13 selected to lead Tampa’s Racial Reconciliation Committee

Deanne King
·2 min read

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Thirteen community leaders were given the approval from the Tampa City Council to join the city’s newly formed racial reconciliation committee.

A four-year effort to form the committee gained momentum in February after 8 On Your Side questioned Councilman Luis Viera about it during WFLA’s Rooted in Progress Black History Month special.

In 2020, the NAACP pushed for a resolution, asking the city to apologize for their role in slavery and create a committee to address racial inequities.

The council approved the resolution in September 2020, and finally moved forward with creating the committee in March of this year.

Councilmembers nominated seven members to serve on the committee, and six others were appointed by community organizations.

The city council nominated the following members:

  • Viera nominated Pastor Christopher Harris, a pastor at Crossover Church in Tampa

  • Councilwoman Gwen Henderson nominated Cheryl Rodriguez, a professor of Africana Studies and Anthropology at the University of South Florida

  • Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak nominated Daryl Hych, the founder and president of Hillsborough County Black Chamber of Commerce

  • Councilman Bill Carlson nominated Connie Burton, a lifelong Tampa resident and chairperson on the Hillsborough County NAACP’s Housing Committee

  • Councilman Alan Clendenin nominated Malik Moore, the chief aide to State. Rep. Dianne Hart

  • Councilman Guido Maniscalco nominated Jeffery Johnson, the director of Strategic Initiatives for CDC of Tampa

  • Councilman Charlie Miranda nominated Bishop Thomas Scott, a former Tampa city councilman and Hillsborough County commissioner who serves as the pastor of 34th Street Church of God

Six community organization appointed the following members:

  • Fred Hearns, a Tampa historian and curator of Black History at the Tampa Bay History Center

  • Jarvis El-Amin, who was appointed by the Hillsborough County branch of the NAACP

  • Pastor Clethen Sutton, a retired Tampa police corporal who was appointed by the Tampa Bay Coalition of Clergy

  • Kiah Wilson, who works for the nonprofit Girls Inc., and was appointed by the Urban League of Hillsborough County

  • Robert Blount, the president of Abe Brown Ministries

  • Robin Lockett, the Tampa Bay regional director of Florida Rising

The council also approved $25,000 for the operational costs for the committee and a facilitator who will oversee the committee. It is still working on solidifying the facilitator.

It is unclear when the committee will hold their first meeting, but all meetings will be open to the public.

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