Page 10 - Florida Sentinel 2-27-18

Local
AME Church, 11th Episcopal District Remember Stoneman Douglas High School Victims
Jestina E. Cox Is Miss Teenage Tampa Luncheon Honoree
Gamma Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated will honor Ms. Jestina E. Cox as their 2018 Miss Teenage Tampa (MTAT) Honoree at the MTAT Appre- ciation Luncheon to be held at the Embassy Suites, 305 Spectrum Blvd., Tampa on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at 11 a. m.
Since becoming a member of Gamma Theta Omega Chapter in 1990, Ms. Cox has willingly and unselfishly worked with the Miss Teenage Tampa Scholarship Pageant for over two decades. Her energetic and robust spirit has allowed her talents to be used extensively, espe- cially for our crown jewel- MTAT.
She served as General Co- Chairman in 1998 and was Co-Chairman of the Script Committee for many years before becoming the Chair- man in 2012 until the pres- ent.
She also served as a Miss Teenage Tampa Pageant commentator twice and has served as the backstage voice of the pageant since 2010.
In 2015, Ms. Cox served as one of the Co-Chairman for the chapter’s 75th Anniver- sary. She has also served on several chapter committees including, Ivy Leaf Reporter for the Chapter, C. A. P. (Cap- ital Assessment Program), Fall Dance and Membership. Her on-going financial sup- port of the chapter includes being a CAPPER and a Walk of Famer.
Ms. Cox graced the world with her imaginative pres- ence while growing up in the Liberty City area of Miami, Florida. She graduated from Northwestern High School in 1969 and made her way to the highest of seven hills in Talla-
JESTINA E. COX ...Miss Teenage Tampa Appre- ciation Luncheon Honoree
hassee, Florida... graduating from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in 1974 with an English major and Theatre minor. She re- ceived her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern Univer- sity.
Her professional career began in Hillsborough County where she served as a teacher, Human Relations Specialist and an Assistant Principal for Student Affairs prior to retiring.
Ms. Cox is the mother of two sons, Jamon Cox (Kandyce) and Justin Cox (Myesha). She is affection- ately called “granna” by her three adorable grandchil- dren, Jastyn, Jayce and Justin, Jr.
Ms. Cox is an active member of Love First Chris- tian Center, in Riverview, Florida. Her unwavering commitment, dedication and decades of services rendered certainly make her a crown jewel.
Tickets are available.
Deborah K. Barnes is President of Gamma Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Last Wednesday evening, one week follow- ing the mass shooting in Parkland, Broward County, Florida at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, a Vigil was held and the victims (14 students and three faculty mem- bers) and the wounded were remembered.
The African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Eleventh Episcopal District, under the leadership of Bishop A. J. Richardson, gathered at the Mt. Hermon AME Church in Ft. Lauderdale, the Rev. Henry Green, Jr. is the pastor.
The sanctuary was filled to capacity with an ecumenical presence consisting of Presiding Elders, pastors and members of the AME Church, the United Methodist Church, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, and Rabbi Henry McFlicker. Broward County Sheriff, Scott Israel, and other law enforce- ment officials were present, despite time con- straints related to the nationwide forum seen on CNN, in which Sheriff Israel was a pan- elist.
Following are the remarks Bishop Richardson made to those in attendance:
“We lend our voices to the eloquence and passion of high school students here in Broward County, especially the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, whose friends and classmates have been mer- cilessly murdered.
“We know senseless, gun-related tragedy firsthand. Our denomination, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, was affected by a dastardly and ruthless invasion into a wel- coming space at Mother Emanuel AME Church, on June 17, 2015. Nine of our brothers and sisters died on site at that night’s gun as- sault, and the three who were left to die. We’re still reeling from that.
“We mourn the mass murder of worshipers at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. We were grieved as well by the mass shootings here in Florida: Ft. Lauder- dale/Hollywood Airport and the Pulse Night- club in Orlando, and now the Marjory
BISHOP A. J. RICHARDSON
Stoneman Douglas High School here in Broward County.
“With hearts broken, following the New- town School massacre, we had hoped the col- lective conscience of state and national officials would have been pricked and turned toward a change of heart about who ought to be able to own a gun, and the kind of weapon a person is entitled to own under the Second Amendment.
“Today, we join students, parents, commu- nity leaders here in Broward County, and oth- ers across this nation, to demand change.
“Assault rifles ought be banned for non- military use, period. Any person who is in pos- session of such a weapon, should be active military personnel, on or near a battlefield and under imminent attack.
“Gun ownership should require deeper background checks, and persons with mental health issues should be disallowed to purchase a weapon of any kind or caliber.
“We say to political leaders “enough is enough!” The time for change is now! And we will marshal our thoughts, prayers — and our votes.”
PAGE 10 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2018