Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, Janelle Dunn is the chief executive officer of True Health, a non-profit federally qualified health center serving low-income and underserved populations within Orange and Seminole Counties. Mrs. Dunn obtained a master's degree in health administration from the University of Central Florida and a bachelor's degree in business administration from Loyola University New Orleans. She is a certified medical practice executive through the Medical Group Management Association, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Leadership Seminole Class 32. and a proud wife and mother.

Mrs. Dunn's tenure with True Health began in 2012 when she was a center manager. She has held the roles of director of operations and chief operations officer before being appointed CEO amid the global pandemic in 2020. Under Mrs. Dunn's leadership, True Health has grown from seven locations to nine, added two new pharmacies and an optometry and optical department, and acquired the Healthy Start program for Orange County to provide services for mothers and babies. Mrs. Dunn is an advocate for access to healthcare and believes in the innovation and implementation of creative solutions to existing challenges. As illustrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, True Health was the only FQHC in Central Florida to operate a monoclonal infusion center, which allowed patients to recover at home and avoid the hospital.

Mrs. Dunn's transformative leadership has been celebrated with prestigious recognitions, including the 2021 CEO of the Year and 2020 Diversity in Business awards from the Orlando Business Journal. In 2023, True Health was honored as the Healthcare Business of the Year by the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce and recognized as one of the Top 100 Women-Led Organizations in Florida by The Women's Edge. In January 2024. True Health received the Humanitarian Award from the City of Sanford's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Steering Committee.

Mr. Speaker, Sonya Stalnaker is a Union commercial painter by trade. She started in 2001 as an apprentice and completed the Painter's apprenticeship of the IUPAT in 2005. She has spent her last 23 years dedicated to her Union, her family, and doing what she loves: painting and helping others.

She has served in the capacity of shop steward on the job and part- time instructor at the Painter's apprenticeship. Working hard and coming up in the ranks, she served as Financial Secretary in Local 1010 for the previous 5 years. She was the Commercial Paint Coordinator for the Florida Finishing Trades (Painter's apprenticeship) from 2021 to 2023.

Last year, she ran for President and won the election becoming the first woman President for Local 1010. In 2018, she was elected President of Central Florida's Chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists.

She strides every day to teach, educate, and do what needs to be done to help make a difference in her Union, home, and her community. She is a selfless type of person that does all she can to be better so that she can continue doing the work that needs to be done, helping those in need and fighting THE GOOD FIGHT.

Mr. Speaker, Jessica Paul is a St. Cloud resident and local business owner, who advocates for the needs of all members of her community.

As a lifelong resident of the Whitted Historic Community, the Paul roots run deep, in Osceola County. She is a phenomenal mother to her handsome son, Jase.

Jessica works to unite voices big and small and has extensive experience connecting elected officials to pressing developmental issues facing the Whitted Historic Community, including environmental concerns that directly impact quality of life. Jessica serves on the Osceola County CDBG Citizens Advisory Task Force for District 5, ensuring every voice gets heard. She is also an active member of St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church of Narcoossee.

Personally, she takes an active volunteer role in coordinating local events for the Markus Paul Foundation, which honors her late cousin, a hometown hero and NFL legacy. Jessica is passionate about making a positive impact on her community through this foundation.

Jessica and her twin sister were showcased as part of Spectrum News 13's Everyday Hero and a video spotlight series presented by Experience Kissimmee. The feature highlighted their positive reputation for being good neighbors and contributing to the well-being of their community.

Jessica finds solace and joy by spending quality time with her supportive family. She attributes her unwavering dedication and drive to her parents, Larry and Karen Starke Paul, who taught her and her siblings the importance of hard work and compassion.

Mr. Speaker, in 1993, the state of Florida commissioned Professors Maxine D. Jones, Larry E. Rivers, David R. Colburn, William R. Rogers, and Tom Dye to write and submit to the Florida Board of Regents a documented report of what occurred at the site of Rosewood in Levy County Florida during the first week of January, 1923.

The findings of that report can be found at: http:// edocs.dlis.state.fl.us/fldocs/regents/rosewood.pdf.

Mr. Speaker, Ashley Dunbar is a passionate, experienced trial attorney and a New Jersey native. Ms. Dunbar received her bachelor's degree from Villanova University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. While in law school, Ashley competed on the Black Law Students Association International Negotiation Team and advanced to the Final Four as a first-year student. The following year, she was appointed to be the team coach.

Ashley also competed on the University of Florida Alternative Dispute Resolution Team, served as the executive articles editor for the Journal of Law and Public Policy, presided as the vice president of the Black Law Students Association, and served as the community service chair for the Florida Association for Women Lawyers and for the Caribbean Law Students Association.

Ms. Dunbar began her legal career as a public defender, where she tried over 25 cases ranging from juvenile matters to felonies punishable by life. Additionally, Ms. Dunbar collaborated on several successful appeals and reached countless satisfactory settlements through effective negotiation and motion practice. Ms. Dunbar then gained substantial experience in civil litigation as an associate at McDonald Toole Wiggins and as in-house counsel for Progressive Insurance.

In addition to her legal career, Ashley dedicates substantial time to helping the community directly. She has led and participated in numerous protests, coordinated donation drives, mentored young scholars, and planned pro bono events in Orlando. Ashley has also chaired the Community Outreach Committee for the Paul C. Perkins Bar Association as well as served on the Justice Advisory Committee under Congressman Darren Soto in collaboration with fellow leaders in Florida to review the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 and other policy issues.

In her spare time, Ashley enjoys fitness, competing in bodybuilding competitions, traveling, and good food.

On February 22, 2024, Ashley Dunbar was honored as a distinguished leader in Central Florida for Black History Month.

Mr. Speaker, Coach Albert Bates is one of the leading pioneers in introducing youth sports to the Poinciana community alongside King Baker and Linda Cantreva. After the previous leadership decided to discontinue managing the Poinciana Predators to return home back north, he began coaching for the Predators in 1992. He wanted to help continue the development of youth sports programs in the Poinciana area because Poinciana back then was an underdeveloped community, and there was only one other program for the children in a fast-growing community to get involved in.

He became the president of the Poinciana Predators in the mid-90s. At that time, the Predators played in the Central Florida Conference from 1992 to 2000. Coach Bates and other league presidents decided to leave the Central Florida Conference, and by doing so, they created the Mid- Florida Football and Cheer Conference in 1999. In 2000, the Poinciana Predators officially joined the MFFCC. During the existence of the MFFCC, Coach Bates held multiple titles, including two terms as the president of the conference.

Due to the tremendous pressure of starting and helping to manage the MFFCC, he had to step away from managing the Predators. In 2006, after successfully helping the MFFCC nourish and grow, Coach Bates returned as the president of the Predators. In 2006, Coach Bates was not only the president of the Predators, but he was also president of the MFFCC. In 2006, the Predators became members of American Youth Football while remaining an active member of the MFFCC.

In 2008, Coach Mike Ditka of the Chicago Bears presented Coach Bates with the AYF

Hall of Fame award. Coach Bates was inducted into the AYF Hall of Fame for his long-time service in working with the youth in Central Florida and abroad. In 2008, Coach Bates returned to the role of president of the Predators and continued holding multiple titles within the MFFCC. In 2010. Coach Bates also worked with others and established AAU Tackle youth Football in Central Florida.

Coach Bates has influenced multiple families' lives through his service to the Poinciana community and throughout Central Florida. In 2011, Coach Bates did the groundbreaking when Osceola County dedicated the football field to the Poinciana Predators at Vance Harmon Park.

Coach Bates has been a pillar in the community and a role model to the youth who have come through the program. Coach Bates' influence is so inspiring that former players and cheerleaders return to volunteer as coaches and mentors to the children in the Poinciana area.

On February 22, 2024, Coach Albert Bates was honored as a distinguished leader in Central Florida for Black History Month.

Mr. Speaker, Celestia L. McCloud is a native of Winter Haven, Florida and the youngest child of the late Richard and Shirley McCloud and is a lifelong member of the AME church. She graduated from Winter Haven High School, Florida State University with a bachelor's degree in sociology, and Troy State University with a master's degree in public administration.

After completing her education, her professional work began in public service with the Department of Juvenile Justice, working with youth involved in the court system experiencing delinquent behaviors. After leaving the DJJ in 1996, she began her career at Orlando Housing Authority, where she worked until 2010. During her 14 years at OHA, she held positions that allowed her to work with people in various roles to encourage self-improvement and self-sufficiency.

Her most recent chapter with the Osceola County government began in 2010. Over the last 14 years at Osceola County, she mostly held the housing and community services director position. She is very proud of the work that the department has accomplished and is most proud of the great team she continues to build. She understands that her success is mostly because of the hardworking and dedicated staff in the department, as well as the support of county administration and the commissioners.

The department continues to thrive and accomplish great things through services to the community and the citizens of all income and economic levels. Some of the highlights over the last few years include several affordable housing partnership deals, managing HUD expectations in the areas of an entitlement community and Section 8 as a high performer, ongoing management of homelessness efforts, and the administering of COVID-19 funds just to name a few. She was also just awarded the 2004 Lt. Lloyd Burton Jr. Service Award.

On February 22, 2024, Celestia L. McCloud was honored as a distinguished leader in Central Florida for Black History Month.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Nina Glee Hill was born and reared in Orlando, Florida, and is a 1975 graduate of Jones High School. After graduation, she and her family decided to make Kissimmee, Florida, their home.

She is the mother of two sons, Cory and Jarvis, and grandmother of five. She is the matriarch of her family, not excluding extended family and friends, and enjoys spending her time with them all. Nina began a career in the medical field, where she enjoyed over 30 years as a massage therapist and front desk outpatient coordinator for HCA Florida Osceola Regional.

Nina offers her assistance in her community as an advocate for those in need. She sits on the Citizens Police Review Board for the Kissimmee Police Department and has held positions as first and second vice president for NAACP, Branch 5121 of Osceola County. She is presently nominated for president of this branch. Her major concern is the initiative to get more people out to vote.

She is recognized in the literary world as an accomplished author. She has been the Mistress of Ceremony for the African American Read-In for several years, hosted by the City of Kissimmee and Osceola Library for Black History Month.

Nina feels that her greatest accomplishment is her call to the ministry. She is licensed and ordained, and now pastor's her own church, which will soon celebrate their third year as Agape Faith Based Ministries.

On February 22, 2024, Nina Glee Hill was honored as a distinguished leader in Central Florida for Black History Month.

Mr. Speaker, Phyllis Hancock has been the president of the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) Orlando, Florida chapter, for over 20 years serving Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Lake Counties. A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin founded the A. Philip Randolph Institute in 1965 to continue the struggle for racial equality, political, and economic justice for all working Americans. APRI is the senior constituency group of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). APRI consists primarily of trade unionists. Phyllis has been a member of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) since 1975. Local CWA 3108 Orlando is where she found her passion for working in the Black community.

Along with the support of her members, she has engaged the community along with students at the Evans High School ROTC in the nonpartisan get-out-the-vote campaign, voter registration/education, sign waving, phone banks, restoration of civil rights, and canvassing within Black communities. APRI hosted voter education activities in local churches, union halls, and community centers in Congressman Darren Soto's district. Phyllis' joy comes from watching students enhance their community pride.

Phyllis has run unopposed throughout her tenure partly due to her God-given, harmonious leadership ability. She built the largest APRI chapter in Florida under the direction of the APRI national President Clayola Brown. Her sisters, Sharon, and Fonda were natural leaders. Phyllis' leadership ability was taught and sparked by her mother, Mae Belle Whitley Hancock, Pete Bohaczyk, her Campbell Middle School history teacher, and membership in the Church of Christ.

Phyllis is the middle daughter of three girls born to Jadie and Mae Belle Hancock, Jr. She is a second-generation union member. As a child, she watched her parents host civil rights meetings.

Jadie, a member of the Transport Workers Union, used his influence to help Black people obtain employment at the Kennedy Space Center.

On February 22, 2024, Phyllis Hancock was honored as a distinguished leader in Central Florida for Black History Month.

Mr. Speaker, in 2019, at the age of 23, Reverend Matthew Aaron Quainoo, Ph.D., became the youngest senior minister in the history of Solid Rock Community Church in Kissimmee, the largest Caribbean/African-American congregation in Central Florida. He also earned his doctorate in American history from Howard University in Washington, D.C., in August of 2022 while pastoring at Solid Rock.

Dr. Quainoo has put his training as a professional historian to good use by leading Solid Rock to serve as the first and only organization in the Ninth Congressional District of Florida to teach the AP African- American Studies course that was banned by the Florida Department of Education free of charge for high school students and members of the community during Black History Month this year.

Under Dr. Quainoo's leadership, Solid Rock Church led Central Florida in offering its first mobile vaccine event in one of the poorest zip codes in Florida at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the last four years, Solid Rock has fed over 12,000 families experiencing food insecurity through a monthly food pantry. Under Dr. Quainoo's leadership, Solid Rock is the first and currently only church in the City of Kissimmee to offer a cold-night shelter to those experiencing homelessness in Central Florida. Dr. Quainoo is the educational establishmentarian and visionary for the Still We Rise Excellence Academy, a private Christian school housed at Solid Rock Church that is committed to spiritual formation in making disciples of Jesus Christ, academic excellence, and cultural, curricular, and civic courage. This elementary and middle school will teach the Black history that is banned in the state of Florida when it opens in August of 2024.

Dr. Quainoo sits on the Board of the prestigious Hope Partnership, the leading non-profit combating homelessness and poverty in Central Florida, as well as serving as the special advisor of the Black Empowerment Council of Osceola County, a non-profit committed to seeking justice and unity for oppressed persons of color and all disenfranchised people in Central Florida.

Dr. Quainoo is happily married to the beautiful Lady Rhesa Quainoo and has three marvelous sons, Matthew, Martin, and Micah.

On February 22, 2024, Reverend Matthew Aaron Quainoo was honored as a distinguished leader in Central Florida for Black History Month.

Mr. Speaker, during a run in Orlando in 2013, Briana Daniel encountered the stark reality of homelessness. Motivated to help but inexperienced in addressing this issue, she chose to immerse herself by living among the Downtown Orlando homeless community for over a month.

Through firsthand experience and conversations with them, she discovered their profound need for dignity through cleanliness. This insight led her to establish Street Team Movement Inc., an organization dedicated to offering hygiene services to the homeless community.

``It's hard to have dignity or feel like you have value when you have nowhere to wash and no way to clean your clothes or yourself,'' said Daniel.

Street Team Movement Inc. provides laundry services to the unhoused and hygiene items distributed through their hygiene vending machines. The machines are accessible for free to the homeless through their proprietary ``Hope Cards,'' which are special access cards allowing the population a limited number of transactions per week.

``We believe in compassionate assistance, not just handouts. The `Hope Card' allows us to help without enabling dependency. We provide individuals the means to access items, and services while preventing any misuse,'' said Daniel.

In 2021, Street Team Movement launched a special program specifically for homeless women called Project Lioness. The program aims to bridge the hygiene gap for unhoused

women by connecting them to critical feminine hygiene kits that will carry them through their monthly cycle. To date, Project Lioness has distributed over 1,000 hygiene kits stocked with panty liners, feminine napkins, tampons, and wipes. To date, Street Team Movement has washed over 30,000 loads of laundry, provided over 500 haircuts, and has given out over one million hygiene items. Since launching the hygiene vending machines in 2020, Street Team Movement has given out over 5,000 hygiene kits in five States.

On February 22, 2024, Briana Daniel was honored as a distinguished leader in Central Florida for Black History Month.

Mr. Speaker, Yokeenba Jenkins was born and raised in Osceola County, where he attended elementary, middle, and high school, graduating from Osceola High School.

He spent his college years at Bethune Cookman University. Following his college years, Yokeenba found his passion for music, becoming one of the biggest DJs in the urban industry.

When he was not on tour, he would spend his time coaching youth football at the age of 18 and volunteering his time at Chambers Park, where he is now a recreation supervisor.

Yokeenba is a child of God, husband, father, mentor, community spokesperson, and leader. Yokeenba is a person with a passion for shaping the youth in his community. He is hard working, dependable, has great energy, and has a drive to see his programs succeed. He is always willing to help out wherever needed and assist his fellow co-workers, family, and community in any way possible.

He is a dedicated individual who displays an enormous sense of pride in his daily work. Since taking on his role at the Chambers Park Community Center, he has been instrumental in creating some well attended recreation programs while maintaining a successful summer camp program where a large portion of the community benefits from. In addition, he has organized essential events that promote fellowship within the community, such as Breakfast with Santa, Daddy and Daughter Dance, and Back to School Jam, among others.

He has done an excellent job of stepping right into the role and ensuring its continued success. He is an excellent team player and works very well with diverse populations of families, participants, employees, and co-workers who visit his facility daily. He is a capable and independent leader who takes pride in being an active member of the Kissimmee community.

On February 22, 2024, Yokeenba Jenkins was honored as a distinguished leader in Central Florida for Black History Month.

Mr. Speaker, Abigail Ellis is currently a registered mental health counselor intern, a devoted mental health advocate, a mentor, and an educator. She is steadfast in her commitment to effecting positive change in her community.

Raised in Moore Haven, Florida, she developed a passion for community service early on--learning from her grandmother, Ida M.

Ward, who was always giving back. Abigail earned a bachelor's degree in business and information management from Seminole State College, complemented by certificates in project management and human resource administration. Her academic journey culminated in a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling from Nova Southeastern University.

In 2001, Abigail made history as the first African-American Chalo Nitka Pageant winner in her hometown, Moore Haven, Florida. This accomplishment not only showcased her resilience but also set a powerful precedent for others to follow. Abigail and her son, Lamar Allen, are deeply engaged in community service. She founded Steps Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit organization established in 2019 to serve marginalized youth in Osceola County.

The organization was born after years of watching her mother, Darlene Ellis, struggle to find resources to support her brother, Samuel Ellis. Through this initiative, she has demonstrated a proactive and hands-on approach to addressing the unique challenges faced by underserved teens.

In addition to her foundation, Abigail actively serves on several boards throughout Central Florida, focusing on mental health, community engagement, and youth development. She serves as a member of Chi Sigma Iota, the Florida Counseling Association, and the Osceola Chamber, just to name a few. This involvement underlines her dedication to a holistic approach in supporting the well-being of adolescents. Abigail Ellis exemplifies leadership, compassion, and expertise, utilizing her multifaceted role to create a positive impact on the lives of young people and their families.

On February 22, 2024, Abigail Ellis was honored as a distinguished leader in Central Florida for Black History Month.

Mr. Speaker, Ms. Nealya Iris Brunson is the dance director for the Osceola County School for the Arts, where she has dedicated 20 years to educating students in dance and the arts. Some of her contributions to student success include attending the National High School Dance Festivals in Miami and Philadelphia, as well as the Regional High School Dance Festivals in Norfolk, Virginia, where students received college acceptances and scholarships. Additional contributions include attending the Florida Dance Education Organization and Florida Dance Performance Assessment, where students in middle and high school received superior and excellent ratings in the areas of dance, technique, and performance. Over the years, Ms. Brunson has taught many students who have demonstrated outstanding achievements and have become professional dancers, artists, teachers, and choreographers nationally and internationally.

Ms. Brunson has served as a dance program coordinator, choreographed dances for many dance and theater programs, and served as a dance adjudicator in several public schools, universities, and performing arts centers, primarily in the state of Florida.

Ms. Brunson's training in dance began at B.J.'s School of Dance in St. Petersburg, Florida, under the direction of Barbara Hodges. She continued to study dance at the Pinellas County School for the Arts at Gibbs High School and at St. Petersburg College, CoMotion Dance Theater. Ms. Brunson received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Florida, New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida, under the direction of Daniel Lewis. She also received a Master of Arts in Dance from the American University in Washington, D.C., under the direction of Dr. Niama Prevots.

Ms. Brunson enjoys teaching the elements of dance, which is a major component of her dance classes. She will be releasing her first book titled, ``Goals of Dance Technique: A Dancers Workbook,'' later this year.

On February 22, 2024, Nealya Iris Brunson was honored as a distinguished leader in Central Florida for Black History Month.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, Soraya Marquez has been the state director of Mi Familia Vota Florida since 2012 and has dedicated 18 years to the Central Florida community. Additionally, she has a bachelor's degree in international business and business administration.

Soraya has successfully assisted thousands of individuals navigating the citizenship process and has helped reach over 115.000 voters through registration efforts. She has also helped immigrant families without a defined status and hosted several immigration forums across public schools in several counties.

Through her work, she hopes to create a well-informed and integrated Latino community actively engaged in finding solutions to city, county, and school board issues. She also hopes to see massive participation of Latinos in every election to strengthen democracy and continue living in freedom.

Previously, Soraya was a member of the group of Founding Women and vice president and president of the Association of Professional and Businesswomen. She has also received the Ohtli Award from the Government of Mexico, recognitions from the educational systems of Orange County and Osceola County, as well as a ``Hispanic Leader'' recognition from Univision.

In her limited free time, Soraya dedicates herself 100 percent to her family, her most cherished treasure.