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Saying No To Gangs

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By LENORA LAKE, Tribune correspondent

Published: December 22, 2007

UNIVERSITY AREA - Rosalina Ocasio's face painting matched her shirt.

The 7-year-old Mort Elementary student had the flag of Puerto Rico painted on her face; her shirt also displayed the emblem.

Rosalina said that the face painting, done by Clown Tootles (aka Joann Smith), was her favorite part of the recent Winter Holiday Festival at the University Area Community Center on North 22nd Street.

The event Dec. 15 was sponsored by the University Area Faith-Based Coalition; Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department; and Gulf Coast Community Care, a social services agency.

The free family-oriented, multicultural event featured rap groups, Latin music, dance groups and other entertainment. Free food, including hot dogs, snow cones and popcorn, was provided to several hundred attendees.

The Rev. David Cantillo, pastor of Iglesia Tampa para Cristo (Tampa for Christ Church) and co-chairman of the coalition, said the festival was a way to reach out to the community and "to celebrate that we are alive and that God is good."

He added, "It is just good to get people together."

The festival also was an opportunity for parents and children to receive information about gangs. Gulf Coast Community Care works with social service organizations to provide financial resources to families that cannot afford programs but feel they need to have their child involved in activities. Agencies that provide those activities had information booths at the festival.

The University Area is a community targeted by the county's antigang initiative, which focuses on youth ages 7 to 14.

Carlese Burnette of Gulf Coast Community Care asked children to sign a certificate that they would say no to gangs.

"A lot of them say they know the gang colors, names and about tagging gang graffiti," Burnette said.

She said that because some parents in the area work two or three jobs, siblings often take care of younger children. Some take younger siblings to gang meetings with them.

The agency wants the children to know that is not the way to success, Burnette said.

Correspondent Lenora Lake can be reached at (813) 865-4851 or llake@tampatrib.com.

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