Category: Uncategorized

By Dayana Melendez 

Every Friday morning at a downtown café, a group of professionals gather for breakfast. They’re not coworkers or longtime friends — at least not in the traditional sense. Five years ago, they were strangers thrown together in Leadership St. Pete’s Class of 2017. Today, they’re part of an invisible network that has quietly shaped St. Petersburg for over five decades. 

“I’ve worked and lived in Tampa for 20-plus years,” said Audrey Grounds, a member of that breakfast group and current Leadership St. Pete Alumni Association Class Reunion committee chair. “Coming to St. Pete is a completely different vibe. It’s much more community driven. If there could be a catchphrase for St. Pete, it really is ‘How can I help you?’”  

Such lasting connections aren’t unusual for the program that boasts some notable alumni: Rick Baker applied three times before being accepted and later became the city’s mayor, and Charlie Crist graduated years before winning the Florida governor’s race. 

Now celebrating its 55th anniversary, Leadership St. Pete stands as the second-oldest leadership program in the nation — a distinction that speaks to both its longevity and its impact on a city known for rapid transformation. 

The program consists of three main components, including leadership development retreats facilitated by Eckerd College Leadership Development Institute, educational seminars covering topics from local government to environmental sustainability and a class-selected community service project for a local nonprofit. 

“Unlike other leadership programs where you just listen to speakers, this one requires every class member to be involved,” Grounds said. “You get broken up into groups to plan different seminars. So, everyone is invested.” 

The program’s selection process is equally distinctive. Applications are reviewed with names, employers, gender and race redacted from submissions. 

“We don’t want somebody getting in just because they’re CEO of some company,” Grounds said. “We really want people who care about the community.” 

Each class selects a local nonprofit for their community project, raising funds and providing hands-on labor to transform spaces across the city. The 2024 class created an inviting gathering area at St. Pete Youth Farm, an organization addressing food insecurity while developing leadership skills in local youth. 

“Everything they’ve done took us further, faster than we could have done by ourselves,” said Carla Bristol, director of St. Pete Youth Farm. “Every participant will forever be tied to St. Pete Youth Farm because they were involved in a project that strengthened our community.” 

Bristol has witnessed how the program creates lasting connections between nonprofits and the city’s professional network. 

“Power Designs came out with their entire team after Leadership St. Pete was over,” Bristol said. “They may never have known about St. Pete Youth Farm had it not been for Leadership St. Pete.” 

The program has evolved over time while maintaining its core focus on community needs and accessibility. 

“We offer scholarships, so it’s not just a bunch of lawyers and accountants — the typical people that you always see going through leadership programs,” Grounds said. 

Jenna Stock Wunsch, chair of the 2025 Leadership St. Pete class, has experienced firsthand how the program transforms participants’ relationships with the city. 

“I just loved the experience,” Wunsch said. “I’m not originally from St. Pete, but I’ve lived here for 14 years, and you learn so much about the city, its history. You know how you can give back and get involved and help with the growth and evolution of our city.” 

As Leadership St. Pete celebrates with a 55th-anniversary reunion on April 17, the program’s impact continues to ripple through the community. 

“Every participant, every last one of those 40 people, will forever be tied to the projects they completed,” Bristol said. “They’re involved in something that strengthened our community in ways that would have taken us years to accomplish alone.” 

With 55 years of leadership development and thousands of alums shaping everything from city government to nonprofit organizations, Leadership St. Pete continues to fulfill its mission of building a more connected, service-oriented community. 

“I always tell people it is the best decision I ever made,” Grounds said. “You learn, you grow, you make a difference. From a business perspective, a friend perspective and a community perspective — it’s pretty incredible.” 

By London Evans, Julian Borrmann, Kayla Buckingham and Victoria Whitlock 

Since 1979, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has made it possible to recover quickly and return to normal everyday life after natural disasters occur. With the organization facing potential changes, waterfront locals are anxious for answers about whether they will receive aid in the next hurricane season. 

“Federal disaster aid is nearly everywhere,” Associated Press science writer Seth Borenstein said. “About 94% of Americans live in a county that has gotten FEMA help for disasters since 2011.” 

President Donald Trump voiced his concerns about the productivity and success of FEMA. In January 2025, he threatened to dismantle FEMA because it “has been a very big disappointment.” 

Since then, he has terminated hundreds of federal emergency employees. Many disaster-prone locations, such as Pinellas County, are left concerned about what this could mean for the future. Especially after the recent devastations from the 2024 hurricanes, Helene and Milton. 

Mariah Kaylor, a Tampa Bay native, was working at the Emergency Operations Center for Pinellas County Emergency Management during Hurricane Helene.  

“If FEMA wasn’t in the picture, we wouldn’t have bounced back as quickly,” Kaylor said. “It started with us going out and realizing that it was really bad, and people needed information. They didn’t know what to do besides clean. We handed out flyers on how debris should be separated and how to get FEMA assistance. We developed a community outreach program.” 

After Hurricane Helene and Milton, 47,000 cubic yards of debris had been collected citywide. Meanwhile, FEMA provided immediate assistance to individuals, state and local governments and nonprofits that offer critical services.  

“One nonprofit I thought was cool is World Central Kitchen,” Kaylor said. “Some people mentioned getting a meal from them. It is definitely a community effort.” 

While the government program has its perks, some might say there are major flaws in the process as a whole. 

“Most people didn’t know about disaster recovery centers,” Kaylor said. “There is also this corky thing with FEMA applications. Say you filled something out incorrectly and all you had to do was go back and add that information in, instead of telling you that, it would just tell you that your application was rejected.” 

Jessica Witchie, a 30-year-old renter in St. Petersburg, said she had mixed emotions about her experience with FEMA. 

“[It was] sometimes pleasant and sometimes extremely aggravating,” Witchie said. “Each time I got on the phone with a FEMA employee, they all provided different information, or some simply did not know anything at all.” 

For some, this rejection came as a devastating blow.  

“We talked to a lot of people who got rejected, and their whole house was destroyed,” Kaylor said. “So don’t take that as a final answer. It is very possible that they just clicked the wrong button. It is just a process. FEMA must have been overwhelmed.” 

Witchie said the inconsistency in aid distribution also added to the frustration.  

“We had friends who got relief money very quickly, while it took us about two months to finally get something,” she said. “I received money to recover the loss of items and for being displaced for two months. The money I received was extremely helpful and helped me recover everything that I had lost.” 

The challenges of navigating FEMA’s assistance process were widespread, affecting renters and homeowners alike. While some struggled with delays and miscommunication, others found the aid to be a lifeline. 

Pinellas County homeowners Amanda Walker and Olivia Scully said they had just begun their careers as elementary school teachers and recently purchased their first home when Hurricane Helene soaked everything they owned. 

Scully and Walker endured multiple feet of water in their house, but despite the destruction, they said they believe that without FEMA’s assistance, they would have never been able to rebuild and return to their home. 

“We were dealing with the loss of our entire life,” Scully said. “We would not be living in our home again, if it were not for the money that we got from FEMA. I could not imagine receiving the check that we received from FEMA, from the state of Florida.” 

Like Scully and Walker, many others relied on FEMA’s assistance to recover not just their homes but also their financial stability. Beyond recovering lost belongings, aid provided much-needed financial stability while they struggled to get back on their feet. 

While financial assistance was important for recovery, FEMA’s role goes beyond providing money. The agency also handles disaster response, making sure supplies and rescue teams are ready to help communities in need. 

“The county emergency management has positions that are dedicated to directing volunteers,” Kaylor said. “That is to help direct what resources go where, [like] in an event where one area is getting more water bottles than another. They direct stuff like that.” 

In addition to FEMA’s efforts, local governments are also investing in rebuilding their communities. For example, the Albert Whitted Airport was repaired before the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Feb. 28, as the city council approved $1.2 million for the project.  

“Without FEMA aid, any city that gets hit with a natural disaster could very easily go bankrupt,” Kaylor said. “So, if the city is bankrupt, they can’t afford to make improvements or bring events here to bring in tourism. So, we were only going through that to get reimbursed for all the work the county did for emergency management. If we don’t go through those steps though, it is millions of dollars [for the] debris pickup, and the county is on the hook for that.” 

While local governments can step in, disaster recovery is often too big of a task for any one city to handle alone.  

Walker and Scully said they are eager to know what might happen if disaster response were left to the states. The two emphasized that disaster recovery should be a shared responsibility across the country. 

“If we were all individually run by our states, then we would look like Europe,” Scully said. “We are a country that together is supposed to be able to rely on each other to come in and help. If we will not help other states and the federal government won’t help, than what’s the point of being united.”  

Beyond funding issues, Witchie said she believes FEMA should improve its operations.  

“After my experience, some changes I would suggest would be better training for their employees,” Witchie said. “They need to be able to provide accurate information, as it directly affects people’s livelihood.” 

While FEMA has been a lifeline for many, it has limitations. Assistance is only available for a survivor’s primary residence, excluding second homes, vacation properties and rentals. As communities continue to rebuild, one question lingers: What would disaster recovery look like without FEMA? 

By Ailyn Garcia 

The St. Petersburg Housing Authority’s Jordan Park Youth Program is an initiative that provides free after-school programs for the children of Jordan Park. They have mentorship, educational and recreational activities available. 

Kiara Lovett, the director of social services for SPHA, believes this initiative has created a safe and supportive environment for the children and community of Jordan Park. She said she has seen it help foster personal growth and build confidence in the youth and wants to let the youth know that they have a community that cares. 

“I want them to know that they can be something great,” Lovett said. “And life is truly limitless. You can be whatever it is that you want to be, but if you don’t have the tools to do so, I feel like it’s my duty, my job, to help provide the tools.” 

Lovett said she firmly believes that children must be provided with the tools and not just be expected to be successful. Not everybody is afforded the same opportunities or grows up with the same skills, moral confidence or values; therefore, she said the need for opportunities is what inspired her team to begin to brainstorm some possible ideas.  

Asking themselves what families wanted to see, they decided to conduct a needs-based assessment. 

“We created a needs assessment that encompasses everything from what do you like most about living in your community to what is it that you want to see,” Lovett said. “And we took the stats from that and designed the program to hit on the majority of those components.” 

One of the programs with the biggest turnout was their Tutoring and Education Program, held on Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Volunteers come to help children with their homework and give guidance for them to succeed in school. 

Lovett said that a teacher reached out to her about one of the students. He was missing about 21 assignments. They spent the entire evening helping him to complete them, and he was able to raise his failing grade up to a C. 

“That was just great to hear because that’s our purpose,” Lovett said. “That’s our mission.”  

Zedrick Colier Jr., an 8-year-old third-grade student, is part of the Tutoring and Education Program. He said he has enjoyed coming to learn and has already made friends. 

“So, my first day was the other week,” he said. “I had a tutoring teacher. She was kind of nice, and I couldn’t say how much I appreciated it.” 

Zedrick Colier Sr., the boy’s father, had enrolled his son in the program after finding out about it through an email that Lovett had set up. Over time, he said he has noticed his son becoming much more confident and comfortable in the classroom setting. 

“He loves to learn, [and] he’s more willing to learn now,” Zedrick Colier Sr. said. “In tutoring, he says ‘those guys, they’re pretty nice.’ He likes the environment, you know, his friends coming to learn, and he’s more happy about learning. I wish it was for more than just one day a week.” 

Zedrick Colier Sr. said he’s grateful for the additional support the program provides for his son. He explained that teaching can be challenging at times, so he appreciates others who can reach his son. 

“I’m thankful there is a program that reaches out to people who can’t afford tutoring,” said Zedrick Colier Sr. “I just want to thank them for lending a hand with helping my son to become a better person, a smarter person also.” 

Shalonda Gary, from Exceeding Grace Christan Center, leads the Tutoring and Education Program. To her, teaching is more than math and reading, it’s about connecting with each child and learning about their story, she said. 

“The desire to point to other kids’ lives is one of my biggest gifts that I can give back, and it’s a gift that God has given me to love and to just pour into others,” Gary said. “I couldn’t think of a better program to be a part of. You’re loving on children while you’re educating children, along with building relationships.” 

Gary said she has also seen how the program has impacted the parents in the community as well. 

“The parents get a breather because, speaking from my own life when my children were younger, I would’ve loved to have had the extra help,” she said. “You’re kind of stretching yourself thin between working, cooking [and] making sure everything is done.” 

As the Jordan Park Youth Program continues to support families, community support is important to the program’s continued success. Donations, volunteering and spreading the word about the program can all make a difference. 

“I would say step up and volunteer, even if it’s just one child that you mentor,” Gary said. “Allow yourself to not just take this as a mundane type thing, where you’re just coming in every Thursday, but you’re open to doing more in their lives. Even going as far as partnering with the parents and seeing where you can help the child even more.” 

“People can help by signing up to volunteer and donations,” Lovett said. “It allows us to still be able to provide for our community in the way that we do.” 

For example, the Jordan Youth Program received donations for their Christmas toy giveaway last year. It helped to adopt families for the holidays and provide meals and gifts for the children. 

The donations and assistance also help fund the martial arts programs and provide snacks, fresh fruit and drinks for the children. 

Lovett said that working with the youth is the most important part of her work. She highlighted that the focus on youth is essential for the well-being of future generations. 

“Our youth, that’s the next generation,” Lovett said. “That’s who I’m going to look forward to when I’m old and, you know, wrinkled. That’s what I’m going to hope, that our society is in great hands.” 

By Rhiannon McIsaac, Kadin Knowles, Paola Bisbal and John Mancini

During major storms, Pinellas County residents face the real threat of speeding vehicles pushing flood water into their front yards and homes, leading to damage that could have been avoided. 

Pinellas County lawmakers hope to regulate vehicle speeds in areas vulnerable to flooding, as well as bring awareness to the issue with the proposition of a new bill. 

“You get victimized twice, once by the storm, once by the drivers that are not necessarily understanding that they should slow it down,” said St. Petersburg Assistant Police Chief Mike Kovacsev when emphasizing the impact speeding vehicles have in flood zones. 

Flooding begins when heavy rain or storm surge overwhelms streets, turning familiar roads into unfamiliar and dangerous ones. As drivers return home, head to work or venture out after a storm, many speed through floodwaters, creating wakes that push more water onto properties and cause further damage. 

“[If] you live in a house, you have flooding that comes right up to your garage door, and then the pickup truck decides to go through at 15 mph and push all that water right in your garage,” Kovacsev said. 

Shores Acres in Pinellas County is just one of many neighborhoods that have had to deal with wake-induced flooding and been left to deal with its aftermath. The water pushed onto front lawns and into homes can lead to hundreds or even thousands of dollars in damage costs. This is an additional financial burden for residents that have already been majorly inconvenienced by debilitating natural disasters. 

Longtime Shore Acres resident Charles Wood said that most of his neighbors have had unfortunate experiences dealing with wake flood damage, leading them to make hard decisions. 

“It’s just getting too expensive to keep building over and over again,” Wood said. “Those guys in the next house over have sold their property. They have had to rebuild their house three times in four years.” 

The vulnerability caused by the city’s frequent flooding is due to the county’s unique geography, low-lying topography, rising sea levels and drainage issues. Major Hurricanes Helene and Milton have cast an unfortunate spotlight on the importance of reduced speeds during flood times. 

The bill, labeled Senate Bill 350 and House Bill 241, is being proposed by Sen. Nick DiCeglie and Rep. Lindsay Cross. Even though SB 350 and HB 241 have different numeric labels, they are the same bill. 

SB 350 and HB 241 would prohibit slow motor vehicle speeds that would block or cause traffic congestion. During flood periods, like the one that occurred during Hurricanes Helene and Milton, vehicle speed limits would be reduced by local government standards to prevent additional wake-induced flooding. 

To become a law, bills must go through legislative committees before they hit the general assembly floor and are voted on by both chambers. When a bill gets put into committee, as HB 241 and SB 350 have, it’s in the early stage of being approved or denied. A lot of bills quietly die in committee before they can reach the prepubescent stage of life, the voting stage. 

DiCeglie initially proposed SB 350 on Jan. 27, and it was moved into committee on Feb. 3. On the other hand, HB 241 was filed by Cross on Jan. 24 and moved into committee on Feb. 6.  

After reaching the general assembly floor and passing by a majority vote in both chambers, the bill needs to be affirmed by the governor before officially becoming an enforceable law. 

Law enforcement has long received complaints about drivers speeding through flooded streets but had no authority to act beyond issuing warnings. If passed, the bill would give officers the power to enforce reduced speeds. 

First responders play a critical role during floods, responding quickly and helping keep communities safe. Their firsthand experience with wake-induced flooding has shown how damaging it can be, and the St. Petersburg Police Department supports the bill’s passage. However, the state must change its laws regarding vehicle speed regulation before the city can act.  

The proposed bill was also included in a larger hurricane response package during the March 4 Florida legislation session. 

“It seems to have a lot of backing from the Florida Police Chiefs Association and the Florida Sheriffs Association,” Kovacsev said prior to the March 4 meeting. “If you get the amendment, put in there, then we can start enforcing it.” 

In the past, during deadly hurricanes, Kovacsev said that the city would just shut down certain neighborhoods that are prone to flooding. The devastating impact of Hurricane Helene and Milton made things more difficult and shifted lawmakers’ and community safety workers’ mindset on the proper way to prevent unnatural and additional flooding. 

Kovacsev also said that keeping homeowners away from their residences is only a temporary fix. When a storm surge occurs and lasts for long periods, as it did due to Hurricane Helene, it gets harder to tell people to stay away, he said. Many St. Petersburg residents were starting to demand change. 

Amber Boulding, St. Petersburg emergency manager, points out the good impact that the bill has already had on Pinellas County. 

“Whether it passes or not I feel like it’s already done a lot,” Boulding said.  

The proposal of a wake zone speed limit bill highlights the important but oftentimes underestimated issue presented by cars during flood periods. When hurricanes get covered by the media, they are usually only covered from a present-tense standpoint. By pushing this bill forward, Florida lawmakers are shining a light on this issue and encouraging drivers to consider their actions more carefully. 

“I think that there should be speed limits when the streets are flooded,” Wood said. “It’s a safety issue for the driver and a safety issue for the homeowners.”  

Residents like Wood see the proposed bill as a necessary step toward addressing wake-related flooding. While storms and speeding drivers remain ongoing challenges in flood-prone areas like Pinellas County, the legislation aims to provide law enforcement with a tool to help protect neighborhoods when streets are submerged. 

By D’Asya Collier-Williams

This year’s Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival in St. Petersburg marked a major milestone for the local community, blending food, health and culture. What started as a small fundraiser in a church basement in 2018 has grown into an annual event that draws hundreds of attendees from across the city. 

“We started with just a small group, cooking greens to raise money for kids at our church, and now look at where we are today,” said Tamikae Mitchem, one of the festival’s founders. 

What began nearly two decades ago as a humble church fundraiser has become a cornerstone event, showcasing the vibrant culture and history of St. Petersburg’s Historic Black District.  

The festival’s origins trace back to an accidental culinary experiment when one of the founders, cooking collard greens in a pressure cooker, forgot to add water and thought they had ruined the dish. To their surprise, the greens turned out perfectly, and it sparked the idea to share this unique cooking method with the community. 

The festival, originally founded in 2018 by Samantha Harris, Boyzell Hosey and Tamikae Mitchem, now draws attendees from all over the region. 

“It’s been amazing to see the community embrace this celebration, and each year it continues to grow,” Mitchem said.  

The event has evolved, incorporating not only food and entertainment but also health and wellness. This year, organizers emphasized the theme of “health is wealth,” with vendors offering nutritional advice, wellness products and mental health resources. 

One of the festival’s regular attendees, Jasmine Fracier, shared her excitement about the event. 

“I’ve been living here for two years, and I just love this community,” Fracier said. “It’s so welcoming, and it’s nice to see so many familiar faces. It’s a great event, and I’m really excited to be a part of it.” 

In addition to focusing on health, the festival has placed a growing emphasis on supporting local businesses and empowering the Black community. This year, organizers expanded the number of local vendors, ensuring that money circulates within the community.  

Dr. Angela Thompson, a local health expert, emphasized the importance of community wellness events. 

“It’s essential for festivals like this to focus on both physical and mental health,” Thompson said, “as they help foster connections and provide resources that individuals may not otherwise have access to.” 

Entertainment also plays a key role in the festival, with live performances from up-and-coming local artists. Providing the opportunity for attendees to discover new talent, and the event allowed young performers to share their passion with a larger audience. 

“We’ve seen tremendous growth,” said one festival organizer. “There’s been a lot of positive feedback from the community, and we listen to it. That’s why we’ve added more entertainment, including opportunities for young artists to showcase their talents. We want to provide a platform for the next generation.” 

Bababa James, who traveled from Atlanta, Georgia to attend the festival, brought his own unique touch to the event. As a vendor selling ice cream, he shared his connection to the Collard Green Festival’s larger network.  

“I started these festivals in California, and it’s exciting to see how they’ve grown,” James said. “I have my own collard greens festival in California, and I hope we can collaborate and bring more attention to the Black community through these events. We can make a real impact together.” 

Despite its success, the festival has begun to outgrow its current space in the historic Black district. Organizers are now exploring options to expand, possibly relocating to a larger venue to accommodate the growing number of attendees. 

“We’ve reached a point where we need more space, especially for parking,” Mitchem said. “We’re very intentional about listening to our community’s feedback and adjusting our plans accordingly. The goal is to make sure the festival continues to serve and grow with the community.” 

Looking ahead, organizers are already brainstorming ways to expand the festival’s impact, including the possibility of future collaborations with the original California-based festival. 

“We have our 10th anniversary coming up in a couple of years, and we’re definitely thinking about what the future holds for this event,” one of the founders said. 

As the Collard Green Festival continues to grow and evolve, one thing remains clear: it’s a celebration of the past, present and future of the community.

Whether it’s enjoying the delicious collard greens, supporting local businesses or learning more about health and wellness, this annual festival is considered to be a reminder of the power of community and the importance of locals coming together to celebrate culture, history and a brighter future.  

By Anastaciya Pellicano

Over 800 people attended the twice sold-out premiere of the new documentary “Razed: Lies, Baseball, and the Price of Progress” on Saturday, Feb. 22 and Sunday, Feb. 23, according to its creators. 

While the initial screening was held at the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg’s Center for Health Equity, the overwhelming amount of support prompted the Razed team to appease public demand with an additional screening on Friday, Feb. 28, as part of the inaugural Festival of Films from the Institute on Black Life at the University of South Florida Tampa campus. 

Roundhouse Creative’s film director Andrew Lee and assistant director and co-producer Tara Segall took on the long overdue project of disinterring the history of St. Petersburg’s Gas Plant District, a once-thriving Black neighborhood that was displaced to make way for Tropicana Field. 

According to the Razed team, the film provides a chair at the table for those who were displaced and allows them to finally be involved in the conversation of this irreversible redevelopment. 

For the purpose of dissemination, the premieres also included time with a panel featuring the filmmakers and former Gas Plant residents. These events held space for attendees, including former residents of the Gas Plant District, local activists, historians, city officials, teachers, students and all others interested in learning about the redevelopment.  

David Ponton, associate professor and chair of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of South Florida, was among those in attendance both on Sunday and again on the following Friday. With a knowledgeable background in Black history and systemic inequalities, Ponton spoke on how Razed captured the emotional and historical weight of racism during the panel discussion on Friday. 

“Of course, there’s discomfort with telling a story in a country with racist devices when you’re talking about race,” Ponton said. “At the same time, it’s not just a story about a Black community. It’s a story about a community that experienced trauma–and so that’s another different type of layer of discomfort that comes in. We get up to the point oftentimes where we are discomforted and then we recoil, and we go backwards, and I think you have to push through the discomfort to the other side, which is this empowerment, and that’s what we got to see and feel because of the willingness to push forward with it.” 

Razed depicts the history of the Gas Plant District. A lost home to generations of Black families and Black-owned businesses, before the city’s redevelopment plan promised economic revitalization. Many former residents and their descendants feel that those promises were never fulfilled, and the documentary brings their stories to the forefront. 

Throughout the discussion of this documentary and the history it presents, a recurring theme emerged, the erasure of a once-thriving community. However, through the creation and release of this documentary, that sense of community has been rediscovered, according to attendees.  

“Every child had a mother and father in every house, regardless of whether there was a blood tie,” Segall said. “They were the community’s children. Everyone knew everybody, and when the construction started, and people left, it was all lost.” 

Lee also emphasized the emotional impact of that lost community.  

“That’s definitely something that touched us, understanding just how significant that sense of community was to those folks who lived there, and just how much loss they feel to this day,” Lee said.  

The team’s commitment to authenticity and respect for the people who lived through the trauma of displacement began during the initial conversation about creating the documentary. 

“One of the first things we did when Tara and I started talking about the idea of making this documentary was to reach out to Ms. Gwendolyn Reese, who’s prominently featured,” Lee said. “We know that Ms. Reese holds so much of this history in our community, and it would not be possible for us, or appropriate, to try to tell this story without her guidance and support. So luckily for us, she jumped on board and helped us produce this film. Her involvement established trust and credibility and without her vouching for us, many people might not have shared their stories.” 

According to the filmmakers, they’ve received an enthusiastic response to the film’s premiere.  

“The turnout and support genuinely surprised us,” Segall said. “We expected attendance primarily from residents featured in the film and family members, but this story clearly struck a chord with the broader community. Many people who weren’t directly involved with the film saw their own memories, lives and experiences reflected on screen.” 

In addition to Segell’s sentiment, Lee also added that he felt the emotional response from viewers.  

“We were deeply moved when multiple former residents stood up and stated that this was the first time in their lives they had felt truly seen and heard,” Lee said. “Some shared that they had spent years feeling like their stories had been erased, and this film gave them a platform to reclaim their history. That level of emotional impact was something we hadn’t fully anticipated.” 

Segall noted the film’s growing impact since its premiere, sharing that the St. Pete Downtown Partnership and Economic Development Corporation expressed interest in screening it for their investors. Community members have also requested private shows to present the film to their own organizations. 

“What was missing was kind of a unified front from the community,” Segall said. “If we want to see folks not being taken advantage of by the system, by greed, by the development and the progress that maybe isn’t putting people above money, [then] we have to band together to make sure that we’re all on the same page.”