While visiting Tallahassee, Florida in April 1983, Rudean Crawley met a childhood friend, Jeraldine Smith, and the two discussed the Tampa of that day compared with the Tampa of their childhood. It was their opinion that more could be done for the youth of Tampa through a local chapter of Jack and Jill of America, […]

Kiva Williams is an Atlanta native who has made the Tampa Bay area her home. After attending the University of South Florida and earning a degree in Dance Studies, she went on to marry her college sweetheart, Nathan Williams, II. Together they have three beautiful children, Nathan III (15), Noah (10), and Nia (6). After […]

Dr. Elizabeth Hordge-Freeman is Associate Professor of Sociology and Interim Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Recruitment, Retention, and Engagement at The University of South Florida. She received her B.A. from Cornell University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Duke University. She is the author of The Color of Love: Racial Features, Stigma, and […]

Mrs. Tonya M. Lewis is one of the most recognized and respected community activists in the Tampa Bay area. She has worked for 28 years pouring her life into the care and upkeep of the city’s underserved youth and elderly.  Mrs. Lewis has made Children With A Vision, Inc. (CWAV) a household name through proven […]

Sheila McCants is a native Floridian raised in Clearwater, Florida. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology and a certificate in Behavioral Technology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She received her master’s degree in Counseling from the University of South Florida. During her 25+ year career she has developed and implemented services […]

Dr. Juel Shannon Smith Dr. Juel Shannon Smith was the Founder and Executive Director for both, the Institute On Black Life And The Center For Africa, and USF Women in Leadership & Philanthropy. She held several other positions at the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa during her thirty plus years tenure. Those positions […]

Henry “Shake” Washington is a proud Tampa native and a product of the Hillsborough County School Systems. As a student, he began his education at Meacham Elementary School, continued through B.T. Washington Junior High School, and finally graduated from the original Middleton High School. While at Middleton he was a student-athlete participating in football, basketball, […]

Dr. Tonjua Williams was named St. Petersburg College’s seventh president on July 3, 2017. St. Petersburg College employs 3,000 staff who provide activities and learning experiences to support academic excellence and growth of 45,000 students across eleven learning sites throughout Pinellas County, Florida. A dynamic, transformational leader and inspiring speaker, Dr. Williams has set a […]

Mrs. Tangela D. DuPree, currently serves as the 33rd President of Gamma Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® It is with purpose and passion that she leads over 400 college trained professional women who are the members of Gamma Theta Omega Chapter.  The chapter was chartered on December 7, 1940.  It became […]