Felecia Winton Taylor, 1959-2009:  The fact that Felecia didn’t have health care, and friends and family had to carry the financial burden, is indicative of America’s pathologically misplaced priorities. A waffling Bro. Prez, teabaggers, punk Democrats, and obstructionist Republicans must never forget that ‘health care’ covers real people like you, me – and Felicia – and some of us can’t wait. Even the Democratic health care plan will leave more than 18 million Americans uninsured (when it finally kicks in in three years) until the next round of ‘reform.’ Why should hard-working entrepreneurs literally have to bet their lives that they won’t get sick, and forego expensive health insurance so they can take home a modest profit? Felicia, your positive energy will be always missed, but forever remembered…

She was a force of nature. When I was pushing my book, "Excellence Without Excuse" in the 1990s, she hawked and promoted it as if she had written it herself. She treated me like a conquering hero when I came to her Tampa Books for Thought store for a book signing. Her place was a sanctuary for intelligent, thoughtful folks way before major bookstore chains started selling overpriced coffee to get readers to hang around. Her death is a tremendous loss, especially to Black Floridians.

Justice Summit 2009:  Will prison reform become a civil rights-like movement? The crazy-quilt coalition of cops, ex-offenders, big business, non-profits, prosecutors and public defenders gives me hope. But the key is state Republican politicians, most of whom are ‘influenced’ by big business. How hard will businesspeople push?

And who was missing from one of the most serious efforts to move prison reform forward in recent years? The Florida Department of Education and the religious communities, especially Black churches. Where y’all at? This can’t be done without you. Somebody bring a praise team to open up the meeting…

The feeling there was what MLK referred as being caught up in the ‘zeitgeist’, a German word that means ‘the spirit of the times.’ And it ain’t about "can’t we all get along." Bottom line: the state is broke and getting broker. It is locking up more citizens while other states are locking up fewer. Florida spends billions of dollars we don’t have on juvenile justice, mental health, and correctional ‘systems’ that don’t work, while cutting education, drug treatment, and intervention strategies that do work.

Mom and Daddy: He died on her birthday, but we all remember him one day and celebrate her on another. Daddy, we still miss you. Mom, we’re glad you’re still here, kicking your heels up at age 82.

Contact me at ccherry2@gmail.com.