An ice cream company known for its activism is joining forces with a former NFL quarterback who pioneered protesting against police brutality on the biggest stage. Colin Kaepernick and Ben & Jerry’s will collaborate on a mural that will be showcased in West Tampa that highlights Kaepernick’s non-profit organization.
Rarely do you find a public figure at the height of his career, willing to risk it all for a greater cause. Colin Kaepernick is one of the few. Kaepernick, former NFL quarterback took a knee in 2016 before a game to show solidarity against police brutality. It was arguably one of the most polarizing actions performed in recent memory and re-ignited the fight against racism in America.
Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company epitomized the idea of corporate activism, and is commissioning a mural in West Tampa that highlights Kaepernick’s non-profit organization. The mural features Kaepernick and many youth volunteers who helped construct his “Know your rights” campaign.
The overall goal of both parties is not just to leave an art piece in West Tampa but to inspire and motivate people to do something greater than themselves. Ben & Jerry’s new ice cream flavor called “Change the World” will be the name of the Tampa mural. The movement will go much further than this specific action. Promotion of small businesses and community organizations will continue the mission to ending systematic racism.
African American’s inaccessibility, distrust of COVID vaccine crippling communities
There are many reasons why Black Americans can be distrustful toward the U.S. government. For better or worse, a cynical environment has made it hard for many African Americans to trust the effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. In fact, over 30% of African Americans are likely to say they are not getting vaccinated in part due to the mistrust of the government, according to a study conducted by the Journal of Community Health. For many decades, the American healthcare system hasn’t favored blacks in comparison to their white counterparts.
For the many Black Americans who are willing to get vaccinated, they encounter an entirely different issue—proximity. Many sites where vaccinations are distributed, are typically in white neighborhoods. Therefore, travel can become complex for minorities who rely on public transportation that can’t take them directly to vaccine sites.
Many activists and leaders are trying to redirect the stereotypes of the vaccine and build some level of trust between minority groups and the medicinal world. One of the notable leaders is Kevin Sneed, the Senior associate vice president at the USF Health and dean of the USF College of Pharmacy.
Among several other accomplishments, Sneed directs an innovative community initiative called WE-CARE, where the primary focus is improving participation for individuals in clinical research who are a part of underserved communities.
“We transparently tell them everything that we know, and at times I transparently tell them everything we don’t know,” Sneed said.
Sneed, a member of the Black community, understands the visceral distrust between African Americans and the government. Sneed believes that being transparent and authentic is one of the most important tactics needed to cultivate that relationship.
Sneed’s program started by targeting faith-based leaders in the Black community.
“Because of the importance and respect that clergy command in African American and Latino communities, that was really a group we wanted to build an authentic relationship with early on,” Sneed said.
Tampa continues big task of cleaning up after Super Bowl LV
After an exhilarating Super Bowl that Tampa became the first city to have a team in and host, cleaning up the city is the next step. Despite safety and health measures to mitigate congregation in crowded, dense areas, city residents felt celebratory efforts were priority. Mayor Jane Castor said cleanup efforts are going smoothly, despite a projection that estimates cleaning costs will amount to approximately $50,000. The City of Tampa also estimates that about 10 tons of trash was picked up overnight after the game.
Immediate clean up ran through Monday, but tents and fencing will come down over the next two weeks. As the city continues to make strides with the cleanup, there is a plan to prepare the city for a celebratory Super Bowl parade.
Credits:
Anchor: Demi Asensio, Hannah Halili
Reporters: James Birmingham
Producer: Payton Kirol
Writers: Emmanuel Maduneme
Graphics editor: Carla Ibanez
Video Editor: Sean Stover
Show Editor: David Rose
Web Editor: Jaleel Myers
Associate Producer: Gabe Castro
Executive Producer: Niamh Larkin
Graduate Assistant: Emmanuel Maduneme
Faculty Advisers: Jeanette Abrahamsen, Wayne Garcia
