Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 2-20-18

Features
Case Manager Discusses How Event Benefits Homeless
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On March 10, 2018, the Tampa Housing Authority will host its 4th Annual Race To End Homelessness. The event will take place at Al Lopez Park, 4810 N. Himes Avenue, from 9 a.m. until 12 noon.
Ms. Patricia Wingo,
Supervisor and Outreach Case Manager for the Tampa Housing Authority said ben- efits from the race will change the lives of many peo- ple who are homeless or who have been homeless.
Having been homeless herself, Ms. Wingo now dedicates her time and en- ergy to changing lives. She helps homeless people be- come self-sufficient.
Ms. Wingo said, “We still need sponsors and peo- ple to participate in this race. The community may not re- alize it, but the proceeds from this race benefit many people.
“We have vouchers and things we can give them as part of our services. But the money is used for other things as well. I recently helped this family get into a place. But, they still didn’t have any money to purchase personal hygiene items or laundry detergent.
“It makes a huge differ- ence in a person’s life when they have the simple things such as deodorant, tooth- paste, or even a clean wash- cloth to wash your face when you wake up in the morning. The proceeds from this race will allow me to purchase these items in bulk so that I
Janice Justinano, Margaret Jones, and Patricia Wingo, Out- reach Coordinator, for the Tampa Housing Authority will partici- pate in the upcoming event.
can give them to those in need.”
In her current position, Ms. Wingo’s role is to help those living on the streets find homes and jobs. But, once the family is off the street, they may still need some help.
Ms. Wingo said her con- cern goes further than that. It is her passion. She can relate to the homeless because she was once homeless herself.
For two years during the
1980s, she slept in a home- less camp. She was addicted to crack cocaine and it caused her to lose everything important in her life.
But she recalls that a rel- ative found her and helped her. Then, she realized that she could show that same kindness to others.
She kicked the habit, re- established herself, and began giving personal hy- giene supplies and other items to the homeless.
Now, in her current posi- tion, Ms. Wingo continues to extend a helping hand to help the person or family be- come self-sufficient.
The goal of the 5K Race is to raise $10,000 to help end homelessness.
In addition to financial donations, gift certificates, coupons, food, or beverages can be given as well.
Donations may be made on line at www.Eventbrite.com.
Donations may be dropped off in person at the Assisted Housing De- partment, 5301 W. Cy- press Street, Tampa, FL 33607.
Anyone wishing to con- tact Ms. Wingo can reach her at (813) 253-0551, exten- sion 1480.
Helping Homeless People
Library Named For Former State Senator Is Open
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On Monday, March 26th, the Grand Opening Ceremony will take place for the Arthenia L. Joyner University Area Community Library. The event will take place at 10 a.m., at 13619 N. 22nd Street.
A spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Library System said the library is al- ready open and being utilized. However, the ceremony will take place next month.
Last year, Hillsborough County Commissioners voted 7-0 to name a library that was under construction in honor of Attorney Arthenia Joyner, the first African American woman from Hillsborough County who served 16 years as a Florida legislator.
Senator Joyner gradu- ated from Middleton High School, and was accepted at Florida A & M University, where she earned her degree in 1964.
It was during her early years that she first revealed what was to become a lifetime of activism in the fight for Civil Rights. She took an active role in two sit-ins at theaters and churches.
She was arrested twice.
After graduating from FAMU, Senator Joyner re- turned to Tampa and taught at Booker T. Washington Junior High School for a year. She then continued her education at the Florida A & M Univer- sity, School of Law, graduating in 1968.
However, after she gradu- ated, she experienced another form of discrimination. She found firms were not eager to hire a Black female lawyer.
With the help of her father, the late Henry Joyner, she
SENATOR ARTHENIA JOYNER
obtained a loan to open her own law office, where she prac- ticed with Attorney Delano Stewart. She became the first African American woman to practice law in Hillsborough County.
Senator Joyner won her first state election in 2000. After serving two terms as the state representative, Senator Joyner was elected to two terms in the Florida Senate.
She became the first Black female to lead the Senate Dem- ocratic Caucus from 2014 through 2016. Her tenure as a Senator ended as a result of term limits after serving for 16 years.
Last year, Senator Joyner became a member of the Vanguard Attorneys Law Firm. Having practiced law for 47 years, she is the first African American woman in Florida history to achieve this mile- stone.
Her most recent accom- plishment came about when she was appointed to serve on the 2017 Constitutional Revi- sion Commission. The Consti- tutional Revision Commission is a panel of Floridians who as- semble every 20 years to re- view the state Constitution and make recommendations for changes to it.
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