Page 2 - 6-28-16 Tuesday's Edition

Features
Congresswoman Castor Visits The Florida Sentinel Bulletin
Young Journalist Knew What He Wanted To Do
Early; Now He Will Help Cover The Olympics
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
Unlike most students, Aaron Burrell entered col- lege at Sacred Heart University already knowing he wanted to be a sports journalist.
Four years later, he’s living his dream as the newly named web editor for NBCOlympics.com.
The website is the official digital organ for all things re- lated to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
In his role, Mr. Burrell, 24, will be responsible for coor- dinating coverage from NBC news stations across the coun- try.
Mr. Burrell said the job will require him to verify news from more than 200 affiliates.
“That’s really exciting,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting out there and doing the best I can.”
A Tampa native and the son of Marva Duncan and the late Garfield Burrell, Mr. Burrell said sports and jour- nalism have always appealed to him. He grew up playing soccer and watching sportscasters Stuart Scott and Dan Patrick.
“It’s always something that I found united people, because we have that common interest – playing the game we love,” he said.
Mr. Burrell’s interest in journalism stems from his days as a student at Tampa Prepara- tory School where, to fulfill graduation requirement, he obtained an internship at the
Aaron Burrell will be work- ing with NBC.
Florida Sentinel Bulletin.
Already a lover of the writ- ten word, the internship al- lowed Mr. Burrell to improve his writing skills and intro- duced him to the business of newsgathering.
“It was amazing,” he said. “I really enjoyed my time at the Sentinel.”
By the time Mr. Burrell left for college, his future was cemented.
“I knew going in what I was going to do,” he said.
Mr. Burrell said upheaval in the field in recent years prompted him to focus on dig- ital news, rather than tradi- tional newspapers.
As a millennial, he’s be- come accustomed to receiving his news via a variety of online outlets.
Now, it’ll be his job to de- liver the news online and it’s a responsibility that Mr. Bur- rell says he takes much pride.
“There will always be a need to get that message out,” he said.
Congresswoman Kathy Castor, third from right, is shown with members of the Sentinel Editorial Board. From left, C. Blythe Andrews, III, Sentinel President; Professor James Tokley; retired business- man, Rubin Padgett; Sentinel Publisher, Kay Andrews; businessman Wilbert Malphus; and Apostle James H. Howell, Pastor, Cathedral of Faith Church.
Special From James Tokley
U. S. Representative (D) Kathy Castor visited the Florida Sentinel Bulletin edi- torial board, on last Tuesday.
She was welcomed by board members C. Blythe Andrews, III, Kay An- drews, Wilbert Malphus, Rubin Padgett, Apostle James H. Howell and James E. Tokley, Sr.
Though the mood of her visit was cordial, it barely con- cealed recent tension from a botched U. S. Senate vote to ratify a common-sense gun- control amendment, the first in American history. The De- mocrat-led Senatorial Amend- ment was defeated by Republican-led 53 to 47 vote to the negative (Cong. Castor voted for passage of the bills).
However, the more than
one hour Cong. Castor-Edi- torial Board discussion in- cluded a surprise initiative signed and supported by State Republicans and signed off by Governor Rick Scott to replace one of Florida’s state statues (Confederate General Ed- mund Kirby Smith) with one of a list of possible candi- dates, which include educator Mary McLeod Bethune (top of the list), author-social scientist Zora Neale Hurston, poet-author of the Black National Anthem James Weldon Johnson, civil rights martyr Harry T. Moore, and (longshot) singer-composer Ray Charles, Black notables in Floridian history.
But statues were not the only issues broached at this historic meeting. The epidemic issue of pharmaceutical profi- teering was brought out
wherein drug companies charge exorbitant prices for their products, which medical insurance companies refuse to underwrite causing consumers to fork out the cost from their pockets or go without medi- cine to run the risk of further illness or death.
Cong. Castor pledged her support in a fight against a pharmaceutical practice which was unethical if not criminal. Admitting her frustration with D. C. lobbyists, multi-billion dollar corporations, and other special interest groups who seemed to have usurped the power to make progress, Cong. Castor nevertheless reaffirmed her belief in what she called “the People’s Power,” despite an obviously successful racist Alice-in- Wonderland Congress.
However, what was most impressive about a visit that hasn’t happened often in past local history was the fact that the 9-year U. S. Representative for Florida’s 14th Congressional District has not lost her touch or interest in local matters.
The status of housing and the still emergent Encore proj- ect was talked about along with the most recent TBX issue and its further impact on a history that often has seen Black communities eaten up by expanding highways and real estate gentrification.
Though Cong. Castor was congratulated for her sup- port of programs important to Tampa-Hillsborough County’s Black community, Editorial Board members continued re- minding her that the struggle for equality of policy as well as economy remain unfinished and unbalanced. Cong. Cas- tor agreed and by so doing, she also pledged to return to the Sentinel on a regular basis.
As hugs and handshakes were exchanged, our represen- tative on Capitol Hill repeated her pledge to make her assis- tance even more notable in combined Black communities back at home. We thanked her for her pledges and opinions. But we promised, “eye-to-eye” to keep Congresswoman Castor accountable to her promise.
PAGE 2 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2016