Page 9 - Florida Sentinel 4-30-19

Feature
Sorority Honors Activist With Social Action Award
Soror Chloe Coney, left, is shown with Soror Charnell Williams, President of Tampa Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. The presentation took place on April 1st.
Among those at the presentation were from left to right: Charnell Williams, President of Tampa Met- ropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., Dr. Paulette Walker, 25th National President of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., Chloe Coney, the honoree, and Ouida Hilton.
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Earlier this month, a local sorority honored one of its own for her contributions to her community. The presenta- tion of the Social Action Award took place during the 25th An- nual Florida Delta Days at the Capital.
Mrs. Chloe Coney was recognized for her dedication and advocacy for affordable housing, educational outreach programs, and work that fo- cused on educational develop- ment, economic development, physical and mental health, and political awareness.
A native of Punta Gorda, Mrs. Coney is the daughter of Willis and Mary Evans. Her family moved to Tampa, when she was four.
At the age of 13, she helped to integrate the Hillsborough County Public School District (1963) and graduated from Hillsborough High School with honors in 1968. Mrs. Coney earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science/Corrections from Florida A &M University. She completed her Master’s De- gree in Biblical Counseling from Florida Beacon College in Largo, Florida in 1988.
After college, she began her professional career as the first Black Female Probation and Parole officer in Hillsborough County in 1972.
Mrs. Coney was also the first African American hired as a Marketing Representative with Florida Power, Inc.
In 1989, Mrs. Coney was hired as the Center Manager of
the Lee Davis Neighborhood Center.
She is also known for her involvement with the Weed and Seed program and helped to clean up the street and build the Nehemiah Laundromat and Audrey Spotford Youth Center sending over 400 chil- dren to College.
She became the Founder/ first President/CEO of the Corporation to Develop Com-
munities of Tampa (CDC of Tampa, Inc.). Under Mrs. Coney’s leadership, CDC brought into East Tampa over $50 million of joint venture public/private dollars.
In 2006, Mrs. Coney closed one chapter of her life and launched another when she became the District Direc- tor for U. S. Rep. Kathy Cas- tor, who represents the 14th Congressional District of
Florida.
With nearly 40 years of ad-
vocating for community build- ing and revitalizing neighborhoods, Mrs. Coney conducts workshops across the country. She is also the re- cipient of numerous awards and accolades.
Mrs. Coney is married to Pastor Ernest M. Coney, Sr., and they have three chil- dren and three grandchildren.
TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 9