So after writing a 7-part series on racism in two weeks time, I am tired. Instead of writing a Letter from the Editor, I thought I’d just post this video for you. I recently visited my friend Jon Frangipane (90), one of the greatest pianists I have ever heard. He used to play with Duke Ellington, Count Basie and other greats back in the day. Anyway, he was being so kind as to give me an extra keyboard, so I could use it in my band (D-Railed).
I asked Jon to give me some tips on how to do solos and “fancy stuff” when playing songs. “Like what?” he asked. “Like ‘Stand By Me’ for example,” I said. This is a song that our band has played since the beginning. So this was his impromptu performance of Stand By Me (and pay no attention to the mediocre singing by me). But please do pay attention to Jon’s fancy fingerwork!
Wellington Celebrates July 4th with Drive-in Style Fireworks Displays
Wellington will celebrate Independence Day with two fireworks displays by Zambelli Fireworks. The displays will take place simultaneously at Village Park and the Wellington Green Park, adjacent to The Mall at Wellington Green.
The drive-in style shows will begin at 9:15 PM, and will be viewable from nearby homes, as well as vehicles parked at the Mall and at Village Park. A video, featuring music accompanying the fireworks display will be streamed LIVE starting at 9:15 PMon Wellingtonfl.gov/TV or watched live on WellingtonTV (Comcast Channel 18 and AT&T Uverse 99).
If the displays are visible from your location, we ask that you do not travel to park near the displays in order to minimize traffic and congestion.
If you are parking near a display you MUST remain in or immediately adjacent to your vehicle.
If you are outside of your vehicle please wear your mask.
Follow all social distancing and CDC Guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19.
No tailgating
No alcohol
No personal fireworks
No pets
Wellington extends special thanks to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Health Specialty Center and Baptist Health for their generous sponsorship of this event.
To learn more about this event, visit wellingtonfl.gov/July4th. Follow Wellington Parks & Recreation’s social media pages (@wellingtonflrec) for updates.
Boca Helping Hands Expands to Feed Underserved in Lantana
Through New Pantry Bag Distribution Site
Boca Raton, FL, June 26, 2019 – Boca Helping Hands is expanding its feeding program with the opening of a new pantry bag distribution site in Lantana. The distribution site, located at Advent Lantana, 2116 Lantana Road, Lake Worth, will open on Saturday, June 27 with a grand opening at 1 p.m. Pantry bags filled with food for underserved families will be available each Saturday after that from 1-3 p.m.
Anyone wanting to receive a pantry bag in Lantana must qualify under TEFAP guidelines (people who are at or below the poverty level). Anyone who meets this qualification can register at the new Lantana location.
Boca Helping Hands’ Pantry Bag program helps economically disadvantaged families in Palm Beach County. Current distribution sites include Boca Raton, West Boca, and Boynton Beach. While the need for supplemental food has nearly doubled since the COVID-19 crisis began, the new location was already in the works late last year.
“Thanks to Advent Lantana, we are going to be able to expand our Pantry Bag program further north, bringing hope to even more families in need,” said Greg Hazle, Executive Director of Boca Helping Hands. “This is a service we intend to continue for the long term.”
Congregants from Advent Lantana will volunteer.
“Advent Church Boca has been partners with Boca Helping Hands from the very beginning, and we are thrilled to be able to extend their reach at our new satellite church, Advent Lantana,” The Rev. Dr. Andrew D. Hagen said.
Reverend Andy Hagen serves on the board of Boca Helping Hands and as Pastor of Advent Church’s Boca Raton and Lantana campuses.
Advent Lantana holds community outreach programs throughout the year. During an October 2019 event, Boca Helping Hands conducted a survey to assess if there was a need for a pantry program – and the results showed that there was.
About Boca Helping Hands
Boca Helping Hands (BHH) is a community-based nonprofit that provides food, medical and financial assistance to meet basic human needs as well as education, job training and guidance to create self-sufficiency.
BHH distributes more than 80,000 pantry bags each year at four Palm Beach County locations and serves over 55,000 hot meals annually, six days per week. The organization expands access to affordable medical, dental and behavioral care through its partnership with Genesis Community Health, serving clients at clinics in Boca Raton and Boynton Beach. BHH sends weekend meals home with food-insecure elementary school students via the BHH Backpacks Program and assists working families with the rising cost of childcare through the Children’s Assistance Program (CAP).
With an increased focus on client self-sufficiency, BHH awards scholarships for qualified candidates to attend accredited vocational training classes that prepare them for careers in the healthcare, information technology, transportation, and hospitality industries. BHH also offers free English as a Second Language (ESOL) classes and courses in nutrition and other life skills. Staff and volunteer mentors counsel the unemployed and underemployed in basic workplace skills and help them polish resumes and search for jobs.
ANN NORTON SCULPTURE GARDENS ANNOUNCES NEW LEADERSHIP
Margaret Horgan to oversee landmarked house, gardens, grounds, property and art collection
(West Palm Beach, Fla) – Margaret Horgan has been named managing director for the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, according to ANSG Board of Trustees’ chairman, Frances Fisher. Horgan was promoted to her new role in late spring. She now reports directly to the board of trustees and has general oversight of and responsibility for the financial and physical well-being of all the assets of the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, including its landmarked house, gardens, grounds, property and art collection.
Margaret Horgan
Located at 253 Barcelona Road in the historic El Cid neighborhood of West Palm Beach, the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, Inc. is a non-profit foundation established in 1977 by resident sculptor Ann Weaver Norton (1905-1982).
“It feels like Ann herself is smiling on this decision,” said Fisher. “Margaret has been sharing Ann’s story as the Garden’s director of community engagement for the last eight years. She is beloved by our members and guests alike, and so respected in our community. She has been instrumental in much of our success, and her long-time history with our organization made her the perfect candidate for this new leadership position.”
A West Palm Beach resident, Horgan’s former role for ANSG included oversight of the Gardens Conservancy and general membership; marketing and communications; donor relations; and events and programming including Literacy Days, Garden Days, Sculpture in Motion, Evening in the Gardens and exhibition openings. She is a graduate of Guilford College in NC, and her 20-year career includes roles in events, marketing and development.
“My upbringing truly prepared me for my time at ANSG,” said Horgan. “My mother is an artist and my father was a career Naval officer and American history buff. As a child I fondly recall visiting every major art museum and battlefield on the east coast; each stop was followed by lively a conversation about those important moments in history and their role in shaping the communities we visited. Working in a place that holds so much history, where I am surrounded by incredible and changing art, and where I am able to connect with and support our community, feels special every day.”
The Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens is currently closed to the public. To learn more or to take a virtual walk among the gardens, visit www.ansg.org or call 561-832-5328.
“I can’t breathe,” said George Floyd as white police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds on May 25th. While before and after this modern-day lynching occurred, there have been many other murders of black Americans, something struck a chord with the George Floyd murder. If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend Hailey George’s powerful poem “Eight Minutes Forty-Six Seconds.” She is a young poet and author from Wellington, who sent me her poem on Juneteenth (June 19th). I published that very same day, and many have written to say that they were “moved to tears” by Hailey’s poem. Also my friend songwriter and playwright Jon Frangipane has written a song, dedicated to George Floyd, called “So I Can Breathe Again,” which is being recorded later this month. We’re aiming high with it. It’s still in the works, but it’s coming along.
“They lynched my brother. That was a modern-day lynching in broad daylight,” said George Floyd’s brother Philonise Floyd.
Just for a moment, it seems like the whole world has stopped. With COVID-19 making many of us take a big time-out from the busy-ness of everyday life, there’s time to reflect on just how little progress has been made toward equal rights for black Americans in the 400 years since slavery. White supremacists are coming out into the light, as Reverend Al Sharpton made the analogy in his speech at George Floyd’s funeral service.
“One thing I found out about roaches is that if you keep the light off, if you in the dark, a roach will pull up to your dinner table and have a five-course meal,” he said. “So I learned that one of the ways to deal with roaches is if you cut the light on, I could run them roaches and track them down. And I’ve spent all my life chasing roaches all over this country.”
Just as you turn on a light and can suddenly see what’s been going on all along, this is a time where a light has been turned on regarding racism. As I have chosen to be outspoken against racism on a daily basis, I have lost about ten friends in the past month. And just a few days ago, a prominent business person in Wellington chose to personally attack me and my business, all day long on social media. He wrote, “Is that all there is in your life? (Referring to my speaking out against racism). You used to post very informative, uplifting and inspirational posts for Wellington residents to enjoy. What happened to that Krista?”
But on a positive note, I have gained at least ten new friends too, and they are better friends. They are more in line with my ideals and they have empathy. Best of all, they are decidedly anti-racist. For example, with a group of about seven women, including activist Kyla Edme, we started a new Mom’s group on Facebook called “Palm Beach Moms Unite.” It is an anti-racist group of Moms who just want to celebrate diversity and not be censored when they do so.
Palm Beach Moms Unite, a new Facebook Group
You might be wondering how I came up with this list of seven people to interview on the subject of racism. These are people who have been a part of my daily conversations about racism and they all deserve to be heard. Each is striving to make a change in their own way, whether it’s by community activism, legislation, daily business, daily speaking out or being a public official. As for the community activists, Kyla Edme, Rodney Mayo and Zainab Asad have been strong voices in local rallies, speaking out against racism. As for a business owner, Henry Mosley has had his share of racism to fight against in the small interactions that make up his day in the Mall at Wellington Green. Retired Major Alex Freeman is running for Palm Beach County Sheriff (against Sheriff Ric Bradshaw), and most importantly Freeman is in favor of having police body cameras for accountability, which would be a positive change. Meanwhile, Wellington Mayor Anne Gerwig recently came out and joined the protesters at 441 and Forest Hill Boulevard in Wellington, helping them set up, to show her support. Florida State Attorney David Aronberg has been involved in the conversation about the high-profile cases (like the murder of Corey Jones) since being elected in 2012. “It was the first time in 30 years that a Florida police officer was convicted for an on-duty shooting,” says Aronberg.
Aronberg sums it up, reflecting on the murder of George Floyd. “It brought home America’s original sin. Racial inequality is alive and well in the year 2020 . . . Unless we deal with it head on, right now, more people will die.”
There are two ways to read this article. You can read the entire article here, where all seven stories are posted. Or you can go to “AW Stories of the Month” and select each individual story to read, one at a time.
I would like to dedicate this article, which was a labor of love, to three powerful black women in my life: Nardella Thomas (childhood friend, who always has my back), Priscilla LaBoy Johnson (my friend, who was beaten in a hate crime by four white men in 1994 in Delray Beach, four men who never served jail time) and Kyla Edme (local organizer of peaceful protests in Wellington).
Thank you for your support! If you’d like to support AroundWellington.com and our journalistic endeavors, you can donate or, if you have a business, you can advertise with us. Email: [email protected]
***
Krista Martinelli. Photo by Carol Porter.
Krista Koontz Martinelli is the owner/editor of AroundWellington.com, which has been in business for 14 years, bringing “good news” to the Wellington, FL area. She is the mother of two teenagers, and it’s not as bad as everyone said it would be. Her husband Joe is 100% supportive; otherwise, she couldn’t do this stuff. She is also a playwright and a keyboard player in a band, D-Railed. Every one of these interviewees for this story was a delight to talk with. To sign up for her weekly eNewsletter, just visit AroundWellington.com.
Who Threw The First Brick? (Why Queer People Can’t Be Anti-Black)
By: Summer Wadleigh
Even as the mass amount of media attention surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement begins to slowly fade, it is important that this matter remains prevalent and consistently spoken about. The recent surge of protesting and rioting has acted as a test of morality for each person across the world, and it has instigated important conversations within other minority communities. As sensible as it would be for minority communities to uplift and mutually support each other, there is always a set of outliers. This article is going to touch on a little bit of LGBTQ history that displays the true importance of people of color within this community and how trans women of color broke countless boundaries so that queer people could love freely.
Marsha P. Johnson, a gay liberation activist during the civil rights era, was a trans woman of color who played a defining role during the Stonewall Riots of 1969. These riots took place at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar located in lower Manhattan after the police began to raid the Inn. During this time, LGBTQ people were not openly accepted, and this was one of the few places where queer people could practice public displays of affection with their partners such as slow dancing and holding hands. On June 28th, 1969, the Inn was raided by police due to the fact that at this time, being gay was only legal in the state of Illinois. This resulted in 5 days of consistent rioting led by LGBTQ activists such as Stormé DeLarverie and Morty Manford.
During a time where being queer, as well as not dressing according to your gender was illegal, Marsha P. Johnson threw the first brick, or shot glass back at a police officer. She could no longer stand for the social discrimination faced by people throughout the country afraid to love openly. Stonewall paved the way for activist organizations such as the Gay Liberation Front and GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). It also resulted in the first ever pride parade occurring on its year anniversary throughout New York City, called “Christopher Street Liberation Day”. This one action paved the way for every activist that followed her, and every activist still working to finish what she began on that night.
Photo Credit: Gotta Be Worth It
Nearly 50 years later, rioting within minority communities in the fight for equality has far from ceased. America has been built on systems not suited to benefit anybody that isn’t white, male, and heterosexual. Dismantling this system, so far, has taken hundreds of years and some of the most progressive change has derived from acts of violence. Sometimes justice cannot be simply asked for, and in many instances, there had to be a form of causality before a positive result was seen. My question to those who are still against the rioting occurring right now: Are you just as outraged at the countless number of black lives taken by the police every single day that you are at people rioting – because they’re tired of seeing their people die?
To each person within the community who still does not support or fully understand black activism, remember who contributed to establishing your most basic freedoms. Black trans women such as Marsha P. Johnson and countless others practiced activism not just for the LGBTQ people within their time, but for every single person that came after them. As a gay person myself, their sacrifice has given me as well as every other queer person a chance at one of the most beautiful things: authenticity. Black people have done so much within this community, and now it is more than necessary to show up for those who have showed up for our rights time and time again. Within the queer community, there is simply no place for anything but genuine support and solidarity with Black people as they continue to fight for their lives.
Many coastal English towns and villages can be classified as ‘one-of-a-kind,’ ‘fun-to-visit,’ ‘great-to-explore,’ or ‘must-see.’ There are very few, if any, English communities where all four of those descriptions apply in equal measure. Clovelly is one seaside English village which fits all four descriptions. Located in southwest England along the northern edge of the county of Devon, along the banks of the western edge of the Bristol Channel, Clovelly can also be accurately labeled as distinctly special, undeniably spectacular, and simply unforgettable. It’s also a privilege to step foot in this one-of-a-kind seaside strip of civilization. When you arrive in Clovelly, close your eyes and tap your shoes – just like Dorothy did in the Wizard of Oz. Then, remind yourself that you are not in Kansas anymore. When you open your eyes, you will be standing in a part of the world that remains attached to a bygone era.
The Clovelly experience begins as you make the trek along the steep, 400-foot, downhill pedestrianized cobbled main street steps which take you to the harbor front and Bideford Bay, which is an outlet to the Bristol Channel. As you make the descent along the cobbled, terraced streets, be aware that each of the buildings is architecturally listed which means they have been placed on the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest in the United Kingdom.
Strolling through Clovelly is like walking back in time. There’s a sense of peace and tranquility to the pace of life in this ever-so-precious coastal community. Quite frankly, everybody needs to visit Clovelly at least once in their lifetime.
As you stroll through Clovelly and enjoy all that it has to offer, make sure that you conserve enough energy so that you have the strength and stamina to ascend those cobbled steps in order to leave this car-free village. Yes, it’s a car-free zone where pedestrians and donkeys take precedence over the internal combustion engine or anything which requires a fossil fuel. Don’t be surprised to see a donkey or two at Queen Victoria Fountain, outside the Clovelly post office, close to Clovelly’s two pubs, or near Clovelly’s two museums.
Besides the donkeys, another memory to take away from Clovelly is the Clovelly Court Gardens. This old walled garden thrives because it’s located in a sheltered sunny section which allows a wide range of plants to grow and flourish throughout the year.
While you are in Clovelly, you might be an eyewitness to the launching of the lifeboat – RNLI Toby Rundle – if there’s a nearby emergency at sea. There are two exceptions to the fossil-fuel transportation ban: (1) the engine on the lifeboat and (2) the Land Rover service for those who do not want to walk back up the hill to the car park. As you would expect, the design of the building – constructed with stone featuring bright red, wooden doors – that houses the lifeboat is in sync with Clovelly’s architectural décor. FYI: June 20, 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the lifeboat station in Clovelly.
Three of Clovelly’s claims to fame are that author Charles Dickens described the village of Clovelly in A Message from the Sea. Cameos of the village, painted by Rex Whistler, were once used on a china service by Wedgwood. And, author Charles Kingsley was inspired by Clovelly to write The Water Babies and The Three Fishers poem.
Geographically, while Clovelly is off the beaten path, it’s a path worth following if you want to experience a coastal village which can correctly be labeled as ‘one-of-a-kind,’ ‘fun-to-visit,’ ‘great-to-explore,’ and ‘must-see.’
“I can’t breathe,” said George Floyd as white police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds on May 25th. While before and after this modern-day lynching occurred, there have been many other murders of black Americans, something struck a chord with the George Floyd murder. If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend Hailey George’s powerful poem “Eight Minutes Forty-Six Seconds.” She is a young poet and author from Wellington, who sent me her poem on Juneteenth (June 19th). I published that very same day, and many have written to say that they were “moved to tears” by Hailey’s poem. Also my friend songwriter and playwright Jon Frangipane has written a song, dedicated to George Floyd, called “So I Can Breathe Again,” which is being recorded later this month. We’re aiming high with it. It’s still in the works, but it’s coming along.
“They lynched my brother. That was a modern-day lynching in broad daylight,” said George Floyd’s brother Philonise Floyd.
Just for a moment, it seems like the whole world has stopped. With COVID-19 making many of us take a big time-out from the busy-ness of everyday life, there’s time to reflect on just how little progress has been made toward equal rights for black Americans in the 400 years since slavery. White supremacists are coming out into the light, as Reverend Al Sharpton made the analogy in his speech at George Floyd’s funeral service.
“One thing I found out about roaches is that if you keep the light off, if you in the dark, a roach will pull up to your dinner table and have a five-course meal,” he said. “So I learned that one of the ways to deal with roaches is if you cut the light on, I could run them roaches and track them down. And I’ve spent all my life chasing roaches all over this country.”
Just as you turn on a light and can suddenly see what’s been going on all along, this is a time where a light has been turned on regarding racism. As I have chosen to be outspoken against racism on a daily basis, I have lost about ten friends in the past month. And just a few days ago, a prominent business person in Wellington chose to personally attack me and my business, all day long on social media. He wrote, “Is that all there is in your life? (Referring to my speaking out against racism). You used to post very informative, uplifting and inspirational posts for Wellington residents to enjoy. What happened to that Krista?”
But on a positive note, I have gained at least ten new friends too, and they are better friends. They are more in line with my ideals and they have empathy. Best of all, they are decidedly anti-racist. For example, with a group of about seven women, including activist Kyla Edme, we started a new Mom’s group on Facebook called “Palm Beach Moms Unite.” It is an anti-racist group of Moms who just want to celebrate diversity and not be censored when they do so.
Palm Beach Moms Unite, a new Facebook Group
You might be wondering how I came up with this list of seven people to interview on the subject of racism. These are people who have been a part of my daily conversations about racism and they all deserve to be heard. Each is striving to make a change in their own way, whether it’s by community activism, legislation, daily business, daily speaking out or being a public official. As for the community activists, Kyla Edme, Rodney Mayo and Zainab Asad have been strong voices in local rallies, speaking out against racism. As for a business owner, Henry Mosley has had his share of racism to fight against in the small interactions that make up his day in the Mall at Wellington Green. Retired Major Alex Freeman is running for Palm Beach County Sheriff (against Sheriff Ric Bradshaw), and most importantly Freeman is in favor of having police body cameras for accountability, which would be a positive change. Meanwhile, Wellington Mayor Anne Gerwig recently came out and joined the protesters at 441 and Forest Hill Boulevard in Wellington, helping them set up, to show her support. Florida State Attorney David Aronberg has been involved in the conversation about the high-profile cases (like the murder of Corey Jones) since being elected in 2012. “It was the first time in 30 years that a Florida police officer was convicted for an on-duty shooting,” says Aronberg.
Aronberg sums it up, reflecting on the murder of George Floyd. “It brought home America’s original sin. Racial inequality is alive and well in the year 2020 . . . Unless we deal with it head on, right now, more people will die.”
There are two ways of reading this series. Read the whole thing at once by going to “AW Spotlight.” Or click on the seven individual articles by going to “AW Stories of the Month.”
I would like to dedicate this article, which was a labor of love, to three powerful black women in my life: Nardella Thomas (childhood friend, who always has my back), Priscilla LaBoy Johnson (my friend, who was beaten in a hate crime by four white men in 1994 in Delray Beach, four men who never served jail time) and Kyla Edme (local organizer of peaceful protests in Wellington).
Tyler Brooke store owner Henry Mosley says that he “experiences racism every day in his store in the Mall at Wellington Green. When I greet them, they turn around and walk out of the store. Or a woman will clutch her purse real tight. Or they won’t even acknowledge that I’m there.” He explains that they do not expect to be greeted by a 6-foot black guy. “It’s sad that we’re still dealing with this,” he says. “As a business owner and as a father, it’s crazy.” He sees South Florida as a melting pot, much like New York City. But despite the diversity, racism runs rampant.
In one way, Mosley was lucky to have grown up “among the sugar cane fields in Belle Glade.” He says he grew up never personally experiencing racism as a child. According to Mosley, it is about 80% minority in the Glades. “My grandfather did not even put racism in context or it was never something I had to worry about.” While Mosley did not encounter it first-hand, some of friends who are athletes experienced racism from coaches who would call them the n-word.
Mosley says he did not experience racism until joining the US Army at the age of 17. He was with a fellow soldier who “just didn’t get it. One day he called me the n-word. The soldier said, ‘All of you (n’s) are the same, trying to come into the military trying to be something you’re not.’” He ended up getting into a fight with the racist soldier. He says he won the fight, but he got in so much trouble for it that he “lost the war.”
He has experienced racial profiling from a police officer as well. “It was right after I got married and living in West Palm Beach. I was pulled over by a PBSO deputy for no apparent reason. He said he wanted to search my truck but also stated that I had done nothing wrong.”
Tyler Brooke in the Mall at Wellington Green, owned by Henry Mosley
As a clothing store owner, Mosley had a vision to leave a legacy for his children. “Tyler Brooke is actually the second phase of what was once HNM Menswear. The name Tyler Brooke comes from the combined middle names of his son and daughter. “I wanted to show them they can be business owners someday as well.” His kids have spent time at the store, learning the ropes. Another part of Mosley’s vision is “to create an atmosphere where a husband and a wife can shop together.” He wants customers to be relaxed while they shop and feel no pressure to buy. The most notable designer lines that he carries at Tyler Brooke are Lilly Pulitzer for women and Robert Graham for men.
As for carrying the ever-popular Lilly clothing and accessories, he explains that it was his wife’s decision. “She told me to reach out to Lilly and see if they’d offer their products.” Mosley got the contract to bring Lilly to Wellington. It is his best-selling line of designer clothing. “We have over 700 pieces of Lilly now,” he says.
“We live in Wellington,” says Mosley. “I think there should be more black-owned businesses in Wellington. There is a real opportunity to grow their businesses. Diversity exists in the Wellington community, and there’s a great opportunity to have a larger client base.”
I asked Mosley how racism has affected him as a businessman. “It’s crazy that we’re still dealing with this. Unfortunately, as an owner of a retail store, some shoppers do not appear to be accustomed to black owned businesses that carry mainstream designer clothing,” he says. “This is a perception that needs to change. We should accept people for who they are. That same business owner might be the one that supports your charity.” He reports that he has faced tons of challenges and has been under a great deal of scrutiny as a black business owner. He has pushed through for seven years and found success, despite the challenges.
Then came COVID-19. “It almost put me out of business. Things were already challenging, but we were just starting to gain traction in the Mall. Then people started to go back and forth about buying.” Business was slow, with very few sales from February 20th until they closed the Mall at Wellington Green on March 23rd. It has been very difficult, according to Mosley. The Mall opened again on May 18th. “If it remained closed until June, we would have closed down. To this day, a lot of stores are still closed.” He says he is fortunate to have secured a PPP loan to retain his staff.
While many of his fellow shop owners were fearful of the anti-racism protests going on at the corner of 441 and Forest Hill, Mosley feels differently. “As long as it’s peaceful and as long as no one is out walking in front of cars, by all means protest,” he says. He feels that the protests have been peaceful and have been far enough away from the Mall, so as not to harm business.
Mosley says he feels comfortable living in Wellington. “I see things differently. Being ex-military, I am always ware of my surroundings and I try to avoid conflict. I just go about my day.” Meanwhile, he says, racism exists in Palm Beach County as well as across the country.
The Mosley family
Mosley’s wife is the CFO of Wellington Regional Medical Center. They have two girls and a boy – Amber, Tyra and Trey. “Wellington is home for us. We love our neighbors.” For fun, they spend a lot of time at Disney (when it’s open). “We really care about this movement to eliminate social injustice and discrimination in both the black and minority communities, as well as eliminating social injustice for women.” He feels strongly about respecting women for who they are, and as leaders in the workplace.
Mosley was very much affected by the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Corey Jones. “It’s very scary. It could have easily been me. I leave church at night sometimes.” He explains, “I could encounter a cop having a bad day. It could have been me, my son, my nephews. I do not want to be on the receiving end of any of this. Something has to be done to stop it, so that no one is on the receiving end.”
He adds, “We’re judging people based on the color of their skin, but we shouldn’t be. That person may be just the person to save your life – for example with an organ donation or a blood transfusion. You never know.”
Dave Aronberg, Florida State Attorney for Palm Beach County, FL
By Krista Martinelli
Dave Aronberg was elected in 2012 as Florida’s State Attorney (for Palm Beach County) and has been elected two more times since then. “My goal is to keep our community as safe as possible. I focused on reducing the number of opioid overdose deaths, and there has been a 40% reduction in opioid deaths since 2018. Our community was ground zero for the drug industry, and we really cleaned up the rogue sober homes.” Regarding these problematic sober homes, they have made 105 arrests since October of 2016 and there are “more to come.” Aronberg says he’s also focused on human trafficking and fighting animal cruelty. Animal cruelty is critical, he explains, because “that is usually a link to other crimes.” Of course, he explains, his top priorities are the same as any state attorney: cracking down on violent crime and career criminals. On top of that, he says, “I have focused on these 3 priorities (opioids, human trafficking and animal cruelty).”
I asked Aronberg how the murder of George Floyd affected him. “It brought home America’s original sin. Racial inequality is alive and well in the year 2020 . . . Unless we deal with it head on, right now, more people will die.” The George Floyd murder was painful, but Aronberg adds that you can’t look at it in a vacuum; it needs to be looked at in the context of so many other killings. “Our country cannot go on like this. It’s about time we stand up and do something! It’s incumbent upon us, those of us who have not experienced racial bias, not to remain silent.” And as for the choke hold that some police officers use, Aronberg says it should be illegal.
Dave Aronberg appears on the TV show “Morning Joe” on a weekly basis
Aronberg was born and raised in North Miami. He went to Harvard and then Harvard Law School. He then worked for a Miami-based law firm doing corporate litigation. He followed this up by going to the Attorney General’s office to fight consumer fraud. In 2002, he was elected to the Florida Senate at the age of 31 (the youngest ever elected to the Senate) and served for eight years. He took on the role of Drug Czar for the Attorney General. Since 2012, he has been working as our Florida State Attorney. In addition, he is a weekly guest on MSNBC’s show “Morning Joe.”
We discussed the case of Nouman Raja, the police officer who killed Corey Jones in Palm Beach Gardens in 2015. “I think it showed that no one is above the law in Palm Beach County. It was the first time in 30 years that a Florida police officer was convicted for an on-duty shooting. A jury found Raja guilty on March 7 of 2019, and Raja was sentenced to 25 years in prison. “It was a peaceful process,” says Aronberg. “The grace of the Jones and Banks families showed how peaceful protest is the foundation of our country. It’s extremely powerful. There was no violence in the streets.”
However, in another infamous Florida case, Aronberg explains that justice was not served – in the killing of Trayvon Martin in 2012 in Sanford, Florida. “George Zimmerman instigated the encounter, even after a 911 operator told him not to pursue Trayvon Martin. In this case, justice was not done. Zimmerman has repeatedly been in and out of the criminal justice system since then for other offenses.” So Zimmerman got away with this heinous crime, but also Aronberg adds, “Zimmerman remains unrepentant about his actions, continuing to elude justice.”
As State Attorney, Aronberg believes it is his role to fight against systemic racism. “One thing is to lead by example. No one is above the law. As with Corey Jones, we will follow the evidence.” He also believes in community outreach and holding town hall meetings. “You need to be proactive. You don’t want to just ask minority communities for their vote, but you need to be there for them and develop a trust. They want to trust in you and believe that you will do the right thing.
Aronberg with his rescue dog Cookie at the annual Wellington Holiday Parade.
As for the “Defund the Police” movement, Aronberg says the name is a “misnomer.” “Very few people actually believe in dismantling the police. The debate is really over how to allocate resources.” He advocates for shifting some of the resources that go into militarization into things like mental health services. “We need to fund mental health properly. Jail shouldn’t be the main provider of mental health services in Palm Beach County, but it is.” Aronberg also says that the police have been stretched too thin with doing services that other people should be doing. “This is a conversation we should be having.”
Aronberg adds, “I think that body cameras should be required for the police. It’s a great way to use technology to build trust with law enforcement. If everyone is wearing a camera, it will go a long way to address these deep-seated issues that trouble so many Americans.” He believes it should be a national thing and that it would be a positive step in the right direction.
“As for President Trump, he’s intentionally being divisive. It’s an electoral strategy. He’s has doubled down on his base. This is not a secret, as it’s been a strategy since day one of his inaugural address.”
Banner that was held up by protesters at a Wellington Village Council meeting last month.
I shared a photo (above) with Aronberg of a banner that listed many of the names of people killed by PBSO in the past few years. He responded, “We investigate all cases of officer-involved shootings and we go where the evidence leads. As prosecutors, you have a very high burden, and can only charge based on facts you can prove. The defendant gets all the benefits of the doubt.” He explains that you have to serve justice, using facts and evidence, “meeting your high burdens that are required under the law.”
As for the viral video of a US Department of Homeland Security employee man yelling racist remarks at 15-year old kids (who were in their own neighborhood) in the Grande Isles in Wellington, Aronberg comments, “I thought it was disgusting.” See the video that made national news.
On a lighter note, Aronberg lives with Cookie, his dog, a basset hound rescue from Big Ranch Dog Rescue. “Cookie comes to the office with me every Friday.” Aronberg’s parents live in Delray Beach, and so do his sister, her husband and their little nieces (14 and 12). “We’re all here in Palm Beach County,” says Aronberg. “I love the Sunshine State. I love our climate, natural beauty and diversity. The people are our biggest asset here in Palm Beach County.”
When it comes to talking about and addressing racism, Aronberg concludes, “We should not shy away from these issues.”
