Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 12-19-17

Features
Woman Starts Non-Profit To Assist Women Who Have Made ‘Bad’ Decisions
LINDA WALKER ...With Certificate when she was honored earlier this year by the Federal Bureau of Inves- tigation (FBI).
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
Linda Walker has com- passion for people who have traveled down the wrong path, or as she puts it, “have made bad decisions in their lives.” She has been there, where she lost everything. However, a woman stepped into her life that made all the difference.
Margaret Palmer, Ex- ecutive Director of Hillsbor- ough House of Hope, a 501 C3 non-profit organization, whose mission is “to give women incarcerated in the Hillsborough County Jail the
Faith Works Empowerment Initiative, Inc.
opportunity to successfully reenter the community and become the women God cre- ated them to be, doing what He created them to do, through Christian counsel- ing, practical help, love and support,” gave Ms. Walker another chance.
Ms. Walker, Program Manager for Hillsborough House of Hope, has started a non-profit, Faith Works Em- powerment Initiative, Inc., that will assist those women who graduate from Hillsbor- ough House of Hope.
“I see so many trying to get on track after they’ve made bad decisions, but there is nowhere for them to turn. I’m going in on the tail end of Hillsborough House of
Hope to help embrace these persons.”
Faith Works Empower- ment Initiative, Inc. will be a thrift store to provide em- ployment and jobs skills training to individuals in Tampa.
Those who come into the program will be employed and trained twice a month in Communications, Budgeting and Dressing Appropriately.
“I see some who come here that don’t know these things. I see some coming for job interviews in flip-flops and hair bonnets. I tell them, ‘if I was hiring, I would not hire them.’ So, our intent after they finish Hillsbor- ough House of Hope is to train them in these areas,” Ms. Walker said.
Last weekend, State Rep- resentative Daryl Rou- son assisted with the organization’s first fundraiser, “Black and Gold Ball.” Funds raised will be used for the startup of getting a building to house the thrift store.
In addition to getting in on the tail end of Hillsbor- ough House of Hope, Faith Works Empowerment Initia- tive, Inc., Ms. Walker is also taking tips from the pro- gram headed by Katie McGill of Dress For Success.
The mission of Faith Works Empowerment Initia- tive, Inc., is: “To care for people, empowering them with employment and life skills to improve their qual- ity of life, allowing them to become productive citizens and making a better com- munity.”
Ms. Walker is the founder and Chair of the Board of Directors. Those who serve on the Board with Ms. Walker (Executive Di- rector) are: Sharon West, Atty. Elona Greenway, Brenda Greenway, Pas- tor Sobrenis Harrison and Latausha Hawkins.
TOBA Announces Speaker For 2018 38th Annual Leadership Breakfast
The speaker for the 2018 Tampa Organization of Black Affairs (TOBA) 2018 Dr. Mar- tin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Breakfast is Rev. R. Janae Pitts-Murdock, a native of Detroit, Michigan. Currently, she resides in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where she is em- ployed by the City of Fayet- teville.
The committee explains, “Rev. Murdock came highly recommended by our dear friend, Dr. Paulette C. Walker, former National President, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.”
Rev. Murdock was or- dained into the gospel ministry at New Bethel Baptist Church. She travels the nation inspiring young people to live their best lives.
She is a graduate of the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies, Carnegie Mellon Uni- versity with a Master of Sci- ence degree in Public Policy Management, United Theolog- ical Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree; and Master of Business Administration de- gree at the University of Mem- phis.
Currently, Rev. Murdock is a candidate of the Doctor of Philosophy of African Ameri- can Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric.
Among her many affilia- tions, she is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and recently served as Chaplain of the Southern Region. She and her husband, Jeffrey Allen Murdock, Ph.D., are the par- ents of 2 children.
The Tampa Organization of Black Affairs (TOBA) was founded in 1979 and has hosted its Annual TOBA Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lead- ership Breakfast since 1980. The 38th annual event will be held on Monday, January 15, 2018, bringing together the public and private business sectors and the community-at-
REV. R. JANAE PITTS-MURDOCK ...Speaker for the 2018 TOBA
Leadership Breakfast
large to honor the principles and ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and foster positive community relations.
This event features a keynote address by a nationally recognized speaker; awards to unsung heroes; honors corpo- rations and individuals for their positive contributions to the special interest of the African American community, among others.
Funds from this event are used to enhance support of TOBA’s youth development, business and economic devel- opment, political education/voter participation, leadership development other program initiatives. Tickets are already on sale.
The leadership and others gathered at the breakfast event are reminded about the sacri- fices made during the civil rights movement led by Dr. King, the successes achieved and the obligation to carry on the ideals that Dr. King repre- sented.
The Annual TOBA Dr. Mar- tin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Breakfast attracts approxi- mately 1,000 attendees and in- cludes approximately 50 volunteers.
The theme for the break- fast is, “Our Journey, Our Voice, Our Destiny.”
See advertisements about the Breakfast and Unsung Hero in several is- sues of the Sentinel.
FYI
New Hotel For Water Street Project Is A JW Marriott
The first JW Marriott Hotel is planned for Downtown Tampa. The developers, Strategic Property Partners announced last Friday (Dec. 8th) that the 26-story hotel is a part of the Tampa Water Street project. The new hotel will be across the street from the Waterside Marriott. Construction is set to begin in 2018.
The hotel will have 519 rooms, a rooftop bar and expanded meeting space. Approximately, $40 million is being invested in renovations for the Waterside hotel and marina.
The $3 billion Water Street project will be a business-residential- retail development spread across 53 acres.
PAGE 2 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2017