Page 35 - Florida Sentinel 1-15-16 Edition

Tribute To Dr. King
The Vision Of TOBA’s MLK Breakfast Event
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
In 1979, the Tampa Or- ganization of Black Affairs (TOBA) hosted its first Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast. This was before a holiday had been set aside for the late Civil Rights leader, or streets were renamed in his memory.
Now 36 years later, the vi- sion of the breakfast hasn’t changed and some of the peo- ple who have been a part of the organization since it started say that facet of the breakfast will remain con- stant.
The man responsible for founding TOBA, retired At- torney Delano Stewart, said he has raised six children and he considers TOBA his child.
“None of my children are perfect, and neither is TOBA. Tampa is growing, but there
were people who weren’t being recognized as being a part of that growth. They felt a disconnect and knew noth- ing about the inner city.
“I sat down and wrote to every corporation I could think of and invited all of the new people to meet the old guard and see how they could collectively help move Tampa forward. That was the and still is the mission of TOBA.”
Atty. Stewart said grow- ing up he wanted to interact with the people around him regardless of their back- ground.
“You have to change with the times. I have never changed the way I feel about my community, my people, and their future.
“During the Civil Rights movement, I just wanted the same as others.”
Atty. Stewart said he came up with the name TOBA thanks to an uncle in North Carolina.
“They had an organization on Black affairs and I thought it would be a great way to keep everyone on the same page. I wanted to create op- portunities others didn’t have. That’s how TOBA was born.
“When Dr. King was as- sassinated in 1968, I became
the first African American elected to the County Bar As- sociation. It was during that time I recognized the need for special recognition to be given to Dr King.”
Atty. Stewart said he’s happy to see TOBA celebrat- ing its 36th year, and the credit goes to a lot of people who have understood TOBA’s pur- pose, and has helped achieve goals of opportunity for every- one.”
Attorney Bob Morri- son: “The irony is the pur- pose for the breakfast and TOBA was always community response and leadership de- velopment. That hasn’t changed. We wanted to bring together leaders from all walks of life to address the is- sues and the needs of the community as a whole.
“Over the years the keynote speakers were se- lected based on what they could bring to the commu-
nity. That’s why we ask people from the community to be a part of the breakfast. It’s about re-setting the clock. This is a chance to reexamine what issues have been ad- dressed and which remain on the table.”
Ken Anthony: “The breakfast bridges the gap be- tween those who were part of the struggle and have passed on, and the ones who are here.
“The breakfast closes the generational gap with all the activities that are a part of the event. It just helps to educate the next generation and make sure they have the knowledge to pass on.”
Corene Collins: “As a founding board member, I in- troduced the concept of the breakfast to TOBA. Our goal was to bring together a cross
section of the community to present to them the ideology of Dr. King and what his vi- sion was.
“We also try to bring in na- tional leaders who can talk about the mission and goals of Dr. King. It’s amazing after 36 years, the community still comes together, and the di- versity is awesome.”
James Ransom: “The past 36 years wouldn’t have been possible without the suc- cess of so many organizations and groups, especially in the effort to get Buffalo renamed in honor of Dr. King. We were able to put together a coalition on Ye Mystic Krewe, and forced the Super Bowl to have a minority program.
“An agenda for economic inclusion was also important to get African American rep- resentation on the boards of several large companies. We have been very successful in forming coalitions to make sure there was inclusion and opportunities for African Americans. TOBA will con- tinue to fight for inclusion and more opportunities for African Americans.”
PAGE 14-C FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016