Access is Representation | Melanie Lavender | TEDxBradenton
The speaker, a local Sarasota Florida resident, asserts that the history and resilience of her African American community prove that "Trailblazers" exist locally, countering the narrative that people who look like her never made historical marks in Sarasota. She draws evidence from figures like Sheila Saunders, Walter Gilbert, Fred Atkins, Dr. Bill Clybourn, and her own experience to show continuous community agency. Her ultimate call is for the recognition of this local, vital history through a cultural center.
## Speakers & Context
- Speaker: A local Sarasota Florida resident, poet.
- Community context: Sarasota Florida; the speaker was born and raised there, coming from a two-parent household with strong religious observance.
- Pivotal Date: **2003** — the speaker's life changed when her father was killed while walking their dog.
- Professional pivot: Left a company after over six years in **November 2019** to pursue dreams and become a better mother and wife.
- Early trauma processing: Had a nervous breakdown on **January 13th, 2020**, leading to realization of needed trauma processing.
- Inspirational sources: Local elders, **Miss Vicki Odom**, and readings of the book *Newtown Alive*.
## Theses & Positions
- Local history of Sarasota Florida inspires the speaker and encourages the pursuit of personal dreams.
- The community possesses a deep history of social and political action that challenges mainstream narratives of historical omission.
- The history of the African American community in Sarasota is one of continuous resilience, self-creation (businesses, home ownership, churches), and trailblazing.
- Learning about historical figures' actions demonstrates that people who look and are from the community are fundamentally capable of making major marks.
## Concepts & Definitions
- **Community of Refuge:** The historical context where maroon communities congregated, such as the area near **Angola**.
- **Trailblazers:** Individuals who have made significant, yet often unrecorded, positive marks in the history of the community.
- **Social Judgment Movement:** A historical period (50s, 60s, 70s) where the community actively worked against systemic oppression.
## Mechanisms & Processes
- **Counsel/Support Seeking:** Initial need for help following trauma (2003 incident) was addressed by spiritual connection, finding a therapist, and poetry.
- **Community Mobilization (Historical):** Seen when **Sheila Saunders** convinced classmates not to deposit money in a bank due to discriminatory policies.
- **Political Activism:** **Walter Gilbert** running for City Commissioner to prove that "at large voting didn't work for people of color," leading to a lawsuit against the city of Sarasota.
- **Protest Action:** The **beach protest** started by **Mary Emma Jones** demanding access to the beaches, which involved peaceful protests every Sunday to **Lido Beach**.
- **Legacy Transfer:** Oral history detailing lineage and endurance, exemplified by **Robert Graham** encouraging his father and others to find jobs post-prison.
## Named Entities
- **Sarasota Florida** — place of birth and community focus.
- **Miss Vicki Odom** — person seen by the speaker since childhood; father's classmate who constantly pointed out her achievements.
- **Angola** — location described as a place of Refuge for runaway natives and other groups combining in Florida.
- **Bradenton** — nearby town; noted as a place of Refuge.
- **Sheila Saunders** — third-grade student who organized classmates to convince the President of Palmer Bank to establish a bank.
- **Walter Gilbert** — man recognized as the uncle of Newtown; ran for City Commissioner at age 26.
- **Fred Atkins** — Sarasota's first mayor; present at every movement from the 50s to the present day.
- **Mary Emma Jones** — lady who initiated the beach protest for access to Sarasota beaches.
- **Dr. Bill Clybourn** — first African-American male student to graduate from Sarasota High School.
- **Robert Graham** — the speaker's great-grandfather; encouraged her father and men to find jobs outside of prison.
- **Ringling Museum** — site visited in childhood; featured Green Grass and Banyan trees.
- **Spanish Point Park** — site visited in childhood; noted for a visible pair of shoes that brought a family wealth.
- **Conquistador De Soto** — historical figure mentioned in relation to Manatee County.
## Numbers & Data
- Age for Sheila Saunders's actions: **Third grade**.
- Age for Walter Gilbert's candidacy: **26**.
- Age of speaker's father's passing: Sometime after **2003**.
- Age of the speaker: N/A (implied to be older than 30, having a career and family).
- Time span of historical movements covered: **50s, 60s, and 70s**.
- Years covered by the museum's vision: From the time of the speaker's youth to the present.
## Examples & Cases
- **The Bank Incident:** Sheila Saunders, a third-grader, visited the President of Palmer Bank and polished windows, resulting in the bank opening accounts for the community.
- **Political Campaign:** Walter Gilbert ran for City Commissioner to prove that at-large voting was insufficient for the Black population.
- **Beach Protest:** Mary Emma Jones initiating the protest for beach access, leading to peaceful Sunday protests at Lido Beach.
- **School Trauma/Support:** Dr. Bill Clybourn being guarded after an attempt on his life, receiving support from a bus driver who emphasized service to future generations.
- **Childhood Observations:** During trips to the Ringling Museum and Spanish Point Park, the speaker noticed the lack of historical markers or depictions of people who look like her or resemble her.
- **The Goal:** A place where a family can walk and share the story of Newtown, attended by "generation and students" and a market place during the first Friday of every month.
## Tools, Tech & Products
- Local Podcast (Auditioned for by the speaker).
- Meditation practice location: The Mineral Springs (historically called Angola).
- Museum concept: The only freestanding African-American Museum on this side of the Skyway.
## References Cited
- *Newtown Alive* — Book influencing the speaker's perspective.
- **Palmer Bank** — Bank referenced in the Sheila Saunders story.
## Trade-offs & Alternatives
- The current historical marker landscape fails to represent the "Trailblazers" of the local community.
- Alternative location/museum needed: A dedicated "cultural center" in Sarasota to capture the local story.
## Counterarguments & Caveats
- Initial belief: The speaker previously believed her community "didn't really do anything towards social judgment movement during the 50s and 60s as well as in to the 70s."
- The need for the museum: It is the counter to the historical record's omission of the Black community's contribution to Sarasota's history.
## Methodology
- **Personal Memoir/Reflection:** Drawing from personal trauma, childhood memories (museum visits), and the testimony of elders.
- **Oral History Collection:** Utilizing personal accounts from figures like Miss Vicki Odom and stories passed down regarding community resistance and achievement.
- **Poetry:** The final articulation of the gathered history in a poem titled "Newtown alive."
## Conclusions & Recommendations
- The community history is rich with self-advocacy and achievement, proven by the actions of past generations.
- The speaker explicitly recommends support for a local museum/cultural center for African Americans in Sarasota.
- The ideal center should allow for continuous cultural gathering ("Vibe during the first Friday of every month").
## Implications & Consequences
- Ignoring local Black history leads to an incomplete, inaccurate picture of Sarasota's development.
- Acknowledging this history validates the lived experiences and agency of the community's residents.
## Verbatim Moments
- *"I'm a local girl."*
- *"My father was my ultimate best friend."*
- *"I needed help I needed to be able to process the trauma that I had experienced for over almost 20 years."*
- *"Poetry allowed me to express myself to get out all the ugliness all the trauma face those Fears Head Strong."*
- *"I like to call it the push that changed the world."*
- *"it was a place of Refuge"*
- *"this third grader did this"* (referring to Sheila Saunders).
- *"I was so wrong"* (regarding the community's historical involvement).
- *"I'm going to share with you four stories it might be three we're gonna say three three stories of people"* (indicating the structure of historical evidence).
- *"another place we visited... again no history makers or Trailblazers who had skin like me or hair like me or a nose like me."*
- *"picture this if you will a place where a family can come and walk and share the beautiful and proud story about Newtown."*
- *"Miss Vicky had told me you know come say a word at the county com at the City Commissioner's Office and share how you feel like it should be supported."*
- *"it wasn't just about him he was doing this for generations and generations and generations to come"* (from the bus driver).
- *"oh how the prophets would flow in from the only freestanding African-American Museum on this side of the Skyway"*
- *"the Trailblazers of their forefathers."*