Author: Carma Henry

Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861

    On Sunday, December 27, 2020, from 2-4 p.m. Eastern Time, the National Association of Kawaida Organizations (NAKO) and The International African Arts Festival (iaafestival) will present the 54th Kwanzaa Celebration – virtually. The program will feature Dr. Maulana Karenga, the creator of Kwanzaa, Asase Yaa African American Dance Theater, as well as highlights of other internationally known artists from the 49th Annual International African Arts Festival.

For 41 years Mrs. Clementime Odoms has worked in the field of dialysis. She along with Administrator Christine Collins broke barriers as being two of the first workers in Florida who began giving dialysis treatment to patients.

Recently, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) announced Collier County has joined the Dementia Care and Cure Initiative (DCCI) as the 15th DCCI Task Force and Dementia-Caring Community in Florida. DCCI implements a statewide effort to become more dementia-caring to support those living with dementia, their families, and their caregivers. Communities organize task forces to include professionals, advocates, and community members to increase education, awareness, and sensitivity regarding the needs of those living with dementia throughout their community.

     Roughly three weeks later, Kinross had its first major outbreak, corrections department data showed. Though agency officials say it is not because of the transfers, more than 1,100 prisoners have now been infected, at least seven have died and more than 100 guards have fallen ill. The prisoners who came to Kinross had been transferred twice, sent first to Marquette after a riot where they were held, and then tested positive for COVID-19 there before leaving for Kinross, officials said.

     This year, some of our endorsed candidates were running for office for the first time. Some were running for reelection. Some were stepping up to a position of greater responsibility. A majority were women and more than two-thirds were Black, Indigenous, or people of color. Eighty-five of them will be serving their communities in public office next year, and some of them will be helping to lead our nation in the years ahead.