From left: Maress Scott, founder of Quis for Life; Brian Lamar Stokes, a local therapist and social worker; B.J. Daniels, former NFL player and mental health advocate; and Antonio Brown, founder of the Competitive Readers Coalition, discuss mental wellness on Saturday at the third-annual Six Thirteen Community Block Party. (Photo submitted by Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County) The silence surrounding male mental health is often a survival mechanism for those plagued by trauma. A...

Pat Mack (left), founder and CEO of analytics firm PVM, with Yolando Goodloe, government contracting consultant for the Florida APEX Accelerator at Pinellas County Economic Development. Mack is among local business leaders who have embraced artificial intelligence. (Photo courtesy of PVM) A groundbreaking research initiative in Tampa Bay will help determine if artificial intelligence, often considered a great equalizer, is mitigating racial and economic gaps or widening entrepreneurial...

CEO of Pinellas County Urban League, Nikki Gaskin-Capehart. (Photo by Kaylen Ross/ Power Broker News) As the Pinellas County Urban League (PCUL) prepares to celebrate its milestone 50th anniversary in 2028, the organization is “looking back” to move forward. This Juneteenth weekend, PCUL invites the Tampa Bay community to the Sankofa Freedom Conference, a two-day event designed to blend the celebration of heritage with the practical tools necessary for community transformation. The term...

Councilmember Deborah Figgs-Sanders (third from right) presented several community stakeholders with Distinguished Citizen Awards on Thursday for their role in making St. Petersburg’s Hometown Haulers program a state-recognized success. (Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg) A first-of-its-kind recovery initiative that turned disaster into opportunity by funneling $1.6 million directly into the hands of local small businesses and residents continues receiving state and local acclaim....

One thing about Naturi Naughton-Lewis is that she is always evolving. And in many ways, most of us have evolved with her. We’re talking to our millennial ladies, the same ones who had 3LW posters hanging on bedroom walls next to B2K and later made Power part of their Sunday night self-care routine. For more than two decades, we’ve watched Naturi grow from singer to actress to Broadway, producer, wife, mother, and entrepreneur, continuously redefining what success looks like on her own terms....

Attorney Ben Crump speaks about his book, “Worse Than A Lie,’’ with WFLA’s Deanne King at Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church in Tampa on June 8. PHOTO BY ALEXIA MCKAY/FLORIDA COURIER “What’s worse than a lie? It’s telling the truth and no one believes you.” Ben Crump recounted the words of wisdom his grandmother spoke to him during a conversation and book signing on Tuesday night at Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church in Tampa. The famed civil rights attorney is...

Students at Academy Prep Center of Lakeland participate in a lesson on vision science. (Photo submitted by Kimberley Couts/Tampa Bay Rays) ​Academy Prep Center of Lakeland students traded in their typical curriculum this week for unique lessons on the science behind baseball - led by the Tampa Bay Rays. ​The team’s Science of Baseball program, now in its fifth year, offers a fun and engaging way to supplement traditional classes at Academy Prep campuses in Lakeland, Tampa, and St. Petersburg....

Kevin Daves (left), the developer behind 1000 North Sarasota, and the brand’s most prominent co-founder, Michael Jordan. (Photo submitted by Alex Elshimy/1000 North) A luxurious private club and restaurant co-founded by basketball icon Michael Jordan is proving to be a slam dunk, as 1000 North is already expanding in downtown Sarasota before opening its doors. ​Under construction on the ground floor of the BLVD tower at 520 N. Tamiami Trail, 1000 North’s celebrity backers also include golf...

​The St. Petersburg branch of the NAACP is challenging local healthcare providers to go beyond routine reviews of racial discrimination claims that often mask deeper systemic failures. ​Branch President Esther Sanni first formally communicated concerns to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital last week after several community members found an All Children’s contractor’s social media comments offensive. The remarks stated that those participating in “teen takeovers” should be bribed with...

A sign advertising “easy living” sits atop a parcel of land that many stakeholders believe holds unmarked graves. (Photo courtesy of Aileen Henderson) A Tampa architect who once promised to protect a historic cemetery has received the city’s blessing to build homes on what many consider sacred ground. Concerned residents are now rallying to stop construction. ​Marti-Colon Cemetery is the final resting place for thousands of the city’s Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican, African American, and...

Maiya Stevenson - founder of Afro Opera Productions, hosts upcoming “Songs of the Soil, Songs of the Soul” at Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association on June 14. (Photo by Maiya Stevenson/The Crow's Nest – at USF St. Petersburg ) Maiya Stevenson celebrates Juneteenth by hosting “Songs of the Soil, Songs of the Soul — an Afro Opera Production Experience,” a cultural performance where music takes center stage. The concert will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 14, 2026, at the...

From left: Mayor Ken Welch, Maria Scruggs, Brandi Gabbard, Charlie Crist, and Kevin Batford at St. Petersburg’s first mayoral debate on Tuesday night. Welch is the lone candidate to receive an “A” grade from independent evaluators. (Photo by Mark Parker/ Power Broker Magazine) Mayor Ken Welch weathered a storm of criticism from four challengers during Tuesday night’s debate among contenders for mayor of St. Petersburg. But how did the audience perceive their performances? ​St. Petersburg...

From left: St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, Maria Scruggs, Brandi Gabbard, Charlie Crist, and Kevin Batdorf participate in the city’s first mayoral debate on Tuesday night. (Photos by Mark Parker/ Power Broker Magazine) St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch spent most of his first debate absorbing blows from challengers. He also landed some counterpunches. ​A capacity crowd of 125 people - dozens were turned away - attended Tuesday night’s mayoral debate, hosted by the St. Petersburg branch of the...

Competing historic Gas Plant District redevelopment teams say they are willing to accommodate the Tampa Bay Rays remaining in St. Petersburg after their lease terminates in 2028. (Photos by Mark Parker/ Power Broker Magazine) The three development teams competing to reimagine the Historic Gas Plant District, currently home to Tropicana Field, are willing to accommodate the Tampa Bay Rays remaining in St. Petersburg after their lease terminates in 2028. ​Rays officials hope to open a new...

Owner Brandi Gergle and staff at Coasis Restaurant & Bar. (Photo by Kaylen Ross/ Power Broker News) In Tampa’s Seminole Heights neighborhood, one restaurant has managed to exceed expectations about what a dining experience should be. Coasis Restaurant & Bar has quickly become one of the city’s most talked-about Black-owned restaurants with upscale dining and nightlife, blending Southern fusion cuisine, elevated cocktails, popping designs, and community-centered hospitality into a space that...

Rev. J.C. Pritchett II (podium) and several other imams and pastors gathered to endorse St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch’s (third from right) reelection campaign on Monday. Photo by Mark Parker. Mayor Ken Welch’s reelection campaign has received a multidenominational push from a diverse coalition of St. Petersburg clergy who believe he deserves four more years to finish the job. ​In a robust show of solidarity, 14 pastors, imams, and elders representing various faiths formally expressed their...

Rep. Dianne Hart (right) with Najaeh Wise, one of her previous scholarship recipients. Photos: East Tampa Business and Community Alliance. State Rep. Dianne Hart recognizes that not all paths to success require four-year degrees. Her eponymous scholarship uniquely covers trade school costs and prioritizes community service over typical academic requirements. ​Local supporters can help ensure more Tampa Bay students have access to post-secondary education on Thursday at the third-annual Dianne...

Tampa-native Gabriel Santos, founder of Engrained Lifestyle Apparel, has secured his first storefront in one of the city’s most popular locations after just two years of operation. Photo: Gabriel Santos. What started as a side hustle at local markets has led to a prime brick-and-mortar location, as Engrained Lifestyle Apparel is now bringing its high-quality, Tampa-inspired streetwear to Sparkman Wharf. ​Sparkman Wharf is a premier waterfront destination within Water Street Tampa, a...

From left: Andrea Falvey, economic development manager; Mayor Ken Welch; Tracey Smith, manager of the St. Petersburg Greenhouse; City Council Chair Lisset Hanewicz; and City Development Administrator James Corbett at the 2026 State of the Economy. Smith received the Economic Impact Award. All images: City of St. Petersburg. Typical data points - like a record $1.4 billion in construction value and an 18% spike in median household income - highlight St. Petersburg’s recent successes, despite...

This episode is my 5 key takeaways from the What’s Really Stressing Tampa Bay discussion with Zaneta Ellison-McGraw and Dr. Emmanuela Pierre-Charles. Mental Health Stress in Tampa Bay is Being Driven by Real Life Pressures People Often Ignore Warning Signs Until Their Overwhelmed Isolation and Loneliness Are Major Mental Health Concerns Social Media Can Negatively Affect Self-Worth and Emotional Health It’s Okay to Ask for Help and Normalize Health Conversations Click here to Watch Full Episode.