Browsing: Most importantly

       “It appears that this virus is going to continue to change as immunity in the population wanes, either after vaccination or prior infection. New strains of this virus will cause outbreaks at different times of the year,” says Dr. Matthew Binnicker, director of the  Clinical Virology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic.

     In the heart of Florida’s sugarcane fields lies a little-understood community steeped in resilience, history, and a deep connection to the land they call home. I am Lavita Holmes, proudly born and raised in Hendry County. I live in Clewiston, Florida, and serve as the Executive Director for Glades Lives Matter, an organization deeply committed to the prosperity of all the Glades communities. 

     As a girl growing up in Live Oak in the 1980s, I have vivid memories of May Day celebrations. It was the one occasion when there was a multigenerational community celebration that wasn’t necessarily connected to a church. We would gather at the site of the local middle school, which had historically been the segregated Douglass High School. There would be good food–barbeque, lemonade, and all of our favorite cakes. There would be games–baseball, sack racks, and other competitions. Most of all, there was joy.