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TOUCH News Attorneys Beauty & Barber Dear Girlfriend Events Fashions Insurance Agents Realtors Sports & More Distributed in: Tampa St Pete Clearwater Largo Tarpon Springs New Port Richey Brandon Bradenton Sarasota Riverview Lutz Oldsmar Odessa Plant City Lakeland Safety Harbor Wesley Chapel

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Happy Anniversary My Love

Re-Print from 2007 Dear Girlfriend, My daughter wants to get married and she is only 21. I am very proud of her. She has always had good grades and made good decisions but now she comes to me with this mess. She is presently in school working on her nursing degree and he is not in school at all. I told her she was too young and she should leave her options open. I know the family and they are a little rough. He appears to be a mannerable guy but I don’t see him doing as well as my daughter. I want her to have a good life. I wanted her to travel and be free to go see and do. I wish I had traveled and worked for a while before I married her father. I married right out of college and it only lasted 6 years before I divorced her cheating, unambitious, controlling father. I know you have girls, so I am sure you have thought about this from time to time. What do you think is too young? I don’t want her to make the same mistakes I made. Talk to her please. Daughter Wants To Marry. Dear Daughter Wants To Marry, I am not going to talk to her. I am going to talk to you. I hate to disagree with you, but I believe in love and early marriages. It’s a beautiful thing that your daughter has someone who loves her enough to commit to her. Everyone is looking for love, their soulmate. I am sure you are too. Nothing hurts more than unreciprocated love. However, your daughter has been blessed to love and be loved in return. That’s what I wish for all of my daughters and my son, someone to share their love, and bills with. It’s expensive and stressful out here, trying to carry the load alone. As a divorcee, I am sure you already know that too. You nor I will always be around. Everyone wants to be held and hugged. Those desires are normal. That usually happens in a young woman’s teenage years. How many men do you want to sexually know your daughter? Well, the sooner she finds her own personal mate, the healthier she will be physically, mentally, and spiritually? The more sexual partner’s one has, the more bull manure, disease and confusion they are exposed to. I want my daughter’s to at least consider marriage when they decide to act married. So, the sooner they find someone who they can commit to, depend on and share intimate things with, the better off they are. Do not discourage her from marrying that young man. Your mistakes do not have to be her mistakes. She is not you and her boyfriend is not your ex. Sit down and talk to both of them, to see how they propose to take care of themselves. Encourage her and him to get ready financially for marriage. Give them the reality of where they can live with their incomes and what they can afford. Be clear, your home is not an option, unless you need the financial assistance that they may bring. Make it clear you are not taking care of another child, her now boyfriend. If you sit down and do it right, they will be cool with planning and preparing for each other. You said she was a good girl and usually made good decisions. Trust her now. She can add, subtract and multiply. Give her the numbers. Love has made men and women do great things. There’s nothing like having someone who loves and believes in you by your side. There are 4 things I believe a couple should have before they consider marriage: their own place, a car, jobs, and love. If they got all that, they have my blessings. Hey!!! PS. I married at 19 and we have been married for 41 years

TJ, marrying you was the smartest thing I ever did. You’re as beautiful today as you were on our wedding day. I seriously won the lady lottery! Thanks for not holding out for better. Another year with you makes me hope we live forever. I didn’t think it was possible to love you any more than I did when we first got married, but yet, here I am. Then…...I looked up “perfect” in the dictionary and there was a picture of you. I know that putting up with and loving me isn’t always easy, but at least it’s worth it. (Smile) Happy Anniversary to my wonderful wife TJ! Many many more to come Love always. Kerrick

Power Couple Kerrick & TJ Williams

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Retired NFL Superstar & Podcast Host Michael Clayton Selected as New Head Coach of the Plant City Raiders

What a win for Plant City! Plant City is aggressively etching a place in the Metroplex as the real estate market broadens past the city limits of Tampa into what used to be the rural areas of Hillsborough County. Previously known as an agriculture community with strawberries being its primary crop and the Strawberry Festival being its

main annual event, Plant City is stepping up its entertainment and social calendars to be more diverse in hopes of bringing more progressive thinking individuals to the area. Plant City is consciously redefining itself as a safe haven for the surge of re-locators from all across the globe. Danny McIntyre founder of the non profit iImpactPC stated “The hiring of Michael Clayton gives Plant City a highly visible mentor for our young men and women and also provides us with someone who believes in not only creating a winning foot-

ball team but also creating productive citizens.” Companies like Mosaic and Stingray Chevrolet have been effective in bringing jobs to the area and are positioning to intercept the growth. “School districts have always been a huge factor for home buyers. Thus an investment in retired NFL player Michael Clayton to head its high school sports department is a great economical decision. We are Banking on Clayton producing a winning team which will stimulate the interest and the economy in our safe home town community” added McIntyre. After a championship

year with Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, where he pledged Alpha Phi Alpha, Michael was the 2004 first round draft pick for the Buccaneers. In 2006, he married the lovely Dr. Tina Wright Clayton, He went on to get his Superbowl ring with the New York Giants.

Power Couple Michael and Tina Clayton!

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Tampa’s Socialite Kassidy Johnson Celebrates at Keystone Home

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Tampa Born Developer Wins Bid To Build Affordable Houses in East Tampa By Fadia Patterson Tampa

Vacant lots once owned by the City of Tampa have been awarded to local developers to build affordable housing. A total of 17 affordable homes are being built through Mayor Castor’s infill housing initiative. “Even when it comes to affordable houses, you should still give people quality,” said Developer Darrick Fullwood, who is building three homes. What You Need To Know Income eligible home buyers will have to go through an application process with the city. The program assists applicants with requirements such as credit repair and increasing savings to get additional assistance from the City.A total of 17 affordable homes are being built through Mayor Castor’s infill housing initiative For years, Fullwood has overseen construction projects by his company AAA Restoration and Builders, LLC. For him, this latest project is different. He’s back in the same East Tampa Community where he was born

and raised with his nine siblings. He recalls moving from home to home. “We had hardships so, we kind of moved around a lot so, I lived around this whole area.” he added. His understanding of the hardships low-income families face today prompted his company to apply for a bid with the City of Tampa to build affordable houses on East Emma Street and East 32nd Avenue. “I think the real struggle is even with education behind them, they still don’t feel like they can have home ownership,” said Fullwood. He says the project is about more than just building homes, but creat-

ing generational wealth. “Through a program such as this, you can create equity at purchase,” he added. The program assists applicants with requirements such as credit repair and increasing savings to get additional assistance from the City. After living in Tampa all of his life, Fullwood says he never anticipated how quickly the market would change over the span of two years. “I was really shocked,” he said. “With the inflation of houses and lots, I was a non-believer for too long, evidently.” According to Zillow, home values in Tampa increased by 31 percent. Zillow reports the inventory of available homes dropped 29.5%. Fullwood’s company is one of several minority-owned developers that the city-owned lots were distributed to. “Seeing is believing,” said Full-

Power Couple Darrick & Angela Fullwood wood. “Young people, being able to see a Black man like me own a company, is inspirational,” he added. “It is important for residents of the predominantly African American East Tampa community to see minority developers. Oftentimes people who look like me, who struggled and grew up like me, don’t have the opportunity to get exposure.” Fullwood encourages youth to learn about trades like contracting and building. Fullwood expects the homes to be completed by the fall.

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Power Couple Attorney Clinton & Samanthia Paris Host Suite for the New Edition, Charlie Wilson & Jodeci Concert @Amalie Arena

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University Area CDC Presents Uptown Music Festival – University Area CDC (Community Development Corporation) will present the second annual Uptown Music Festival on Saturday, May 14 from 4 to 10 p.m. at the University Area Park, 14013 North 22nd Street in Tampa, FL 33613. The family-friendly Uptown Music Festival was created to bring the Uptown District together to highlight the rich culture of the area through music. This year’s exciting lineup includes: • Kim Waters - one of the biggest selling saxophonists in history • Nathan Mitchell – NAACP Image Award Nominee funk/fusion, pop, R&B, world mu-

sic, and singersongwriter • José Valentino – Latin Grammy and Emmy award winning jazz, Latin jazz, and composer • Jazmin Ghent – international smooth jazz and gospel recording artist • Althea Rene - dynamic, soulful flutist • Tim George – Musical Director and Bassist to international artist In addition to an evening of toprated music, the festival will provide

an opportunity for local artists to display and sell their art. Another highlight will be the family friendly kid zone featuring University Area CDC’s Prodigy Moves, arts and crafts and live performances. Food vendors and food trucks will be on site to provide attendees with many cuisine options. Limited reserved seating will be available, along with general admission lawn seating. Audience members are encouraged to bring outdoor chairs, blankets and enjoy this art

and jazz experience. More information and tickets available at www. uptownmusicfestival.com. COVID19 protocols will be in place to ensure the safety of all attendees, artists, volunteers, sponsors, and vendors. University Area CDC, celebrating 23 years of serving the community, offers support for thousands of Tampa residents through youth programs, adult education and resource assistance. Its primary mission is the redevelopment and sustainability of the at-risk areas surrounding University of South Florida’s Tampa campus. For more information about University Area CDC, visit www. UACDC.org or call 813.558.5212.

Deion Sanders Put 10 NFL Teams On Blast As No-Shows For HBCU Pro Day At Jackson State by Keenan “HIGz” Higgins

Following the shocking documentation of his toe amputation earlier this month, NFL/MLB legend Deion Sanders is still going hard in the sports world as head football coach at Jackson State University. One of his current priorities is the 2022 NFL Draft in April, especially after no HBCU players were selected in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s hopeful that will change after hosting a HBCU Pro Day this past Monday (March 21), although the two-time Super Bowl champ took some time to call out 10 teams in specific that didn’t feel it was necessary to send out a representative. The event consisted of players not only from Jackson State but also Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn State. Out of the 32 teams in the NFL, a total of two dozen showed up for the presentation. Sanders called the day “phenomenal” while tipping his hat to the students that participated and 24 teams that came out to witness their greatness. However, that’s where his feelings

shifted to those that were no-shows, adding, “The Dolphins, the Broncos, the Texans, the Bills, the Buccaneers, the Ravens, the Panthers, the Browns, the Vikings, and the Eagles — “Where art thou? You could have sent somebody man. You could have shown up just a little bit.” He added that each of the teams mentioned will more than likely go to presentations by Ole Miss and Mississippi State, alluding that both may be deemed as having “more talent.” His response? “We coming —and when we arrive, you better be here. You better be here, because our kids deserve it.” He ended his message by quoting Psalm 133:1, stating, “The Bible says, ‘How good it is when brethren dwell together in unity,’ and yesterday we were unified!” We commend Coach Prime for all that he’s doing for the future Black athletes of the world, and we pray his proactive actions add some much-needed diversity in the NFL.

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Jazz On The Lawn

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What’s the Real Truth Behind Systemic Racism in the USA? by Walter C. Odom

This discussion is about a profound and hidden part of Black History that People of color may have never been told or heard before. While growing up in some southern states, some saw it but didn’t know they were looking at the absolute truth behind Systemic Racism in the United States. In 1866, one year after the 13th Amendment was ratified (the Amendment that ended slavery), Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina began to lease convicts for labor (peonage). It made arresting Blacks very lucrative, so hundreds of White men were hired by these states as cops. Their primary responsibility was to search out and arrest Blacks who violated Black Codes. Once charged, men, women, and children were leased to plantation owners to harvest cotton, tobacco, and sugar cane. They also leased them to work in coal mines or at railroad companies. Owners of businesses would pay the state for every prisoner who worked for them; prison labor. It’s believed that after the passing of the 13th

Amendment, more than 800,000 Blacks were part of the system of peonage or re-enslavement through the prison system. Peonage didn’t end until after World War II began. Some, however, say some of it is still going on today. This is how it happened. The 13th Amendment declared that “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime of which the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” (Ratified in 1865). Did you catch that? It says, “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude could occur except as a punishment for a crime.” Lawmakers used this phrase to make petty offenses crimes. When Blacks were found guilty of committing these crimes, they were imprisoned and leased out to the same owners and businesses that lost enslaved people after the 13th Amendment passed. This system of convict labor is called peonage. Most White Southern farmers and business owners hated the 13th Amendment because it took away slave labor. To appease them, the federal government turned a blind eye when southern states used this clause in the 13th Amendment to establish Black Codes. Here are some examples of Black Codes: In Louisiana, it was illegal for a Black man to preach to Black congregations with-

out special permission in writing from the president of the police. If caught, he could be arrested and fined. If he could not pay the unbelievably high fines, he would be forced to work for an individual or go to jail or prison, where he would work until he paid off his fine. If a Black person did not have a job, they could be arrested and imprisoned on the charge of vagrancy or loitering. The following Black Code will make you cringe. In South Carolina, if the parent of a Black child was considered a vagrant, the judicial system allowed the police and other government agencies to “apprentice” the child to an “employer.” Males could be held until age 21, and females could be held until age 18. Their owner had the legal right to inflict punishment on the child for disobedience and recapture them if they ran away. This (peonage) is an example of systemic racism - Racism established and perpetuated by government systems. Slavery was made legal by the U.S. Government. Segregation, Black Codes, Jim Crow, and peonage were all made legal by the government and upheld by the judicial system. They built these acts of racism into the system, and this is how and where the term “Systemic Racism” was derived. These are terrible government systems People of Color need, must, and ought to know.

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You never get a second chance to make a first impression

Jokes Go Ahead And Get your Laugh On! In a Bind

A man, shocked by how his buddy is dressed, asks him, “How long have you been wearing that bra?” The friend replies, “Ever since my wife found it in my the glove compartment.

The Purchase

Two young boys walked into a pharmacy one day, picked out a box of tampons and proceeded to the checkout counter. The pharmacist at the counter asked the older boy, ‘Son, how old are you?’ ‘Eight’, the boy replied. The man continued, ‘Do you know what these are used for?’ The boy replied, ‘Not exactly, but they aren’t for me. They’re for him. He’s my brother. He’s four.” “Oh, really?” the pharmacist replied with a grin. “Yes.” the boy said. “We saw on TV that if you use these, you would be able to swim, play tennis and ride a bike. Right now, he can’t do none of those.”

Man Up

Three rough-looking bikers stomp into a truck stop where a grizzled old-timer is having breakfast. One of the bikers extinguishes his cigarette in the old guy’s pancakes. The second biker spits a wad of chewing tobacco into his coffee. The third biker dumps the whole plate onto the floor. Without a word of protest, the old guy pays his bill and leaves. “Not much of a man, was he?” says one of the bikers. “Not much of a driver, either,” says the waitress. “He just backed his truck over three motorcycles.”

Strikeout

Two old friends, Ned and John, lived for baseball. Then one day, John died, leaving Ned inconsolable. A few weeks later, Ned heard someone calling his name. He looked up. Standing on a cloud was his old pal. “Ned,” John called down, “I have good news and bad. The good news is, there’s baseball in heaven!” “Great,” said Ned. “What’s the bad news?” “You’re pitching Sunday.”

Breast Fed

A woman and a baby were in the doctor’s examining room, waiting for the doctor to come in for the baby’s first exam. The doctor arrived, and examined the baby, checked his weight, and being a little concerned, asked if the baby was breast-fed or bottle-fed. “Breast-fed,” she replied. “Well, strip down to your waist,” the doctor ordered. She did. He pinched her nipples, pressed, kneaded, and rubbed both breasts for a while in a very professional and detailed examination. Motioning to her to get dressed, the doctor said, “No wonder this baby is underweight. You don’t have any milk.” I know,” she said, “I’m his Grandma, but I’m glad I came.”

Friendships

George Clooney called 14 of his closest friends and said, “Hey, mark Sept 27th, on your calendar. Everyone’s going to come to my house for dinner.” When ‘The Boys’ arrived at Clooney’s house, they found 14 designer suitcases placed on the table. And then- Clooney said: There is $1 million inside every suitcase, arranged in $20 notes. Clooney continued, I know we’ve all been through some hard times, some of you are still going through it. However now You don’t have to worry about your kids; you don’t have to worry about, you know, school, you don’t have to worry about paying your mortgage and I’ve paid the taxes. One of his friends, refused to accept the gift, so Clooney made a condition - either they all accept the gift, or nobody gets it. Thus they all accepted it. That George Clooney is a legend. In other news- “George Clooney is a piece of shit.” said his 15th closest friend. Moral to the story: What ever you do it’s never enough.

Gone Fishin’

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

The Chase

A police officer attempts to stop a car for speeding and the guy gradually increases his speed until he’s topping 100 mph. The man eventually realizes he can’t escape and finally pulls over. The cop approaches the car and says, “It’s been a long day and my shift is almost over, so if you can give me a good excuse for your behavior, I’ll let you go.” The guy thinks for a few seconds and then says, “My wife ran away with a cop about a week ago. I thought you might be that officer trying to give her back!”

On the Couch

When my brother began his psychiatric practice, his first patient was a particularly good-looking young woman. My brother motioned for her to lie down on the couch, but the woman hesitated until he reassured her that it was part of the therapy procedure. Once on the couch, she smoothed her dress around her legs and began to relax a bit. “Now then,” he asked, “how did your trouble begin?” “Just like this,” she said.

Boyfriend Trouble

A teenager brings her new boyfriend home to meet her parents. They’re appalled by his haircut, his tattoos, his piercings. Later, the girl’s mom says, “Dear, he doesn’t seem to be a very nice boy.” “Oh, please, Mom!” says the daughter. “If he wasn’t nice, would he be doing 500 hours of community service?”

Shifting Priorities

As the hedge fund manager gets out of his brand-new Porsche, a truck goes racing by, taking off the door. “My Porsche! My beautiful silver Porsche is ruined!” he screams. A police officer on the scene shakes his head in disgust. “I can’t believe you,” he says. “You’re so focused on your possessions that you didn’t even realize your left arm was torn off when the truck hit you.” The hedge fund manager looks down in absolute horror. “Oh, no!” he cries. “My Rolex!”

The Myths

A man boarded an airplane and took his seat. As he settled in, he glanced up and saw the most beautiful woman boarding the plane. He soon realized She was heading straight towards his seat. As fate would have it, she took the seat right beside his: Eager to strike up a conversation he blurted out. “Business trip or pleasure?” She turned, smiled and said. “Business. I’m going to the Annual Nymphomaniacs of America Convention in Boston.” He swallowed hard. Here was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen Sitting next to him and she was going to a meeting of nymphomaniacs! Struggling to maintain his composure, he calmly asked. “What’s your Business at this convention?” “Lecturer.” She responded. “I use information that I have learned from my Personal experiences to debunk some of the popular myths about sexuality.” “Really?” He said. “And what kind of myths are there?” “Well.” She explained. “One popular myth is that African-American men are The most well-endowed of all men, when in fact it is the Native American Indian who is most likely to possess that trait. Another popular myth is That Frenchmen are the best lovers, when actually it is men of Mexican Descent who are the best. I have also discovered that the lover with Absolutely the best stamina is the Southern Redneck.” Suddenly the woman became a little uncomfortable and blushed. “I’m Sorry.” She said, “I shouldn’t really be discussing all of this with you. I don’t even know your name.” “Tonto.” The man said. “Tonto Gonzales, but my friends call me Bubba.”

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