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Black History Month

PHSC panel seeks solutions on racial equity, social justice

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Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) is leveraging its community connections to foster meaningful discussion on matters related to social justice and racial equity.

As part of ongoing Black History Month programming, the local college organized a virtual summit titled, “Equity and Advancement of Minority Males in America.”

The Zoom event on Feb. 1 included breakout sessions with educators and professionals on topics such as leadership and mentoring; politics, policing and civic responsibility; life skills; and, mental health and spirituality. The summit’s keynote speaker was Dr. John Montgomery, Humana’s vice president and medical officer for its Florida commercial markets.

Pasco-Hernando State College hosted summit titled, ‘Equity and Advancement of Minority Males in America.’ The daylong Feb. 1 virtual event featured a panel discussion and breakout sessions related to social justice and racial equity issues. (File)

The daylong summit kicked off with a 45-minute panel discussion made up mostly of college students, and moderated by Emery Ailes, an adjunct humanities instructor and LIFE coordinator at PHSC.

Boosting graduation rates
The diverse panel first pondered ways to improve graduation, success and retention rates for Black and other minority students at colleges and universities.

Dorian Howell is president of PHSC’s Student Government Association.

The student leader believes it’s important to identify at-risk minority students early on in their college experience, then pair them with a mentor or counselor to closely monitor and support them throughout their college years.

He pointed out some students immediately get discouraged with college when they have trouble navigating digital access codes and connecting to online course materials.

Others, meanwhile, are unaware of the myriad financial aid and scholarship resources readily available to them, he said, which could keep vulnerable students in school.

“It’s really about identifying the people at-risk and educating them on the tools we have, step by step,” Howell said.

He also emphasized the importance of getting involved in student-led clubs or extracurricular organizations. Those, he said, can foster academic success and accountability among one another.

Dorian Howell is president of Pasco-Hernando State College’s Student Government Association. (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

“I found that my friends, a lot of them didn’t feel supported, but when they joined a club they connected with the community in the college, it helped them stay with it, it motivated them to stay with the courses,” he said.

St. Petersburg College (SPC) student Ericka Jones expressed similar sentiments regarding ways to improve minority student success rates.

Jones — set to earn a business degree in December — correlated her academic achievements to involvement with SPC’s Badeya Club, a Black student organization that aims to create a sense of community and respect among all students.

“If it wasn’t for them, I would’ve given up. I’m telling you, it’s so important to have a support system,” said Jones, who now serves as political action director of the college organization.

Jones brought a unique perspective to the panel — she’s raising a Black son while trying to earn a college degree.

“I can’t teach him all the things that a Black male is able to teach him. I believe in what this (summit) stands for. We need to uplift our Black males and our family in this society,” Jones said.

Dana Hind is a representative from Black Coalition of Hernando County.

She said more robust and accessible mentorship opportunities are needed before minority students get to college — perhaps throughout their high school years.

Eastern Florida State College student Xavier Edwards is studying digital and media television production. (Courtesy of Eastern Florida State College)

“To actually get kids driven into getting into college, we have to start earlier, and it’s been a challenge for me as a parent,” Hinds said. “You should have someone there to advocate for you as you’re going through, to make sure you get those scholarships, to make sure you get all those opportunities.”

Countering negative stereotypes
The conversation then turned to negative media portrayals of young and adult Black males and other minorities — and seeking ways to reverse promulgated views.

Panelist Demarvion Brown said such meaningful change must first come through Black families fostering nurturing childhood environments and identifying positive role models.

“It starts at home,” said Brown, a freshman men’s basketball player at PHSC.

“Some people have good households, and some people don’t, but to change that, to turn that into a positive way is to stand out in front of everybody and become a different person and become a role model. Most people don’t believe in role models, but I think we need more of them to make the world a better place.”

Xavier Edwards is a student at Eastern Florida State College, in Cocoa.

He said one way to eradicate the media’s negative portrayals of Black men is to create new channels of communication.

Edwards, who is studying digital television and media production, suggested Black leaders and entrepreneurs venture to create their own newsletters, new stations, social media sites and  YouTube pages, focusing on “pushing out more positive images of Black people graduating, minorities getting scholarships…

“It’s about trying to get people who have the power to change the narrative of the image of Black and brown men. It might take us creating our own news (outlets),” he said.

Howell concurred with the idea of developing alternative news outlets highlighting inspiring Black figures and experiences, such as former President Barack Obama, Dr. Ben Carson and PHSC President Timothy Beard.

“We can use those as role models of changing the image to a positive image of, ‘OK, there’s doctors, there’s presidents that are all role models,’” Howell said.

Demarvion Brown is a freshman men’s basketball player at Pasco-Hernando State College. (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

The student body leader also called for boycotting news and entertainment outlets that portray  Black males and others in a negative light.

“If the media is perpetuating this negative image, hit ‘em where it hurts, stop supporting the media, don’t share the media that’s showing this negative image,” he said.

Resolving economic inequalities
The panel also broached the nation’s inequities in wealth.

Various reports point out that Black-owned businesses and individuals historically have been at the mercy of loan denials and subprime lending practices, Howell said.

He referenced one study that a Black-owned businesses get about 10 cents for every dollar that a white-owned business receives from a bank, a situation he characterized as “sickening.”

Howell called for a more equitable lending system and he encouraged individuals to simply inspire people to support Black-owned businesses.

“For us as individuals, we see a minority-owned business or restaurant or whatever, support it with our dollars, buy from them,” Howell said.

It also would be helpful to have more financial workshops led by Black business leaders, to encourage and educate others on stocks, saving, and general money management tips, Howell said.

Edwards also called for increasing efforts to educate minorities about how to acquire loans and start their own businesses.

Giving Black employees opportunities for advancement in their professions also can have broader implications, Edwards noted.

As more Black individuals earn senior management positions, they can slowly amass  generational wealth for their families and communities, he said.

“It’s not that it can’t change, it’s just going to take some work, but it just starts with more minority people being able to get to those high positions,” he said.

Published February 17, 2021

Students take a stand on the power of voting

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Wiregrass Ranch High School’s annual Poetry Slam, for Black History Month, focused on the importance of voting.

With the theme “Let Your Voice Be Heard: Vote,” the event also was a tribute to the late Denise Goodridge – the school’s former principal’s secretary.

The members of the Black History Club at Wiregrass Ranch High School took part in the annual Poetry Slam. They shared their poems on the power of voting, during the Feb. 21 event. (Courtesy of The Wiregrass Stampede Newspaper)

Goodridge passed away last year due to health complications.

The Feb. 21 gathering took place in Wiregrass’s gymnasium.

Students packed the bleachers to hear the poetry from members of the Black History Club and from some faculty members.

Gloria Jackson, a reading teacher at Wiregrass, helps to oversee the Poetry Slam.

Before the wordsmiths took the stage, Jackson asked those gathered to reflect on Goodridge’s life.

As a slide show displayed photographs of Goodridge, guest vocalist Fiona Williams sang a rendition of Boyz II Men’s “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday.”

Jackson also had encouraged students to come to school wearing blue — Goodridge’s favorite color.

Sa’Derrica Tate, president of the Black History Club, offered opening remarks before the poetry presentations.

She reminded her classmates about the need to express themselves at the ballot box.

“As you get closer to the age of 18, keep in mind to vote. Don’t sit and complain about our country. Instead, go out and let your voice be heard. Your vote is your voice,” she said.

She brought attention to the fact that 2020 marks 150 years since African-American men were granted the right to vote, by way of the 15th Amendment. And, it’s been exactly one century since women were granted that right, too, through the 19th Amendment, she added.

Wiregrass Ranch High School faculty joins the Kuumba Dancers and Drummers of Tampa, for Poetry Slam. The dancing group allowed students to take part in West African chants and dancing, on Feb. 21.

In her poem, “A Vote Is,” Tate described the right this way: “The shield for my mother, my sister and my aunt. It is the fight we have finally won!”

Faculty member Yvette Fisher, who stood alongside the students, offered encouraging words through her literary piece, “Silence No More.”

She shared: “I will speak and I will speak loud at the voting polls, always remembering that we all get to speak. We all have a choice because we all have a voice.”

Fisher said voting is a topic that cannot be “overemphasized.”

The teacher said her parents and grandparents were involved in the civil rights movement, and noted that resonates with her because the work for progress continues.

Fisher also reflected on Goodridge, noting the woman’s kind demeanor and the impact she had at Wiregrass.

Student William Cuebas offered a deeper meaning about going to the polls, in his poem, “It’s More Than Just a Vote.”

He said, “And true equality was rearing its bright face. So the next time that you’re taking the bus to go vote, don’t forget who came before us. The right to vote has a bigger message to me. It’s more than just a vote, it’s a symbol of our unity.”

Cuebas also touched on Goodridge’s positive vibe: “She always had this wonderful smile, this passion in her heart.

“I feel like this dedication to her memory, was one of the best things, I feel, we’ve done in this Poetry Slam,” the 17-year-old said.

Besides listening to poetry, students in the crowd had a chance to dance and sing.

The Kuumba Dancers and Drummers of Tampa entered the gymnasium, accompanied by the vibrant sounds of drums.

Dr. Kya Conner — the group’s speaker — was joined by various dancers and drummers dressed in African attire.

The purpose of the Kuumba dance is to “strengthen and preserve traditional West African dance and drum culture,” Conner said.

The rhythmic motions are accompanied with songs and chants during West African events, such as baby showers, funerals, weddings and graduations.

Conner instructed students in the crowd how to perform the stylistic clapping, as the drummers joined in unison. She also taught them how to incorporate a unique chant along with the clapping and drums.

Volunteers were invited to come down to learn an energetic dance routine, and several responded to the offer.

At the program’s close, Jackson brought it full circle, by reflecting on the life of Goodridge.

“Her impact has been tremendous,” Jackson said. “Even though she’s gone, she forever lives in our hearts.”

Published March 11, 2020

Learning about the origins of soul food

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February is known for Valentine’s Day and American Heart Month, but it’s Black History month, too.

It’s a time when events and special lessons help convey the important contributions made by black men and women in the arenas of literature, civil rights, music, inventions, science, sports, entertainment and other fields of endeavor.

And, in that context, it’s a great time to learn about how history has had an influence on the flavors of food.

Collard greens are high in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins A, E, K and C, and are currently in season. (Courtesy of Pixabay.com)

Obviously, there are regional and historical influences on the flavors of food, such as Caribbean, East African and soul food.

Some may wonder what distinguishes soul food from southern food.

Soul food is a type of southern food.

The two types of food are similar, but it helps to know the history — and the sad reality of the origins of soul food.

While not called soul food initially, this type of cuisine came from the states known as the Deep South — Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.

Originally, it began as the basic foods that the enslaved African-Americans were able to eat. Those typically included leftovers or less desirable cuts of meat; starch, such as cornmeal, rice, or sweet potatoes; and, leafy greens.

To make the meat more palatable, black cooks would fry the food in fat or add fat when boiling it, and then would add seasonings and flavors, such as red hot peppers and vinegar. Those flavors are now a popular combination for hot sauce, a common condiment in the South.

Black families would garden to increase their food supply, as a means of survival. These families were resourceful, growing food that came with them during the slave trade, such as okra and black-eyed peas.

While many think of soul food including meat, such as pork — initially the cuisine was mainly a plant-based diet.

During the Emancipation and Reconstruction periods, the freed slaves and their descendants still ate mainly a plant-based diet, with meat used to add flavor, or for special occasions.

Over time, as the African-American community began to prosper, meat became a more regular staple, according to soul food cookbook author Adrian Miller.

Soul food and southern food are influenced by each, with soul food originating first.

While very similar, the primary difference is flavor.

Soul food typically is spicier, sweeter or saltier.

Why do they call it soul food?
The term “soul” started during the Civil Rights movement and became a popular adjective.

Black jazz musicians faced racism trying to play at various venues, and began to play more in their churches instead, giving it a more gospel sound, where the term “soul music” started being used.

From there, “soul” was used to describe other components of black culture, and the word became common when describing the recipes.

By Shari Bresin

Shari Bresin is the Family & Consumer Science Agent for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Pasco County.

Here is a recipe, Soul Food Collard Greens, from iheartrecipes.com:

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds collard greens, cleaned and cut
  • 1 pound bacon ends, chopped
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 large jalapeno pepper, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons to 3 tablespoons of white distilled vinegar

Instructions
Place the bacon ends in a pot, and place the pot over medium heat.

Brown the bacon, then add in the diced onions and cook until the onions start to sweat (similar to sauté but not meant to brown, only meant to release moisture on low heat for 5 minutes to 10 minutes, or until onions have softened and turned translucent).

Add in the minced garlic, then cook for 1 minute.

Pour in the chicken broth, and turn the heat up to high and let boil for 20 minutes.

Pour in the 2 cups of water, and turn the heat down to medium.

Start adding in the collard greens into the pot.

Once all of the greens are in the pot, sprinkle in the seasoning salt and ground black pepper.

Add in the sliced jalapeno and the vinegar, and stir the ingredients.

Cover the pot, and let simmer for 1 hour and 10 minutes over medium heat. Be sure to peek in and stir periodically.

Published February 12, 2020

National parks offer lessons in life, history

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The nation’s history is recorded in books and taught in classrooms — but, author Penny Musco recommends another path of discovery.

She suggests that you visit as many of the 417 properties in the U.S. National Parks Services as possible.

That list includes 59 parks, 87 monuments, 15 rivers, three scenic trails, four battlefield parks, 11 battlefields, 78 historic sites, and thousands of recreational areas.

Musco, who lives in Sarasota, summed it up like this: “It’s our history.”

Sarasota resident Penny Musco was guest lecturer at the Zephyrhills Public Library, where she discussed her book, ‘Life Lessons from the National Parks: Meeting God in America’s Most Glorious Places.’
(Kathy Steele)

She went on to say, “sometimes it’s more interesting to learn our history when you’re somewhere history occurred rather than in a classroom. That’s what makes it come alive.”

Musco is author of “Life Lessons from the National Parks: Meeting God in America’s Most Glorious Places.”

She was guest lecturer at the Zephyrhills Public Library on April 19.

She also is a former artist-in-residence for the National Park Service.

She spent six weeks in Nebraska researching the “exodusters,” blacks who migrated to Kansas and other states west of the Mississippi River after the Civil War. The Homestead Act of 1862 provided land grants of 160 acres to all Americans, including former slaves and women.

During her residency, Musco wrote “Steal Away,” a one-woman show on homesteaders and exodusters. She occasionally performs at events for Black History Month or Women’s History Month.

She wrote her book in 2016 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.

The variety of properties operated by the park service often surprises people, who tend to only think of the national parks, such as the Grand Canyon or Yosemite.

There are many other properties to visit that are less widely known, Musco said.

For instance, the national historic site commemorating the Supreme Court desegregation decision in Brown v. Board of Education is in Topeka, Kansas.

“It has a lot of multi-media. It’s a really good place to go,” she said.

Another plus? The site is free, Musco said.

Another free attraction — which was the country’s most visited park property in 2016 — is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

About 15.6 million people visit that each year, Musco said.

The Grand Canyon ranks No. 8 for most visitors; Yosemite, No. 12; and the Lincoln Memorial, No. 6.

The Blue Ridge Parkway – No. 2 in visitors – follows a scenic route for more than 400 miles through the Shenandoah National Park within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Smoky Mountains became a national park in the 1930s — as automobiles became a popular mode of travel.

Park service officials wanted to have a national park located in a populated area, unlike the western parks that had far fewer, if any, residents.

“Most Americans wanted to go somewhere in their automobiles,” Musco said.

Donations from the states of Tennessee and North Carolina, average citizens, and John D. Rockefeller Jr., helped buy the land. The park’s creation came with controversy, as about 1,200 people were displaced.

“People lived in the hollers in the Great Smokies,” Musco said.

About 70 log-built structures remain.

Today, the Great Smoky Mountains is the largest protected land area east of the Rocky Mountains.

In Florida, a popular spot is the Hernando de Soto National Memorial, near the Sarasota-Bradenton airport. The site marks the spot where the Spanish explorer came ashore in Tampa Bay in 1539.

The Dry Tortugas National Park is an island fortress south of the Florida Keys, accessible by ferry or seaplane. Dr. Samuel Mudd, convicted as a conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, served time on the island until his pardon in 1869.

Musco said Cuban refugees fleeing Castro would sail small boats to the island to seek asylum in the closest place to mainland United States.

It is one of the least visited parks but, Musco said, “It’s architecturally a magnificent place. The aquatic life is beautiful. It’s an all-day adventure.”

Her personal favorite is the Grand Canyon.

“It is so immense and so hard to wrap your mind around the scale,” she said.

Musco also loves the opportunities for free or reduced cost passes issued by the park service.

Seniors age 62 and older qualify for $10 lifetime passes. (There is a proposal to increase that fee to $80). Free passes are available to military; permanently disabled; and, fourth graders (age 10) and their families from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31.

Parks also are free on President’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and on Aug. 25 for the National Park Service’s birthday.

For information on parks, visit NPS.gov.

For information on Musco, visit PennyMusco.com.

Published May 10, 2017

Keeping heritage alive in East Pasco

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Imani Asukile walks among the headstones at Indian Pond Cemetery in Dade City, looking at the writing on each one. He knows some names, knew some of the people personally and even has a relative buried there. But not every grave is clearly marked and some of the names are unknown.

What is known about the old graves is that those who were buried there long ago — some at the beginning of the 20th century — faced segregation and discrimination.

Imani Asukile and the African American Heritage Society of East Pasco County have events at places like Indian Pond cemetery in Dade City. The group wants the people and places that make up the area's history remembered and honored. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Imani Asukile and the African American Heritage Society of East Pasco County have events at places like Indian Pond cemetery in Dade City. The group wants the people and places that make up the area’s history remembered and honored.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“This was the premiere cemetery for blacks in this area. They only allowed blacks to be buried at the Dade City Cemetery in the early 1970s,” Asukile said. Now, as president of the African American Heritage Society of East Pasco County, he wants to make sure the area isn’t forgotten, along with other important places, events and people in local history.

His group hosts military appreciation services at Indian Pond Cemetery each year to honor African American veterans. At a recent event, around 60 people gathered to honor World War II veterans. Their families received special congressional coins and certificates from the Wounded Warrior Project.

For the heritage society, those events create recognition for the veterans, and those buried at the cemetery where the events are held.

“You get inspiration from their stories when you understand their struggles, their victories, the hills they had to climb,” Asukile said. “We have to keep them alive.”

His group keeps those and other stories alive by hosting different events throughout the year. They have youth forums to inform young people and provide a platform for them to express their thoughts. And they have events to celebrate Kwanzaa, a week-long celebration of African-American culture held at the end of each calendar year.

Asukile said it’s the principles of Kwanzaa, including its focus on community support, interaction and problem solving, that guide the African American Heritage Society of East Pasco County throughout the entire year.

“In everything that we do, Kwanzaa is the foundation of our existence, so to speak,” he said. “That’s where everything springs from.”

If community seems to be a big focus for the group, it’s by design. Asukile and the rest of the society take the “East Pasco” part of the organization’s name seriously. Local events attended by local residents are what keep the group motivated.

“In everything we do, we try to focus on local issues and individuals. Most black history programs are national or international, and we don’t have a problem with that,” he said. But we try to say ‘How can we take the same application and apply it here locally?'” The group recognizes local community members during Black History Month in February of each year. The 2015 focus will be on the founders of local community choirs, Asukile said.

But that doesn’t mean they restrict all their work to one small area. Asukile still considers Brooksville home, so he’ll often include that community. They also work with organizations or host events in other parts of the Tampa Bay area.

With a small core of dedicated members (the heritage society has around 10 active members) they provide a year’s worth of events to keep the community’s memories alive and honor those who came before them. He also sees areas for growth, and other communities that could form their own similar groups. Asukile mentioned Wesley Chapel as an area that has a lot of potential to form an organization in the future.

Wherever another group pops up in the future, Asukile and his group will be there to welcome them. As director of multicultural student affairs and equity services at Pasco-Hernando State College, he knows the importance of having a presence in the community and being a resource for those seeking information. And with the African American Heritage Society of East Pasco County, he can put that into practice off campus, reminding residents of historic places, people and events so their stories won’t be forgotten.

“Every community has to have something or somebody who is a griot, a storyteller, a keeper of the history of the community, of the people. Every community has to do to it. otherwise you start losing the stories,” Asukile said.

For more information about the African American Heritage Society of East Pasco County, e-mail Asukile at .