A mural was unveiled to honor the late Gainesville Fire Rescue (GFR) first responder Harold B. Batie, who was also known as magician “B-Magic.”

The ceremony was held at the Gainesville Fire Rescue Station #4 .

The mural of Batie was a vision from 10 incarcerated young men who are participants in a program called Released Reentry, which helps provide therapeutic education and resource navigation before release from jail.

​Read more HERE.

“Greater Is Coming” was the theme for this year’s 8th annual Dream on Purposedinner that featured the presentation of a $200,000 state grant to the organization.

Dream on Purpose Inc. hosted its annual dinner billed as “Dine with DOP” on Saturday at the Fairfield Inn & Suites.
​
Dream on Purpose is a non-profit that was officially incorporated in 2015 to impact the lives of youth through education and life skills.

​Read more HERE.

Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward presented two proclamations during the ceremony.

Ward proclaimed Dec. 1 “Rosa Parks Day” in the city and also proclaimed the day to be “Rev. Milford L. Griner Day.” 
​
Parks is considered by many to be one of the bravest civil rights movement leaders, and her contributions to the movement have been recognized locally since 2006 by the Rosa Parks Quiet Courage Committee founded by the Rev. Milford L. Griner, a longtime United Methodist Church minister locally.

​Read more HERE.

Scholars of Black Studies discussed their research to help the African Diaspora move forward collectively as the 47th Annual National Conference for Black Studies came to a conclusion at the University of Florida Hilton Hotel and Conference Center in Gainesville.

Nearly 100 scheduled sessions, ended with the "Teaching Black While Living In The Red: African-American Studies at the University of Florida" as the final session of the conference that attracted scholars from California to Massachusetts.

Read more HERE.

Spoken word poetry and storytelling highlighted the first "SPARC to Heart Critical Community Conversations" event hosted by SPARC352.

SPARC352 is a non-profit organization committed to meeting the needs of Black Gainesville communities through the arts, and is an is an initiative grounded in the idea that arts are at the core of healthy communities.

​At Gainesville Vineyard Church, the event kicked-off the organization's surveying project that will run through April in Black neighborhoods in Gainesville.

Read more HERE.

The distinguished charter school hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the official opening of its two new portable buildings.
​
The two buildings, known as Buildings E and F, house the school’s kindergarten and Fifth grade classes and are located on the south side of the campus.

Read more HERE.

A passion for music since childhood has led Desean “CEO Dee” Thompson to use his music and business expertise to help others achieve their dreams in the music industry.
​
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Thompson was 6 when he moved to Gainesville, 6 where he later began his music venture.

​Read more HERE.

Ten high school seniors from Alachua and Marion counties were honored for their graceful transition into adulthood.

They were recognized during the inaugural Renascence Beautillion-Cotillion Ball sponsored by 100 Black Men of Greater Florida GNV and Wishful Thinking, a Gainesville-based nonprofit organization that provides cancer patient and family support services. The ball was held at the University of Florida Hilton Conference Center.
​
The theme of the ball was “Dawning of A New Day.”

​Read more HERE.

A celebration of Gainesville’s unique artistic, environmental and civic heritage was on full display for five days.
​
Sarah’s Sweetwater Greenway Loop Festival hosted a five-day festival in historic neighborhoods as an initiative to talk to residents in neighborhoods about a proposed route of a greenway approved by the City of Gainesville’s Strategic Plan.

​Read more HERE.

A food activist encourages the Black Gainesville community to embrace the power of farming and sustaining the livelihood of its families and neighbors.
​
Activist and educator for food sovereignty, Malik Yakini, spoke to local residents at the Santa Fe College Blount Hall near downtown Gainesville on Wednesday about the importance of farming.

Read more HERE.

A two-day celebration of courage, strength and perseverance honored trailblazers for their actions in desegregating public schools in Alachua County.
​
The event was held to honor all students who entered former all-Black Lincoln High School as seventh-graders during the 1959-60 school year by extending them honorary membership into the LHS graduating class of 1965.

Billed as the "First of the First: Recognizing Lincoln High School Alumni Triumphs," it was held Friday and Saturday at the Mount Carmel Baptist Church T.A. Wright Family Life Center and hosted by the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program at the University of Florida as part of its Challenging Racism at UF Public Program Series.

​Read more HERE.

Two distinguished American philosophers who are best friends discussed politics, religion and humanity in front of a standing room only crowd at the University of Florida.
​
The discussion featured Cornel West and Robert George as panelists as part of an event billed as “Truth-Seeking and Democracy” that was hosted by the Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education at UF.

Read more HERE.

Gainesville native Anthony Richardson was selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Richardson was a star quarterback at Eastside High School before graduating in 2020 and going on to play quarterback at the University of Florida.

Richardson and his family attended their home church at DaySpring Missionary Baptist Church to worship with their church family.

​Read more HERE.

Dead Blacks were honored and memorialized for their resilience on the first Saturday of Black History Month at a cemetery in the rural town of Archer in North Central Florida located less than 40 miles southwest of where the Rosewood Massacre happened on Jan. 1, 1923.
​
The event hosted by the Bethlehem Methodist Episcopal Cemetery Restoration Organization (BMECRO) was held to celebrate the church's cemetery as a state of Florida historic site.

​Read more HERE.

A historian’s passion to keep legacies alive was met with gratitude by family members of a historic Gainesville figure.

Historian Tyler Smith was the lead coordinator for the move of a 100-year-old dogtrot home of the late activist Cora Roberson. The home was once located at 1106 NW Sixth Place inside of the historic Fifth Avenue neighborhood.

​Read more HERE.

In 2023, four elders celebrated a milestone in Gainesville.

Read below the stories here: Jessie Heard, Sallie Mae Hollis (article can't be found), Magnolia Bradley Jackson, and Mildred Robinson.

The late Rev. Samuel Jones Jr. had a street named in his honor in front of the church he led for more than 45 years in northeast Gainesville.
​
The street dedication ceremony was held Sunday on Father's Day after the morning worship service at Open Door Ministries at 601 NE 19th St., the church Jones founded in 1976 and pastored until he turned over the leadership of the church to his son, Pastor Timothy L. Jones Sr. and his wife, Lady Nona Jones.
​
Samuel Jones passed away at the age of 78 in April of 2022, and the Gainesville City Commission in April of this year voted to the renaming of Northeast 19th Street as "Pastor Samuel Jones Jr. Blvd."

Read more HERE.

Vivian Filer transitioned into Queen Motherhood with a celebration attended by many from the Gainesville community to help celebrate her 85th birthday.

Hosted by the Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center and Florida African American Heritage Preservation Network, the enstoolment of Filer was held on Saturday at the Best Western Gateway Grand Hotel.
​
The theme for her birthday was "Life Is Under The Wings of a Mother."

​Read more HERE.

Family, friends and community members gathered across from Chestnut Funeral Home to witness the unveiling of the street sign named after the late Charles S. Chestnut III.

Chestnut, who died on Dec. 4 at age 83, was a longtime community activist, business owner, local politician and friend and mentor to many in the community.
​
The sign unveiling ceremony took place at the intersection of Northwest Eighth Avenue and First Street.

​Read more HERE.

The statue of a Confederate soldier known as "Old Joe" has been replaced with a statue that represents the legacy of the late Patricia Hilliard-Nunn, Ph.D., a Black woman who shined the light on the ugly history of racism, slavery and lynchings in Alachua County.

Hundreds gathered on the west lawn of the Alachua County Administration Building at 12 SE First St. to witness the unveiling of the Sankofa bird statue in honor of Hilliard-Nunn, who was a University of Florida senior lecturer, historian, community activist and much more.
​
The Sankofa bird is a symbol of wisdom from the Akan people of West Africa. While holding an egg in its mouth, its backward-looking pose signifies the importance of learning from the past to shape the future. 

​Read more HERE.

Descendants of the Rosewood Massacre gathered with friends and family to recognize their history and discuss ways to create a better future during an event held to remember the centennial anniversary of one of the most horrific incidences of racial brutality in Florida and the nation.

The Real Rosewood Foundation Inc. sponsored the event attended by about 100 people at the Bo Diddley Downtown Community Plaza in downtown Gainesville. It featured speakers, stories of hope and reconciliation, and live performances by local musicians.

​Read more HERE.

​Thank You For Reading!
That's a wrap for the top stories I covered in 2023!
I am excited for my multimedia journalism journey in 2024!

To never miss a story or event I'm covering,
stay connected with me on my social media accounts:
YouTube: bit.ly/voleer-videos
Twitter: https://twitter.com/voleerthomas
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/voleerthereporter/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/voleerthomas/
Website: https://www.voleerthomas.com

​Have A Great Year!

2022 Year In Review: Top stories I covered as a Multimedia Journalist in 2022

As the year comes to an end, I reflect on all the stories I covered as a multimedia journalist for the year of 2022.

During my reflection, there were 15 stories I covered in 2022 that were impactful and I remembered reporting on stories full of trailblazers!

Read my previous year-in-reviews from the year of 2021, 2019, and 2018.

Continue reading as I share with you my top stories I covered for the year of 2022!

Here is the list of the top stories I covered for the year:

Honorable Mention​

I want to start the reading with an honorable mention of a mother and a daughter who created Divine Healing Ministry.

​Evangelist Gladys Ellis and her daughter Psalmist Charlotte Ellis-Colbert hosted the Back To Basics:The Rebirth Concert and awarded donations to help residents with rent, utilities and home repair in November 2022.

Ellis, 73, last year was diagnosed with Myasthenia gravis, which is a weakness and rapid fatigue of muscles under voluntary control that is caused by a breakdown in communication between nerves and muscles.

Ellis-Colbert said her mother underwent nine hours of surgery for doctors to remove the thymoma, malignant (cancer) cells, that was attached to her major arteries.

Since then, Ellis has regained her vision, her ability to swallow and her ability to move swiftly again.

Read more of this story here.
​

#15 Exhibitions honor black history and culture

In 2022, I covered three exhibitions that captured the history of an historic African-American community in Gainesville, a local Gainesville artist and a curator who travels across the South talked about the legacy of the Gullah Geechee.

Read more about the history of a local Black community who presented a walking tour of the area that featured photos of homes and buildings in the Pleasant Street area of northwest Gainesville in November 2022 here.

An exhibit titled "The Gullah Geechee and Their African Connections," and its owner is Willis Hakim Jones, a Gullah Geechee descendant who has owned the exhibit for at least 25 years spoke at The Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center in July 2022 here.

The ‘Unapologetic’ exhibit is a result of the artistic expression fueled by the passion Gainesville artist Yvonne Ferguson has for Black culture and the people of the African Diaspora. Read more about the exhibit here.
​

Braiders displayed their talent during the inaugural Ultimate Braiders Battle in March 2022.

LaKisha Turner, right, owner of Beauty and Braids and Brandi Holmes, left, owner of Attractions Salon, created the event to to help braiders in the area network and showcase their talent.

Read more about the event here.
​

An epitome of faith, love and understanding was celebrated with family and friends witnessing once again the union of a resilient and loving couple.

James Aaron Turk Sr. and Rosemarie "Rose" King Turk celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in July 2022.

Read more about their story here.

​Love and life were celebrated amongst family and friends for a couple that has shown commitment through their marriage and careers in education.

About 250 people attended an event celebrating the 75th birthday of Philoron Wright Sr. and the 49th wedding anniversary of Wright and his wife Cottie Wright in November 2022.
​
Read more about their story here.

​
#12 Lincoln High School Class of 1962 celebrates 60th Reunion
The legacy of former all-Black Lincoln High School was celebrated as about 140 people gathered to celebrate a class reunion honoring the 1962 graduating class of the beloved school.

The school is still held with high regard in the hearts of those who attended the school and are otherwise affiliated with the school, as evidenced by the number of people who attended the reunion in September 2022.
​
Read more about the history of the class here.


#11 Clarence R. Kelly grand opening 

"Clarence R. Kelly your legacy lives on," shouted residents and guests outside the renovated Clarence R. Kelly Community Center and Park that took place in June 2022.

About 100 people attended the grand opening ceremony on June 19 to to see the completion of the building that honors a man who sacrificed so much in the Duval Community.

Read more about his legacy here.


​#10 Gainesville For All Family Learning Center to address achievement gap

James F. Lawrence, director of Gainesville For All, said more funding is needed to fulfill the mission of the center.

The center will serve low-income families by providing high-quality early learning and childcare in an effort to prepare young children from challenged families for kindergarten, Lawrence said.

Read more about the center here.


#9 Former Eastside High School band members protest to have old style back

Restoring the culture and tradition of the Eastside High School band is the top priority for members of the Richard E. Parker Alumni Band.

Members of the alumni band and the school's alumni association and other supporters attended the Alachua County School Board meeting to let their concerns be known that they wish to have the "show band" style of marching and performing be incorporated in band routines performed by Eastside's marching band. 

Read more about the protest here.


#8 JETS Beauty Supply Store Grand Opening

Maria Moise turned her struggles into success by using her determination to open a beauty supply store to take care of the personal needs of the community.

Moise, founder and owner of JETS Beauty Supply store, held a grand opening in January 2022.

Read more about the store here.


#7 St. Peter Cemetery ceremony in Archer, Florida

Archer residents and others celebrated a treasure in the rural southwest Alachua County town as they turned out for the dedication ceremony for the unveiling of the St. Peter Cemetery Historical Marker.

About 100 people attended the ceremony on the grounds of St. Peter Baptist Church in October 2022.

Read more about its history here.


​#6 Caring and Sharing maintains spirit of excellence

The "A" grade earned by it's students success on the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking test last school year is the latest indicator of how much officials at Caring and Sharing Learning School are committed to the academic and overall success of the students the school serves.

As it has begun its 25th year of educating students, the charter school at 1951 SE Fourth St. continues to have high expectations for it's students so much so that the principal, faculty, staff and parents all are determined that each student reaches their full potential.

Read more about the school’s success here.


#5 Black-owned nonprofit serves cancer patients, survivors at new 'Blooming Retreat' location

The grand opening of a facility in Gainesville is one of the first of its kind in the nation to help cancer patients and survivors and their families.

In celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Blossoming Butterfly Inc. on Friday hosted the grand opening in October 2022.

Not only is the facility the headquarters of the Black-owned non-profit organization, it is home to Blooming Retreat that will offer services to breast, ovarian and uterine cancer patients under one roof during and after treatment.

Read more about the ‘Blooming Retreat’ here.


#4 Precyse Coding Solutions meets medical needs of community

LaToya Dawson is using her skills in the medical field to help bridge the gap with healthcare disparities.

Dawson, chief executive officer of Precyse Coding Solutions, has over 10 years of experience in the medical billing and coding field. She is certified with the American Academy of Professional Coders and is a certified professional coder, certified in-patient coder and a certified professional medical auditor.

Read more about the medical company here.


#3 Trinity's Day Spa expands to 2 new locations in Jacksonville and South Carolina

A local business owned by a Black woman is expanding her day spa franchise to two other cities.

Trinity's Day Spa, which is owned and operated by its founder Edwennia Moore, has opened two more locations in a Walmart in South Carolina and one in Jacksonville. 

Read more about the business here.


#2 Family members, community react to police K-9 attack that cost fleeing suspect his eye

Roughly 100 people clogged the streets of Gainesville on a Sunday evening in July 2022 during a "Stop Brutalizing Black People" rally in honor of Terrell Bradley, a Gainesville man who lost his eye last week from a K-9 attack while being arrested by police.
Demands to fire the officers involved in Bradley's arrest rang through the air, as well as calls to release all unedited footage during the arrest.
Protesters marched through the city before ending up at the Gainesville Police Department headquarters.

Read more about the protest here.


​#1 LaVern Porter-Mitchell, a pioneer in the dance community in Gainesville, dies at age 72

Known as a performer with grace and poise, LaVern Porter-Mitchell gave it her all on the dance floor and as she taught hundreds, if not thousands of young people to dance in the Gainesville area.

​Her loss was felt by many in the community and her passion for dancing continues to live on in the students she taught.

Read more about her legacy here.

Thank You For Reading!
That's a wrap for the top stories I covered in 2022!
I am excited for my multimedia journalism journey in 2023!

To never miss a story or event I'm covering,
stay connected with me on my social media accounts:
YouTube: bit.ly/voleer-videos
Twitter: https://twitter.com/voleerthomas
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/voleerthereporter/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/voleerthomas/
Website: https://www.voleerthomas.com

​Have A Great Year!

What a year 2021 has been!

As the year comes to an end, I reflect on all the stories I covered as a multimedia journalist for the year of 2021.

During my reflection, there were 10 stories I covered in 2021 that were unique, thoughtful, and groundbreaking.

Unfortunately, I did not create a year in review for 2020 but I did write a year in review for the year of 2019 and 2018.

Continue reading as I share with you my top stories I covered for the year of 2021!

Here is the list of the top stories I covered for the year:

Two trailblazers in the storied history of Florida football smiled and reminisced as a mural revealed their historic achievement with family, friends, teammates, and coaches present.

UF football hosted the unveiling ceremony of the mural of the first black scholarship football players at the University of Florida — Leonard George and Willie Jackson Sr., — in September at Gate 3 at the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium located at 157 Gale Lemerand Dr.
​
George signed to become a player on Dec. 17, 1968 and three days later, Jackson did the same. The signings initiated a new era in Florida football.

The two trailblazers took a picture in front of the mural and shared their experiences.

Read more here.

The rebirth of a chapter for an organization was celebrated to encourage the members to continue being an inspiration to their communities.

The 100 Black Men of Greater Florida GNV, Inc. hosted its inaugural pinning ceremony at the Jackson N. Sasser Fine Arts Hall at Santa Fe College located at 3000 NW 83rd St. in March to welcome over 25 black men committed to making a meaningful difference in the community they serve.

The chapter’s membership is comprised of representation from north central Florida nearby metropolitan cities: Gainesville, Newberry, Alachua, and Archer.

The 2021 founding chapter members received certificates, pins, and stoles during the ceremony.
​
Read more here.

​Read more related articles here and here.

A church that was one of the main headquarters to organize Alachua County residents to fight for social justice in the Civil Rights movement has gained national recognition.

The Old Mount Carmel Baptist Church located at 429 NW Fourth St. has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places for the property’s significance as an architectural and cultural resource.

This is following the church’s designation as a historic site for the state of Florida in 2013.

The building was constructed in 1944 and was associated with local Civil Rights efforts in the 1960s through the early 1970s.

“I want to thank everybody who has encouraged me and supported me in this effort,” said Gerard Duncan, pastor for Prayers by Faith Ministries. “I’m truly thankful and grateful for Rev. Mayberry and Rev. Wright for believing in me to carry this mission out.”

Read more here.

The University of Florida celebrated and discussed the historical, cultural, and institutional impact of a protest that shaped the black community on campus.

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Black Thursday — a day in April 15, 1971 when 70 students marched into President Stephen O’Connell’s office with a list of demands, including having the university address the shortage of Black faculty and students at UF.

UF’s African American studies department and its director Dr. David A. Canton hosted the webinar with students from UF’s chapters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Sistuhs, and a keynote speaker named Dr. Betty Stewart-Fullwood sharing her thoughts on the legacy and contemporary strategies of attaining the goals of Black Thursday.

Read more here.

A local historian provided details about the forgotten history about the first public school for black students in Alachua County in a presentation.

In December, the Matheson History Museum located at 513 E University Ave. hosted historian Fred Awbrey’s presentation about the history of Union Academy, the first public school for Black students in Alachua County. 

Titled ‘Union Academy and Friends,’ Awbrey’s presentation also included details about the Carver Memorial Library, a former public library in Gainesville for black residents and the recreation centers that once occupied the block that have been lost for nearly 75 years.

Awbrey said he has been doing this research project for the past three years.

Read more here.

Watch the presentation here:

A beauty salon withstood the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and celebrated the renovations of the facility.
​
Studio Glam located at 1109 NW 13 th Street hosted a grand re-opening in January with guests, hair stylists, nail technicians, and more.

Studio Glam co-founder Erica Phillips said the pandemic matured the young cosmetologists who range from ages 11-22.

Phillips said the cosmetologists adapted to the dire times and found creative ways to keep their businesses afloat.

Read more here.

An honorary mention is Jill Williams’ grand opening of her business in August called Jay Jill Cosmetics Glamtique and Spa.

As an esthetician, she is taking her cosmetics services to the next level to ensure clients feel and look glamorous.

Her glamtique and spa is located at 4509 NW 23 rd Ave. Suite 18. The services and products being offered are body contouring, sauna detox, EndermoTherapy, facials, brow tinting and sculpting and lamination, and waxing services. 

Williams said her mother inspired her to be an esthetician.

Read about her soft opening here.

​Watch her grand opening here:

A man who has worked selflessly for the community for decades received his flowers of appreciation from those he served.

William John Smith has been working at Crevasse’s Florist located at 2441 NW 43rd St Suite 20 for 65 years and family and friends acknowledged his dedication by attending a drive-by celebration at his home in east Gainesville in July.

Smith was born in Gordon, Alabama and through his adolescent years, he attended Philadelphia Junior High School and Ashford Colored High School.

Smith graduated May 23, 1956 from high school and was one of the 13 in the graduating class.

Two months later, a family friend to the Smith’s family, Ulysec Russ, played a major role in Smith making his move to Gainesville, Fl.
​
With only $9.25, he moved to Gainesville and started working at  Crevasse’s Florist on Thursday, July 19, 1956 when he was 18.

Read more here.

Watch the video here:

A community gave their birthday wishes to a woman who embraced each person she met with kindness, grace, and generosity.

Vernell Singleton celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends at her home in east Gainesville in October.

“I’m blessed for them to think about me like that,” Singleton said.

Dozens of cars filled with family and friends including the Gainesville Police Department celebrated by driving to her home and greeting her with honks, gifts, cheers, and music.

“I thank God everyday,” Singleton said. “I thank God has brought me this far.”
Singleton is known as the Williams’ family matriarch and is the third oldest child born to the late Ike and Malvina Williams. 

Singleton was born on October 7, 1921 in Irving, Florida. 
​
She had 10 siblings and Vernell’s parents instilled in her the importance of loving family and having respect for all. 

She loved her brothers and sisters and found joy in taking care of them.

Read more here.

Watch video here:

Braiders throughout the city donated their time and skills to make the first day of school special for girls in the area.

Trinity’s Day Spa hosted the Back 2 School Braid Bash at the Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center located at 1028 NE 14th St. in August.

​Owner of Trinity’s Day Spa, Edwennia Moore, initially wanted to host the event last year but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the children were authorized to take online classes for the school year.

This year, more students will be attending school in-person and Moore wanted to ensure that the 40 girls who pre-registered for the event feel their best for the school year ahead.

“I felt like this is a better time to do it,” Moore said. “It is an open area to socially distance with booths.”

There were eight local hair braiders who provided two to five free feed-in braids to young girls in kindergarten through senior year in high school.

Read more here.

Watch the video here:

Living in peace and beauty is the mission of an interior designer determined to use her gift to help descendants of a massacre.
​
Healing Homes by Design, a company created by Melody Vaughn Interiors, hosted an Art, Wine, Design fundraiser in July at Caffe Sabroso located at 404 SE Second St.

Interior designer, Melody Vaughn, created the fundraiser to help the descendants of Rosewood to renovate, repair and refresh their homes.

The Rosewood massacre was in January of 1923 when homes of black residents were destroyed by a fire caused by a white mob after a white woman alleged that she had been raped by a black man, who was lynched during the mayhem.

Lizzie Jenkins, founder of The Real Rosewood Foundation, Inc., gave an oral presentation on the history of Rosewood and its residents.

“I’m blessed to be a part of Rosewood history,” Jenkins said. 
​
Jenkins remembered when Vaughn called her about the fundraiser idea and she was proud to see the idea come to fruition.

“I’m honored to witness the birth of a dream,” Jenkins said. “She told me about her plan, and today it really happened. She’s perfect. God put people in your life for a reason.”

Jenkins said she is thankful to be a part of Vaughn’s mission to help rebuild homes for Rosewood descendants.

Jenkins wants the community to support Vaughn in her efforts.

Read more about Vaughn's mission here.

​Read more about Vaughn's fundraising event here.

Watch the video here:

That's a wrap for the top stories I covered in 2021!
I am excited for my multimedia journalism journey in 2022!
To never miss a story or event I'm covering,
stay connected with me on my social media accounts:
YouTube: bit.ly/voleer-videos
Twitter: https://twitter.com/voleerthomas
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/voleerthereporter/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/voleerthomas/
Website: https://www.voleerthomas.com

My passion for storytelling has taken me to places I never knew existed.

In June, it took me to a milestone in my career that I will forever cherish.

Gainesville Black Professionals (GBP)
hosted its SYNERGY magazine Juneteenth edition unveiling event on Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at the Historic Thomas Center.

Dozens of people gathered at the venue to witness the fourth publication of the magazine which is one of the event’s that partnered with the city of Gainesville for its month-long ’Journey To Juneteenth’ celebration.

According to its website, GBP was founded in 2016 with a mission to increase communication, collaboration and networking between professionals, entrepreneurs and business owners in order to create profitable partnerships and business ventures.

Over 40 women were featured in the edition detailing their journey, obstacles, and successes.

I was overjoyed to know that I was selected as one of the many phenomenal women in the community to be featured in the magazine!

It was the first time I was featured in a magazine and it is one of my greatest accomplishments I have received.

To be recognized by the community for my work is heart-warming.

I truly love being a storyteller for the community and I do my best to make sure our stories are told.

I am so grateful for this moment.

Thank you Gainesville for welcoming me with open arms to share your stories!

It is a privilege and an honor to be a storyteller and a journalist.

Thank you to GBP founder Virginia Grant for your vision!

Congratulations to all the amazing women who were featured in the magazine!

“The pen is mightier than the sword.”

My feature can be found on page 90 - 91.

To view the magazine online, click the link below.

LINK: https://issuu.com/synergyfl/docs/synergy_women_-_for_web

​STAY CONNECTED
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Website: https://www.voleerthomas.com

2019 Year In Review: Top stories I covered as a Multimedia Journalist in 2019

What a year 2019 has been!

As the year comes to an end, I reflect on all the stories I covered as a multimedia journalist for the year of 2019.

During my reflection, there were 17 stories I covered this year that impacted the community locally and abroad. 

Six more stories made my list this year in comparison to last year’s ‘year in review’ for 2018!

Continue reading as I share with you my top stories I covered for the year of 2019.

Here is the list of the top stories I covered for the year:

A mural of a historical figure was welcomed in the Gainesville community in December.

The mural of one of Gainesville's first African-American firefighters, former district chief Donald J. King, can be found at the Wilhelmina Johnson Resource Center located at 321 NW 10th St.

The building was originally the second fire station built in 1927 in the city and it has been used as a community center for the last 40 years. The Cultural Arts Coalition has been housed there for the last 38 years.

“Having a picture of him in this community is extremely rewarding to us,” said Nkwanda Jah, the Cultural Arts Coalition Director. “Having a strong black male figure on a wall here in the African-American community is very important to us."

King served at the Gainesville Fire Station from 1978 to 2006. He died at the age of 49 to leukemia.

​Yvonne Ferguson was the artist who painted the mural.
​Her website can be found here: www.diasporicpigments.bigcartel.com

Watch the Cultural Arts Coalition Director, Nkwanda Jah, share a brief history about
​Donald J. King:

This story made me aware of the dangers bus drivers face on their jobs.

The city of Gainesville and the Amalgamated Transit Union are working together to provide bus driver shields on buses that need the most protection.

I interviewed the president of local 1579 Amalgamated Transit Union, Zefnia Durham III, who talked to me about the series of events that left bus drivers questioning their safety throughout the country. 

He mentioned how a bus operator died in Tampa after a passenger cut his throat in May.

Another incident happened in June when a woman attacked a bus driver with a bat in Kansas City, Missouri in June.

One incident happened in Gainesville where a man physically assaulted a RTS bus driver en route from the Oaks Mall in February.

All of these attacks compelled Durham to protect the bus drivers’ safety in the city and he hopes the country will follow suit.

Watch the video below to know how much this effort will cost:

Taking long walks on the beach may be some people’s favorite activity,  but have you heard of taking long walks at the park?

Well, with this story I interviewed Art Campbell who has walked many times throughout the Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park in Gainesville.

Campbell has been the volunteer for about four years and witnessed the transformation of its boardwalk which was built in the 1970s.

After the new construction of the boardwalk, nature-lovers can finally take a trip to the popular tourist attraction.

The steps were damaged during Hurricane Irma in 2017. It took the park about two years to receive funding to rebuild the boardwalk and six months to renovate it.

The new boardwalk reopened in the summer this year.

Watch below to learn more about the boardwalk reopening here:

A community in Gainesville worked together to give fathers a special Father's Day gift this year.
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One of the organizers for the 352 Father’s Day Bail Out, Panagioti Tsolkas, created the event to give families who do not have enough money for bond, a chance to see their loved ones at home again.

I spoke to him on why he created the event and I also interviewed a mother, Felicia Bell, who was grateful for the cause.

Watch below to listen to Felicia Bell’s story on her hope to see her son out of jail for Father’s Day:

At the beginning of the month this year, I interviewed a man who walked miles to the State Capitol to talk to state lawmakers to implement Clara's Law.

Edward Bowman, 75, made a stop in Chiefland on his way to Tallahassee to make sure no one experience what his wife, Clara Bowman, has gone through in the intensive care unit in Ocoee.

Clara's Law would require hospitals and healthcare facilities to report within 30 days all allegations of a sexual offense by a healthcare practitioner that involves a patient.

Bowman is determined to make sure it happens.

Watch his journey below:

A mayor from South America wanted to learn the tools on what it takes to better his city after winning his election.

The recently-elected mayor of Buenaventura in Colombia, Victor Hugo Vidal, flew to Gainesville in December to learn how to improve education, science, and healthcare in his city.

​Vidal's term starts Jan. 1 and one of his plans is to create a hospital in the city which models UF Health Shands Hospital.

Watch below to see the collaborative effort between Vidal, local politicians, and Gainesville residents to help Buenaventura:

They are the bells that are heard throughout ’The Swamp!’

The carillon at Century Tower entered its 40th year being played on campus at the University of Florida.

I spoke to Laura Ellis, a UF associate director and professor of music, about the history of the carillon and how to play it.

Two UF students who play the carillon also shared with me why they enjoy playing the instrument inside one of UF’s historic landmarks.

Watch below to know how musicians play the carillon:

The first African-American mayor of Newberry, Freddie Warmack, died in his home in April.

His death came a month after his daughter, Judy Hasan Lewis, passed away.

Warmack, 87, was born and raised in Newberry and he was elected as the mayor for the city in 1984.

He served the position as mayor from October 1984 through October 1994.

Before Warmack served as mayor, he served as a city commissioner for Group V from October 1974 through October 1984.

Hundreds attended the joyous occasion of the Investiture of Alachua County Court Judge Meshon Rawls at the Alachua County Criminal Justice Center in February.

Rawls said that 50,799 people spoke up for her in the election. The number was the amount of votes submitted to elect Rawls as Alachua County Judge.

The Honorable Stephan P. Mickle who is currently the United States District Court Senior Judge sworn in Rawls during the ceremony.

Mickle was a county court judge when he became the first black circuit judge, a seat he held for eight years.

There were four candidates in the Alachua County Court Judge race: Meshon Rawls, Craig DeThomasis, Darla Whistler, and Jon Uman.

Rawls defeated DeThomasis in a runoff election in November 2018.

Watch a brief video below of Rawls greeting supporters after the ceremony:

Archer native Roberta Lopez is the project coordinator for the Bethlehem Methodist Episcopal Cemetery Restoration Organization and she wants the community's support to preserve its history.

Established by Lopez's sister Clyde Williams in 1999, BMECRO is working with the University of Florida to maintain the historic landmark.

The organization's goal is to receive funding to create a monument, repair headstones, and to build a fence around the cemetery to ensure its protection.

UF’s plan is to submit an application to the Florida Division of Historical Resources small matching grant program for $25,000.

The phrase ‘Equity or Extinction’ circulated throughout a neighborhood who is fighting to preserve the remnants of its history.

The Gainesville Alliance for Equitable Development hosted a ‘Tour & Talk’ on Seminary Lane, which is also known as Seminary Street or 5th Avenue in July.

“This is about development without displacement,” said Desmon Duncan-Walker, the founder of the Gainesville Alliance for Equitable Development. She created the event for “the community members who no longer feel at home in their neighborhoods.” 

She also said, “We want development but that existing residents can benefit from.”

​The ‘Tour & Talk’ was created to engage the community and city officials to create ways to restore the culture of the neighborhood without displacing its long-time residents.

​Dr. Patricia Hilliard-Nunn, a senior lecturer for African American Studies at the University of Florida, led the tour of about 50 people through the Seminary Street community explaining its history and its legacy.

Watch a brief recap video of the ‘Tour & Talk’ here:

In late January, I was assigned to report on one of the greatest community leaders Alachua County and the city of Gainesville has ever seen.

On the first Saturday of Black History Month, the county celebrated the legacy of human rights activist Barbara Higgins.

State representatives and the city commission presented a proclamation during the program stating that February 2, 2019 be referred to as "Barbara L. Higgins Day" in Alachua County.

A few months later in June, the city of Gainesville hosted a dedication ceremony for the Barbara Higgins park located at 1352 SE Second Street in the Sugarhill community where Higgins lived.

The park has renovations such as having the playground repainted, mulch, a grill, and trash cans.

It was an honor sharing her story to the community.

​Below is the list of the articles I wrote about Higgins for the Gainesville Guardian:

People were on a move to listen to former political prisoners of the MOVE Organization in honor of Father’s Day and to kick off Juneteenth week at the MLK Center in Gainesville.

The Ona Move! presentation and dinner was the last series of events hosted by the 2019 Fight Toxic Prisons Convergence.

The keynote address included the recently released and reunited family members from the MOVE 9 crew—Mike Africa, Sr., his wife Debbie Africa, and their son Mike Africa, Jr. 

The MOVE Organization is a revolutionary environmental Black liberation organization that was founded by John Africa in 1972 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Mike and Debbie were locked up along with seven other members of MOVE in August 1978 after a police siege in Powelton Village neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

​After forty years in prison, both Mike and Debbie were released in 2018.

​They were then reunited with their son, who Debbie was pregnant with when she was imprisoned.

Watch a brief video of the event here:

Normally on Halloween kids look forward to getting lots of candy but for two brothers this year’s treat was different.

P.K. Yonge’s “Roaring Riptides” robotics team partnered with The Magic Wheelchair organization to unveil patrol-themed wheelchair costumes at Rawlings Elementary School in Gainesville.

Zaivion Mason, 14, and Zyler Mason, 6, received customized wheelchairs that resembled a patrol car and a fire truck.

Both boys have a genetic disability which affects their nervous system. The disability is called Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease.

The school held a parade to celebrate the customized wheelchairs for the two brothers.
Father Alonzo Mason and mother Lashaunda Mason enjoyed the special gifts from the team.

“This is amazing especially for my family because we’ve been through a lot and we’re going through a lot,” said Lashaunda Mason.

The Mason family is currently looking for donations for their Accessible Van Project. 

​“We just appreciate everything because you don’t think about stuff like this happening to you," Alonzo said. "It's a true blessing and we are truly thankful.”

This story has reached over 15,000 views on Facebook! The most views on a video I shared on ANY social media platform. 

I am happy that people loved watching the story as much as I loved covering it!

Watch this spook-tacular story here:

UF alums and the Gainesville community celebrated the opening of the new Institute of Black Culture.

Speakers acknowledged those who struggled and sacrificed to make this space possible today and looked forward on how the building will serve future generations.

In April 1971, the Black Student Union at UF submitted a list of demands to former UF President Stephen O’Connell stating how there should be a number of programs and initiatives to improve the climate for black students.

When administration failed to act on the student demands, students protested, demonstrations occurred and the occupation of the President’s office on April 15, 1971 called ‘Black Thursday’ is where students were arrested and suspended for occupying the President’s office.

An influx of withdrawal slips from black students and their supporters were submitted to the university once amnesty requests for the students who were arrested and suspended were denied.

The protests led to the establishment of the IBC in Fall 1971 and was officially
dedicated February 11, 1972.

​The building was demolished in August 2017 due to repairs. On November 16, 2019, the IBC opened its doors once again.

Watch the recap video of the ceremony here:

The University of Florida’s Black Law Student Association held a memorial to honor W. George Allen, the first black student to graduate from the university.

Allen practiced law for 51 years and was a civil rights advocate to help desegregate the university, Alachua County, and Broward County.

He died Thursday, Nov. 7 and UF BLSA hosted a memorial a week after his death to honor his legacy.

His bravery paved the way for many students like myself to graduate from the university.

​The video I edited that showcased the history of Allen and what he meant to the community received a feature on UF’s news website and the Florida Bar News.

UF student Taariq Lewis, UF Law professor Kenneth Nunn, and Laura Rosenbury, the dean of the college, shared their admiration for Allen during the memorial.

Watch the ceremony here:

This was such a heartbreaking story to cover.

Jasmine Robinson, 23, was reported missing to Alachua County Sheriff’s Office since Feb. 19. Robinson was six to seven months pregnant and her family members are worried for her and her unborn child.

Family members say the last time they spoke to her was Feb. 18.

The Florida Sheriff's Association Criminal Apprehension Assistance Program and Crime Stoppers with the Alachua County Sheriff's Office are offering for the first time in a local missing person's case, a reward of up to $8,000 for information that leads to the arrest of anyone responsible for her disappearance.

Three months after she was reported missing, ASO deputies placed sign boards in the Archer and Newberry area where detectives have been able to identify an area of interest in their on-going search for Jasmine Robinson.

She is still missing.

Please contact ASO with any specific tips and leads on Jasmine Robinson's whereabouts to Detective Morris at [email protected] or (352) 367-4083.
​

That's a wrap for the top stories I covered in 2019.
I am excited for my multimedia journalism journey in 2020!
To never miss a story or event I'm covering,
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The Making of a Multimedia Journalist: The Story of Voleer Thomas
Being a journalist is one of the most rewarding things I experience every time I pick up a camera, a pen, and a notepad. It is an honor to be a storyteller in the community and inform everyone on what’s going on.

As a journalist, writer, and thinker, I am very reflective. I was thinking how far I’ve come and how far I can go. 

The idea came to mind to write a mini autobiography blog post on my journey in becoming a multimedia journalist. Since I have the passion to share other people’s stories, why not share mine for a change :)

EARLY STAGES
Childhood: How the passion to read and write developed
In kindergarten through the second grade at Hallandale Elementary School, my teachers would allow their students to have “free time.” 

This means they gave us the choice to choose an activity to do that will give us a break from the teacher’s curriculum. 

Some children chose to play house, draw, or go outside.

I chose (majority of the time) to walk to the classroom’s library and select a book to read until “free time” is over.

I loved how books took me to another world and made me understand each character vividly. 

Reading made me love words. 

From reading as a child, I knew how important words were and still are and that peaked my interest to write myself.

My mother and my father would rotate on who would teach me how to write my name after school. 

Soon, they would teach me how to write the names of objects and places. 

I was amazed at how I can put a thought on paper during the writing sessions. If I was thinking about an object or a place, I can write it down from my mind to the composition book. I thought that was fascinating.

Words became sentences and sentences became journal entries when I started doing my own writing sessions.

I would start writing journal entries as early as eight years old.


MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS
Middle School: Where passion meets purpose
The passion for reading and writing continued through my years at Attucks Middle School. 

My favorite classes would be reading and literature. 

In those classes, I would enjoy reading the books the teachers assigned to us and complete essays and quizzes. (I know. I’m a nerd and a proud one.) 

Career Day in my English & Literature class in the seventh grade is one of the most memorable days of my life— it’s when I knew what I wanted to be when I grow up.

I forgot who the presenter was but I will always remember what he told me.

He asked each person in the classroom what we loved to do and he gave a suggestion on which profession we should consider. 

It became my turn to share my interest to the presenter and my classmates, “I love to write,” I said.

“You should think about being a journalist,” he responded.

As he moved on to the next student, I was confused by his answer. 

What is a journalist? I thought to myself. I initially thought it was someone who sold journals.

When I looked up the meaning of the word, it was comforting and rewarding to know that it was not what I had in mind.

It read that a journalist is someone who writes for newspapers, magazines, or news websites.

I was thrilled to know that there was a profession out there for people who loved to write. I was grateful for the presenter’s suggestion and grateful to know what my purpose was.


HIGH SCHOOL YEARS
High School: More than Words
As I entered my freshman year at Hallandale High School, I was eager to apply my passion in writing for an elective I would select.

I walked to the front desk and the guidance counselor selected the classes I needed to take. When she was done she asked, “What elective class do you want to take?”

After months of researching the elective classes the school had to offer, I proudly said, “Newspaper writing.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “We no longer have that as an elective this year.”

I felt my heart dropped to my stomach. What am I going to do? I asked myself. 

I had a mini internal panic attack because I didn’t see myself doing anything but writing. I looked up at her and asked, “What other electives are there?”

She told me there was Band, Home Economics, and Video Production. (From what I can remember. My mind was still recovering from her response saying that there was no longer a newspaper class.)

I didn’t choose Home Economics because being the first child, I had a grasp on what taking care of the home consists of. Even though I love music, I didn’t choose Band because I didn’t have the passion to play an instrument.

“What’s Video Production?” I asked. 

“It’s where you learn about cameras,” she responded.

Cameras?! I thought. At that moment, learning about cameras seemed like a daunting task.

How can I operate such a thing with all of those buttons and switches? 

“I’ll take that as an elective,” I said. What are you thinking?! I quickly thought to myself.

It was a scary choice for me but I wanted to do something different and if I didn’t like it I can always change my elective.

To my surprise, it ended up being one of my favorite classes to attend. Dare I say it, I liked the class even more than my English and Literature classes (sometimes.)

My Video Production teacher my freshman year was Mr. Watkins.

The first half of the year, he taught his students the mechanics and the creativity of using the camera— zoom, wide shots, closeups, etc.

One thing from his lessons that always stuck with me was when he was teaching about videography. He was saying that cameras help us tell stories. 

In my mind, I immediately disagreed. How can videos tell stories when words already do that? I said to myself.

He continued saying that words along with video makes a powerful combination. He explained how it takes a lot to put a movie together— a director, a screenplay writer, a video editor, etc.

In his presentation, he didn’t shun the power of words when speaking about the use of cameras. In fact, he suggested how video can make words even more impactful.

His presentation blew my mind. Before taking his class, I never even considered that using a camera and can be a tool for storytelling. 

I’ve always thought that writing and words were the only form of storytelling. I learned that BOTH can be used in the art of storytelling.

Mr. Watkins retired after my freshman year. My classmates and I asked if he could stay as our Video Production teacher until we graduated from high school. He turned down the suggestion and moved forward with his retirement.

My next Video Production teacher from sophomore year to senior year was Mrs. Dawn Donnelly. 

She brought to my attention that there was a profession I can do where I can be a storyteller through words AND videography.

I was talking to her about the dilemma I was having in choosing what I wanted to do— should I be a writer or a videographer? She told me I can do both. I was puzzled and then she told me to consider being a TV News Reporter.

What in the world did she just say?! I thought to myself.

She explained that the job allows me to be a storyteller through words and video. 

She was an alum from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications.

She talked about the programs they provide and how they have courses where I can learn to be a writer and a videographer in broadcast journalism.

Who knew that conversation would lead me to where I am today.


COLLEGE YEARS AND PROFESSIONAL YEARS
College Years & Professional Years: Laying the Groundwork
I enrolled at the University of Florida in 2013. Afterwards, I graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in the field of Telecommunications with a specialization in News.
​
After graduation, I started working at WCJB-TV in May 2017.

Within my career, I became a freelance writer for the Gainesville Guardian newspaper in August 2018.

I’ve covered stories ranging from politics, education, community pieces, protests, crime, environmental stories, etc.

Being a multimedia journalist is something I want to do for the rest of my life.

I intend to grow, evolve, and better my craft each day and with each story I get to share.

I am grateful for the mentors, teachers, my family, and friends who guided me to where I am today.

If you’ve reached this far in the blog post, thank you so much for spending your time to read it. I hope it was worthwhile <3

STAY CONNECTED
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/voleerthomas/
Website: https://www.voleerthomas.com