Month: September 2019

Keeping Georgia school district white as possible

Former professional football players, a Florida State Representative and the past president of The Florida Bar Foundation are among the distinguished Broward County high school alumni who have made their mark on local communities and will be honored by Broward Education Foundation during the Publix Super Markets Charities 2019 “Hall of Fame Breakfast” presented by Memorial Healthcare System at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, October 11 at First Baptist FTL | Global Grille, 301 E. Broward Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale.

Today, Forward Florida Action announced the launch of a unique grassroots mini-grant program that will empower local grassroots groups to re-engage and register voters in their communities with $1,000 to $5,000 grants.

    “I want people who are going to be able to tell it straight. People who will assess a situation and then be able to give you the realities of what it is,” Boykin-Towns said of her expectations in her new role.

There are some people who love to bask in the spotlight. And, then, there are others that prefer to do their jobs from the comfort of working behind the scenes. Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore’s ascension to the gavel has been more of the latter.

The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation, Cannabis Control Section has approved 26 businesses as “Responsible Vendors” authorized to provide mandatory health and safety training to cannabis dispensary agents often referred to as “budtenders.” At least half of these approved providers are minority owned. Approved vendors are based in Cook, Lake, Kane, DuPage, Will, and Sangamon counties in Illinois, and include three out-of-state companies from Iowa, Texas, and Florida. Many Responsible Vendors offer online trainings or have expressed a willingness to travel.

The Alliance Theatre has named three Atlanta area middle schools it will partner with for the regional launch of the JumpStart Theatre program, developed by the Educational Theatre Association. JumpStart Theatre is a three-year program that will equip faculty and administrators with the skills and resources to produce their school’s first musical theatre production.

County supervisors and local business leaders have announced the Fair Chance Hiring Initiative, which is aimed at encouraging companies to employ people who have been rehabilitated through the criminal justice system.

Chase Neyland-Square, an 8th grade student at Port Allen Middle School in Louisiana, is giving back through a community-focused closet he created to provide clothes and other necessities for local children in need.

     Enkeshi El-Amin, a sociologist who is also a professional seamstress, has launched a free sewing camp to teach kids not only how to sew but also how to run their own businesses. With the support of her local community in Knoxville, Tennessee, she was able to pull off the Sew It, Sell It program and is already producing young entrepreneurs.