Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 11-7-17

Features
TBABJ Honors Tampa Bay Black Press, Trailblazer Jeraldine Williams At Annual Awards Event
In commemoration with the 190th anniversary of the launch of the Black press, the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists will ac- knowledge local Black news outlets at its annual Griot Drum Awards.
Attorney Jeraldine Williams, a Tampa native and one of the first Black students to graduate from the University of Florida and the first Black student in its journalism program, is the keynote speaker.
The event will take place at 7 p. m., Thursday, Nov. 9 at the Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Dr., in Tampa.
The Griot Drum Awards acknowledges coverage of the Tampa Bay African American community by local journalists and grants scholarships to some of the area’s best and brightest journalism students.
This year’s event com- memorates the 190th an- niversary of the founding of the Black press. Locally,
...To be honored by TBABJ
TBABJ will honor four Black newspapers: The Florida Courier, The Florida Sentinel Bulletin, The Weekly Challenger, and the St. Pete Bulletin.
The Black press remains as relevant and effective as it ever has since the 1827 publishing of Freedom’s Journal, the first Black- owned newspaper in the United States, said TBABJ president Rod Carter.
“For generations, the Black press has docu- mented African-American community news and inter-
ests, including news throughout the African Di- aspora,” he said. “It’s our honor to acknowledge the dedication and determina- tion that our local Black newspapers have made to ensure that our commu- nity’s voice is heard.”
Williams also holds de- grees from Florida State University Law School and Clark-Atlanta University. As a journalist, her work in- cludes writing for Ebony Magazine, the St. Peters- burg Times (now the Tampa Bay Times), the Florida Sentinel Bulletin, and as owner and publisher of Tallahassee’s Capitol Outlook newspaper.
Williams has amassed a number of accolades throughout her career, in- cluding the Hearst National Award, UF Alumnus of Dis- tinction, UF Centennial Alumnus recognition, and recognition as UF Integra- tor and as a Hearst Founda- tion honoree.
“We’re anticipating a de- lightful evening with Ms. Williams as she shares stories about her careers in journalism and law and close relationships with lu- minaries like the late South African activist and former president Nelson Man- dela,” Carter said.
To purchase tickets, visit www.tbabj.com or call (813) 310-8134 for more in- formation.
ATTY. JERALDINE WILLIAMS ...Guest Speaker
Evangelist Forms Organization For Women To ‘Just Talk’
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Oftentimes, when we are directly affected by an issue, it causes us to make changes in our lives. Some of those changes are personal while others may be beneficial to everyone.
October was National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. However, Ms. Lois Cato who is a breast cancer survivor, talks about the dis- ease year-round.
Ms. Cato currently serves as the President of Sisters Network of Tampa Bay, Inc. She was diagnosed with Stage 1A invasive carci- noma breast cancer in May, 2014. Her journey included a Lumpectomy, followed by radiation therapy.
After becoming a mem- ber of Sisters Network of Tampa Bay, Inc., Ms. Cato was appointed as the Activ- ities Coordinator. She be- came the Vice President and last year, took over the reins of its presidency.
“I am passionate about talking with women about breast cancer awareness. This year, Sister’s Network held its, “Pink” Breast Can- cer Tea Party, hosted the 2017 Breast Cancer Confer- ence, and held a Breast Can- cer Walk last month,” she said.
And, each month, its members visit different churches in the community to bring awareness to breast cancer.
Her passion for helping
MS. LOIS CATO President, Sisters Network of Tampa Bay, Inc. and founder of Just Talk, Inc.
women has also led her to create “Just Talk, Inc.” The women’s group offers women an outlet where they can share their experiences with a non-judgmental au- dience.
But, her activism hasn’t stopped there. Ms. Cato is an Ambassador for the Pro- fessional Women’s Group, which falls under Dress For Success Tampa Bay.
A native of Arkansas, Ms. Cato relocated to Tampa 13 years ago after serving 10 years in the Air Force as an Information Manager. She is the mother of two children, Myiesha and Michael.
She was recently or- dained as an Evangelist at The Word of His Grace Christian Fellowship, Inc.
Ms. Cato is involved in numerous organizations and programs that strive to share the common threads of early detection and shar- ing the motto of “Stop The Silence.”
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