Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 1-1-16 Edition

Features
‘Black Lives Matter’ Member:
Black On Black Violence Must Be Dealt With
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
Community leaders and residents on both sides of Tampa Bay have said they are tired of the random acts of vio- lence that have cost the lives of young Black males, some still in their teens.
Law enforcement agencies have said it makes it difficult for them to investigate these in- cidents when the people won’t cooperate and let them know what’s going on.
“The problem is, the police don’t live in those neighbor- hoods, and don’t have to deal with the people every day,” said Crystal Wilson, local “Black Lives Matter” organizer.
“Right now in West Tampa, there is an issue with a mural that needs to be addressed, but since this is the holiday season, residents aren’t able to meet to discuss it. It’s the same when it comes to violence on their streets.”
Wilson said she feels part of the problem is people living in fear of their neighbors and their children, and there’s no reason for that.
“We’re all Black people suf- fering from the same inequali- ties and detrimental behavior.
“We can’t just sit back and wait until the violence parks it- self inside our homes to take action.”
Wilson said “Black Lives Matter” tries to bring attention to the importance of the need for African Americans to watch out for each other.
“Black Lives Matter”
doesn’t mean that other lives don’t. This is just a movement by African Americans in an ef- fort to stop the Black-on-Black violence and also deal with law enforcement’s role in the vio- lence.”
Wilson said by sitting back and doing nothing, the prob- lem will grow like a cancer, and pretty soon no African Ameri- can community will be a safe place to raise your children.
“To make a difference, sometimes you have to be the difference. We have meetings and talk about what action needs to be taken, but when it’s time to act, our numbers are pitiful.
“For this movement to be successful, it’s going to take everyone to see that all lives matter, especially Black Lives, and it’s going to have to be
CRYSTAL WILSON Local Black Lives Matter Organizer
something we as a people fix ourselves.”
Wilson travels all over the state and country trying to de- liver her message and get sup- port, and she says it’s been a hard road to travel.
“Getting support has been virtually impossible, because people don’t want to fund a movement, even if it’s for them and their children.
“When you look at what’s happening in St. Petersburg and what recently happened in Chicago, you will see that the time for action is now. We can no longer procrastinate and ex- pect our problems to disap- pear. They haven’t over all these years.”
Wilson said she believes if hope and prosperity is restored in the Black community, and education is again made a pri- ority, things will turn around.
“We’ve got to improve our- selves, then we can change things. We’ve got to say we’re fed up with losing so many of our young men, and speak out.
“We want people to bury their fear and join together. That’s where the power will come from. If you’re unified, no one and nothing can touch you.”
Wilson said she expects a lot of things to get kicked off in 2016, and she and members of “Black Lives Matter” will be hosting forums and going into the areas that need help the most.
“We’re hoping that we will be able to empower people by using the fear that has them hiding inside their homes. That fear needs to be put into per- spective, and the energy that it uses needs to be directed to solving problems instead of causing them.”
Youngster, 11, Chosen To Ride On Float In Rose Bowl Parade
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
It will be youngster’s first flight; 2nd flight for her mom
An 11-year-old student at Williams Middle Magnet School will have the opportu- nity of a lifetime. She’ll ride on a float along with 3 other girls in the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year’s Day.
Sarah Sheppard, daugh- ter of Mr. and Mrs. Ken- neth (Vanessa) Sheppard, has spent the past few days ex- plaining to her young friends about the trip to California and what she’ll be doing. But she’s wondering about her first flight ever.
First of all, her friends want to know about the Rose Bowl Parade and why is she in it.
The youngster wasn’t just given the trip to California, she had to work for it.
Sarah and her parents will leave for California on Mon- day, December 28th and return to Tampa on January 2, 2016. She’ll ride on the float on Fri- day.
A relative told Mrs. Shep- pard about a writing contest sponsored by Aids Healthcare
SARAH SHEPPARD ...To ride in Rose Bowl Parade New Year’s Day
Foundation (AHF) called “It’s Her Journey – A Girl’s World of Adventure” Rose Parade Celebration. Sarah did some research on it.
The research led her to an organization called Women Of Action (WOA), an organization for young women that pro- motes self-esteem and growing up making good decisions. Sarah also learned through her research that the organiza- tion started an event called, “She’s Her Ally,” for Interna- tional Day of the Girl Child. They sponsored events in sev- eral countries, including United States, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Mexico, China, and Russia.
After doing her research, Sarah entered the writing contest and was selected to re- ceive a 4-day trip to Los Ange- les, CA, for her and 2 members of her family, hotel accommo- dations at the W. Hotel in Hol- lywood, CA, a tea party, an American Girl event, pamper- ing (hair, nails, make-up), AHF outing and of course, the ride on a float in the Rose Pa- rade.
“Because of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, the local Arthritis Foundation, vice president, Susan Cuellar, have sponsored Sarah to at- tend summer camps at Camp Boggy Creek, a camp for kids with various illnesses,” Mrs. Sheppard explained. Phyllis Walters, a Guidance Coun- selor, told Mrs. Sheppard about the CROP program at HCC, which offers tutoring that Sarah has received.
“She has been blessed to be a part of several great organi- zations. She is just elated to have been chosen by AHF for this fabulous opportunity,” her mother stated.
Sarah’s hobbies are read- ing, listening to music, and dancing. She’d like to become an ophthalmologist or a pedia- trician.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-A