C E L E B R AT I N G B L AC K AC H I E V E M E N T T H RO U G H O U T F L O R I DA
VOLUME 27 ISSUE 6 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024
QB DANIEL RICHARDSON
QB LUKE SPRAGUE
FLORIDA CLASSIC
The Tradition on the Gridiron Continues
LEADERSHIP ON THE YARD
STUDENTS TAKE CHARGE ON CAMPUS
HBCU EDITION
Finish Strong
Great Tips on How to End 2024 Well
CLEVER CONSUMER
Don't Let Holiday Overspending Set You Up for Debt in 2025
$7.99 onyxmagazine.com
CONTENTS 6
From the Publisher
8
Higher Education Impacting Higher Learning
10 Bethune-Cookman University Enrollment on the Rise 11 Scholarship Evans High School Student Wins Scholarship to BCU
FAMU HEAD FOOTBALL COACH JAMES COLZIE, III PHOTO COURTESY OF FAMU ATHLETICS
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14 Edward Waters University Enrollment Upward 15 Florida Memorial University Honoring our Legacy
38 Health & Wellness Mind your weight during the holidays 40 Medically Speaking Diabetes Awareness Month 42 Black History Pivotal Sports Figures 44 Family Books are the best gifts for kids
16 Student Leadership Leadership on the Quad 18 Men of Honor It Just Keeps Getting Better
46 Savory Suites Minty Choco Bars
20 Florida Scope Stories around Florida
47 SAGE Medicare enrollment
21 Beyond Florida Stories beyond Florida
48 Clever Consumer Don't let holiday overspending set uou up for debt
24 Smart Tips Stress-free Thanksgiving
COVER STORY
37 Business Start a new business in 2025
45 ONYX Reads Books to read over the holidays
22 International Feel the rush of Junkanoo
B-CU HEAD FOOTBALL COACH RAYMOND WOODY, JR. PHOTO COURTESY OF B-CU ATHLETICS 4 ONYX MAGAZINE
12 FAMU Higher Rankings
36 Traditions Black Friday frenzy
51 Real Estate Residential refresh
26 Art & Culture Curbing division through nonviolence
52 Music & Entertainment Quincy Jones's music transcended generations and genres
29 ONYX on the Move ONYX in the community
54 Kwanzaa Celebrate Kwanzaa
30 Holiday Recipe Smoke That Turkey 32 Giving Benefits of being a giver
56 Workplace Helping young professionals navigate the workplace
33 Wealth & Finance Budgeting for wealth
58 Technology Best tech gifts
34 Travel Where to go in Florida during the holidays
59 ONYX Holiday 62 Wine & Food 75 drink
TR AVE L
FIND YOUR HOLIDAY GETAWAY ON ONE TANK
C
SPECIAL PLACES TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN FLORIDA
hristmas is always packed with family, folly and fun. Add a daycation on your weeks off. Florida has just what the family needs on your seasonal break, and you can get to most of the festivities without using up all the gas in your tank. We list a few places for you to consider for your day away at Christmas.
Cherished year-round for its small beach town vibe, natural beauty, outstanding dining, and exciting outdoor activities, Amelia is also a popular holiday getaway, with numerous special events and happenings. See for yourself how Amelia Island comes to life with holiday cheer. Amelia Island
COCOA BEACH
Our big winter holiday event! Free family fun happens downtown when Santa arrives ready to check his list and pose for pictures. Live music, food trucks, unique vendors, and a beer tent. There is always extra fun for the kids. Our local shops and restaurants will be open and ready for you to shop, eat and enjoy your day in downtown Cocoa Beach. VisitSpaceCoast
MIAMI WEST PALM BEACH
Sandi Land, the City of West Palm Beach’s yearly holiday celebration returns this year. Nightly music and light shows will run daily. The Holiday Tree Lighting takes place on Thursday, Nov. 30, from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. The celebration will feature music by The Music Machine on the NewDay USA Stage and include FREE and special entertainment, including fun-loving pirates, strolling entertainment, photos with Santa, and much more. A holiday shopping bazaar will take place in the Lake Pavilion. Music, activities and the bazaar take place until 9 p.m. Sandi shows and rides on Ferris take place until 10 pm. Location: The Great Lawn at 100 N. Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, FL, 33401. The Palm Beaches
WINTER PARK
The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce is proud to host the 72nd annual Winter Park Ye Olde Hometown Christmas Parade on December 7. The event has been held each December for more than 70 years, making it the oldest continuous holiday parade in Central Florida. Each year the parade travels down 34 ONYX MAGAZINE
Park Avenue, starting at Cole Avenue and proceeding south, ending Lyman Avenue. More than 80 organizations participate including marching bands, local police and fire departments, scouting groups, local dignitaries and, of course, Santa Claus.
AMELIA ISLAND
Lights, decorations, a historic downtown, and the warmth of Southern hospitality combine to make the holidays especially enchanting on Amelia Island. From the night before Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve, there’s a unique sampling of holiday happenings that will banish even the strongest case of the “Bah Humbugs.”
Step into the mesmerizing world of Christmas Wonderland, an annual immersive holiday experience returning to Tropical Park from November 14, 2024 through January 5, 2025. This all-ages theme park is loaded with Christmas thrills such as a half mile stretch of dazzling holiday displays and light shows, Instagram-worthy exhibits celebrating Miami's diversity, a snowy wonderland with an Ice Bar, the Magnificent Midway of thrilling carnival rides and much more. Enjoy classic Christmas experiences like Storytime with Mrs. Claus at the Town Square or Santa's Village where the kiddos can meet Santa and take a photo with jolly old Saint Nick. In addition to all the attractions, families can also enjoy an assortment of daily shows that include aerial feats at Holiday Hijinx, a cirque-style performance featuring hoops, balance boards and sharp swords at
Wonder Cirque or a daredevil motorcycle show at Christmas Ball of Thrills.
SEASIDE
There’s no better place to experience the holiday spirit than to explore Seaside, where there’s a magnificent Christmas tree for all to enjoy. it’s a community that offers many events for the whole family. For instance, on weekends in December, there’s a holiday market selling crafts of local artisans. Typically, the market is open on Saturdays from 10-4 p.m.
ST. AUGUSTINE
Nights of Lights is still on this year! White lights drape the city’s unique Spanish Colonial architecture and glow from the downtown sidewalks to the rooftops, over the Bridge of Lions, along historic buildings, public spaces, hotels, restaurants, and inns throughout approximately 20 blocks of the Nation’s Oldest City’s historic district. The 2024-2025 Nights of Lights will take place every evening from November 23, 2024, to January 26, 2025. The festival kicks off with Light-Up! Night on November 23 at 4 p.m. and the official lighting ceremony beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Plaza de la Constitucion. Florida Historic Coast. Photo courtesy of ONYX Magazine
FORT MYERS
The Circus Does Christmas! A specially themed holiday show, Holidaze sees various Christmas ornaments magicked to life as the seasoned troupe of 30 performers from over 12 different countries combine their talents into 20 acts, transforming themselves into costumed characters and perform astonishing feats that celebrate the holiday season with spectacle, imagination and whimsical joy. Cirque Dreams: Holidaze has been entertaining its fans, young and old for the better part of a decade, and now you can experience the magic for yourself! Check fortmyerstheater.com for dates and times.
TIPS FOR PLANNING YOUR FAMILY’S
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY ON VACATION
BY JASMINE OSBY
W
hile many people are preparing to spend Christmas at home, some families have an entirely different plan. Instead of quality time spent at the house, American parents are rounding up the kids and heading out of town for the holidays. However, orchestrating your family’s Christmas holiday on vacation can be a feat. Depending on the size of your family and where you’re headed, there could be a laundry list of preparations to make before Christmas Day. Whether it’s booking flights or finding the right accommodations, here are a few tips to help you get everything mapped out before spending Christmas on vacation. BE REALISTIC WITH YOUR TRAVEL TIME Traveling as a unit is a different ballgame than solo travel. This is especially true if you’re traveling with small children. It’s important to be realistic with your travel expectations over the holidays. Make sure to map out extra time for commuting, checking into your accommodations, and for any unexpected delays. CHOOSE A VRU OVER HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS When traveling as a family during Christmas, many travelers advise choosing an Airbnb or other vacation rental units (VRUs) instead of a hotel. There are many wonderful things about hotel stays. However, they typically come with limited space that larger families need. Therefore, a VRU is the best pick for family holiday travel. Rental properties also usually come with a full kitchen and appliances. If you want to cook a traditional Christmas meal, you’ll have everything you need to do so minus the groceries. CREATE AN ITINERARY THAT CATERS TO YOUR FAMILY’S NEEDS Creating an itinerary before traveling helps you stay organized and efficient on the go. This rule
still applies when traveling as a family and it’s vital to map out activities and plans that fit the needs of your family. Be sure to have a healthy combination of family time while also freely experiencing the destination you’re visiting. It’s important to also build in time for rest and recharge between activities and exploring the city. Another thing to consider when traveling as a family for Christmas is that many businesses and excursions may be closed due to the holiday. This is something to look into before heading out of town. BRING A TOUCH OF HOME WITH YOU Sometimes travel accommodations can lack the special holiday touch you can only find at home. If you plan on traveling with your family during the holiday season, consider bringing a little touch of home along with you. This can be difficult depending on where you’re going. However, you can bring travel-size goodies to decorate your hotel or rental property to make it feel like Christmas at home. This can include decorations, stockings for each family member, photos, and other small items that don’t take up a lot of space in your suitcase. INCORPORATE FAMILY ORIENTED CRAFTS AND GAMES Another thing to do during family time on travel holidays is to incorporate family-oriented crafts and games into your plans. Time spent creating gingerbread houses, writing letters to Santa, and painting ornaments help create timeless memories. There’s no better way to enhance those memories than by experiencing them while traveling with your family. It also ensures you get quality time with your family between sightseeing. Jasmine Osby is an award-winning journalist and publicist with over a decade of experience as a professional journalist and serves as a staff writer for Travel Noire. ONYX MAGAZINE 35
WINE & FOOD
FRENCH 75
O
n New Year’s Eve, when the clock strikes midnight, why not add a twist to your champagne toast? Amid the cheering, streamers and kisses to usher in 2025, you’ll be sipping on a French 75 to set the mood. This cocktail takes the traditional celebratory beverage and transforms it into a lemony, gin-infused concoction that you’ll crave all year long. Cheers!
INGREDIENTS
• • • • •
1 ounce gin 1/2 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed 1/2 ounce simple syrup 3 ounces Champagne (or other sparkling wine) Garnish: lemon twist
INSTRUCTIONS
1. 2. 3. 4.
62 ONYX MAGAZINE
Add the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a Champagne flute. Top with the Champagne or sparkling wine of choice. Garnish with a lemon twist.
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