Page 9 - Florida Sentinel 4-15-16 Edition

Feature
Superstar Beyonce’ Shows Her ‘Heart’ Through Her Gift Giving: Team In Town To Execute Plan
Ivy McGregor, Daryl John- son and Yvette Noel-Schure.
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
She’ll bring thousands to Raymond James Stadium on April 29, but superstar enter- tainer Beyonce’ Knowles- Carter already is putting her stamp on the Tampa Bay area.
Earlier this week, about 30 community leaders, ministers, and elected officials met with Ivy McGregor, director of philanthropy and corporate re- lations for Parkwood Entertain- ment, Beyonce’s management company – and Yvette Noel- Schure, the superstar’s publi- cist.
At the private meeting – hosted at the Children’s Board – the two women sat down with the group to glean insight into causes, issues, and organiza- tions that could be identified to be part of the singer’s philan- thropic efforts through her Bey-
Good Foundation.
The act of kindness isn’t for
show, Ms. McGregor said, stating that the same will be done for every stop on Bey- once’s upcoming ‘Formation World Tour’, which kicks off in Miami on April 27.
Beyonce’ and her family are “extraordinary givers,” she said.
“(Beyonce’s) heart is as big as her artistry,” she said. “It’s in their blood.”
Ms. McGregor said it is her and Ms. Noel-Schure’s job to go out and “execute the plan” of Beyonce’s foundation which is “really, really simple.”
“Be good, Be kind,” she said. “Empower people so they can empower others.”
Meeting attendees included Hillsborough County Commis- sioner Les Miller, Tampa Po- lice Chief Eric Ward, Children’s Board Executive Di- rector Kelley Paris, Florida Sentinel Bulletin Publisher, S. Kay Andrews, 34th Street Church of God pastor, Bishop Thomas Scott, Miray Holmes, City Of Tampa direc- tor, Bishop Matthew Williams, Prelate of the Church of God In Christ (COGIC) and pastor of Brown’s Memorial COGIC; Lincoln Tamayo, CEO of Academy Prep Foundation, and City of St. Petersburg’s Director of Urban Affairs Nikki Gaskin Capehart, Shelia McCants, St. Petersburg Workforce; and Jackie Coffee-Leeks, Com- munity and Youth Facilitator for Devereux Kids, and Belen- thia Berry, Program Director,
Organizer of private lunch- eon along with Belenthia Berry, Rev. Jeffrey Johnson, center, and Beyonce's team, Ivy McGregor and Yvette Noel- Schure.
St. Petersburg College, co- chairs of the Girls Summit.
Ms. McGregor encour- aged all to “take the limits off” and share the ideas that they knew change the community.
“It’s important to maximize the moment,” she said.
The giving was instant.
After listening to N-Touch Magazine Publisher, Daryl Johnson talk about working with nonprofit, The Skills Cen- ter to supply scholarships to col- lege seniors who don’t have the money to finish, Ms. McGre- gor immediately pledged 10 scholarships.
In a separate telephone in- terview, Mr. Johnson said he was shocked by Ms. McGre- gor’s actions.
“I didn’t believe they were going to do something on the spot,” he said. “It was fantastic.”
Financing the scholarships was just the start. Ms. McGre- gor and Ms. Noel-Schure en-
Cedric McCray, City Coun- cil aide to Frank Reddick and Ivy MacGregor.
couraged other attendees to share information about their causes and organizations that the foundation could support and attendees responded with dozens of ideas and issues, in- cluding youth employment, mentoring programs, and work- force programs.
The latter is especially im- portant because as Tampa’s economy continues to grow, there is a group of people who are being left behind, said Gin- ger Clark, vice president of workforce development for Hillsborough Community Col- lege.
Many low-cost training pro- grams – such as apprentice- ships – are out of reach for many because those programs aren’t eligible for financial aid, she said.
Getting people into stable employment programs can have ripple effects on families, Ms. Clark said.
“If you can get Mom and Dad in a great job earning a liv-
ing wage, that’s going to influ- ence their children,” she said.
Bishop Scott, a member of the Sports Authority Board called Beyonce’s efforts to reach out and “invest” in the community ‘noteworthy’, and to his knowledge ‘unprecedented’.
“We’ve had a lot of artists come into Tampa, but this is the first time we’ve had anyone of this caliber ask ‘how we can help’,” he said.
Commissioner Miller
agreed, and spoke on the plight of young women who do not have housing, and are living out of their cars.
“Let me say to Beyonce’... anytime she wants to come back, she’s welcome,” he said.
Rev. Jeffrey Johnson, Di- rector of Church Partnerships, Warner University was the or- ganizer and collaborator for the community event. His ‘Girl’s Summit’ also received an on the spot contribution. The group discussion was over lunch catered by Eve’s Catering, owned by Chef Eric Holland.
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