Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 1-18-19

Feature
Gentlemen’s Ball Proceeds To Be Used To Help Combat Human Trafficking
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
Chris King knows a thing or two about being a fashionable gentleman.
After all, he learned from one of the best: his grandfa- ther was legendary bluesman B. B. King, who – aside from his music – was well- known for his dapper ap- pearance.
It’s a trait that Chris said the “Thrill is Gone” singer passed along to him while he served many years as his grandfather’s assistant road manager.
“He gave it to me,” he said. “He had all the style. The man was iconic in every- thing.”
If you caught B. B. King in the last few years before his 2015 death, you likely would have seen him don tai- lored suits with paisley prints and floral textures – all
Chris King and his grandfather the late, B. B. King.
signed to teaching others style and grace. His bigger purpose while demonstrat- ing the proper technique to tie a bowtie, is lecturing about anti-human traffick- ing.
“The only way I’ve found to remedy (human traffick- ing) is awareness,” he said. “There are a lot of people that are not aware of what’s going on.”
King said he, too, was unaware until a few years ago when he volunteered at a group home for young girls who are victims of sex traf- ficking.
The experience left him determined to educate others about human rights and how to eradicate the crisis, he said.
It’s necessary work in Florida. According to the Po- laris Project – a Washington- based nonprofit – the state ranks third behind California and Texas in cases based on the number of calls to the na- tional trafficking hotline.
King said he’s commit- ted to battling the problem and has put his nonprofit be- hind the cause. A portion of
the proceeds from the orga- nization’s annual fundraiser, The Gentlemen’s Ball, is do- nated to groups that fight human trafficking.
The next ball takes place beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 19, at Clearwater’s Fort Harrison Hotel.
It’s a chance to not only show off personal fashion sense while hearing the sto- ries of survivors.
And maybe rope more fighters into ending human trafficking, he said.
“It’s a real issue,” he said.
Report info, get help,
learn more about human trafficking
January is Human Traf- ficking Awareness Month. If you suspect human traffick- ing, call 1-866-347-2423. If you need help, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to Be- Free (233733). Learn more at www.humantraffickinghot- line.org. Find info about The
picked out by Chris. Personal representation –
including manner of style – was important to B. B., Chris said.
“He had rules,” he said. “There was a certain dress code. If you didn’t follow the
rules, you were fined or you didn’t come to work.”
Chris King, who lives in Tampa, is now sharing the lessons learned from his grandfather with others through his nonprofit, The Gentlemen’s Course, Inc., which is geared to teaching men – both young and adults – to dress well for any occa- sion, proper grooming, and etiquette.
But King said the core of his mission isn’t just too re-
Gentlemen’s Ball www.thegentcourse.com.
at
FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-A