florida and a Graduate Certificate in Eval- uation.
Dr. Thrower is a Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern. She earned her Ph.D. in Social Work with a concentration in Administration at Walden University.
She has been a Social Work Field Instructor since 1996, and has supervised several under- graduate social work students in a variety of clin- ical and non-clinical field settings.
Her professional background includes direct practice, community outreach, program manage- ment and evaluation, consultation, research as- sistance, academic administration and social work education.
“Social workers are called upon to be change agents -- to help individuals, families/groups, communities and organizations cope with change,” she explained.
Dr. Thrower enjoys home decorating while listening to gospel and old school music.
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