Neighborhood News Bureau

Category: Family

  • Ready for Life offers stability to foster youth facing homelessness 

    Ready for Life offers stability to foster youth facing homelessness 

    By Dayana Melendez 

    For many young people who have gone through the turbulence and instability of growing up in foster care, moving from group home to group home, what they hope for most is a sense of normalcy. 

    “I want a career, a wife [and] a family of my own one day,” said Nicolas Burke, a 29-year-old former foster youth from Maryland. 

    After aging out of the system, Burke became homeless and bounced between temporary housing arrangements before relocating to Florida. There, he connected with Ready for Life, a nonprofit based in Largo that supports youth transitioning out of foster care.  

    He now works at The Original Crabby Bill’s restaurant and was recently accepted into a three-week program to become a certified electrician. He was also referred to AmSkills, a career discovery program in manufacturing, to explore additional opportunities in the trades. 

    Each year, approximately 20,000 young people age out of foster care in the United States, according to the National Foster Youth Institute. Of those, 20% become homeless immediately, and nearly 40% experience homelessness by the age of 21.  

    In Florida, 46% of former foster youth experience homelessness or housing instability within 18 months, according to a 2023 report from the Florida Council on Homelessness. 

    Percentage of youth experiencing homelessness after aging out of foster care in the Unites States and Florida. (Graph courtesy of National Foster Youth Institute; Florida Council on Homelessness)

    Ready for Life is working to change those outcomes. Established in 2009 with a mission to “change lives beyond foster care,” the organization has helped hundreds of young adults’ transition to independence.  

    The nonprofit provides wraparound support for young adults ages 15 to 28, with services including housing assistance, transportation, financial support, GED preparation, mental health referrals and life skills development.  

    Upon intake, every youth is paired with a youth specialist who helps assess needs and build a plan forward. 

    “Housing is a crisis right now as well as homelessness,” Ready for Life CEO Kathy Mize said. “Imagine trying to find a job while you’re homeless and have no income. That $500 a month can be the difference between eating, getting transportation or having a place to sleep.” 

    One of the organization’s most impactful initiatives is the Youth Opportunity Grants program, a partnership with St. Petersburg that provides monthly cash disbursements of $500 for 12 months to eligible young adults who were in out-of-home care between the ages of 14 and 18 and are not currently receiving formal aftercare services.

    The program targets former foster youth ages 18 to 28 who live in Pinellas County and either live, work or attend school in St. Petersburg.  

    In addition to financial assistance, participants receive access to individualized support services including counseling, parenting programs and life skills development. 

    Mize said the grant helps stabilize youth who have fallen through the cracks of existing systems. 

    “This program is a lifeline for youth who otherwise wouldn’t qualify for extended foster care or state-run aftercare,” she said. 

    Deville Hyde, a 20-year-old from Pinellas County, said he was removed from his foster home at 17 and left without any resources or support. 

    “From the time I was 16, I’ve been really off and on homeless,” Hyde said. “When I left the foster home, I was given no resources. Nothing.” 

    Hyde said other agencies made him feel ignored or judged. At Ready for Life, he “found something different.” 

    “They actually did a lot because they gave me more help than most adoption agencies gave me,” Hyde said. “No other place was really understanding where I was coming from.” 

    Among the services Hyde received was help obtaining a certified copy of his birth certificate, a document he needed to apply for jobs and access assistance programs. During a visit to Ready for Life, staff handed him the letter and explained what it was as he opened it. Though he didn’t speak about it directly, the moment underscored the role the organization plays in helping youth with essential documentation and stability. 

    Jake Ray, director of programs at Ready for Life, said nearly half of the youth who come through the organization’s doors are experiencing homelessness.  

    Many are sleeping outdoors, couch surfing or staying in shelters when they arrive. 

    “We try to get an idea of where they’re at risk — where they’re struggling the most,” Ray said. “And then figure out how we can help, whether that’s housing, jobs or just a place to breathe.” 

    The organization’s Largo Skill Center features Rays Clean Sweep Day Stop, where youth can access showers, toiletries, laundry, lockers and clothing at no cost. A space called Beth’s Corner provides new clothing for interviews or school and the Good Day Store offers hygiene and laundry products. 

    The Good Day Store at Ready for Life offers free toiletries, hygiene products, clothing and daily essentials to help youth transitioning out of foster care build confidence and stability. (Photo by Dayana Melendez/NNB)

    Youth are also encouraged to participate in Opportunity Passport, a financial literacy program in partnership with Suncoast Voices for Children. After completing the program, participants can receive up to $3,000 in matched savings for approved expenses like housing, education or transportation. 

    Nate Johnson, a 34-year-old staff member at Ready for Life, knows firsthand how vital that support can be. After spending five years in foster care, he transitioned into a group home that helped prepare him for adulthood. At 18, he moved into an apartment provided through a contract with his housing program, but that stability didn’t last. 

    “When I first moved out at 18, it wasn’t too bad because they had an apartment for us,” Nate said. “But at a point, they lost the contract for it. So, then I became homeless, couch surfing from different places.” 

    Despite housing instability in his early 20s, Johnson stayed employed and eventually reconnected with Ready for Life as a participant and later as a full-time staff member. 

    “Mentors made the biggest difference for me,” he said. “One of them took me to his DJ gigs and out to dinner with his wife. They gave me a sense of family I never had.” 

    In 2023, Johnson and his 10-year-old son Nathan received a life-changing surprise from former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Warrick Dunn and Habitat for Humanity. Johnson was selected as the first single father to receive support from Warrick Dunn Charities, which provided $5,000 toward his down payment and fully furnished their Clearwater home.  

    Nate Johnson stands in the kitchen of his new Clearwater home, which was fully furnished through a surprise dedication by Warrick Dunn Charities and Habitat for Humanity. (Photo courtesy of Ready for Life)

    The moment, Johnson said, was more than just a gift; it was a symbol of how far he had come since aging out of the foster care system 

    Burke said Ready for Life is helping fill the gap in transitional support that many young adults need after aging out of foster care. He believes more programs like it are urgently needed across the country. 

    “Policymakers should make programs like Ready for Life in every state,” Burke said. “Everyone deserves this kind of support.” 

    Hyde said the emotional environment at Ready for Life is as important as the practical resources. 

    “Even though the shelter should be a safe place, I really feel like coming here is more of a safer place,” he said. “I’m around good people, and problems don’t really happen here.” 

    The program’s impact extends beyond immediate housing needs. Mize emphasized that lasting solutions for this vulnerable population require continued investment from local governments and partnerships across the community. 

    “Our goal is really to help build self-sufficiency and sustainability,” she said. 

    For Burke, Hyde and Johnson, Ready for Life represents more than just a program. It’s their chance to break the cycle and create something better for themselves and others.  

    “I try to be the kind of role model I never had,” Johnson said. “This place gave me the foundation to do that.” 

  • Soaring egg prices scramble restaurant operations citywide

    Soaring egg prices scramble restaurant operations citywide

    By Alisha Durosier 

    The servers, baristas and bussers of the St. Petersburg brunch restaurant Taylor Sam’s found themselves adjusting to a new normal in late January when they were told they were no longer permitted one free breakfast item per shift or discounts on all menu items. 

    New store policy now requires restaurant staff to pay for what they order during their shifts and pay full price for menu items featuring eggs. 

    The policy change is in direct response to the rise in egg prices, which have reached historical highs this year. 

    According to Michael Owens, head chef of Taylor Sam’s, when the flagship store opened in New Jersey in 2013, he recalls eggs being under a $1 per dozen. As of March 14, Owens said his latest shipment of eggs cost $9.02 a dozen. 

    “As of right now, we actually have taken every step we could possibly think of to not bring that impact to our customers,” Owens said. “We have made every attempt to not increase our prices.” 

    The egg problem is not specific to the local brunch spot, nor is it new. The price of eggs has notably been an ongoing issue since 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on national supply chains. 

    The recent price hikes, however, have been exacerbated by a perfect storm of continuing supply chain issues, high inflation rates and an outbreak of the Avian Flu, which is impacting chicken farms nationwide. 

    This year’s first record-breaking peak occurred in January when the average price of a dozen eggs in the U.S. peaked at $4.95. In late February, some U.S. cities saw an average peak as high as $8 before the price sharply declined back to approximately a $4 average. 

    Additionally, the United States Department of Agriculture predicts the price of eggs will grow “at above-average rates.” 

    Angad Dang, a hospitality and tourism management professor instructing a restaurant operations course on USF’s Sarasota-Manatee campus, highlights two ways restaurants often navigate price hikes. 

    “They [restaurants] have to constantly… price match,” Dange said, “So they’re not always buying stuff from one vendor, and at the same time, sometimes, they have to increase the prices for the consumer as well because that’s going to be the person that actually eats the prices. So what is the cost of goods compared to what is the profit margin that you want to make? That’s how you do your menu pricing.” 

    Wooden Rooster, a local St. Petersburg cafe that specializes in crepes, employs both of these methods, utilizing several local vendors and increasing some of the prices on their menu items.

    “We are still doing our best to give the best product and not allowing it to change the way we serve our guests,” Wooden Rooster’s General Manager Melissa Phillips said. “We are taking the hit as a company.” 

    Phillips emphasized that while the price of eggs has continuously changed due to inflation, the costs have “significantly gone up” in the past year. 

    For Wooden Rooster, 40 pounds of eggs cost $45 last year. Currently the price for the same amount of eggs sits at $95. 

    “We have had issues getting eggs due to our vendors being out of stock,” Phillips added. “We have also had to change our product from time to time because of vendors not having our product in stock.” 

    So far this year, a little over 37 million commercial birds have died. 

    According to Dr. Sten Vermund, a pediatrician and infectious disease epidemiologist, once the Avian Flu is detected within a flock of chickens, the standard approach for farmers is to cull, or slaughter, the entire flock to prevent the virus from spreading. 

    “With millions of chickens being killed in the U.S., and some ducks and some geese, you end up with a rise in the price of eggs because you have fewer eggs being produced,” Vermund said. 

    Vermund also said that while chickens are easy to breed and hatch, it will take some time for farms to rebuild their stock of poultry. 

    “It still will take a better part of six months to a year to replace those millions of dead poultry, and of course, if we don’t get a good handle on the H5N1 epidemic, then the new fresh crop of poultry could also get infected,” he said. 

    The cost of eggs is starting to decrease, yet it still remains unstable. Owens said he hopes that prices become more manageable, otherwise, Taylor Sam’s may have to look into more alternative ways to maintain their preferred profit margins. 

    “I hope I’m wrong, but I personally believe that we will never see eggs below $6 a dozen again,” he said. “If I could open a chicken farm and produce enough eggs, I sure as hell would give it a shot.” 

  • If you build it, will they come?

    [Insert optional subhead]

    Photos and story by Eillin Delapaz

    1. PETERSBURG – “What do community gardens need? Why isn’t the Bartlett Community Garden as well as all other community gardens in the city [at] the center of fellowship, education, connectivity, community? Because we need to recruit those very same entities to be a part of it,” panelist Adrian Taylor said at the Et. Cultura SEEDS themed event at the Morean Center for Clay Nov. 16, 2017.

    Community, support and involvement were all recurring themes at SEEDS. To an extent, the planning of SEEDS severely lacked this sort of connectivity and recruitment. This was prominently revealed in the lack of attendance, especially from the local communities of South St Petersburg.

    SEEDS revolved around the sustainable growth of urban agriculture in St. Petersburg. The Urban Ag Revolution session involved three speakers: Shannon O’Malley, the co-founder of Brick Street Farms; Janet Keeler, an instructor and writer from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg; and Adrian Taylor, manager of Bartlett Park Community Garden.

    Walter Balser, Director of OPEN Partnership Education Network speaking at the SEEDS themed Et. Cultura event Nov. 16, 2017.

    O’Malley and Taylor spoke about their food growing experience, the hurdles they’ve crossed and how they have ultimately become successful urban growers. Due to St. Petersburg’s lack of local food production, they both expressed the importance of urban agriculture and the conversion to eco-friendly sustainable practices as an outlet.

    “Community gardens are a wonderful niche in order to solve a mass problem in a refuted city. You have to figure out how to produce more with the same or less resources,” said O’Malley. “So that’s the problem Brick Street is looking to solve. Roughly six acres and three shipping containers every five weeks, now that’s mass production,” O’Malley said during her presentation.

    Both farms are well respected for their positive and integral roles in the community. Brick Street Farms was established in 2016 and is a boutique, climate-controlled, hydroponic farm that uses innovative technology to grow food vertically and more sustainably inside upcycled shipping containers.

    On the other hand, The Bartlett Community Garden represents more traditional farming practices such as outdoor garden beds, water from a well and greenhouse compost bins. The garden was established in 2008 and since then it has been kept up with by community members.

    “Each community garden needs cross-sector involvement because then we get cross-sector intellect, then we get cross-sector perspective,” Taylor said.

    So, who benefits from SEEDS?

    After speaking with Mr. Brayboy from Chef Creole’s restaurant, it was clear to see that there wasn’t much marketing of the event in the Midtown area from the residents’ perspective.

    “I had some flyers in my restaurant, but they were not very clear. They were a little confusing,” Brayboy said.

    OPEN Partnership Education Network, the organizers of SEEDS, communicated with Deuces Live preceding the event. Deuces Live is a nonprofit organization in South St. Petersburg working with business associations in the community to preserve the historic African-American culture.

    Guests at the 2017 Et. Cultura SEEDS event viewing photos while learning about other successful urban gardens and farms across the globe.

    “The SEEDS people wanted to involve the community, and I communicate that the Deuces Live is not the only organization in the African-American community. You can’t come to the Deuces and say “I want to involve the community,” it’s much more multifaceted than that,” said Deuces Live program manager, Veatrice Farrell.

    Part of Farrell’s role consisted of encouraging necessary outreach and connection between OPEN and the people of Midtown. She attended a couple of meetings and made some suggestions to include the community, but the attendance of the event showed that the effort fell short.

    The session was one of few that were free and open to the public. Yet, it could not have even been considered a full house with attendance around 50 people in comparison to the roughly 100 available seats. The audience mainly consisted of other like-minded Sustainable Urban Agriculture Coalition members, entrepreneurs who want to promote their already established farms/gardens and entrepreneurs seeking direction in the business.

    The African-American community of South St. Petersburg was nearly nonexistent at SEEDS. After the event, the Neighborhood News Bureau contacted Walter Balser, director of OPEN, to better understand who was really supposed to benefit from the event. In response, he said, “It’s so multifaceted, you can say that the ultimate end user might be people that are not even getting access to sustainable healthy food, but I would say that at this juncture, the primary beneficiaries are these key leaders in the community.”

    Those not getting access to sustainable healthy foods include the residents of Midtown.

    John Muhammad, director of Child’s Park Neighborhood Association, learned about the event through social media. It was not until the week of the event that he was contacted about setting up a table at the SEEDS event – which only happened when a mutual connection mentioned the association’s involvement.

    Adam Gyson, director of the Historic Roser Park Neighborhood Association, also denied any contact for involvement stating that none of the association members had been contacted by the SEEDS group. The same goes for the Historic Kenwood and Methodist Town Neighborhood Associations.

    Bernice Darling, director of the Lake Maggiore Shores Neighborhood Association, did not know about the SEEDS event before the Neighborhood News Bureau contacted her.

    “I Googled Et. Cultura SEEDS Sustainable Healthy Food Systems and Urban Agriculture aforementioned event and realized that perhaps I missed a wonderful opportunity to participate,” Darling said.

    The idea behind SEEDS is a positive and influential message critical for St. Petersburg’s possible sustainable and urban agriculture future. Unfortunately, the promotion and communication efforts were insufficient in the southside neighborhoods. Without their attendance to learn and benefit from the conversations, the main initiative may have fallen short.

     

    Edited by Kayla Jensen

     

  • Young men at Gibbs High School Raise Funds for College Tour

    Young men at Gibbs High School Raise Funds for College Tour

    BY ABIGAIL PAYNE, NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS BUREAU

    The 5000 Role Models of Gibbs High School are providing a biweekly car wash to raise funds for their college tour to Miami, Fla. The program is a dropout prevention, mentoring program that is committed to minority male achievement. The car wash services are available from 12 to 5 p.m. every other Sunday. They had their first car wash on Feb. 5 with the next car wash happening this Sunday.  

    Coordinator, Javaris Green, hopes they can continue this fundraiser so the students can have opportunities to visit more college campuses. One school on that list is the University of South Florida’s St. Petersburg campus. The date is to be determined, but Green hopes the community will come out to support the young men and help them have a rich college-tour experience.

    Partnered with No Limit Detailing, they are offering interior services (cleaning, leather conditioning, carpet shampooing, and wheel and tire care) and exterior services (wash, polish and wax). The charge is $10 per car and $15 per truck. Donations are always welcome. The car wash is located at 534 28th St. South St. Petersburg, FL, 33712. The contact number is 727.648.8540.

  • Having the ‘Talk’: Help Us Help U provides sex education to young adults in poor communities

    Having the ‘Talk’: Help Us Help U provides sex education to young adults in poor communities

    Listen to the audio file here:

    http://

    By Devin Rodriguez

    Pinellas County is ranked number one in Acute Hepatitis C in Florida. It’s ranked number seven for HIV infections, according to the Florida Department of Health.

    Sexually transmitted infections disproportionately affect low-income areas, like Midtown or the greater Southside of St. Petersburg, in part because of poor education and a lack of consistent health care.

    Two employees for Help Us Help U, an education program in Pinellas County, are trying to reach out to young people and provide them with reasons to care about their health.

    Loreal Dolar (left in photo above) and Maureen Oginga (right in photo above) often visit community centers, like local public libraries, with food to draw young people into an educational workshop they call ‘Say It Straight.’ Not only do the two discuss proper STD prevention, but also provide information about positive relationship behaviors. These workshops are targeted to people 13-24 years old.

    “We really believe that that is a really important age group because they’re the one’s that can start from the ground up and learn more from the community,” said Dolar. “We really want to help them make a better stance in the people that they interact with and encourage more educational behavior when it comes to health education.”

    Help Us Help U works in part for the Pinellas Substance Abuse HIV Awareness Responsibility Program (SHARP). SHARP provides both HUHU and the Pinellas Ex-Offender Reentry Program (PERC) which provides education and community resources to people recently released from correctional facilities.

    Dolar and Oginga said that they have seen first-hand the need for these programs in poor communities. While education is an important resource for prevention, HUHU also provides testing and information about living with an STD.

    One of the biggest issues we’re facing is when individuals end up testing positive, they have a hard time finding health care services and health resources,” Dolar said. “A lot of them may be uninsured; some don’t know where to go.”

    Health care has drastically improved over the past decade, but HIV infections are still rising, according to the CDC. HUHU and the greater Pinellas SHARP program consider educating youth in the community to be paramount to lessening the chance of infection.

    “Our biggest goal is [to reduce] the cases of substance abuse for HIV infections. So, increase HIV testing and basically pushing for prevention within the community,” Oginga said.

    Both Dolar and Oginga are USF alums. Dolar was a graduate student, and Oginga an undergraduate who was recommended to apply by a professor she kept in touch with. Oginga said that she is excited about the responsibilities.

    “This is my first job doing actual public health work,” Oginga said. “I didn’t know anything jumping off my degree, and this falls way above my expectations. I’m working with youth and doing outreach, also the analytical side of public health, so I got way more than I expected.”

    The hardest obstacle, Oginga said, was connecting with youth. Since the two center their message on health education and behavior, it can be difficult to draw in young adults.

    “Youth, they’re not particularly too excited about learning about their health. That’s always a challenge, finding people who are kind of standoffish,” said Oginga. “That’s a very big challenge, we try to do as much as we can, show our face every so often, go to different locations to make those type of connections. Initially, it’s kind of challenging but once we get past that barrier, it becomes [easier] to deal with.”

    To find out more go to huhuinc.org.

  • When baseball stars came to town, they stayed with him

    When baseball stars came to town, they stayed with him

    BY DAVID STONER, Neighborhood News Bureau

    Most people know that Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargel, and Frank Robinson are three of the greatest baseball players of all time.  What people may not know is that these ballplayers, along with others, were a part of Midtown history.

    During the late 1950’s and 1960’s, many of the teams in major league baseball conducted spring training in St. Petersburg.  This era was a time of racial tension and segregation.  Baseball was not exempt from these divisive issues.  During spring training, most teams typically stayed at one of two hotels in St. Petersburg; the Vinoy and the Soreno.

    Segregation issues resulted in the minority players being denied the right to stay with the team in those hotels.  Instead, the minority ballplayers sought housing in St. Petersburg’s African-American community.   Paul Stewart, whose grandparents housed some of the ballplayers, remembers the era well.  “Here were these guys making all of this money and they couldn’t even go downtown and sit to have a meal.  Can you imagine having all this money and you couldn’t spend it because you can’t go places.  That stuck in my mind then and now.  They had to live in our house and couldn’t live with all ballplayers in a hotel.”

    Local families around the Midtown community invited the ballplayers into their homes for lodging and meals. It was not unusual for those Midtown homeowners to have every available room filled with mattresses and rollaway beds to accommodate the visiting ballplayers.  Players were invited to share meals with the host families.  They were treated like family.

    Beatrice Harper and her husband, along with their grandson, Paul Stewart, opened their homes for lodging and meals at 1739 18th St. S. in Midtown to several famous ballplayers, including Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargel and Frank Robinson.  Stewart recalls his experiences he had with the visiting ballplayer Roberto Clemente.  “I had twin beds in my room, and Roberto Clemente used to be my  roommate when they came up.”

    The hosts and their families had unique opportunities to interact with the famous ballplayers.  One such opportunity, Paul Stewart remembers was helping Robert Clemente learn English in the evenings, in his room, after practice.  “He was just learning English and what we would do at night was we would sit up in the bed and he would try to explain to me different events that happened to him during the day and he wanted to know what should he have said, so I would try to give him the English version of what he should say in certain situations.”

    The neighborhood children also enjoyed special opportunities to play impromptu baseball games with the baseball superstars.  In the backyard, behind the Harper home, the neighborhood kids fashioned a baseball diamond where the big leaguers would come over and play with them after returning from practice.  “My buddies and I cut the grass with lawnmowers.   We had our own little baseball field back there.  It was big enough to hit the ball as long as we wanted”, said Stewart.  Some of the players who joined in in the games were Clemente and Stargel.  Stargel was known as the clown of the group and kept everyone laughing.

    Despite having to endure the injustice of segregation, the ballplayers presence in Midtown enhanced the already deep and proud history of the area.

    Listen to the interview recorded during the “Telling Tampa Bay Stories: Midtown” event in partnership with WUSF.

    https://soundcloud.com/user-523497906/interview-with-paul-stewart-recorded-by-david-stoner-neighborhood-news-bureau-reporter/s-k0BPr

     

    You can also listen to the version of the story that was aired on Florida Matters.

  • Gallery celebrates second year, highlights Florida-born artist

    Gallery celebrates second year, highlights Florida-born artist

    REPORTING BY KATIE CALLIHAN AND MARLA KORENICH
    PHOTOS BY KATIE CALLIHAN
    NNB Reporters

    MIDTOWN-During February of 2014, a massive snowstorm known as PAX froze and shut down the entire heartbeat of the city of Atlanta.

     

    Mitchell, 33, talks with a Guest about her art pieces. She says, “ I usually say a prayer at the beginning of the week and then come up with paintings I want to do. The Lord never disappoints.”
    Mitchell, 33, talks with a Guest about her art pieces. She says, “ I usually say a prayer at the beginning of the week and then come up with paintings I want to do. The Lord never disappoints.”

    The major power outages left more than 100,000 people in the dark without heat for days, and for some, weeks. (source: http://time.com/6747/over-200000-without-power-in-georgia-as-winter-storm-descends/)

     

    During that snowstorm two years ago, Melissa Mitchell was one of the many stuck inside. With nothing else to do, her curiosity peaked and she decided to pick up a paintbrush for the first time.

    Within the first two weeks of her new painting career, Mitchell had sold 20 pieces. This was clear evidence that she had something special worth pursuing.

    Mitchell said, “I was always colorful and creative, but I never painted before because I didn’t think I could.”

    Little did she know that just a couple years later, she would be the featured artist at Gallerie 909’s second year anniversary celebration this past Sunday in Midtown, St. Petersburg.

    Walking into the gallery, natural light bounced onto her collection from a large window next to the front door.

    Many laughs were shared as stories were told about the different pieces of art displayed.
    Many laughs were shared as stories were told about the different pieces of art displayed.

    Her vibrant pieces covered the main entry white wall on the right-hand side of the room.

    They added life that displayed bold, black lines contrasted by a pop of bright colors.

    “My pieces are organized chaos. The black lines give balance,” Mitchell said about her painting style.

    Spread across a white shelf and scattered under her wall of paintings, Mitchell was also selling handmade earrings. Mitchell said that she started to make earrings for herself because she couldn’t find anything else to buy that matched her bright clothes.

     

    “Chanel West came all the way down from Boston to Tampa in August. She now bakes from her home to support her two daughters.”
    Chanel West came all the way down from Boston to Tampa in August. She now bakes from her home to support her two daughters.

    Mitchell has already sold over 300 pieces of jewelry without any traditional advertisements. She said that she only executes Facebook and Instagram as her network and marketing tools.

    “I’m definitely a millennial,” said Mitchell. “All of my business is either from social media or word of mouth.”

    This was not Mitchell’s first time in the hot seat. Since day one, Mitchell has already participated in about seven art shows and has sold over 150 pieces total.

    Bright fabric like orange sherbet ice cream was wrapped around Mitchell’s head.“This is my artwork too,” she said. She explained that printing her paintings on fabric is another project she’s going to start working on for others to purchase as well.

    Patrick Collins, neighbor to the gallery and owner of Deuces BBQ, poses with one of his cooks smoking ribs and shrimp during the peak of lunch hour.
    Patrick Collins, neighbor to the gallery and owner of Deuces BBQ, poses with one of his cooks smoking ribs and shrimp during the peak of lunch hour.

    During the celebration at Gallerie 909, Mitchell sold at least 12 pieces, but she said that wasn’t her biggest success of the day.

    “I spoke to an artist that is now ready to restart. If I encourage anyone, it is a good trip,” Mitchell said.

    Mitchell was just one of the many artists that were welcomed by Carla Bristol, Gallerie 909’s owner and event curator.
    Gathered around tables of plates with fresh baked mini-cheesecakes and BBQ pork sandwiches painters, musicians, sculptors, and friends all shared one reason for being there.

    They just love Carla Bristol.

    Annie Tyrell, owner of Annie’s Beauty Supply, gave Bristol credit for her success.

    Annie Tyrell, owner of Annie’s Beauty Supply, poses with her niece Brenda Jackson.
    Annie Tyrell, owner of Annie’s Beauty Supply, poses with her niece Brenda Jackson.

    Tyrell moved her beauty supply store to be Bristol’s neighbor. Their storefronts now face each other on the Deuces. Tyrell said that Bristol found the new location for her.

     

    Tyrell followed Bristol’s advice.

    “At my old location, I was dead, and now, I am alive,” said Tyrell. “She is the life behind the Deuces.”

    Creative Pinellas executive director Barbara St. Clair, was one of many in the crowd and said, “She’s a dynamo. Every time she does something, it’s great.”

    “This is a place for connecting,” said Bristol.

    Bristol hopes to expand the gallery to even include art that people can wear.

    Bristol also mentioned that she wants larger workshop classes for the future.

    Gallery owner and event curator, Carla Bristol, demonstrates how she greets every guest with a hug.
    Gallery owner and event curator, Carla Bristol, demonstrates how she greets every guest with a hug.

  • Telling Tampa Bay Stories: Midtown Edition

    Telling Tampa Bay Stories: Midtown Edition

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    April 14, 2016

  • Family Day Celebration draws a crowd to the Deuces

    • 1st place Len
    • 2nd place carl
    • 3rd place katilia

    REPORTING BY ANNA STEBBINS, VIDEO BY JADE ISAACS, AND PHOTOS BY LAURA MULROONEY

    NNB Reporters

    This story was originally published by The Weekly Challenger at: http://theweeklychallenger.com/family-day-celebration-draws-a-crowd-to-the-deuces/

     

    ST. PETERSBURG – The renaissance of the 22nd Street corridor, also known as the Deuces, continues to build up steam. At its prime, big names such as Louie Armstrong, Duke Ellington and James Brown could be seen working and playing along the corridor.

    Although no giants in the entertainment industry could been seen hanging out on the Deuces last Sunday, what you could see was food, fun and local entertainment at the inaugural “Family Day on the Deuces.”

    Over 50 people attended the event at Deuces BBQ, 911 22nd St.

    The festivities kicked off at 3 p.m. with a Macaroni and cheese contest, whole hog roast, crawfish boil and live music from the Southside Blues Brothers and special guests: local rapper, Varis and Marques Clark, poet and author of  “Poetically Correct.”

    “I saw (the event) online and haven’t had crawfish in awhile, so I figured I’d make the drive to get some,” said Joe Toscano, who came from Palm Harbor.

     

    The focus of the event was to give people a reason to come down to the Deuces and connect with the community while having fun, according to Patrick Collins, owner of Deuces BBQ, who helped plan the day. Co-sponsors of the event included neighboring businesses, Chief’s Creole Café, Gallerie 909 and the Historic 22nd Street S Merchant Association.

    Elihu Brayboy, owner of Chief’s Creole Café, provided the crawfish boil and was very pleased with the turnout.

    “I’ve heard nothing but very good feedback.  It’s very important to keep this trend up,” said Brayboy. “It brings a sense of community and brings people from other areas of this city to this area.”

    There were over 15 mac n’ cheese entries for the competition and, as a family-friendly event, the kids were the official judges.

    The winner of the contest, Len Nhoung, went home with a cash prize of $50 and a $50 gift card to Deuces BBQ.  Carl McClellan, a chef at neighboring Chief’s Creole Café, came in second place and received a $50 gift card to Deuces BBQ.

    The secret to the winning mac was the addition of mozzarella cheese, sharp cheddar cheese and crisped bacon, Nhoung said.

    With a $10 ticket, visitors could get their hands on a plateful of baked beans, mac n’ cheese and barbeque pork.  For $12, people could help themselves to a heap of boiled crawfish, accompanied with sausage, corn on the cob and a chunk of corn bread.

    This event was perfect for people of any age, offering board games at each table, outdoor festivities, and dancing to old school blues.

    The Family Day featured more than just food.  There were also several vendors that included African art, portrait painters, handmade jewelry and featured pieces from Gallerie 909.

    The sponsors of the gathering are expecting to host more of these types of events throughout the year in an effort to bring together the community.

  • Historic buildings with a hopeful future

     

    BY MIRANDA BORCHARDT AND BRIANNA ENDERS
    NNB Reporters

    MIDTOWN — Teresa Williams stood on the balcony of the historic Swain Apartments looking out onto The Deuces, 22nd Street South.

    Before the interstate, the desolate street was a hub of activity.

    “They say it used to be hopping back then,” she said.

    The interstate was built through the community in the late 1960s, forcing residents to relocate, “it became a dead area,” Williams said.

    Williams is the property manager of the business and apartments at the corner of 22nd Street and 15th Avenue South. She inherited this responsibility from her parents, William and Annette Howard, the current owners who are no longer able to maintain the buildings due to health conditions.

    Annette, a member of the 22nd Street Redevelopment Corporation, suffered a stroke in 2010.

    “(The community group’s) goal was to revitalize, make it functional, utilize it better,” Williams said.

    The commercial building was originally constructed in 1954 by Dr. Robert James Swain, a progressive dentist. He established his practice in 1954 and continued to practice dentistry in St. Pete until his death in 1996, according to StPete.org.

    Swain was an influential figure in the community, known for pressing for equal opportunity during the segregation era.

    He challenged Section 3 of the City of St. Petersburg’s Charter, which established separate residential and commercial areas for whites and African Americans in 1931, according to StPete.org.

    The state-of-the-art Swain Dental Office was built on the opposite side of 15th Avenue, impeding on the government allocated “white” territory, and was the first dental office for African Americans in the area at the time.

    Two years later, in 1956, Swain appended the residential apartment building behind his office to house African American Major League baseball players who were denied the right to stay with their white teammates during spring training.

    Annette Howard converted the Swain Dental Office building, which had previously been transformed into a doctor’s office years earlier, into the Golden Shears hair salon. Williams transitioned from her nursing career as an LPN at Bay Pines Medical after her divorce to being a hairstylist in order to “take advantage of what was here (her parent’s property),” she said. It also allowed her to have a more flexible schedule while she was raising her daughter.

    Her parent’s health issues in recent years caused Williams to re-direct her focus from being a full time stylist to tending to the well-being of her family members as their primary caregiver and managing the residential property to generate income for the family.

    Williams, along with her parents and 99-year-old grandmother, live in the three ground level apartment units and rent out the top three.

    “Everything’s so scattered,” she said. “Everything’s like… My life’s like a tossed salad.”

    The three one-bedroom units are rented for $600 a month and have original cabinetry with updated flooring, fans and appliances. Williams works to enhance each apartment as tenants cycle through.

    William’s dream for the business is a boutique-style salon where stylists would rent their own stations and bring in their own customers. 

    Making that dream come true could help make this area come alive again.

    Photos: Historic buildings with a hopeful future