Page 20 - Florida Sentinel 12-10-21

FAMU News
FAMU Rattlers Visit Tampa’s Historic Central Avenue
Local
Omega Chapter Honors Mayor With ‘Citizen Of Year’ Award
From the left right are: Florida A&M University National Alumni Association President, Col. Gregory Clark; Florida A&M University VP of Advancement, Shawnta Friday-Stroud, Ph.D.; Florida A&M University Event Chair, Doris Hicks; Florida A&M University Presi- dent, Larry Robinson, Ph.D.; Florida A&M University VP of Student Affairs, William E. Hudson, Jr., Ph.D.; Florida A&M University for- mer National Alumni Association President, Jemal Gibson; Tommy Mitchell and Florida A&M University Board of Trustees Chairman, Kelvin Lawson.
The Florida A&M University 2021 Football Team visited Tampa’s Historic Central Avenue at Perry Harvey Park on Friday, September 17, 2021, the day before they met the University of South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium. Historian Fred Hearns led the team, coaches and staff on a visit to Central Avenue’s “Harlem of the South” – with its statue of Mr. Harvey, African American Leaders’ Row, Tampa’s Black History Walk, wall sculptured tributes to enslaved Africans, Black entertainers and businesses, Central Park Village’s Essie Mae Reed and Martin Chambers. The players danced to the music of James Brown and Ray Charles as they visited the park’s Black History Timeline area. (Photo by BRUNSON)
Florida A&M University students experiencing home- lessness received a major boost during Florida Classic week festivities. At the Florida A&M University National Alumni Association Distinguished Awards Banquet Friday. Event chair, Doris Hicks presented a $10,000 check to assist the more than 300 Florida A&M University students who are homeless or facing homeless- ness.
Ms. Hicks said she was in- spired to do more to assist fi- nancially struggling students after an encounter with a church bus filled with homeless men and women in her home- town, Lakeland, Florida. After- ward, Ms. Hicks inquired and learned that more than 300 Florida A&M University stu- dents are homeless. Hicks do- nates monthly to the Student Emergency Fund and wanted to do more.
“I started raising money after seeing those homeless people,” she said. “I sent let-
ters; I called my friends; I asked everybody I met with people I knew and people I did- n’t know. It is important to me.” Minutes after Doris Hicks presented the big check Friday night, Miami- Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert stepped forward and offered $5,000 to assist stu- dents in need.
Oliver Gilbert, who spearheaded the revival of the Orange-Blossom Classic this September, 2021, said he expe- rienced homelessness while he was a Florida A&M University student. “I slept in my car for a semester,” Gilbert said.
Donations are greatly ap- preciated because the COVID- 19 pandemic has increased the hardships experienced by stu- dents, said Shawnta Friday- Stroud, Ph.D. “We are hearing about more cases of students who are either home- less or near homeless,” Shawnta Friday-Stroud, said. “This makes a big differ- ence.”
The brothers of Epsilon Mu Mu (EMM) Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Frater- nity, Inc., presented Tampa Mayor, The Honorable Jane Castor, with the chapter’s ‘Citizen of the Year’ Award.
Selection of Mayor Castor for the
prestigious award was based on the
Mayor’s aggressive leadership in mov-
ing the city forward through ongoing
actions focused on improving govern- Shown left to right are: Chapter Vice Basileus, Harry Fergu- ment services, especially those impact- son, Brother Wilson Blount, Mayor Castor, with award, and
ing minority residents and visitors to Chapter Basileus, Derrick Crowley. Blount presented the award
the city.
to the Mayor.
FAMU Receives $15,000 In Donations To Assist Homeless Students
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