Caribbean American Passport News Magazine November 2020

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Your Passport to the Caribbean American Community

Nov/Dec 2020

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Happy Thanksgiving to your family from ours at Caribbean American Passport News Magazine & GGR Marketing & PR & Roberts & Roberts Management Services We are headed into the end of 2020 with a lot to be thankful for.

This year as we give thanks for simply life and surviving, more than ever, we understand the full magnitude of staying alive and enjoying every moment with our best friends and our family.

As we head into this Thanksgiving season, we are grateful for you and we are so grateful for this life we get to live.

Kamala Harris set to make history as first Vice President who is a woman and the first Vice President of Caribbean, Black and Indian heritage.

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L I F E S T Y L E

Guenet Gittens-Roberts Owner/Publisher/Editor

there's glass everywhere, ceiling shattered!

Samuel J. Roberts

Owner/Publisher/Editor

I

was asked if my support for Kamala Harris wasn’t racist, and if I was allowed

to vote based on race, then why should the racists who voted for Trump be scorned and shamed.

The question made me pause. My support for Biden was cemented before he named Harris as his running mate.

I liked Biden’s energy when I saw him serve in the Obama administration. He had spark, he had charisma, he was there when things were right in America. He’s a democrat and I liked his policies.

I stood against Trump, not because he is a conservative; people from the Caribbean share a lot of conservative values – we believe in tradition, we value religion. And at times we can be strong characters. However, Trump brought division, and I stood and stand against division.

Between 2016 and 2020 the poem by German Niemoller often crossed my mind: First, they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Trade Unionist.

And now that the democrats have won, now that the US has elected its first female, minority VP how can I not support her?

Now that it is someone who is of Jamaican and Indian parentage, how can I not look at every Caribbean and Indian child and say – Yes you can!

Now that a woman has shattered that glass ceiling, how can I not look at every woman and say -Yes you can!

Sarah McBride will now be the first transgender state senator -Yes you can!

Joe Biden is the oldest president elect – Yes you can!

Yes, I support inclusion. No, standing for inclusion is not the same as being racist.

Yes we can and more importantly - We Just did!

This Guest Editorial was written with joy and excitement at the recent election results in the United States by Natasha Solomon.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.

I looked around at what was happening in the country, and I saw Trump go after every minority group. We weren’t sent to concentration camps, but he came for us. He was the leader and it wasn’t an acceptable option. I will not dismiss it as being humorous either.

I supported the team whose outlook aligned with mine. That was team Biden/Harris.

I supported the candidate who had a member of the team who was black, and female and whose parents were immigrants.

To those who think that equates to racism I say - I supported Biden before he declared his running mate.

Team Biden/Harris exemplified the American dream. Harris’s parents chose to come to America for better opportunities.

They went on to have good professions. They had children who benefited from the education system. They worked diligently, and now girls from minority families know that they can.

1969 Alafaya Trail • Orlando, FL 32828 Office: 407-427-1800 Fax: 407-386-7925 Toll Free: 877-220-8315 For Media Information email: Publisher: sroberts@caribbeanamericanpassport.com Info: .Info@caribbeanamericanpassport.com

Should you desire to review past copies of the publicationgo to http://caribbeanamericanpassport.com and click on the 'Print Archive'.

Editor & Publisher................................................................................... Sam Roberts Publisher ............................................................................. Guenet Gittens-Roberts Graphic Design & Layout .....................................................................Aleia Roberts Contributing Writers: ................................................................................ Tony Dyal ..................................................................................................................Aleia Roberts Contributing Photographers ............ .......................................................Ted Hollins .....................................................................................................................Dilia Castillo

Central Florida Distribution........................................................Kadeem Roberts South Florida Distribution .............................................................Norman Williams NorthFlorida Distribution .....................................................................Theo Jack Jr. Tampa Distribution ..................................................................................Julian Pina Copyright (C) 2016 GGR Marketing & Public Relations. All rights reserved.

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Racism during the 2020 Election, 100 years after the Ocoee Massacre

By Roger Caldwell When this article is published, it may be too early to declare a presidential winner in the race for the 2020 election. Or maybe it is very easy to declare a winner because the Democrats or the Republicans have won by such a large exceeding margin. It definitely matters, but systemic or institutional racism will still be a major challenge with very few solutions and policies after the election.

Everyone in the news media is talking about voter suppression and the intimidation of the election among many White supremacist organizations and groups. In 2020, one would hope that these egregious activities would not take place 100 years after the Ocoee Massacre of 1920.

The ironic thing about America in 2020, White supremacist organizations are intimidating Black and minorities around the country with guns at certain ballot locations. The more things change in America, the more they stay the same.

On November 2, 1920, Election Day, a White mob attacked and killed 30 - 50 African Americans’ in Ocoee, Florida, because they had worked and registered to vote. “In Orange County, as well as the rest of Florida had been politically dominated by Southern White Democrats, since the end of Reconstruction. But, in the weeks leading up to the presidential election of 1920, African Americans throughout the South were registering to vote in record numbers. During this period, the Ku Klux Klan was having a revival and warned the Black community that not a single African American would be permitted to vote,” from Wikipedia Dictionary.

On Election Day, African Americans were met with resistance, and some Blacks returned with shotguns. The Whites surrounded Julius “July” Perry’s home and he killed two of the deputized members of the mob. Sam Salisbury was a police chief in Orlando, who was injured in the attack

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on July Perry’s home, and reinforcements from the Ku Klux Klan and other whites in the surrounding area were called in. This larger group burnt down businesses and homes of the Black community in Ocoee Florida, and lynched Mr. Perry.

“After White residents terrorized all the Black residents to leave following the Massacre, Ocoee would remain an all White sundown town, a dangerous place for Black people after dark, until the late 1970s and early 80’s” says reporter Monivette Cordeiro of the Orlando Sentinel.

Systemic discrimination and racism that everyone in Florida acts as though it does not exist, and no one wants to talk about it. When Trayvon Martin was killed in Sanford, Florida walking down the street in 2012 by a neighborhood watch volunteer, the perpetrator was found innocent of all charges of murder.

The legacy of lynching is still a reality in 2020. When the police are able to kill a Black Man, George Floyd, and the community is watching, something is fundamentally wrong with the system. When Breonna Taylor is killed by police in her Louisville home, and only one officer is charged with shooting in another apartment, something is wrong.

While more African Americans and people of color have been elected in Central Florida, and around the country, racism is still an issue. Orange County has elected its first Black mayor, Mayor Jerry Demings, and things are changing, but are things moving too slow?

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SENATOR RANDOLPH BRACY AND REPRESENTATIVE GERALDINE F. THOMPSON UNVEIL JULY PERRY ROAD DESIGNATION One hundred years ago, the bloodiest day in American political history unfolded in Ocoee, Florida on Election Day. This notorious day was marked by horrific racial violence against African Americans who organized and exercised their right to vote.

With the recent signing of SB 78 – Transportation -related Facility Designations, the bill approved an honorary road designation for one of the Ocoee Massacre’s most notable victims.

State Senator Randolph Bracy (D-Ocoee) and State Representative Geraldine F. Thompson (D- Windermere) hosted: “THE ROAD TO RECLAMATION: Resurrecting Our History.” A portion of Silver Star Rd. was designated as a Memorial Highway in Perry’s honor.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said the sacrifices of those Ocoee residents who tried to exercise their right to vote paved the way for elected officials like him to break new barriers as the county’s first African American mayor.

Statement from Senator Bracey: It was a great honor to host the road designation unveiling ceremony with Representative Geraldine Thompson to present the Julius "July" Perry Memorial Highway. Now when you travel towards Ocoee on Silver Star Road you will forever see the sign designated by the 2020 Florida Legislature in Mr. Perry's honor.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, Ocoee Mayor Rusty Johnson and City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, with descendants of victims of the Ocoee Election Day Massacre of 1920 at a ceremony Monday Nov. 2, 2020, near a memorial marker in downtown Orlando.

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This Thanksgiving - we give thanks for the work of United Foundation of Central Florida

Who is the United Foundation of Central Florida?

Join me today as we journey from the beginning to get to know this amazing organization making positive moves in the Central Florida community.

I had the pleasure of sitting with Founder and Executive Director Sandra Fatmi-Hall for this long overdue update on the growth of the organization.

Guenet Gittens-Roberts – Tell me about the United Foundation of Central Florida.

Sandra Fatmi-Hall – The United Foundation of Central Florida is a 501 C 3 Public non-profit grassroots organization formed with love on February 14th, 2014, focused on early intervention leading to prevention to bridge the educational gaps in our community using a holistic approach through mentoring and enrichment programs.

GGR – I remembered when you got started, simply focused on helping the young people in under-served, at risk Pine Hills and see that you now you have a few vibrant programs up and running today.

SFH – Yes, we are super excited that we have 3 vibrant successful programs under the United Foundation of Central Florida. Our FLU After-School Program, our Educational Scholarship Program that sends students to College and our Food Distribution Program.

GGR – You are always surrounded by a sea of young people in yellow shirts. Enlighten the community about the only FLU you want to catch.

SFH – Absolutely. FLU stands for Future Leaders United, which is the name of our After-School Enrichment and Mentoring Program at Maynard Evans High School. Our Youth Program “prepares you for success before it arrives.” Our new name of UFCF FLU has been in existence since 2016. Annually students sign up for weekly classes from September to June, where they are taught the following 7 pillars using a holistic approach: Leadership Development, Financial Literacy, Health and Wellness, STEAM Education, Career Exploration, College Preparedness and Preparation for Life After High School.

GGR – Tell me about your remaining two programs.

SFH – Our Educational scholarship Program is extremely successful. We are proud that of the 99 students that have graduated from the program. We have helped send 94 of those students to College, inside and outside of Florida. 3 are enrolled in the Military and 2 in the workforce. In addition, we help to keep the students in school.

Our Food distribution Program started in 2015, grew in 2017, and became more vibrant in 2018, and 2019.

However, this year has been a very challenging year, and the need for food grew. In June of this year I received a phone call, that the need for food in Pine Hills was increasing and I was asked to help. I reached out to Dr. Bailey and a few more friends to help fulfill the need, fast forward to today. We have fed 13,700 families, which is the equivalent of 65,800 individuals.

GGR – Wow, that is impressive. If anyone wants to help by offering their time, donate or find out more information about what you do, where can they find this information?

SFH – Before I share that information, I would like to personally thank you for your support and coverage of the Foundation and our young people over the years. You can find information about the foundation by logging onto www.unitedfoundationcf.org or by calling 770-789-7004 for more information.

GGR – How many students have you mentored since starting mentoring and enrichment programs in 2015, and how many have graduated from the program?

SFH – To date we have mentored approximately 450 students, inside and outside the program. 99 have graduated, 94 have enrolled in college, 3 in the military and 2 in the workforce.

GGR – How have you executed so much with little resources?

SFH – This is a great question. Thanks to the Board of Directors, a host of amazing family, and friends for the past 6 ½+ years we have been able to keep our programs running through donations, in-kind service, and fundraisers. To name a few, I would like to thank Dr. Trisha Bailey, Zorida Pritipal, Dr. Karen Castro-Dentel, and Caribbean American Passport News Magazine.

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FusionFest Returns To Downtown Orlando On Thanksgiving Weekend, November 28 & 29, With Enhanced Safety Measures Celebrate the People and Many Cultures That Make Central Florida Awesome at the Free Two-Day Festival That Features Over 1,000 Local Artists and Draws People From More Than 110 Different Cultures to Experience Music, Dance, Food, Visual Arts, Spoken Word, Games and Interactive Activities FusionFest Will Take Place at the Seneff Arts Plaza in Front of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Downtown Orlando’s annual celebration of the people and the many cultures that make Central Florida awesome, FusionFest, returns this month on Thanksgiving Weekend: Saturday, November 28 from 10am to 9pm and Sunday, November 29 from Noon to 7pm.

Keeping CDC guidelines, cultures from all across the world will be showcased at the free, two-day festival, which draws people from more than 110 different cultures to experience music, dance, food, visual arts, spoken word, games and interactive activities and features over 1,000 local artists, who will perform and showcase their work on the stages, gallery and interactive installations at FusionFest.

FusionFest will now take place solely at the Seneff Arts Plaza in front of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts utilizing the upcoming Front Yard Festival seating pods, though which the many cultures presented at FusionFest can be experienced in a socially-distanced way by a limited 1,500 attendees at a time.

Guests of FusionFest will enjoy the Opening Spectacle, International Food Court and Marketplace, two stages featuring music, dance, spoken word and fashion, Film Pavilion screening the MYgration Films in partnership with Global Peace Film Festival, singing of the FusionFest anthem, “My Colors”, Visual Arts Gallery with newly commissioned 24’ immigration mural by Alberto Gomez, Fun and Games Station, exciting prizes, Fusion contests with cash awards up to $1,000, plus a new station highlighting cultural celebrations from around the world.

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In compliance with state and local laws, FusionFest will implement a wide variety of health and safety protocols, which include: Six feet social distancing for tables, chairs and patron lines, temperature checks at dedicated entrances for staff, vendors, performers, volunteers, participants and all attendees, masks for vendors, staff and volunteers and facial coverings available for sale on site, increased handwashing and handsanitizer stations throughout the festival, and continuous spraying of CDC-approved disinfectant on all high touch areas.

FusionFest is a free to attend. VIP Passports can be ordered in advance online or at the festival for $25, which include: (1) Neck Wallet, (4) Food Tokens, (1) Souvenir Button, (1) Prize Ticket and (1) Super Prize Raffle Ticket ($300 Gift Card).

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Mayor Demings, the Orange County Mayor’s Veterans Advisory Council and County Commissioners honored veterans, as well as those who are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces with a flag raising ceremony on Veterans Day.

“Thank you to all who have served and continue to serve in the United States Armed Forces. The sacrifices you and your family have made to defend this great nation and protect our freedom have not gone unnoticed,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings.

“Your service to our country and fellow citizens is something we all hold dear, and we will never take for granted. Thank you for your service! I am so proud to be your Mayor.”

1SG (Ret) Daila Espeut-Jones, Chair, Orange County Mayor's Veterans Advisory Council with Mayor Demings

National Anthem by CPT Maxine Reyes, US Army Retired

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Nation's First Caribbean Heritage Museum Opens in South Florida Florida Power & Light Company and GraceKennedy USA LLC demonstrated their support for the initiative with twoyear underwriting commitments.

Juliet Roulhac, Director of Corporate External Affairs at FPL, presented a $20,000 check to Island SPACE. “This initiative is perfectly aligned with our commitment to diversity and we are excited and proud to announce that the Caribbean-American music exhibit is powered by FPL,” Roulhac said.

David I Muir and Calibe Thompson of Island SPACE receive a $20,000 check from Juliet Roulhac of Florida Power & Light Company (FPL).

Photo: RJ Deed

The nation’s first Caribbean-American heritage museum welcomed members of the media, Caribbean-American leaders and the corporate community to a soft-launch opening on Monday, November 16, 2020. Now open at the Westfield Broward Mall in Plantation, Florida, Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, a new site of archives, events, resources and information, tells the comprehensive story of Caribbean and Caribbean-American societies, and facilitates small meetings, events and educational programs.

Board members, the organization’s leaders and volunteers have been working tirelessly to transform what was previously a restaurant in the mall, into an engaging, memorable, modern heritage facility that accommodates both on-site and online experiences for guests and members. The museum, established through the support of donations, underwriters and volunteerism, is a project of Island SPACE, a Florida-based nonprofit.

Derrick Reckord and Donna Callender of Grace Foods presented a check for $10,000. “Our support for this museum makes sense, as we are committed to supporting our customers and communities, and it is with pride that we present this check to support the Culinary exhibit,” said Reckord.

This has been a true labor of love,” said Calibe Thompson, Island SPACE Executive Director, “we had a vision, a shoestring budget, and a great commitment from members of the diaspora, but certainly needed funds. Having these major corporations come alongside these efforts are critical to operations and sustainability.”

Now through January 2021, from Thursdays through Sundays 11a.m. to 7p.m., the museum will be open to the public with no admission fees. The grand opening is scheduled for January 2021 with admissions of $10 per adult and $5 per child.

Community members are encouraged to get involved in this undertaking through volunteerism, donations, sponsorships and memberships. Donations in the form of artifacts from around the Caribbean are highly sought after, and cash and in-kind contributions are needed.

Support for this venture has been generously provided by the following Funds at the Community Foundation of Broward: Helen and Frank Stoykov Charitable Endowment Fund, David and Francie Horvitz Family Fund, Ann Adams Fund, and Mary and Alex Mackenzie Community Impact Fund; and

by Florida Power & Light Company , GraceKennedy USA LLC , Westfield Broward Mall, the Jamaican Diaspora Legacy Foundation and individual private donors.

David I Muir and Calibe Thompson of Island SPACE receive a $10,000 check from Donna Callender and Derrick Reckord of GraceKennedy USA LLC. | Photo: RJ Deed

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To donate, volunteer, explore the online archives and/or receive more information, visit www.islandspacefl.org.

Biden-Harris Campaign Events Around O -Town

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Diwali symbolises the end of all evil, hardships, cruelty and hatred in the world. It is simply the triumph of good over evil powers and spirits.

This festival also gives people hope and positivity to share it with others in the world and also be rid of any form of negativity in their lives.

This Diwali let us give thanks for all we hold dear. Our health, our family, our friends and to the grace of God which never ends. Happy Diwali!

Happy Diwali from the team of Caribbean American Passport. GGR Marketing & Roberts & Roberts!

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Frontier will begin service to the U.S. Virgin Islands in February 2021 The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) will welcome new Frontier Airlines service from Orlando, Florida, to St. Thomas beginning early next year.

USVI Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte announced that Frontier’s new seasonal service will give travelers in central Florida even more options for travel to the Territory during the peak winter season.

“We are grateful for and greatly encouraged by Frontier’s partnership and support of our efforts to build aerial access to the U.S. Virgin Islands. The carrier’s strategic decision to inaugurate service to ‘Rock City’ is another critical airlift development success for the Territory, as it helps us to address the growing demand of stateside visitors – as well as Virgin Islanders living abroad – to come to the USVI,” said Commissioner Boschulte, who along with Governor Albert Bryan Jr., met with Frontier executives in Miami in March to explore airlift possibilities.

welcome more stayover visitors to our shores, we expect to see a concomitant increase in visitor expenditures at restaurants, retail and grocery stores, attractions and activities,” while noting that arrivals in the Territory have risen steadily since the resumption of leisure travel in September.

“Airlift development for St. Croix and St. Thomas is a central element of the Department of Tourism’s FY 2021 marketing strategy, which will be unveiled and implemented in the coming weeks,” stated Commissioner Boschulte, who added that in response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, “we have delivered clear and consistent messages to the travel Starting in February 2021, Frontier will serve St. marketplace that the U.S. Virgin Islands wants travelers to Thomas (STT) with flights twice each week from ‘Reconnect with Paradise’ in a safe and healthy manner.”

Orlando International Airport (MCO), Florida’s Pandemic-related guidelines for traveling to the U.S. Virgin busiest airport based on volume of passengers.

Islands include the requirement for every traveler aged five or Expressing confidence that the new air service bodes older to submit a COVID-19 test result through the secure online well for the growth of tourism-related activity and USVI Travel Screening Portal. revenues, Commissioner Boschulte said, “As we

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Thanks for sharing this Holiday Season The homebound, disabled, and senior citizens that can't make it to a feeding site should register for Thanksgiving assistance from a Meals on Wheels provider. These tend to be offered as year round services. Some of the administering agencies may charge the client, or “encourage� a donation. Other Meals on Wheels services are free, especially those offered from Agency on Aging Centers.

While they do not always offer free frozen meals on Thanksgiving day itself, the volunteer drivers may deliver the ingredients for a dinner. They may bring the free turkey, dinner rolls, pies, and other items. Then the homebound person just needs to heat up the meal on Thanksgiving day, and they too will be able to enjoy the holiday.

On our own we can also reach out to share a partial or full Thanksgiving meal with a family that needs it.

Drop off a pie or a dish at a friend. Share the gift of giving this season.

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JetBlue Announces December 11 Launch Date for Service to Georgetown, Guyana

Jet Blue anounced a revised launch timeline for new nonstop service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Georgetown, Guyana’s Cheddi Jagan International Airport (GEO). Flights will initially operate up to four times weekly on JetBlue’s new Airbus A321neo aircraft beginning December 11, 2020 with seats available for purchase starting today.

“JetBlue is a leading airline in Latin America and the Caribbean and we remain committed to expanding our route map to Guyana as demand returns and border restrictions ease across the region,” said Andrea Lusso, vice president route planning. “Guyana service introduces a diverse and underserved destination to the JetBlue route map, and a very important one for New York City. Our nonstop service will benefit a variety of travelers – especially those visiting friends and relatives – and provide our industry-leading experience to travelers this holiday season.”

Just five hours from New York by air, Georgetown serves as the gateway to Guyana. JetBlue’s newest route will also connect New York’s Guyanese American community – the largest in the U.S. – with the capital city, making the connections between friends and family easier and closer than ever.

Guyana becomes the fourth country in South America JetBlue serves and grows the airline’s presence in the Caribbean and Latin America to nearly 40 destinations.

The new nonstop flights between New York City and Georgetown will be made possible by the A321neo’s extended range and fuel efficiency.

Schedule between New York (JFK) and Georgetown (GEO) Beginning December 11, 2020 JFK - GEO Flight #1965 GEO - JFK Flight #1966 3:40 p.m. – 10:13 p.m.

11:59 p.m. – 5:00 a.m. (+1) JetBlue initially announced the new route between New York City and Georgetown in September 2019, but temporarily paused the sale of seats and adjusted the launch schedule in response to changes in global travel demand.

THINKING ABOUT SELLING? At Next Home My Way IT’S ALL ABOUT THE HOUSE.

WE MARKET BETTER CALL FOR DETAILS.

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Hortense Event & Conference Center announces their grand opening on December 10, 2020

Hortense Event & Conference Center is pleased to announce their grand opening!

The Event Center will host : Weddings + Social Gatherings + Exhibitions + Corporate Events. Ocoee’s newest event venue is opening.

Hortense Wedding, Event & Conference Center will host a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony in collaboration with the West Orange Chamber of Commerce, the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce of Florida Inc., the African American Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Haitian Chamber of Commerce of Orlando on December 10 at 5pm.

The Center is located at 215 N. Clarke Rd. Ocoee, FL, 34761, and contains an event space with a maximum occupancy of 300 people. The facility is 6,000 sq. ft., and it includes a main hall with a dance floor, stage, and lobby.

Hortense Event Center provides the perfect canvas to create your unique event story. There are multiple chandeliers and a wide variety of elegant décor options.

Included in the rental are specialty linens and the option to choose your own vendors.

The husband-and-wife team behind Hortense Event Center have chosen to invest and expand in Central Florida during the middle of a pandemic because they believe this space is needed in the community. The event space is owned by entrepreneurs Dr. Donel Richemond and his wife Hortense Richemond, residents of the City of Ocoee.

His wife Hortense Richemond is an accredited event designer and a graduate of the Institute of Wedding and Event Design.

Hortense Event Center has already hosted one of the most important events in recent Ocoee history: “Road to Reclamation: Resurrecting Our History – the Julius ‘July’ Perry Memorial Highway Road Designation Ceremony”.

One hundred years later, Julius “July” Perry was memorialized at a black-owned event center in the very city, which in November marked the 100th anniversary of the 1920 Election Day Massacre. Most African American– owned buildings and residences in northern Ocoee were burned to the ground. Other African Americans living in Southern Ocoee were later killed or driven out under the threat of more violence.

One hundred years later, Hortense Event Center is a symbol of a newly diverse Ocoee, a city that many find to be charming and poised for rapid growth with great quality of life. In recent years, the city has experienced the largest period of growth in its history. It is now the fastestgrowing city in Orange County, and it will soon have the second-largest population, following only Orlando.

Dr. Richemond is a child of Haitian farmworkers who grew up in Belle Glades, popularly known as Muck City.

He is a testament to the American dream that many immigrants leave their homes to achieve. He went on to study at Florida A&M University.

Dr. Richemond with his wife Hortense Richemond

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Mayor Demings Arts in the Parks Initiative Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings announced he has set aside $5 million in CARES funding for the arts and the Arts in Public Parks initiative. Part of this program includes an investment made by the County to create access to COVID-19 social distancing compliant performance spaces in specific county parks. This initiative was established in order to meet the diverse needs of the County’s arts and culture community – many of which lack their own facilities – and to provide COVID-19 social distancing compliant locations in which residents throughout Orange County, Florida, may gather and enjoy performances and activities hosted by the County’s arts and culture community.

One park per commission district has been identified as follows: Commissioner District 1 - West Orange Park, 150 Windermere Rd, Winter Garden, FL 34787 Commissioner District 2 – Clarcona Horse Park, 3535 Damon Rd, Apopka, FL 32703 (400 max. capacity)

organization wishing to utilize the venue. This task will be done by the “paint team” and available park staff.

The organization will follow regular rental processes although the county will provide the stage, tents, chairs, restrooms and other equipment necessary utilizing rental companies and CARES Act funding.

All event locations and equipment based on availability.

The organization renting the facility will be responsible for not going over the maximum participant numbers and adhering to the social distancing requirements established

by Parks.

Ticket sales or reservations must be in advance. Four (4) to six (6) chairs will be provided per pod not to exceed 700 attendees.

Fees: • •

Up to 50 people 51-100 people

Commissioner District 5 – Ft. Christmas Park, 1300 Fort Christmas Rd, Christmas, FL 32709

• • • • • • •

Commissioner District 6 – Barnett Park, 4801 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32808

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The maximum capacity for each park will be 700 participants with the exception of Clarcona Horse Park (400).

• •

101-200 people $125.00 201-300 people $225.00 301-400 people $350.00 401-500 people $500.00 501-650 people $1,000.00 650-700 people $1,150.00 Lights (West Orange Park and Barnett Park only) $6.00 per hour After-Hours Labor Charge, per staff member, per hour $30.00 Vendor Fee $25 per day Insurance is required

Commissioner District 3 – Cypress Grove Park, 290 Holden Ave, Orlando, FL 32839 Commissioner District 4 – Meadow Woods Park, 1751 Rhode Island Woods Circle, Orlando, FL 32824

$50.00 $75.00

The Arts in the Park initiative will end December 31, 2020.

Continuance of the initiative will be determined at that time.

Process: Organizations will contact Alicia Baxter, Program Manager (407) 836-6205 who will coordinate the event with the park site.

Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

There will be circles or “pods” drawn on the ground for up to 6 spectators to sit in. The size of the circles will accommodate various group sizes to be determined by the

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Tony Deyal | The Domino Effect My Jamaican friend was complaining about his first visit to Trinidad where he was advised that, if he wanted to stay in the country, he had to become an expert on ‘All Fours’. He confessed that he thought they were referring to a sexual position and, before getting down to it, he asked if it was taken from the Kamasutra, so he could get some early lessons. They then explained that it was a card game and, even though it had no link to strip poker, he admitted to me he was floored. “I hope you landed on your feet and not on your stomach,” I joked. He replied, “I asked them if they have any other game we could play, and they said ‘Monopoly’. I tried it but when I won $10 in a beauty contest, they told me I was very lucky to do so well. They implied that it to be more than chance. That was it for me. I then asked if they knew Dominoes, and one of them replied, ‘Yes, I am a huge fan. They have the best pizza in Port-ofSpain.’ That was it for me. I came back home.”

Make no bones about it, Dominoes is an obsession in all but one of the islands and countries surrounding the Caribbean Sea and comprising what Derek Walcott called the “Antilles”. In fact, when it comes to Dominoes, there is no lesser or greater and, even better, no CARICOM involvement. From Belize to Venezuela, across to Suriname and Guyana, Aruba across to Barbados, Martinique, Antigua, Cuba and the Bahamas, the most passionate of players are the Jamaicans. For them, Dominoes is a way of life and sometimes of death. According to a regional newspaper headline, ‘Jamaicans’ love for dominoes: so strong it sometimes turns deadly’. Media reports over the past few years include, “Two men shot dead while playing Dominoes in Clarendon”; “Man killed, friend wounded playing Dominoes in Westmoreland”; and “Jamaican man stabs cousin to death over game in Dominoes”.

The question is whether the downside is a purely Jamaican phenomenon based on the national psyche superheated by a very competitive team game that is played like war to the death among competing armies, or is it the game itself and what is known as the domino effect? When one of my Trini friends said that the domino effect is when pizza chains go bankrupt because of the COVID-19 lockdowns, I almost choked to death on a double six. The term ‘domino effect’ describes a situation in which one event triggers another similar event and then another, until there is a cascade of events that occur, all because of the first, precipitating event.

The image is that of a line of dominoes, standing on end.

Knocking over the first domino causes it to knock over the second domino, and so on. In Jamaica, however, and in my home and elsewhere, the domino effect is a positive – more people locked in because of the pandemic are playing the game with gusto and a great slamming of boards and loud shouts of victory throughout the region.

CONTAGIOUS My wife is Guyanese, my children are Bajan, who grew up in Belize and Antigua, and we came straight out of the Monopoly jail to wrest instead of rest our bones in some cut-throat Dominoes. Communication Specialist Granville Newel described this noisy, robust and almost obsessive approach to the game, especially in Jamaica, as contagious.

He cited a visit to Jamaica, a few years ago, by the head of the International Domino Federation,Venezuelan Lucas

Guittard, who was immediately impressed by the fervency and passion of the local players, to the point where he wanted to ‘import’ a few Jamaican nuances to his country.”

Unfortunately, the Venezuelan president does not only slam the table but also the jail doors, on his rivals. Instead of just shooting off his mouth, like most of the ardent Dominators and even Domi-novices do, he has a firing squad.

When we try to rise above the shouting and the tumult, we have to wonder if the break-up of the West Indies Federation and the unheralded death of the West Indies football team are all part of the domino effect. If so, we have to wonder how a game, that is more played and popular among all the Caribbean people and countries than cricket or football, can be linked, if only in terms of the English language, to the inability of those countries to hang together rather than hanging separately. We can’t blame the dominoes for, as author S.B. Redd says, “And the game of dominoes is much like life: You gotta play the bones you’ve pulled. It doesn’t matter if you got seven doubles in your hand.” The difference between the Trini ‘All Fours’ lovers and Dominoes players is that Trinis will see having seven doubles in their hands as a godsend.

It is not just the channa (chickpeas) and hot pepper, or the fried doughy bread or barrah that sandwiches it, but the street vendors of the Trini staple were recently forced into lockdown with the option of lock-up by the Government, if they were caught selling in the streets. It is another knock for the Trinis, and might be the result of the domino effect described in political rhetoric and mathematical inaccuracy by the first Trinidad prime minister, Dr Eric Williams, as “One from 10 leaves nought”. In this case, even one doubles from seven is also grudgingly given. It is why, if politicians’ minds were like dominoes, almost all of them would be double blanks.

Fortunately, the domino effect does not have to be a negative where “all fall down”. It is not only something bad that happens to you, your country or the world (like Trump), but it is something good you can create by sparking a chain reaction of positive habits or behaviours. Neil Farber, writing in Psychology Today, explained that we determine our goals and then begin to lay out our dominoes. Every domino is a goal. We alone determine the pathway and the journey to reach that final goal. He quotes his daughter as saying, “My dominoes have been rearranged so many times, they look like abstract art.”

Mine are even worse, especially when I’m playing. I have big hands and put the entire seven in my left hand. They do not always remain there, and I get the inevitable hard looks and even harder talk about using both hands. I protest that I am left-brained and cannot think, plot and plan if I hold them in my right hand. “Well de way you like to talk and make noise, you have to be right-brain then,” one of my Jamaican friends quipped to the applause of our UWI colleagues in Canada Hall. “Better than not having none,” I replied, and, because of the domino effect, I had to duck a left hand thrown right at my face.

Tony Deyal was last seen saying that, because he is unprepared to lose every friend he has in the game, he is accused of not taking his Dominoes seriously enough. This makes him a pushover.

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