Neighborhood News Bureau

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Community Journalism Resources

Starting in the spring of 2017, USFSP faculty and students engaged in community journalism research will be sharing their publications on this page. We are also compiling hundreds of resources to help journalists and community members to report on their own communities. Below, you can find a list of resources by topic. If you would like to recommend any particular resource, please contact nnb@usfsp.edu.

December 20, 2016
Community Grant Program to Up Its Funding In 2017

The city of St. Petersburg approved the CRA, a community redevelopment financing grant. Find out more about what this means for the Midtown community in the link below.

Read the full article in The Weekly Challenger: http://theweeklychallenger.com/community-grant-program-to-up-its-funding-in-2017/

November 29, 2016
You can help save The Weekly Challenger’s history

Weekly Challenger back issues

November 16, 2016
PARC’S Florida inspired 2016-2017 exhibition coming to Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum

PARC’s traveling exhibition featuring artists with developmental disabilities will be on display July 29 – August 13, 2016.

The Florida Inspired 2016-2017 features works of art from the Inspired Artist Studios @ PARC in St. Petersburg, a non-profit organization where children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can express fully their artistic talents. More than 30 unique pieces of art are featured in the traveling exhibition will be on display at Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum.

A large art piece, Big Whale by Alex J. encourages the community to be inspired and create their own piece of artwork, which is then included onto the art!

“The goal of visitors to alter Alex’s painting is to show unexpected ideas, and an expanded conversation about the relevancy and creative values of diversity of abilities and experiences. With the traveling art exhibition, we are increasing opportunities for inclusion for emerging artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Florida’s diverse visual arts, creative industry and aesthetic dialogue,” said Maria Emilia Faedo, PARC’s originating exhibition curator.

The Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum is located at 2240 9^th Ave. S. in St. Petersburg. Museum hours are noon – 5 p.m. on Tuesday – Friday. Admission to the museum is free, though donations are appreciated. The public is welcome to attend all special weekend events.

“We are delighted to partner with PARC on this extraordinary exhibit with hopes that we might all be ‘inspired’,” said Terri Lipsey Scott, Chair of the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum.

Red House by artist Tyler C., who works and creates at the Inspired Artist Studios @ PARC

Since 1953, PARC has been supporting children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities by offering a variety of services focused on their unique needs and goals. For more information about the Inspired Artist Studios @ PARC, call 727-341-6931.

PARC is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities to exercise their independence and experience life to the fullest. Established in 1953, PARC currently serves more than 800 individuals in the greater Tampa Bay area. To learn more about PARC, call 727-345-9111 or visit www.parc-fl.org.

August 2, 2016
Voices of Midtown: Nageé Hester, Server at Chief’s Creole Cafe

BY JADE ISAACS

https://youtu.be/2SWVBl1ytnc

August 1, 2016
Survey: Most Lakewood High students know someone killed, injured by gunfire

Most of the students at Lakewood High School know someone that has been killed or injured by gunfire, according to a survey by the Spartan News Network.

The survey, filled out by 204 students in January, shows the prevalence of gun violence. The questionnaire was spurred after seven males were shot and killed the last two months in 2015.

Lenny Acosta, 16, Tyler Lord, 17, Gabriel Wallace, 17, Jerrod Evans, 18, Jaquez Jackson, 18, and Aaron Davis, 25, were gunned down. A map of the incidents is available here.

The survey found that 55 percent of students knew someone killed by gun violence. Another 61 percent knew someone who has been injured by a gun. Only 35 percent of students responded that a gun was in their house.

Police have suspects in custody in all the shootings, except Acosta’s.

Read more of the SNN report here.

April 13, 2016
Voices of Midtown: Annie Tyrell, Annie’s Beauty Supply Owner

BY YURI ROSS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsPXBxfEQvw

April 13, 2016
What’s Past is Prologue

Since Dr. Gregory B. Padgett was eight years old, he knew he wanted to be a college professor.

“Some people say, ‘This is what I do’ but for me, this is what I am,” said Padgett.

Growing up in the 1950s and experiencing first hand civil rights laws taking effect, it gave him motivation to want to improve and make a difference.

For the past 26 years, Padgett has been an Associate Professor of History at Eckerd College, and when Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) sought him out to teach a civil rights class, he quickly accepted.

Since racial tensions have ramped up in recent years because of police brutality and debates of the Confederate Flag, just to name a few, OLLI offered a class this year to show how far we have come since the Civil Rights Movement.

‘What’s Past is Prologue: The Civil Rights Movement In the United States’ is the official title of the class and Padgett traces the development of the Civil Rights Movement from the end of World War II to 1975. The class studies the organizations that supported African-American social activism and compares it to how it still resonates in today’s society.

Ronnie Tobin is one of the 20 students enrolled in the class.

“It was very interesting to me because it accomplished a couple of things. One it was a trip down memory lane. There were a lot of things that I was involved in the ‘60s and ‘70s that we reviewed and that was a worthwhile experience. Two I learned things that I didn’t know that were happening that were not well publicized at the time,” said Tobin. “I enjoyed the interaction with other people in the class and getting their perspective. Overall I found it worthwhile.”

This class met three consecutive Wednesdays in February for two hours at the Midtown campus of St. Petersburg College.

“I think it’s an excellent venue,” said Padgett. “It’s in the heart of the neighborhood.”

OLLI offers a variety of classes geared towards the older community who would like to continue on the path of self-discovery through a variety of learning experiences. Classes cover history, politics, art, science, literature and more.

If interested, log onto www.eckerd.edu/olli/.

April 6, 2016
Family Day Celebration draws a crowd to the Deuces
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.
March 30, 2016
Local artists revive the Deuces

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

MIDTOWN – On Saturday, February 27th, Midtown hosted St. Petersburg’s first Black Arts Festival. This event pulled various vendors from across the world into one vacant, grass lot at the corner of 9th Avenue South and 22nd Street South.

The owner of Gallerie 909, Carla Bristol, curated and hosted the community event.

Carla Bristol stops to speak with one of her many visitors gazing at the various collections of artwork located at 909 22nd street south.

“I decided to do this event as a culmination for black history month,” said Bristol.

The Southside Blues Brothers were playing live facing 22nd street south. You could hear the combination of the piano, guitar, and deep, soul-filled vocals from a mile away.

Bristol selected this particular band to attract and to remind the community members of the momentum that the Deuces could still carry once again.

The Southside Blues Brothers added energy and soul to the Black Arts Festival.

“I wanted to see the energy on the corner again – to see what the corner would be like,” said Bristol.

The weather was cool, the sun was shining. By 11am, the layers of sweaters and jackets started to peel off and the venders were adding their final touches to their displays.

A stimulating energy was in the air and the community started to trickle in just as Bristol had hoped.

Across long, rectangular tables and under the roof of white, square tents, each artist displayed great spectrums of bold colors and textures; you knew that there was a story behind everything.

Handmade jewelry with large stones, paintings with texture, lotions imported from Africa, and other goods were all being sold at fair prices.

In the middle of all the vendors, three art stations catered a variety of crafts for children. You could catch them zipping through and winding between booths playing tag with decorated masks on their faces; colorful feathers falling from them.

Artist, Ramel Jasir demonstrated his unique painting style that consisted of smooth lines of collected dots – his own spin off of pointillism. Jasir said that he used to be a musician. Without prior sketching or making outlines, he says, “The music takes the line in different directions.”

A few artists, “Freddy Fred” and “Zulu Painter” from the Bloom Art Center participated in their first art show. “Zulu Painter” was painting live against his easel. He said that he finds inspiration by first looking at magazines. When he finds certain images that he likes, he then paints them together as one collective image.

Sehou Saho from Senegal imports shea butter from his homeland in Africa to make and sell. “The shea butter helps people and I like to help people,” said Saho.

Another contributor in the festival was traveling Folk Artist, Sandy Hall.

Hall, mother of six, stood in the middle of a small, shaded tent that stretched about as far as both of her fingers could point.

“This is my life,” she said as she directed her guest’s eyes across her display of paintings that varied in different rectangular shapes and sizes.

Hall shared that growing up, her family loved to tell stories.

“Our stories kept us together as a family. I can’t tell the stories, but I can paint them,” said Hall.

When asked how she learned to paint, Hall’s story began to unfold.
In 2001, TV show ‘Bob Ross’ was playing in the background of a hospital room.

Hall was diagnosed with cancer.

Her mobility and her creativity were limited to the stark walls of the hospital that seemed to be closing in.

One day, Hall’s nurse explained that she would soon be expecting a visitor, Hall’s mother. This was the last thing that Hall was emotionally prepared for.

Folk artist, Sandy Hall.

Hall was faced with a deep trance that forced a paralyzing apathy that had taken over her mind and body. She had no desire to do anything.

“The nurse kept trying to get me to crochet or do puzzles,” Hall said.

To make her mother happy, Hall decided that she would try to look busy, try to look entertained and try to hide the pain.

“It wasn’t until my mother came and I had to be on my best behavior,” said Hall.

For the first time in her life, Hall picked up a paintbrush and an empty canvas.

Out of desperation, she began to paint.

Since that day, for Hall, everything changed. Hall succeeded in beating cancer and her newly discovered talent put all six of her children through school.

Traveling in a passenger van, Hall said, “I used to line up my kids in an assembly line and have them help me with picture framing.”

They say that if you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life.

Today, Hall still makes a living selling her paintings online and in various art festivals across the country.

Overall, St. Petersburg’s first Black Arts Festival was a great success and it inspired all ages to find and maintain their creativity.

From Gainsville, Jordahn-Syhmone & Giahnna Nicholé demonstrate making their custom, copper jewelry pieces.

The duo hopes to soon find a storefront here in St. Petersburg. “We started experimenting with friends and making jewelry and thought, we can sell this,” they said.

Bristol plans on putting together more community events like this.

For more information about Bristol’s gallery, Gallerie 909, stop by at 909 22nd St. South.

Gallerie 909 is a stop on St. Petersburg’s Second Saturday Artwalk. The next art walk will be on March, 12th. There is free parking and entry into all participating galleries and studios.

Artist, Fanta Celah from Chicago explained that her jewelry pieces take from 30 minutes up to 18 hours. She started designing and making her own pieces around 1990 when she saw her friends doing it first – so she picked it up herself.

For more information about the art walk, please contact the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance at 727.518.5142 or email them at info@stpeteartsalliance.org.

March 26, 2016