Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 4-19-19

Feature
‘The Black Agenda’ Unveiled — Politicians Will Be Put On Notice
Left to right - Craig Fox, Honorable Tamara Shamburger, Selphenia Nichols, Jeanette Bradley, Robin Lockett, organizer; Paula Thomas, and Shameisa Grier.
ATTY. SEAN SHAW
tion to unite factions with sim- ilar goals regarding the ad- vancement of the Black community, said organizer, Robin Lockett.
“We are separated,” she said. “Hopefully this will bridge those gaps so everyone will be on the same page.”
Some of the charges to of- ficials include increasing the number of contracts awarded to Black companies based on local government affirmative action plans.
Black companies should make up at least 17 percent of vendors awarded contracts, said Stanley Gray of the
STANLEY GRAY
Urban League of Hillsborough County.
Additionally, officials should void current policies and procedures that result in improper stops, arrests, and incarceration, and change bail policies to ease the financial burden, and decriminalize marijuana.
In local schools, leaders should work to provide a safe learning environment for Black students and ensure that the Black culture is repre- sented in the school culture and curriculum.
Group members also want to see more strides in afford- able housing, specifically wanting local governments to partner with builders and lenders to create equitable building and lending practices and create an Affordable Housing Model that fosters
PASTOR TOM JONES
safe and secure housing based on the average household in- come of the residents of the community.
Tampa has a sizeable com- munity of people from the Caribbean, so immigration also is an issue that warrants action, Lockett said.
Specifically, officials should avoid working with federal agencies to detain im- migrants and void policies that criminalize them, she said.
Tom Jones, pastor at Heaven’s Destiny Assembly of God, said elected officials need to take heed.
“I’m hoping they jump on it immediately and they see the seriousness,” he said.
Lockett said the group will meet next to set up a time- line and set up a system that tracks officials’ accountability on the issues.
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
Elected officials, you’re being put on notice.
When it comes to eco- nomic development, health- care, criminal justice, immigration, and public edu- cation, a group of local com- munity leaders and activists are looking for your commit- ment and action to improving outcomes in those areas.
“If the desired results are not achieved, officials will be held accountable at election time,” Attorney Sean Shaw
announced Tuesday at a press conference for The Black Agenda.
“We’re not here to ask. We’re not here to hope,” he said. “This is a demand.”
Shaw was one of more than a dozen who gathered at Perry Harvey, Sr. Park to un- veil The Black Agenda, a grassroots movement consist- ing of various organizations and individuals working to- gether for the improvement of Tampa’s Black community.
Almost a year in the mak- ing, The Black Agenda will serve as an umbrella organiza-
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2019