The Broward County community has lost one of its most treasured educators, historians, mentors, and servants with the passing of Maude Lewis Storr, who departed this life on July 2, 2026, just days shy of her 101st birthday. Born on July 16, 1925, Mrs. Storr spent more than a century demonstrating that a life dedicated to lifting others is a life well lived.
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Too often, young people are judged before they are understood. Instead of listening, we lecture. Instead of encouraging, we criticize. While correction is necessary, there is a difference between correcting someone with love and constantly tearing them down. Words have power. A few harsh comments can stay in a young person’s mind for years, while a few encouraging words can give them the confidence to chase their dreams.
One week ago, June 24, Venezuela experienced a pair of strong earthquakes, causing significant damage throughout the region and the loss of many lives. Beginning Monday, July 6, Broward County will launch a Countywide relief effort to collect and send essential supplies to the Venezuelan communities devastated by these earthquakes as they begin the difficult task of rebuilding homes, restoring power, and recovering essential services.
The Westside Gazette proudly congratulates Florida International University College of Law Assistant Dean Phyllis Williams Kotey on being sworn in as a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, one of the legal profession’s highest distinctions.
The Joseph Caleb Auditorium’s Caleb Around Town series celebrated a powerful chapter of American musical heritage on Sunday, July 5, 2026, with its Birth of Gospel in America Concert, held at Bethel Apostolic Temple. The evening honored the enduring legacy of Thomas A. Dorsey, widely recognized as the Father of Gospel Music, while uplifting artists who continue to carry his torch forward.
The Class of 1966 gathered for a weekend of nostalgia and connection from June 12th to June 14th. The highly anticipated reunion brought together many attendees, with some traveling from as far as Los Angeles, Ca to celebrate their shared heritage and history.
For Brother Johnnie Smith, that responsibility is one he has spent a lifetime preparing to assume.
The Divine Nine are nine historically Black Greek-letter fraternities and sororities founded in the early 1900s during a time when Black students were excluded from white organizations on college campuses. Many of their founders were shaped by church, scripture, and Christian values. These organizations were not formed to replace faith. They were formed to cultivate scholarship, character, service, and community uplift.
The shift comes as churches across the country are also embracing initiatives like “Spend in the Black,” a Chicago-based effort led by the Rev. Dr. Charlie E. Dates of Salem Baptist Church of Chicago and Progressive Baptist Church. The campaign encourages consumers to direct their dollars toward Black-owned businesses, framing spending as a tool for community empowerment.
Broward Education Foundation, the only 501(c)3 charitable organization solely dedicated to serving students and teachers in Broward County Public Schools, launched its annual Back to School Supply Drive, which runs through August 31, 2026.