>> THIS IS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

COMING UP TODAY MARKS JUNETEENTH AND THE CELEBRATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE.

WE LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THE FEDERAL HOLIDAY AND HOW LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE RAISING MORE AWARENESS FOR THIS DAY OF OBSERVATION.

ONE GROUP LOOKS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE IN LEE COUNTY.

WE TAKE YOU INSIDE THE WILLIAMS ACADEMY.

AND WHILE SOME NATIONS RECOVER FROM NATURAL DISASTERS AND OTHERS FACE POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY, WE MEET THE ORGANIZATION THAT LOOKS TO SHOWCASE CARIBBEAN CULTURE RIGHT HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

HELLO, I'M JENNIFER CRAWFORD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

5 YEARS AGO CONGRESS PASSED AND THEN PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN SIGNED INTO LAW THE JUNETEENTH NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY ACT.

THE LAW ESTABLISHED JUNE 19TH IS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY COMMEMORATING THE END OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES.

BUT THE HISTORY OF JUNETEENTH DATES BACK TO 18.

65 MORE THAN 2 YEARS AFTER PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN ISSUED THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.

>> JUNETEENTH SHORT FOR JUNE 19 IS THE DAY COMMEMORATING THE END OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES.

IT'S A HOLIDAY THAT HAS BEEN CELEBRATED SINCE 18, 66 AND REPRESENTS A CRITICAL TURNING POINT IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

OPEN UP A CLASSROOM HISTORY BOOK AND THE AUTHOR, MY FAVORITE SLAVERY ENDED ON JANUARY.

FIRST 18 63 TODAY WHEN PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN ISSUED THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.

IT ESTABLISHED THAT ALL ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN CONFEDERATE STATES IN REBELLION AGAINST THE UNION.

SHELBY, THEN HIS 4TH AND FOREVER FREE.

OF COURSE, THE PROCLAMATION STATED THIS, BUT IT DID NOT INSTANTLY FREEING THE ENSLAVED PEOPLE.

IT WOULD TAKE ANOTHER 2 YEARS FOR SLAVERY TO END OF THE UNITED STATES.

IN TEXAS.

FLAVOR CONTINUED UNINTERRUPTED DURING THE CIVIL WAR.

IF THEY WASN'T INVOLVED IN LARGE-SCALE BATTLES AND THERE WASN'T A REAL PRESENCE OF UNION TROOPS.

2 MONTHS AFTER THE WAR CAME TO A CLOSE U.S.

GENERAL GORDON GRANGER ROBBED ON TEXAS SOIL.

READ GENERAL ORDER.

NUMBER 3.

THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS ARE INFORMED THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH A PROCLAMATION FROM THE EXECUTIVE OF THE UNITED STATES ALL SLAVES ARE FREE.

GRANGER'S ARRIVAL MARKED THE FREEDOM FOR 250,000 US LAY PEOPLE IN THE STATE.

ALTHOUGH IN THAT THE PATIENT DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, CELEBRATIONS BROKE OUT AMONG NEWLY FREED BLACK PEOPLE.

JUNETEENTH WAS BORN.

THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

FREE PEOPLE IN TEXAS ORGANIZE THE FIRST OF WHAT BECAME THE ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF JUBILEE DAY ON JUNE 19TH.

THE HOLIDAY WASNT WIDELY CELEBRATED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

BUT 2 TRADITIONS CONTINUE TO GROW OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DECADES.

A 1979, TEXAS BECAME THE FIRST STATE TO MAKE JUNETEENTH AN OFFICIAL HOLIDAY.

JUNETEENTH MARKS THE 8TH OF A MAJOR SIGNIFICANCE IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

IT'S A LONG TRADITION OF CELEBRATING THE EMANCIPATION OF THOUSANDS OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE FORCIBLY WORKED AND LIVED IN A HUMANE CONDITIONS.

THE TWO-YEAR MARCH FROM WHEN THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WAS SIGNED TO THE ARRIVAL OF TROOPS IN TEXAS IS A METAPHOR FOR THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH FREEDOMS FOR BLACK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DELAYED IN THIS COUNTRY.

>> IN FORT MYERS, THE WILLIAMS ACADEMY, BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM CHRONICLES THE STRUGGLES AND PERSEVERANCE OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

WGCU CULTURE AND CONNECTIONS REPORTER ELIZABETH ANDARGE TAKES US ON A TOUR.

>> THE MOST POPULAR THING THAT I HEAR IS AN AVENUE.

THERE WAS THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSEUM HERE IN FORT MYERS.

>> THERE MAY BE MANY PEOPLE THAT DON'T IT'S A SMALL WHITE BUILDING THAT SITS NEXT TO CLEMENTE PARK.

IT FOLKS PASS IT EVERY DAY ON THEIR WAY TO DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS, BELINDA GOLDEN PROGRAM, AN EVENTS COORDINATOR SAYS THAT REACTION IS EXACTLY WHY SHE BELIEVES THIS.

HISTORY NEEDS A BIGGER STAGE STARTING.

>> IN THE CLASSROOM, WE ARE SITTING IN THE WILLIAMS ACADEMY, BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM AND IN THIS PARTICULAR ROOM, IS A SIMULATION OF A CLASSROOM FROM BACK IN THE DAY.

THE ORIGINAL WILLIAMS ACADEMY WAS BUILT FROM 1912, TO 1913.

>> AND WAS LEE COUNTY'S FIRST GOVERNMENT-FUNDED SCHOOL FOR BLACK STUDENTS.

THE SCHOOL IS NAMED AFTER J. S WILLIAMS SUPERVISOR.

THE COLORED SCHOOLS.

>> I THINK THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOLS JUST LIKE WE LEARN AMERICAN HISTORY BECAUSE IT IS AMERICAN HISTORY.

THE TEACHERS OFTEN TAUGHT EVERY GRADE.

>> THAT'S WHY THE DESKS IN THE CLASSROOM COMMON SO MANY DIFFERENT SIZES FOR GOLDEN.

SOME OF THIS HISTORY HITS CLOSE TO HOME.

I WAS PART OF THE THE SEGREGATING OF THE SCHOOLS AT THE TIME.

>> SO WHEN I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS BUST FAR FROM WHERE I LIVE.

I HAD TO CATCH THE BUS AT 5 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

50 MAKE BY 7.30, CLASS.

>> SO I TOOK A BUS THAT TOOK THE SUBWAY AND IT'S GONNA THE BUS TO GET THE HIGH SCHOOL EVERY DAY.

I WENT TO A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE SCHOOL THAT WAS 99.

I WOULD SAY 95% WHITE 5% BLACK.

SO MY EXPERIENCE IN MY FRESHMAN YEAR WAS NOT A GOOD EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WE WORE WANTED THERE BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

ONCE WE GOT A SCHOOL, THE STUDENTS TREATED US FINE.

>> THE MUSEUM EVEN HOLDS PHYSICAL REMINDERS OF THAT ERA, INCLUDING SIGNAGE FROM WHEN THESE VERY RAILROAD TRACKS DIVIDED THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> HE USED TO BE AN ORDINACE SIGN.

IT.

>> THIS WAS CONSIDERED SAFE THE HILL BECAUSE WELL, ON ONE SIDE OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS.

>> BUT THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS GOING TOWARD DOWNTOWN ORDINANCE.

SCIENTISTS SAID THAT IF YOU CROSS THE RAILROAD TRACKS, IT WILL BE.

PRETTY DIFFICULT FOR YOU.

DESPITE THE PAINFUL HISTORY >> GOLDIN SAYS SHE'S HOPEFUL FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

>> I HOPE THAT THEY CAN SAY THAT.

YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING NOW SO MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT MY PARENTS DID.

OPPORTUNITIES THAT EASY YEAR FOR FOR THEM AS OPPOSED TO THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE THE STRUGGLE WON'T BE.

AS BAD AS IT WAS WHEN I TORE MY TIME OR EVEN MY PARENTS TIME.

THAT'S WHAT I PRAY FOR EVERY DAY THAT IT JUST GETS BETTER FOR OUR KIDS.

>> THAT MESSAGE CARRIES INTO THIS WEEKEND AS THE ORGANIZATION PREPARES TO CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH TOGETHER COUNTY BLACK HISTORY SOCIETY.

WE PUT TOGETHER A JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION AND WE WANT HEAVY WANT TO COME OUT.

>> THE LEE COUNTY, BLACK HISTORY SOCIETY IS INVITING THE COMMUNITY TO ITS ANNUAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION.

>> ON SATURDAY FROM 04:00PM TO 09:00PM AT THE STARS COMPLEX IN FORT MYERS.

FOR WGCU NEWS, I'M ELIZABETH ANDARGE.

>> YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WILLIAMS ACADEMY MUSEUM AS WELL AS MORE SOUTHWESTERN FLORIDA BLACK CULTURE BY HEADING TO LEE COUNTY BLACK HISTORY SOCIETY DOT ORG.

COMING UP, WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IMPACT JUNETEENTH IS HAVING ON THE LOCAL AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND WHAT FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN LEARN FROM THE HOLIDAY CELEBRATION.

IN FLORIDA.

JUNETEENTH IS RECOGNIZED AS A DAY OF OBSERVANCE, BUT IT IS NOT AN OFFICIAL STATE PAID HOLIDAY PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS TO MAKE IT.

A STATE HOLIDAY HAS FAILED IN THE LEGISLATURE REGARDLESS GROUPS ARE CELEBRATING THE FEDERAL HOLIDAY ALL ACROSS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA THAT INCLUDES COLLIER COUNTY WHERE SOME RESIDENTS ARE USING JUNETEENTH AS A WAY TO INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS.

WE ARE NOW JOINED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE COLLIER COUNTY NAACP, MR.

VINCENT A. KEEYS JOINS US.

THANK YOU FOR DRIVING UP FROM NAPLES TO.

>> TELL US ALL ABOUT JUNETEENTH.

>> THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

IT IS A PLEASURE.

>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT THE HISTORY BEHIND JUNETEENTH?

>> IT'S IT'S A COMPLEX ONE.

>> VERY DIFFICULT.

THEY'RE KIND OF EXPLAIN.

DO MY BEST TO.

>> I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE ORIGINS OF THAT.

>> JUNETEENTH.

WAS.

AND EMANCIPATION.

THAT WAS IN A STRAIGHT LINE.

IT WAS A JAGGED EDGE, SO TO SPEAK WITH FREEDOM.

AND THEN SING ONLY AS QUICKLY HAS THE UNION ARMY.

COULD ENFORCE IT.

AND SO IT TOOK.

LITERALLY 2 AND A HALF YEARS.

AFTER ABRAHAM LINCOLN SIGNED THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION ON JANUARY.

FIRST OF 18, 63.

BEFORE.

JUNE 19TH.

18 65 CAME ABOUT.

AND SO IT LITERALLY TOOK THE TROOPS THAT LONG.

FREE OUR PEOPLE.

>> 2 AND A HALF YEARS, 2 AND A HALF YEARS.

AND I FIND THAT ALWAYS AMAZING.

>> LIVING HERE NOW IN THE SOUTH.

>> WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

>> TO RECOGNIZE THIS ON A FEDERAL LEVEL AND THAT >> JUST CAME ABOUT IN 2021.

>> IT IS SO VERY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE IT ONLY BECAUSE IT WAS FREEDOM DILI.

DELAYED FOR SUCH A LONG TIME.

>> WHY IS IT SO IMPACTFUL ON MEMBERS OF THE BLACK >> WELL, IT'S IMPACTFUL FOR SEVERAL REASONS.

OKAY.

NUMBER ONE.

MANY OF US I KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING FOR SUCH A LONG TIME WITH ISSUES OF OF RACE.

AND SO TO STRUGGLE.

CONTINUES.

I'LL SAY THAT.

TO THIS DAY.

THE STRUGGLE OF UNDERSTANDING.

PEOPLE AND HOW THEY ARE LOOKED AT AND THEIR VALUE.

HAS HE YET?

TO COME ABOUT?

AND SO WE, OF COURSE, ALWAYS LOOK FOR EQUAL RIGHTS, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT EVERY INDIVIDUAL AS A DIFFERENT SENSE OF VALUE.

WHEN WHEN YOU'RE LOOKED AT AND SO MANY OF US.

IS SHOULD I SAY EVEN TEXAS?

FOR EXAMPLE?

DRUG WITH THROUGHOUT.

THE GEORGE FLOYD DAYS.

AND THIS IS PRIOR TO IT BECOMING OR SIGNED INTO LAW.

WHEN GEORGE FLOYD.

AND THE WORLD WAS ABLE TO WITNESS.

FOR BREATH.

IT BECAME A PART OF OUR CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLE.

FREE PEOPLE.

IT ALMOST WAS LIKE A SYMBOL ONCE AGAIN THAT WE STILL HAVE YET TO EMANCIPATE PEOPLE.

ALLOW THEM TO BREATHE AND THEN ALLOW THEM TO LIVE AMONG OTHERS AND BE TREATED THE SAME WAY THAT OTHERS ARE TREATED.

IN OUR GREAT COUNTRY.

>> DO YOU FEEL THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION RECENTLY?

OR DO YOU FEEL LEAF?

TAKEN SOME STEPS BACKWARD?

>> GUARANTEED.

WE HAVE TAKEN SOME STEPS BACKWARDS.

HOWEVER.

WE SHALL OVERCOME.

DR.

MARTIN LUTHER KING USED TO ALWAYS TEACH US THAT.

AND WE BELIEVE OUT OF SOME DIFFICULTY MAY COME SOME GOOD.

AND SO THIS IS A SETBACK.

I GUESS YOU CAN SAY IN TERMS OF VOTING RIGHTS IN TERMS OF ACTUAL.

GAINS THAT WE 8 AS A PEOPLE.

BEING ABLE TO.

C. US.

REACHED THE WHITE HOUSE.

WE HAVE INDY.

TAKEN SOME SETBACKS, BUT OUT OF IT, I BELIEVE WE SHALL OVERCOME.

>> WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF AFRICAN AMERICANS.

>> IT IS OUR HOPE.

NUMBER ONE.

TRAIN AND TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION OF KIDS.

PROPERLY SO THAT THEY BEGIN TO SEE THEMSELVES.

SELF ESTEEM IN HIGH REGARD.

WE WANT THEM TO VALUE THEMSELVES.

AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CONTINUED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO BRING FORTH THE KIND OF FUTURE THAT WE PREDICT.

>> AND THAT BRINGS US TO SOME CELEBRATORY EVENTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN COLLIER COUNTY, IN HONOR OF JUNETEENTH AND MAYBE YOU CAN TOUCH ON ONE SPECIFICALLY.

>> SURE.

ON JUNE 20TH, WE HAVE UP COMING IN CELEBRATION OF JUNETEENTH.

READ TO LEAD PROGRAM.

IT'S THE SUM OF 4.

BUT GETTING KIDS TO READ IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND IT BEGINS WITH THE PAIR AND SO I READ THE LEAD PROGRAM, OF COURSE, IS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE KIDS THE NECESSARY TOOLS SO THAT THEY CAN READ.

BUT IT'S ALSO TO GIVE THE PARENTS THE NECESSARY TOOLS BECAUSE IT BEGINS WITH THE TEACHER AT HOME.

AND THAT IS THE PARENT.

HOPING TO HAVE 25 PARENTS AND 25 STUDENTS COME TOGETHER AND WE'RE GOING TO SUPPLY THEM WITH A READING MATERIALS AND HOPES THAT THEY CAN START THEIR OWN.

HOME LIBRARY.

AND SO WE'LL BE GIVING AWAY BOOKS TO OUR KIDS.

AND WE WILL HAVE A COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE SUNCOAST CREDIT UNION WHO WILL BE THERE AND THEY'RE HOSTING THE EVENT.

BY THE WAY.

AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GREATER IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY ON THE TOPIC OF READING.

>> IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT.

JUNETEENTH IS NOT JUST FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE AND OR HISTORY.

>> IT'S FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE WHEN I TALK ABOUT HISTORY, HISTORY SHOULD BE TOLD IN IT'S RIGHT VEIN THE TRUTH SHOULD BE TOLD AND PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW IT.

IT IS OUR HISTORY.

WE KNOW THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY IS A PART OF OUR COUNTRY.

AND IT IS OUR HISTORY TO CELEBRATE.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU ABSOLUTELY JOIN US.

WE WANT WE WANT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO HONOR JUNETEENTH.

AND WE ASK THAT YOU INVEST IN OUR ONGOING STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM, REPRESENTATION AND JUSTICE.

SO TOGETHER.

WE CAN PROTECT THE POWER PREVIOUS GENERATIONS FOUGHT TO SECURE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

IT IS OUR PLEASURE.

THANK YOU.

>> ANOTHER INTERESTING JUNETEENTH FACT FROM THE WGCU NEWSROOM.

ACCORDING TO THE LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE HOLIDAY IS ALSO CELEBRATED IN MEXICO BY THE MOSCOW GOES.

THEY ARE DESCENDANTS OF AFRICANS FROM TEXAS AND THE SEMINOLE WHO FLED TO MEXICO IN THE EARLY 18, 100'S YOU CAN FIND MORE CULTURAL STORIES BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE AT WGCU DOT ORG.

COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK, SHUTTING A LIGHT ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA'S CARIBBEAN COMMUNITIES.

WE HEAR FROM THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS BRINGING ISLAND VIBES ALONGSIDE CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE FIRST SETTLERS OF THE CARIBBEAN MADE THEIR WAY TO THE ISLANDS ROUGHLY 7,000 YEARS AGO IN THE CENTURIES THAT FOLLOWED COUNTLESS NATIONS PASSED THROUGH LEADING TO A BLENDING OF CULTURE.

BUT AS EARTHQUAKES AND HURRICANES THREATEN SOME ISLAND COMMUNITIES AND POLITICAL TURMOIL IMPACTS OTHERS FINDING A WAY TO PRESERVE THE UNIQUE IDENTITY OF THE CARIBBEAN.

NATIONS HAS BECOME THE MISSION.

ONE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA ORGANIZATION WGCUS TEDDY BYRNE HAS MORE.

>> I'M JOINED BY OMAR BERRY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE CARIBBEAN, AMERICAN CULTURAL CONNECTIONS.

ARE YOU DOING TODAY?

>> I'M DOING DOING SO.

NICE TO BE HERE IN TIME, SIR.

HAVING ME HERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR GOOD DISCUSSION.

>> WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

>> CARIBBEAN CULTURE THAT MAKES IT SO UNIQUE.

I KNOW.

>> YOU HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT CULTURES STRETCHING ALL THE WAY FROM WHETHER IT'S CUBA DOWN TO YOU HAVE LIKE THE LESSER ANTILLES AT THE END THERE.

IT'S THIS MELTING POT OF CULTURE.

SO WHAT IS IT ABOUT THAT THAT JUST MAKES THE CARIBBEAN AS A WHOLE JUST A UNIQUE FROM A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE.

>> OF IT A GUN.

THAT DIDN'T MEAN TO ME AND IT IS GOING TO DEAL WITH WHAT I FEEL LIKE.

GENERALLY IS ARE GETTING PAYING A BOAT.

IT'S LIKE YOU.

YOU SOME SOILING WITH TAKING SHOES OFF.

AND THAT ENERGY TO SEE TO FORM THE FEED.

BOTTOM UP.

AND I FEEL LIKE THAT AND IT'S YOU MAKE IT SO AGAIN, IT THAT THE COACH OF SEEN IT, THE YOU KNOW, AND THIS BEING OUR IN THAT ATMOSPHERE, NOT JUST THE BEACHES.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD NO KNOWN FOR THAT.

WILL YOU KNOW ME AND THE CULTURE ITSELF.

YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TO FOR IRAN.

WHAT IS MORNING DOSE THE MUSIC, EVERYTHING AND MAKES IT.

SO THIS AND SO AGAIN IN THE FEED IN TO BE THAT PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR IN THE DIALECT, THE UTAH, HE DOES SOME BEAUTIFUL.

>> IN 2021, HAITI WAS HIT WITH A MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE AND IT SENT MANY HAITIANS TO AMERICA.

AND NOW ONLY A FEW YEARS LATER, THEIR STATUS IS BEING REMOVED.

WHAT IS YOUR EMOTIONS WHEN YOU ARE SEEN PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING NOW FLEEING A BAD SITUATION, TRYING TO FIND A NEW LIFE IN AMERICA TO CONTINUE THEIR CULTURAL TRADITIONS, BUT NOW MIGHT BE FORCED TO RETURN TO AN ISLAND THAT MAY NOT BE READY TO ACCOMMODATE THEM WHEN THEY RETURN.

>> WHEN IT COMES ON TO?

>> WELL AS DECEPTIVE MISS NYCHA.

>> AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW.

HER CRITICS AND THERE WAS STATION OF THING.

THE THING THAT PEOPLE FEEL.

YOU KNOW, COLIN TOOL TO BE HERE IN AMERICA.

TO ME FOR HIMSELF.

AS LONG AS THERE THE INTENT.

IS TO IS TO BUILD TO WORK OF A SKILL.

WHAT'S THE MINE WITH THE MINDSET COMING HERE?

IN TERMS OF THE COLEMAN?

FROM ON BY SITUATION.

YES, EMOTIONALLY AND TO BE SENSITIVE TO WAS A FOOT INTO GO.

BUCKWHEAT IS NOTHING NEW HERE.

YOU KNOW, ECONOMY THIS TO, YOU KNOW, MEAN, THE SALIVA IS IS IT'S NOT A BEAUTIFUL THING.

SO I PEELER BIDEN BEING HERE AND BEING THE SOURCE WHEN IT CAN HELP TO BUILD BACK HOME, THEY ONLY GET THAT OPPORTUNITY TO YOU KNOW WHAT THE FIRST THING THE INSTANT WILL DARRYNTON SAYS, YOU KNOW, COME HERE TO ACTUALLY WORK.

EARNED.

IS NOTABLE.

MIMI, AS BOB MARLEY SAID, IF YOU LIVE WITH FOR ME, I DON'T WANT IT.

IN.

ALSO USABLE GIVEN PEOPLE BOOK ONE SAY IF YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY COME HERE FROM A BUS EDITION HELP AND GIVE THEM, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWED UP.

WE ARE ONE.

WE ARE PEOPLE.

IT CAN BE DOING.

>> PLAYING WITH TO MAKE IT LAST YEAR.

ISLAND DECIMATED BY A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE RUINS.

MANY OF THEIR, OF COURSE, THE ABILITIES.

AND THAT'S A BIG SOURCE OF INCOME AND ALSO A PLACE WHERE MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THE ISLAND MAKE THEIR LIVING.

THEY MAKE A LIVING IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IS A FLOOD.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD BE DONE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR ESPECIALLY ANY OF THE ISLANDS IN THE CARIBBEAN?

DO YOU FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE SUPPORT FROM OUTSIDE NATIONS, THEN TO HELP UPLIFT THESE COUNTRIES WHEN THEY SUFFER SOMETHING THAT WAS OUT OF THEIR CONTROL.

>> THIS IS GOING TO SPEAK UP.

THAT HURRICANE AND A CON EL.

IT'S A FIGHT.

THEY SAY AND PEOPLE ARE AT NO.

STILL NO POWER.

PEOPLE STILL LIVE IN IN.

THERE'S NO NEWS, NO FOUNDATION THERE THE FARM REBUILDING ARE HELPING.

PEOPLE ARE FEELING.

AND YES, BECAUSE IT'S JUST LIKE SIMILAR WE DID TO WHEN THEIR PEOPLE IN TROUBLE TO WELCOME THEM AND TAKE THEM IN, YOU KNOW, I LIKE IT COMES BACK TO CULTURE AND THE HERITAGE.

WE HELD BUT AS IS MY MY MY BROTHER KEEPER, WE HELP EACH OTHER TO BUILD BACK.

ONE WATCHES THE OTHER AND SO PEOPLE EAT ARE ABLE TO REBUILD THEMSELF.

>> WELL, I KNOW AUGUST FIRST IS YOUR BEST GUESS SO FOR ANYONE THAT MAY NEVER HAVE EXPERIENCED AN EVENT LIKE THIS, WHAT CAN THEY EXPECT IF THEY WERE TO COME OUT AND TO CHARLOTTE COUNTY?

YOU KNOW, THE FIRST OF AUGUST.

>> THE KANSA.

LET ME TURN UP, AS WE SAY IN JAMAICA, GOING TO BE A TUNNEL.

I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO BE THE JUDGE WOULD BLISSFUL, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY CAN INSPECT.

THIS IS JUST MOST HERE.

DID THE MOST FEAR THE BONDS PLANE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN BE ONE OUTLOOK A SEGMENT.

WE WILL HAVE A GUST.

THE SEGMENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A FEW NUMBER.

NO FEET INTO THE DEER.

THE FOOD, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY FROM TRINIDAD, CUBA, NOW WE HAVE ISLAND, IF FROM AMERICA SEEM BECAUSE REMEMBER ITS CARIBBEAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CONNECTION SO WE BRING IN PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SKILLS ESPECIALLY WHO KNOW HOW TO MAKE THE TRADITIONAL FOOD.

I'M BRINGING THESE PEOPLE.

ONE GUY DID JERK ICE CREAM FOR THE FIRST TIME I WAS LIKE WOAH THATS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

SO IT IS.

SURPRISE YOU FROM THE BUSINESS.

THEN DOES SURPRISE ME.

>> THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME YEAR AND SO YOU KNOW, AND A BEAUTIFUL WORLD.

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE WE KEEP ON BELIEVING AND TRUSTING.

THAT WAS SO FUN.

THIS THAT WHEN THE MOST I GUESS IN LOVE.

>> NOW, IF YOU WISH TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CARIBBEAN, AMERICAN CULTURAL CONNECTIONS, INCLUDING THEIR UPCOMING FEST.

BE SURE TO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT CAC CONNECTIONS DOT ORG.

AND COMING UP ON OUR NEXT PROGRAM, THE CELEBRATIONS FOR WHAT ONE ORGANIZATION CALLS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA'S LARGEST PRIDE FEST.

WE DIVE INTO THE FESTIVITIES AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ISSUES IMPACTING THE LOCAL LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

MAKE SURE YOU HAD TO WGCU DOT ORG WHERE YOU'LL FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.