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The Tampa Theater Will Host ‘Black Love’ Movie Series For Black History Month
USF Receives $1 Million Gift To Create Scholarships For Low-Income Hillsborough County Students
RHEA LAW ...USF President
The University of South Florida an- nounced last week a $1 million gift from Connie and Tony Leung, founders of Sanwa Food Group, to establish the Leung Family Scholarships.
The gift, made through the USF Founda- tion, will support students who graduated from high schools in southern Hillsborough County, including the areas of Ruskin, Apollo Beach and Wimauma.
Beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year, the scholarship will have a minimum of four recipients with annual awards of $10,000 each.
“We are grateful to the Leungs for their foresight and generosity in establishing this scholarship,” said USF President Rhea
Law. “The Leung Family Scholarship will make the dream of a college education pos- sible for students who may not otherwise be able to afford one.”
The Leungs were inspired to give back to the community that supported their busi- ness, Sanwa Food Group, which was founded in Ruskin in 1981.
At the time, the area was mostly farm- land and Interstate 75 had yet to be com- pleted. Today, it is one of the fastest-growing areas in the county.
“We did all our business for the first 30 years in south Hillsborough County, farm- ing in the area,” said Tony Leung, who started out growing Chinese cabbages and melons. Sanwa has since grown and evolved into a regional food distribution company with warehouses in Tampa and Atlanta. “We wanted to give back to the area that invested in us.”
The Leungs particularly hope to help students from low-income and migrant fam- ilies. Tony, one of eight children, was the first in his family to finish college.
Both of Connie Leung’s parents were educators, so it has always been important to her. “I think the best investment anybody can give to their children is education, not money,” she said.
This is the Leungs’ second USF scholar- ship. In 2009, they established the Leung Global Experience Scholarship, which they endowed in 2011 and then earmarked for students in the Muma College of Business in 2016. The scholarship subsidizes a study abroad experience, which is significant to the Leungs. Both natives of Hong Kong, the couple met while attending Guelph Uni- versity in Ontario, Canada.
TAMPA THEATER
The Tampa Theatre will be holding a special movie series in honor of Black His- tory Month. The series, titled Black Love, is presented by TECO Energy.
The series is being pro- duced in collaboration with the City of Tampa’s Commu- nity Engagement & Partner- ships Department. Each film will be presented in partner- ship with community leaders and organizations with deep roots in Tampa’s Black com- munity.
The celebration of some of the most iconic Black love
stories shows the depth of stories told by African Amer- ican filmmakers with di- verse, primarily BIPOC casts.
During Black History Month, four films will be shown as a part of the series, including "Love and Basket- ball," "Love Jones," "Ma- hogany" and "Waves."
Tickets for the Black Love Series are $7 for members and $10 for all others. Tick- ets can be purchased at the box office at 711 N. Franklin Street, Tampa, FL 33602, or online at tampatheatre.org.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2022 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY PAGE 11-A