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Roe v. Wade & What it Means for Florida
Jun/Jul 2022
Orlando Carnival Downtown successful after facing major adversity
On June 24th, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling Friday overturning Roe v. Wade, effectively ending all federal protections on abortion. In April, Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a 15-week abortion ban, which has no exceptions for rape or incest. It only allows for abortions to be performed past the 15 weeks if there's a medical emergency or a "fatal fetal abnormality." However, abortion rights are protected under the state's constitution due to a Florida Supreme Court precedent that "recognized that the right of privacy in the state constitution protects abortion," according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the American Civil Liberties Union represented providers in a lawsuit filed against the state early in June. They argued the ban violates the state's constitutional protections and the privacy rights of Florida women. Additionally, Congregation L'Dor VaDor, a synagogue located in Boynton Beach, filed a lawsuit weeks later, arguing that the Florida law violates religious freedom rights. Second Judicial Circuit Court Judge John Cooper ruled on July 1st that a the 15week abortion ban is unconstitutional and he intends to block it from taking effect. However, shortly after Cooper issued the decision, the state’s attorneys filed a notice that they were appealing to the Tallahassee-based 1st District Court of Appeal. When the state files such a notice, it triggers an automatic stay — effectively meaning that Cooper’s ruling is on hold and that the 15-week abortion limit remains in effect while the case continues to play out.
It started on the 28th of May with the Jouvert celebrations. The event was scheduled to start at 8am but faced major issues from parking restrictions, to dress code issues, from over-crowding to traffic flow restrictions... all before the event even started. Complaints started pouring into our management teams cell phones, all before we could even begin our celebration. Our cultural celebrations restricted and compromised before it started.
were even
They were trying to shut us down again because the crowd appeared too large to be controlled. However, again someone stepped up and said "No, these folks have followed the rules, they have applied for all the permits they require and the permit allows them to go until 12 midnight". That same night, 28th May 2017, that person took the stage and publicly apologised to the crowd of over 15,000 attendees. They said "I need to apologize to the Caribbean American community, prior to tonight I didn't think that we could have so many people in a park with music, alcohol and celebrations and not have fights, or riots and need for heavy police engagement. I look over at this crowd and you folks just want to be free to celebrate your culture and have a good time in the area where you call home". That person was our Commissioner Regina Hill.
Over 35 years ago when the Orlando Carnival was just getting started the management team faced similar obstacles because the local Government and Police departments didn't know or understand their community and our culture. It took a simple, open minded motorcycle police officer to stand up for us and say - "Let's give them a chance"; that police officer is now the current Mayor of Orange County; Mayor Our point is simple, we are tax Jerry Demings. payers, CONSUMERS, teachers, In 2017 when we presented one of doctors, lawyers, engineers, truck our largest Orlando Carnival drivers, taxi drivers, celebrations at Tinker Field there construction workers, mothers, were forces coming out against our fathers, brothers, sisters, but most community and our culture again. importantly, WE ARE VOTERS!!!
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L I F E S T Y L E
Guenet Gittens-Roberts Owner/Publisher/Editor
Don't judge a book by its cover!
Samuel J. Roberts
How many times in your life have you looked at someone or a place or even a book and cast your judgment? I have and I've been wrong more times than I've been right. Owner/Publisher/Editor
We live our lives and celebrate our cultural diversity with our communities without sometimes seeing the need to expand or take our culture or cultural diversity outside of our comfort zones. It is imperative for us as individuals, as families, as communities to step out of our comfort zones and invite and also engage with the larger communities or even the smaller communities. If we do not expand our own boundaries then we, ourselves, can become closedminded, or judgmental. Regardless of your ethnic origin or racial composition, have you ever looked at someone and formulated your own opinion of them without give them an opportunity to simply be themselves? I have and been so wrong on so many occasions that I should never, ever do it again but I still do. I'm working on my own self-improvement - ask my wife or my kids (if they don't say "yes he is trying", then they are just lying or maybe I didn't pay them enough to simply lie for me....just kidding. I am as racially diverse as the come, I'm mixed with Portuguese, African, Indian, German, Spanish... you name it, I've got some of it in may DNA. But my point is this: I've got close friends that look like the image you would have of a serial killer or a cold blooded murderer and these guys are the greatest of friends, kindest of people, most loyal family-men and simply great human-beings. But my first impression of them was totally biased, I judged them before I got to know them and I was DEAD WRONG for doing it. Now, over the Orlando Carnival weekend celebrations, I faced it right back in my face and it was a painful, and frustrating experience - I was being judged by my culture, I was being painted by a brush in the hands of people that were totally bias against me and my community, they were judging us based on the cover of our book, they didn't want to try to understand our culture, they just wanted to judge. They didn't try to engage with us, they didn't try to under-
stand us, they were taking pictures of us in our cultural costumes and casting their own bias judgment over us. This was one of the worst feelings of helplessness I've ever experienced. I'm 55 years old, I've traveled and lived across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and even Europe and this was my absolute worst experience. The powers that be at Dezerland Park, in the businesses with in the complex and the management just had their own bias and judgment of us and were not interested in our story, our culture...I'm not saying they didn't appear to try but the bottom-line was they didn't want to go beyond the surface. They didn't want to try to read the 'Preface' of our book, they were content with the judgment formed by looking at the cover. This experience has reminded me to make every effort to engage, to exchange conversation, to listen, and to be more open minded to others around me, even those who only want to judge me by my cover or my community. Knowledge is King, or Queen, with more knowledge and understanding our lives, our communities, our nations and, even, our world could be a better place. WAR - "Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior, is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned. Until there is no 1st class and 2nd class citizens of any nation. Until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance that the color of his eyes"...Bob Marley
1969 Alafaya Trail • Orlando, FL 32828 Office: 407-427-1800 Fax: 407-386-7925 Toll Free: 877-220-8315 For Media Information email: Publisher: sroberts@caribbeanamericanpassport.com Info: .Info@caribbeanamericanpassport.com
Should you desire to review past copies of the publication go to http:// caribbeanamericanpassport.com and click on the 'Print Archive'. Publisher & Editor................................................................................... Sam Roberts Publisher ............................................................................. Guenet Gittens-Roberts Editor & Contributing Writer................................................................Aleia Roberts Contributing Writers: ................................................................................ Tony Dyal Contributing Photographers ............ .......................................................Ted Hollins ....................................................................................................................Dillia Castillo Central Florida Distribution......................................................... .Danielle Browne South Florida Distribution .............................................................Norman Williams North Florida Distribution ...............................................................Kadeem Roberts Tampa Distribution ...................................................................................Julian Pina Copyright (C) 2016 GGR Marketing & Public Relations. All rights reserved.
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The Pine Hills and Greater Orlando Hob Nob, the “People’s Hob Nob” & Straw Poll. This major event will help to educate our diverse community to make informed decisions at the ballot box by becoming more familiar with community issues and the candidates for public office who seek to represent them. This will truly be a unique opportunity to express your solidarity with our community and to mingle with the candidates for public office. The Pine Hills area is a highly diverse neighborhood community with a population of over 78,000 people. If
The Pine Hills Community Council (PHCC) is a 501(c) 4 civic organization serving greater Pine Hills and surrounding communities. As the leading organization advocating for Pine Hills, the Council promotes civic awareness, public safety and health awareness, and many quality of life objectives. Working with other community partner organizations, the business community and other non-profit organizations, the PHCC is an organization of 42 years standing that is proud to facilitate this signature event. A Message from PHCC President - Patricia Rumph
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It’s official: Demings in the US Senate race. Tallahassee—Surrounded by family, friends, and clergy, Congresswoman Val Demings formally filed to run for the US Senate. It seemed fitting that she addressed supporters in front of the RA Gray Building, the state museum. The historic relevancy of her candidacy is expected to motivate Black and women voters who are central to Democratic victories. But Demings, a former Orlando police chief would own unrivaled political significance as Florida’s first Black US Senator and the second woman elected to the office, the first being Paula Hawkins, a Republican.
Adding to her contention that Rubio is soft on curbing gun violence, she said, “I don’t believe in playing with people’s lives. “ For months Demings has out-raised Rubio, which has caught the eye of national players. CNN ranks the Demings - Rubio match up as one that is among the 10 US Senate races "likely to flip".
Five months before election day Deming’s opponent, Republican US Senator Marco Rubio is nowhere to be found on the campaign trail. It's an opportunity for Demings to tell her story. “We are living in the greatest country in the world and I’m on a mission to make sure every man, woman, boy, and girl will have an opportunity to succeed. Service to the people of Florida is my priority.” Responding to a question about a Rubio law enforcement endorsement, Demings quipped, “This race is about him and me. As a law enforcement officer, I would put on a bulletproof vest and go out and serve every day.”
Congresswoman Val Demings files paperwork in Tallahassee to challenge Republican US Senator Marco Rubio.
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Guyana Day 2022
The celebration of Guyana Day 2022 was long overdue. The Guyanese American Cultural Association of Central Florida, GACACF, has presented this day of celebration for many years and will soon be delivering it again. Attendees came out in numbers to celebrate with National pride as many business owners, friends and family members joined the celebrations.
The celebration was held at Legends Resto and Lounge located 5250 International Drive. The day was filled with greeting and messages from the special Governmental representative along with a great line-up of Guyana's best in singing, dance and so much more.
The Government of Guyana was well represented by the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, the Honorable Minister Mohabir Anil Nandlall, along with the Honorary Consulate of Guyana. Mr. Ramzan Roshanah Ali and Dave Singh, members of the local International Center for Democracy (ICD).
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Orlando Carnival Downtown This is the Orlando Carnival's 35th year of celebrating our culture in the heart of Florida - Central Florida. We have faced many hurdles along this road and we cleared them with the support and love of our community but this year feels to have been the most challenging year to date.
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The planning committee and our Mas Bands spent hard earned money each year to promote, present and celebrate our culture and while we see growth, we still see and feel the challenges of suppression and under-minding. But let it be clear OUR CULTURE SHALL NEVER BE SUPPRESSED TO SILENCE!!!
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Carnival Culture hits the Screen in New Reality Series Host, Jodi Henriques, takes cast of six to Orlando Carnival Downtown 2022
Road Ready, the first and only Carnival Reality Series, has just wrapped its first season at Orlando Carnival Downtown. The cast started out as strangers, and quickly became a tour de force in and around the festivities, bringing their love of Carnival to the events and to the screen.Generously welcomed by Orlando Carnival Downtown and hosted by Jodi Henriques (@jodijinx), the show delves deep into the essence of Carnival culture and Surrounding events, while following 6 very different personalities. Do they all get along? Are they able to keep up with the schedule? Who kissed who? Road ready is scheduled to air at the end of June 2022. Follow @roadreadytv for updates, schedule, cast, and reveals on where they are going next, and who will be going along for the ride. Auditions are open. www.roadreadytv.com
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David Rudder, Sir Viv receive CARICOM Order
Calypso revolutionary David Michael Rudder of Trinidad & Tobago (pictured left) and former West Indies captain and batting sensation Sir Vivian Richards of Antigua and Barbuda were among four recipients of the prestigious Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC) at the opening ceremony of the 43rd Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, in Paramaribo, Suriname last week. Recipients also included former CARICOM SecretaryGeneral Ambassador Irwin LaRocque of Dominica, and former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Barbados Dame Billie Miller. They join a cadre of distinguished persons who have been honored with the award.
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First conferred in 1992, the award is given to “Caribbean nationals whose legacy in the economic, political, social and cultural metamorphoses of Caribbean society is phenomenal.” The first awardees were Dr. William Demas, former CARICOM Secretary-General; Sir Shridath Ramphal, former Chief Negotiator of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM), former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chairman of the West Indian Commission, and former Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI); and St. Lucia’s Derek Walcott, internationally acclaimed poet and playwright and 1992 Nobel Laureate in literature.
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Caribbean-American Heritage Awards 2022
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CAHA2022@CARIBBEABAMERICANPASSPORT.COM
Please include CAHA 2022 in the Subject Line RESTAURANTS or CATERERS or COOKS
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Ruth’s List Florida Announces Endorsement of Sandra Fatmi-Hall for Orange County Commission, District 2 A community activist, advocate, leader, and ambassador with a passion to serve the community. Orlando, Florida - Sandra Fatmi-Hall, candidate for Orange County Commission, District 2, is pleased to announce her endorsement from Ruth’s List Florida. Regarding Fatmi-Hall, “Ruth’s List is proud to support Sandra Fatmi-Hall for Orange County Commissioner,” said Lucy Sedgwick, President & CEO of Ruth’s List Florida. Now more than ever, we need to elect strong Democratic pro-choice women like her to local office, and continue to build the bench of women leaders for years to come. In response, Fatmi-Hall said, “I am incredibly grateful for Ruth’s List Florida endorsement of my campaign and I am honored to be recognized among so many great women who’s campaigns they have empowered and amplified. As the next Orange County District 2 Commissioner, I will maintain my record of being an advocate and leader for the people, while upholding the ideals that my campaign was founded on.” Learn more about his campaign at Sandrafatmi.com
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ANTIGUA CARNIVAL LAUNCH Minister Dr. Michael Browne re-establishing links and Reigniting the Spirit of Carnival for Summer 2022 The journey to Reignite the Spirit of Carnival, with a multistate marketing blitz with Minister Dr. Michael Browne along with Marketing and Public Relations Manager Roger Perry, started a series of meetings and media interviews reintroducing and reestablishing relationships for Carnival 2022 and beyond. Radio Interview Minister Browne and Mr. Perry started with an explosive meeting with Media and Carnival personality Natasha ‘Redd’ Marcelle of Redd Entertainment on VP Records Radio Station. Dr. Michael Browne shared with host Natasha, all the reasons why listeners needed the taste of Antigua and Barbuda and specifically why they had to be at Antigua’s Carnival 2022. Minister Browne, shared the plans for Carnival 2022, highlighting the over 80 precarnival fetes, the opportunities for Mas’, a tease of new plans for Pan and all the variety available in all aspects of carnival; while Marketing Manager Perry, shared the schedule of events for Carnival. Host Natasha commended Minister Browne on being an excellent Ambassador for Antigua and Barbuda, not only highlighting carnival, but also the many activities and market covering the many beaches, culture and cuisine for the country. During the interview, the carnival influencer confirmed her first-time participation in Carnival 2022 in Antigua, with her reach of over 100,000 carnival followers and VP Radio diaspora listeners of over 300,000 combined across the tri-state area and beyond. She and her team promise a social media live presence during the carnival celebrations and look forward to the cultural and culinary experience of carnival in Antigua
Miami Carnival Minister Browne and Mr. Perry met with John Beckford, Chief Marketing Officer of Miami Carnival. Mr. Beckford spoke of the reach and management of Carnival in South East Florida area. Beckford also spoke of the outstanding monies owed by Antigua Carnival and damaged relationships that the team huddled to initiate speedy repair. Minister Browne spoke of building marketing around the Caribbean, leveraging bills and addressing outstanding monies. Mr. Perry discussed need for radio interviews, advertising on screens at carnival events, Antigua top artists on stage. The team will also be invited to Antigua. Orlando Carnival A meeting was held with Sam and Guenet Roberts, Chief Experience Officers of Orlando Carnival Downtown. Sam and Guenet spoke of the small island energies, promoting carnival and utilizing Caribbean Passport in highlighting talent in the region. While discussing the business of carnival, Minister Browne spoke of the importance of Marketing carnival and educating the diaspora on the orange industries. Confirming the strength in relationships, the parties agreed to establishing presence of Orlando carnival in Antigua and Antigua Carnival in Orlando. An MOU will be established to cement long term promotion of carnival that will cover carnival launches in the US, Canada, UK and eventually Europe.
Antigua Day Minister Browne and team met with the Manager and coordinator of Antigua Day celebrations in New York, Ms. Tyra Mason. While outlining past challenges faced in hosting the event, including outstanding monies owed by the Government, the meeting focused on the opportunities for showcasing Antiguan talent and culture of many in the tri-state area. The team agreed to reestablishing the Memorandum of Understanding with Antigua Day Committee and MCII, and building internal confidence through managing outstanding fees. The 2022 event will take a revived format with more Beach-to-Sand-to-BigApple infused entertainment for a reservoir of cultural and entertainment appetites and in partnership with MCII. Antigua day is set to become the springboard to triangulate the launch of Antigua’s Carnival 2023, cementing a global presence of the Greatest Summer Festival of Carnival around the world. Atlanta Carnival Using the opportunity of Soca Artist Dennis Menace Roberts performing on stage during the Atlanta carnival parade day activities, Minister Browne gave away airline and carnival tickets for Antigua Carnival 2022. Minister Browne was able to meet with and socialize with a number of Antiguans living and working in the United States, and at the same time met with a number of carnival stakeholders in the US and Canadian markets.
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Food for Thought - By TONY DEYAL
Friends, what’s the worst crime as far as an egg is concerned? Poaching! I did a bit of that from the past to ease up the pressure of this week- the rains especially. While the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain, this is the Caribbean. In parts of Trinidad there was water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink. My weekly column in the Jamaica Gleaner, Barbados Nation etc.
What came first? The chicken or the eggs? Earlier this week, having got up at about 4 a.m., I decided to cook one of the favourite dishes of my wife, Indranie. I fried four eggs in onion, garlic and chive with a little hot pepper. It is what I consider a wok on the wild side. Then, knowing my daughter Jasmine, who loves chicken, would be home after a week of work, I put pieces of boneless chicken breast on the non-stick griddle (a flat Indian tawa) and, when both sides were grilled as completely as one of Trump’s followers in the January 6 hearings, I put them in fried onion, garlic and chive. So, it was neither the chicken nor the eggs that were first. It was the seasoning. Without it, the whole world will grind to a halt. Ecclesiastes told us in the Bible that “for everything, there is a season”, but a seasoning? He did say “and a thyme for every purpose under heaven”. However, despite the misspelling, this is very sage advice, especially if you’re translating the Bible from the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek to Latin and then English. There is a story about a group of monks who were responsible for handmaking new copies of the Bible. Every day, almost as soon as they woke up, everybody started work. One of the monks, Brother Gray, having completed his first thousand copies after 20 years of hard work, asked the abbot if he could go and make his next copy from the original that was safely locked away in the vault. The abbot, knowing Brother Gray’s commitment, agreed. Days passed and Brother Gray did not return. Worried, the abbot decided to go and check on him. As he got closer, the abbot heard very loud sobbing and crying coming from the vault. He hurriedly pushed open the heavy metal gate and found Brother Gray rolling around on the ground with pages of the Bible scattered everywhere. The worried abbot asked him, “Brother, whatever is the matter? We’ve been so worried about you. What’s wrong?” Brother Gray pushed himself upright, wiped away the tears from his eyes and, grabbing the abbot by the collar, cried, “The word was ‘celebrate’ not ‘celibate’.” Of course, the nuns didn’t believe him because they find it hard to get out of the habit, and priests only celebrate on their birthdays. BIBLICAL MISINTERPRETATION This was not the only Biblical misinterpretation. One youngster told his Mom when she picked him up after Bible class, “It says that the Lord thy God is one, but I think He has to be a lot older than that.” Another said, “Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating one bad apple, so they were driven from the Garden of Eden. But I’m not sure what they were driven in though, because they didn’t have cars in those days.” That was easily rectified by his father who replied, “Son, I think he drove a Plymouth Gran Fury. Some people said he was thinking of punishing Adam and Eve for falling to the Devil’s low Dodge but, as the Bible says, the Lord drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden in a Fury. However, when they stopped making that brand, HE had to settle for a 2021 Genesis while his opponent switched to a Lamborghini Diablo.” All this came about from my communication with my son, Zubin. Whenever I returned from trips around the Caribbean, while Indranie stayed with Jasmine until “she” fell asleep (generally Indranie was both the chicken and the egg in that contest), I was with Zubin. We talked about
everything, but mostly cricket, and I answered all his questions and shared jokes with him, especially puns. For the past few years, except for a long COVID-19 break, he has been at Oxford and we connect on WhatsApp almost every night. In the past week or so he was in Greece and is now in Turkey. So, guess what? It’s worse than the boarding house fire. Then, only the roomers were flying. Now, with a seven-hour time difference and thousands of miles away, the cooking puns are frying while Zubin is flying. Normally, I do Oxford. Given that it’s famous for its geese, when I ask Zubin a difficult question, I start by telling him that his goose is cooked, and when I giggle at ‘gaggle’ (a flock of geese when not in flight), I add, “Sorry, I got curried away.” Or when he gets homesick and fails to find familiar Caribbean or Indian food, I tell him, “Don’t take that on. It’s a non issue. You’re too well bread to bother.” Ps AND Qs When Zubin was at school in Antigua, I joked that, since he knew his Ps and Qs, he should watch his pees and shoes, and in England what mattered was watching his peas and queues. A man went home bragging to his wife about his promotion to vice-president. He kept going on and on to the point where she couldn’t take any more and decided to put him in his place. “Look, being a vice-president isn’t that special,” she said. “They even have a vice president of peas at the supermarket!” Not believing her, the man called the supermarket and demanded, “Get me the vice president of peas!” The clerk replied, “Fresh, canned, or frozen?” In terms of queues, I told him about the days I worked in the Office of the Prime Minister. In those days, in the posh residential areas of the city (and even now in many other parts of Trinidad), people, rich and poor alike had to line up at a ‘standpipe’ for water. One day, in the extremely long line, a Port-of-Spain businessman got fed up, threw his bucket on the ground, jumped and stomped up, down and sideways on it till it was almost flat, and then shouted loudly, “I am fed up with this, I’m going to the prime minister to complain and get some action.” The man rushed off. The next day, with a new bucket in hand, he was back in the line, quietly awaiting his turn. One of his friends asked him loudly, “I thought you said you were going to the prime minister to get some action about the water situation? What happen?” The man shook his head sadly and said, “You think this line long?” I thought of breadlines, deadlines and Trinidad’s idea of water lines when Zubin told me he was at the airport on his way to Greece and then Turkey. I asked him what the Greeks said after Constantinople was taken by the Turks. “What a load of Istanbull!” I then told him that I tried to eat some Chobani yoghurt and it was all Greek to me, and worse, the first French fry wasn’t cooked in France. It was cooked in Greece. Now that he has left Greece, I asked him “Why did the police arrest the turkey?” and when he gave up, I explained, “They suspected fowl play!” My last quip as I wrapped up this column was that one day, out of the blue, Zubin abruptly decided to stop eating meat. He did it cold turkey. *Tony Deyal was last seen asking Zubin, “What’s the difference between fried eggs and pea soup?” Anybody can fry eggs but not everyone can …. www.caribbeanamericanpassport.com
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