Council Reps. Honored with Community Leadership Award

By Felix DoBosz

FT. LAUDERDALE — On the evening of Oct. 16, several outstanding South Florida community members were honored by the Broward County Diversity Advisory Council. The council is a community-based group that aims “to identify and focus attention on the needs and issues of our diverse county,” according to their website.

Those honored included: Chairman Mitchell Cypress, Vice Chairman Richard Bowers Jr. and Hollywood Council Representative Max B. Osceola Jr. Unfortunately, Cypress and Bowers were unable to attend due to previous engagements. However, Osceola was present at the ceremony, held at the Broward County Government Center Building in downtown Ft. Lauderdale, to accept his award.

Osceola received the award in recognition of the Tribe’s economic success. The council presented the award at this time intending it to coincide with the Tribe’s 50th Anniversary of the Constitution and Corporate Charter, which took place in August.

He was presented with a framed Certificate of Recognition award from emcee Roland Foulkes, Broward County Diversity Advisory Council chair.

“Native Tribes have always been dealing with diversity and inclusion ever since we found the first minority to hit our shores — Columbus,” he said. “We know that we are all people of the Earth. We all come from Mother Earth, and we all have to look at each other as human beings. Like Dr. Martin Luther King once said, ‘It’s not the color of your skin, but the content in your character.’ So that’s how we have to look at everyone, from the heart.”

Director of Family Services Helene Buster accepted the awards on behalf of the chairman and vice chairman and thanked all the members of the Diversity Advisory Council for this honor, before adding, “I think if we don’t work as one, we lose.”

For more information on the Broward County Diversity Advisory Council, please visit their website at www.broward.org/diversity.