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

       Bruno’s election marks a historic milestone for the Florida PTA. He became the first Black man, Haitian American, and millennial to serve as state president in the organization’s 103-year history. It represents a new chapter of leadership for one of Florida’s largest child advocacy organizations.

Sometimes the greatest opportunities come when you least expect them. For me, being selected to attend the YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) Changemakers Summit was more than just a trip, it was a life changing experience that challenged me, inspired me, and reminded me that no dream is too big when you have faith, determination, and the courage to step outside your comfort zone. Representing South Florida, Broward County, and the L.A. Lee YMCA was an incredible honor.l Stage: A Changemakers Journey

    When word came down that USAID was being dismantled in Nicaragua, I was sorting through old documents amid the chaos of the mission close-out. On the desk next to mine sat a book abandoned by a colleague: The Dictator’s Handbook, by political scientists Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith, which lays out, in plain and clinical language, how dictators actually operate.

    Donald Trump kicked up the cultural sparks in all three cases and started what I believe is legitimately called our Trumpster fire, surfacing live embers into an environment ready for a fiery backlash amongst aggrieved sectors of America, clearly acting out of the rage Trump spoke. It evolved into a political rally culture featuring racism, sexism, and hatred of those who came to America seeking refuge—often from the wars overseas that the US either started or fueled. His crude speech was exactly what angry sectors of the US loved, and they elected him—twice.