100 Central Florida
Our panel of 100 influential leaders discusses the most important issues affecting you.
To read responses from more Central Florida 100 participants, go to OrlandoSentinel.com/cf100
TOP STORIES FROM LAST WEEK
BUSINESSES ADDRESSING RACISM, Tim Giuliani, president and CEO, Orlando Economic Partnership: To fully achieve our region’s promise, where Orlando is a place in which equity and inclusivity are the foundation for prosperity, we must exponentially increase our efforts to battle racism. Orlando’s business community signaled commitment to improve regional diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) outcomes by committing to “Take the Pledge,” a regional effort focused on creating opportunities for those long affected by racial inequality. Now is the time for the business community to stand together to address racism and build a better future for our region.
MANATEE VANDALISM, Ken LaRoe, Founder, Climate First Bank I/O: 2020 was a difficult year for Florida manatees already, with more than 600 total deaths. Just last weekend, a manatee in the Homosassa River was found with the word “Trump” engraved into the thick algae on its back. This incident is just the epitome of the Trump administration’s total irreverence toward our environment. Just what kind of person could so cruelly molest such a docile and beloved animal like the manatee? This is an endangered, federally protected animal, not a political sign and whoever is responsible needs to be held accountable.
TRUMP OPENS OUR EYES, Jeremy Levitt, distinguished professor of international law, Florida A&M University College of Law: Albeit unwittingly, President Donald Trump has done more to advance the cause of racial justice than any other U.S. president including Barack Obama. His incitement of the violent white extremist insurrection of Jan. 6 savagely exposed the racist underbelly of the nation to Americans and the world. It forced Americans, particularly white people in denial of America’s race problem, to choose between white nationalism and American democracy, while simultaneously forcing Republicans to pledge their fealty to him or our system of democratic governance. His unmasking of our nation was unwittingly brilliant. Now that we see the ugly, will we fix it?
CITRUS TOXINS, Muhammad Musri, president, Islamic Society of Central Florida: On Tuesday the outgoing Trump EPA approved the use of neurotoxin aldicarb, which is banned in over 100 countries on oranges and grapefruits in Florida. The World Health Organization has called it “extremely hazardous.” The EPA also authorized the use of the antibiotic streptomycin, despite CDC concerns, as a pesticide on oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes. Streptomycin is banned for use as a pesticide in the EU and Brazil. These reckless decisions are dangerous to the health of American children and farmworkers and harmful to the citrus industry and Florida farmers’ ability to sell their future harvest around the world.
ORLANDO’S CENTRAL PARK, Brendan O’Connor, editor-in-chief, Bungalower.com: The City of Orlando and Creative Village just broke ground on a new Central Park just west of the Central Business District. The new 2.3-acre Luminary Green will serve as the belly button for the university-centric development in Orlando’s Parramore neighborhood and will feature some high-tech interactive light installations and ongoing public programming after it opens later in 2021.
A SPECIAL HEART, Beverly Paulk, founding member, Central Florida Foundation and The Orlando Philharmonic: Apopka nun, Sister Teresa McElwee, has passed away at age 91. Standing beside the two remaining nuns and many friends at Hope CommUnity Center, she had committed her life to farmworkers and immigrants who had almost no voice or power. Her priorities were education and organizing. This kind person did her serious work with total joy. She was described as always smiling and occasionally giggling, often with eyes sparkling. She improved a great many lives with her teaching and advocacy. We are left to consider how to best honor her and her life’s work. A starting point is hccoffm.org.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH, Rob Rosen, partner, Burr & Forman: What are the boundaries of freedom of speech? The basic tenet is that you cannot shout “fire” in a crowded movie theater, as that speech has a real potential of doing harm to others. But who are and should be the arbiters of free speech? The courts have laid the groundwork — there is no ban on speech simply because people do not like what is said. But now we ban posts on the internet, and even congressional leaders threaten those who stray from the party line. It time to remember that this basic constitutional right has to be protected.
BIDEN DIVIDES, Michael Zais, political blogger for thedrunkenrepublican.com: People often say “words matter.” It is just as often said that “talk is cheap.” What really matters is action. And, like Neil Armstrong took “one giant leap for mankind” back in 1969, Joe Biden had an epic opportunity to take a giant leap toward unity in the country, seemingly so elusive, by calling off the impeachment dogs in the House of Representatives as a sincere olive branch to the nearly 75 million Americans who voted for President Trump. Instead, he has mostly supported this insane “drive-through” impeachment against a president already leaving office in a few days. A clear choice of divisiveness over unity.