Community News

The Boca Raton Tribune C O M M U N I T Y

S uits for Seniors, Non-Profit that Mentors, Trains At-Risk Youth, Announces New COO

West Palm Beach, FL – Suits for Seniors, the preeminent leadership development program for at-risk high school seniors in Palm Beach County, announced Wegina “Gina” Barosy as its new chief operating officer. Since 2020, she had served as the non-profit’s program director.

In this new role, Barosy will work alongside future student leaders, and oversee and implement strategic processes for the nonprofit, as well as lead its marketing efforts.

“Gina is ambitious and detail-oriented with experience in management, finance and educational prog rams,” said Tae Edmonds, Founder and CEO, Suits for Seniors. “She has added tremendous value and grown tremendously since starting with Suits for Seniors; we can’t wait to see how s h e c o n t i nu e s t o build the organization and support our students.”

Barosy added, “I believe global solutions begin at the local level, and that is exactly what we do at Suits for Seniors. The mentorship and training we provide in areas such as financial literacy, life skills and entrepreneurship equips them to charter their own path, and become leaders along their path. I am honored to serve as COO for such an impactful organization.”

A Lake Worth resident, Barosy holds degrees from Palm Beach State College, Valencia College and the University of Northern Colorado. She is fluent in English, Creole and American Sign Language. Barosy is also a member of Leadership West Palm Beach, and recently completed the New Leaders Council leadership program. To learn more about Suits for Seniors, visit suitsforseniors.org. About Suits for Seniors Founded in 2015, Suits for Seniors is the preeminent leadership development In this new role, Barosy p r o g r a m f o r a t risk high school sewill work alongside niors in Palm Beach future student leaders, County. Through an immersive 8-week and oversee and education and menimplement strategic t o r s h i p p r o g r a m , students in low-inprocesses for the come communities nonprofit. develop leadership and inter personal skills; explore college, career and entrepreneurship opportunities; learn about finance, wellness and more, suiting these leaders up for lifelong success. To celebrate the completion of the program, each young man and woman is awarded a custom-tailored suit, and each woman, a strand of pearls. Thanks to tremendous financial and volunteer support for our growing nonprofit, Suits for Seniors boasts more than 1,400 graduates.

City of Delray Beach Commission Approves Ordinances to Increase Water Rates and Enforce ThreeDay Irrigation Schedules

Water conservation and strengthening infrastructure are two key focus areas for many cities in South Florida and Delray Beach is making notable progress on both fronts. On June 7, 2022, theDelray Beach City Commission approved Ordinances to increase water and wastewater rates and to enforce three-day irrigation schedules.

“Our duty is to have the foresight to plan for the future needs of our community,” said Mayor Shelly Petrolia. “We have made such progress planning for necessary capital improvement projects such as our new water plant. Our water rates have not increased for 13 years, and the rate increases will help fund that project as well as other operational needs, while keeping the average water bill for a Delray Beach homeowner competitive with homeowners in neighboring cities.”

The recommendation to increase the water and sewer rates is the result of an independent rate study conducted by Willdan Financial Services, Inc. The study found that the City’s current water and sewer rates would be insufficient to cover routine operations and maintenance expenses of the system, annual debt service, and other capital-related needs. It was also determined that, under the current water and sewer rates, revenue shortfalls would result in the depletion of cash reserves, so much so that cash reserves would be exhausted by 2026.

The average Delray Beach homeowner uses 6,000 gallons of water per month and the combined average monthly water and wastewater bill is $57.85 per month compared to $81.25 per month, the average monthly bill in surrounding cities. Despite the increases over the next 5 years, the average water bill for a Delray Beach homeowner in 2026 will be $75.66, $5.59 below that of a homeowner in a surrounding city today. To learn more about the City’s water and sewer rates, visit www.delraybeachfl.gov/waterrates.

In addition to capital improvements, conserving water is also a focus area for the City. On February 18, 2020, the South Florida Water Management District notified the City of the need to conserve water resources by implementing water conservation measures that would promote efficient water use and decrease water waste. Most lawns in South Florida only need 3/4-inch to 1 inch of water per week to supplement rainfall.

“Many households have been voluntarily following the three-day irrigation schedule and now, we are hopeful that many more will follow,” said Hassan Hadjimiry. “Conserving water is a top priority for the District and a top priority for our city.”

To avoid fines, Delray Beach residents who use potable water for irrigation, should follow the conservation schedule (odd home addresses water on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, and even home addresses water on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays). Ordinance 11-22 went into effect on June 15, 2022, however there is a 90-day grace period, that ends September 15, 2022, to comply. To view more information about the City’s landscape irrigation Ordinance, visit www.delraybeachfl.gov/irrigation.

Loc al High School Seniors S urprised with $200,000 Scholarship by FPL Museum Of Graffiti To Present Gray Matter 3.0: The Monochromatic Works Of Doze Green

The NextEra Energy Scholarship for Black Students in SECME: A merit award of up to $20,000 for college-bound high school seniors who have at least one year of experience volunteering in the Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering (SECME) and plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college or university for the entire upcoming 2021-2022 academic year. The reward will be $5,000 per year, renewable for up to three years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first. · Isaac Valeris: A Pompano Beach resident, Isaac was a member of several organizations throughout high school in addition to his participation in SECME, namely the PreEngineering Magnet Program and the Drone Club, among others. He will be attending the Broward College in the fall to pursue a degree in Computer Engineering. Valeris credits SECME for helping him better understand the core values of a STEM professional. · Alfonzo L. Yates: Alfonzo, who lives in Pompano Beach, shared that SECME allowed him to converge his passions for arts and science w h i l e d i s c ove r i n g potential STEAM c a r e e r p a t h s. H i s l ove f o r S T E A M drove him to commit to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T), where he will pursue a career in Visual Design. · Christopher D. Williams: A Davie student and Broward County resident, Christopher credits SECME for exposing him to a diverse support system that went on to become tight-knit friend group for him and his peers. Christopher has committed to University of Florida and plans to pursue a career in Computer Engineering. · Seth A. Solomon: Broward County’s Seth Solomon was a member of several organizations in addition to SECME, namely the Junior Academy of Science, the Black Student Union and track & field. He will be attending N.C. A&T in the fall to pursue a career in Physics and aims to create innovative solutions for long-term climate change issues. · Sarah Habona: A Parkland resident, Sarah will be a first-generation college student pursuing Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. SECME allowed Sarah to grow her skillsets through hands-on application of engineering design principles. This application drove her and her peers to win first place titles within her local Drone League, the Palm Beach County SEC-

ME competition and the regional Science/ Engineering fair. · Shon L. Barthell: With dreams of one day working for NASA or a nanotechnology company, Shon is a Hialeah resident and will be a first-generation college student. SECME allowed Shon to discover his passions for robotics and engineering while cultivating his critical thinking and team collaboration skills. In the fall, Shon will attend Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. · Mia L. Handfield: Mia, who lives in Opa Locka, dreams to one day open her own dental practice in Overtown and increase access to oral health services in underserved communities. Though SECME, Mia discovered her passion for biomedical engineering and its role in combatting illness, leading her to The Nex tEra Energy commit to Tennessee State University S cholarship for Black in pursuit of a denStudents in SECME: tal career. · Jo r d o n D.

A mer it award of Robinson: Broward up to $20,000 for C o u n t y ’s Jo r d o n Robinson was incollege -bound high volved in the Junior school seniors Academy of Science, the Black Student Union, the National Honors Society and various sports in addition to SECME. Jordon’s SECME experience allowed him to refine his design and problem-solving skills, driving him to commit to N.C. A&T and pursue a career in Graphic Design. · Zoe O. McCrae: With dreams of one day starting her own pediatric practice, Zoe from Royal Palm Beach credits SECME for helping her cultivate her pediatric passions. Throughout high school, she was also involved with HOSA-Future Health Professionals and the Medical Science Academy, allowing her to grow professionally while giving back to her community. Zoe will be attending the University of Miami to pursue a career in healthcare. · Malik A. Henry: Malik, from Lake Worth, was introduced to SECME during his freshman year and went on to become both the President and Vice President of his school’s chapter. Malik also served as the President and Vice President of Royal Palm Beach High School’s robotics team, leading him to pursue a career in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Central Florida.

T h e M u s e um of Graffiti is pleased to announce the upcoming opening of a solo exhibition by graffiti and contemporary artist Doze Green. The show opens on July 28, 2022 and will be on view through Aug 28, 2022.

Gray Matter 3.0 consists of monochromatic works created with mixed media on canvas and paper that are an exploration of the human consciousness rooted in the artist’s study of the Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung. Green explores the four Jungian archetypes: the Persona, the Animus, the Shadow, and the Self. Green’s paintings convey a sense of discordant emotions, chaotic flux, fear, loss, and the inner conflicts experienced in our psyche. In each painting, Green is a presenting an interpretation on the collective state of the human experience and his own efforts to pierce the veil of the unconscious mind. Green states, “the series explores finding the truest version of the self. What have we compromised with our current state of being?”

The ar tist presents figures emerging out of the gray monochromatic layers of overlapping paint and semitransp a r e n t g l a z e s. I n Green’s lines there is a sense of urgency – white lines represent the soul all with a direct line to the divine. Black overtones represent protection from the clouded memories and words that spill onto the paintings in gray washes and transparent whites. On canvas, the figures are in transformation to become their higher self and thus emerging semi-revealed, overlapping, and partially concealed. For Green, this energy and motion of created forms exist in a visual meeting place of ideas. Influenced by Edo period paintings, Green mixes black gesso with Sumi ink and applies “creatively chaotic, and intuitive brushstrokes” in a calligraphy-inspired and graffiti aesthetic.

Doze began creating art on the street and on trains in NYC in the 1980s when Hip-Hop was in its heyday, and B-Boys (break dancers) ruled the streets. Doze polished his craft, led by intuitive flow, and advanced from letterforms to character forms. He was the first of his peers to create a style of drawing that has been adopted by graffiti artists around the world. Breaking away from his old “mugsy” characters Doze moved on to illustrate and paint biological entities of the metaphysical spirits. His work celebrates his Cubist influences and includes ascending

and descending planes and repetitive, overlapping, and concentric lines in an otherwise undefined landscape. About Doze Green:Doze Green is a renowned graffiti artist, social commentator, and original member of the legendary hiphop breakdancing Rocksteady Crew. In the 1970s Doze honed his artistic street style on the subway walls and streetcars of New York City. He has appeared in Flashdance, Style Wars, and Wildstyle movies. From Bboy to graffiti legend, Doze Green has gone from tagging the hallways of South Bronx projects to the global stage. Over the years, Doze Green’s paintings have maintained the spirit of graffiti, they tell the stories of the lost, the heroes, and the oppressed, which continue to be largely untold. In the process, he’s become a proponent of the Gray Matter 3.0 consists avant-garde “fusionistic” art movement. of monochromatic Best known for his works created with ch a r a c t e r s, D o z e c o n c e n t r a t e s o n mixed media on canvas canvases that blend and paper that are wild style techniques with metaphysical an exploration of the concepts. human consciousness Green has exhibited his work in art spaces such as the O.K. Harris Gallery, Tony Shafrazi Gallery, and the fun gallery. Doze Green’s work is in many public and private collections throughout the United States, Japan, Europe, and Australia. His works have appeared in BlackBook, Anthem, Juxtapoz, Tokion, and¬¬ Vibe and been reviewed on CNN. Tickets: General Admission tickets are $16; Children 13 and under are free. Tickets are available online and include access to all museum exhibitions. To purchase tickets, visit our website from your desktop at home or your mobile device, museumofgraffiti.com Hours: The Museum of Graffiti is open from 11 AM – 6 PM on weekdays and 11AM– 7PM on weekends. Please check www.museumofgraffiti.com for special holidays, extended hours, and unexpected closings. Location: The Museum of Graffiti, located at 276 NW 26th Street, Miami, FL 33127. Follow the Museum of Graffiti on Instagram @museumofgraffiti