Page 15 - Florida Sentinel 2-19-16 Edition

Features
‘Queen Of Bounce’ Comes To Tampa For Human Rights Symposium
BIG FREEDIA
Project LINK is pleased to announce that on Monday, February 22nd, reality televi- sion star, “Big Freedia- Queen of Bounce,” will be one of its featured guest speakers for the agency’s Black History Month pro- gram, “The Dream of Dr. King For Human Rights” Community Symposium.
After a breakout career that has boasted the Guin- ness world record, perform- ing international and on U. S. tours, a reality television se- ries that has reached more than six million viewers in a single season becoming the most watched television show ever in the network’s history, and balancing new main- stream fame since being fea- tured on Beyonce’s latest single, “Formation,” Big Freedia has found the time to come to Tampa to be an advocate for Human Rights.
Big Freedia (Freddie Ross) will host a question
CHRISTOPHER KING
and answer session on Human Rights along with famed guest speaker, Christopher King, the grandson of the late leg- endary blues god, B. B. King.
Project LINK Executive Director, Tina Young said, “The Dream of Dr. King for Human Rights” symposium is to educate youth and adults about the Universal Declara- tion of Human Rights (UDHR), to foster mutual un- derstanding, tolerance and peace among citizens in our community.”
Students from Legacy Prep Academy will feature art themed human rights draw- ings, in addition to drama performances by students from Orange Grove Middle School.
The event will be held at Howard W. Blake High School Don Thompson The- ater, 1701 North Boulevard. Doors will open at 6 p. m.
What Will CRA Mean For West Tampa?
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
Depending on who you ask, the West Tampa CRA means either the community will finally get the help it needs, or it will be regentri- fied.
If you ask anyone con- nected with the city or Tampa Housing Authority, they will tell you the CRA means revi- talization for an area that is in desperate need of new busi- nesses and new surroundings.
If you ask residents, or the leaders of some of the commu- nity groups, they see a lack of inclusion, and an opportunity to change the racial makeup of a community that has always been predominantly African American.
“It’s bad enough that we will be losing thousands of people through the demise of the Presbyterian Village com- plex, and later on North Boulevard Homes. What both- ers me is who will be moving into the community after all the projects have been com- pleted,” said Heem Baisden, President of the West Tampa Alliance organization.
“Inasmuch as people have been told they will be able to move back into the commu- nity once all the work is done,
HEEM BAISDEN W.T.A. President
from our canvassing and sur- veys, very few will be able to afford to move back.”
Baisden, along with oth- ers in the community fear that the area will be left dormant for so many years, residents will have planted roots in other areas and will not opt to return to West Tampa.
“Sometimes, when you’re giving an area a makeover, it’s understandable that a lot of things people have grown ac- customed to will be lost.
“There’s a lot of loitering along Main Street, and that will be gone, as well as some small businesses. The new businesses that will be coming into the community will not reflect the economic needs of
the people who won’t be im- pacted by the makeover.”
The community groups in West Tampa have put the fu- ture of the residents first, and don’t want to see them forced out of an area they’ve lived in for decades.
“We all know that no com- munity stays the same,” says Baisden.
“None of us want to see West Tampa stay as it is now. The problem is, we’ve been asking for help for years, and now that we’re going to get it, the sacrifices that will have to be made make it not as enjoy- able.”
Baisden said it’s vital that the 8 recognized community groups sit down and come up with a plan to present to the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) so that whatever future plans that have already been scripted for West Tampa, in- clude the businesses and peo- ple there now.
Baisden is asking that ei- ther the leaders or a represen- tative of each community organization contact him, or Vice President, Dee Jack- son, to set up a meeting to discuss a unified plan to pres- ent to the C.A.C. Baisden can be contacted at (813) 516- 9333, and Jackson can be contacted at (813) 751-4934.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-B