16 December, 2024 0 Comments

A Lifetime of Achievement

December 16, 2024 By Leave a Comment

Yvonne Odom: A living legend

I’m fascinated by long term contributors.

I’m talking about the people in our civic universe who put their noses to the grindstone and work over long periods of time on the things that matter.

We often take these people for granted and seldom stop to recognize their achievements and impact.

We live in a fast-paced, complex and disposable world. We accumulate and then we discard. We are busy, but often not intentional.

Life can be overwhelming, especially this time of year.

So, when I saw that my friend Yvonne Odom was given a “Lifetime Achievement” award from Omega Psi Phi, I was thrilled. Mrs. Odom deserves recognition. She’s a remarkable person.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity is the first international fraternal organization founded on the campus of a historically black college. That founding happened in November 1911 on the campus of Howard University in Washington D.C.

The motto of the organization is “friendship is essential to the soul.” And indeed, it is.

The words scholarship, perseverance and uplift are used to outline Omega Psi’s principles and when I think of Mrs. Odom those are the words that come to mind.

For those who don’t know, Yvonne Odom integrated Seacrest High School in 1961, becoming the first African American to attend the school that would become Atlantic High.

Mrs. Odom was chosen because of her strength, grit and resilience; traits that she exhibited as a teen and throughout her storied life. She was 15 and the only Black student at the time.

But while she made civil rights and educational history that day in ’61, she was just getting started.

Mrs. Odom became a teacher in 1967 and worked in Palm Beach County for 45 years touching countless lives. But when she retired from the classroom, she never stopped teaching others.

We became acquainted when I worked for the local newspaper and stayed in contact through my tenure as an elected official and beyond. If you were a smart local official, you listened when Mrs. Odom spoke. Her lessons are always tinged with insight and historical perspective.

Too often, public officials lose sight that they are public servants, there to serve the public. The best ones realize they have lots to learn from people like Mrs. Odom.

She’s always been generous with her time and opinions, and I think she would have made a fine elected official herself. A few years back, she tried to fill an interim position, but thanks to political dysfunction the commission deadlocked on how to fill an open seat, and we lost out on that opportunity. It was our loss.

But Ms. Odom just kept doing what she does. Speaking out, leading and supporting those making a difference in our community.

A lifetime achievement award honors just that— a lifetime of achievement. It is not a one-off accomplishment and it’s here that Mrs. Odom shines. She remains involved. She speaks out, she mentors, she advises, she’s engaged.

It’s the long-term contributors who move the needle in communities big and small. They don’t do it for recognition, but it sure is nice when their body of work is honored.

The communities that say thank you, the communities that “see” people, the communities that honor and respect those who give their time to others are the ones that succeed. They are the communities that are built to last.

A Milestone birthday…

Speaking of long term contributors.

We attended a birthday celebration for a close friend last week at the wonderful La Cigale restaurant.

Jim Chard is a long-term contributor. He’s got energy to burn and is involved in a raft of good causes: reef health, education,  entrepreneurship and making sure our tree canopy is growing and healthy. There’s more. He’s a true community servant.  I admire him.

These are the people who make good things happen. Leadership is synonymous with caring and Jim cares. Those who know him look forward to what’s next on his agenda. And there’s always something next.

Passings…

Vald Svekis, the entrepreneur behind the iconic Liberties Fine Books & Music, passed away recently. He was 83.

Mr. Svekis opened Liberties in Mizner Park in 1991, and the bookstore became a big draw for several years. He sold the business in 1994.

During its run Liberties became famous for hosting famous authors including former President Jimmy Carter, former VP Dan Quayle, famed rock photographer Lynn Goldsmith and Dr. Brian Weiss, best selling author of “Many Lives, Many Masters.”

Liberties became known as one of the country’s premier independent bookstores.

According to his obituary, “Svekis’s brilliantly zany marketing ideas brought renown. Dan Quayle’s appearance was promoted with campaign signs sprinkled around town; Gloria Steinem was greeted by a window display celebrating suffragettes and featuring her as the statue of Liberty; Madonna’s “Sex” could only be viewed in a “peep booth” for $1 a minute with all money going to AIDs Research. Liberties was sold in 1994, allowing Vald and Sherry (his wife) to retire to Sarasota.”

For those of us who love books, Liberties was a magnet. The store is still missed by those who experienced its magic.

 

14 June, 2021 6 6 Comments

Making A Dent In The Universe

June 14, 2021 By 6 Comments

Coco at the Delray Beach Tennis Stadium.

The New York Times ran a fascinating interview with Martina Navratilova recently.

The tennis hall of famer is 64 now, living in Fort Lauderdale and enjoying life.

Martina was a landmark athlete—she changed both the men’s and women’s games, but she’s also an influential cultural figure paving the way for female athletes while being outspoken on a range of topics ranging from LGBTQ rights to animal welfare and a lot in between.

Martina matters.

Like Billie Jean King, Jim Brown, LeBron James and Muhammad Ali, Martina is an athlete who transcended sport to leave a large mark on the world.

Those of us who live in Delray Beach and love tennis have been following Coco Gauff’s burgeoning career and wondering whether she will follow in those large footsteps.

There is no doubt that she is a special talent.

Her results as a teenager have been astonishing. Like other greats, she shows no fear on the court and actually seems to thrive on pressure.

But there’s something else about her that shines through—at least to me anyway. She seems to understand that she has power off the court, and she seems intent on using that power to make a difference.

We saw it when she spoke out at a local Black Lives Matter protest in Delray Beach shortly after the murder of George Floyd. And we saw it last week when she made a generous donation to the Achievement Centers for Children and Families in Delray Beach.

Teaming up with Microsoft, Coco is helping to refresh the main computer lab and build two additional labs at the Achievement Center, a wonderful non-profit that has served this community’s most vulnerable children for over 50 years.

Here’s what the Achievement Center had to say in making the announcement:

“As a professional tennis player and full-time remote student, Coco Gauff saw firsthand the ways that technology could benefit education. While completing classes alongside her rigorous training schedule, she was inspired to provide some of the same tools to students in Delray Beach, where she and her parents grew up.

“This community has given me a lot, so it’s definitely important to give back,” she said

Coco thrilled the kids at the center recently with a virtual appearance and coaching session.

Due to COVID-19 limitations, Coco used Microsoft Teams to surprise the kids. During the event, Coco helped students complete a coding workshop, where they learned about game design. The kids were also able to ask Coco questions  including how she became a professional tennis player and what her favorite subject is in school.

 

“Maybe this can give a kid the opportunity to find their own passions,” Coco said before offering advice to the students. “Make your dreams as big as possible, because you never know how far they will go.”

 

It’s hard to quantify how important it is for our children to see someone from their community succeed on a worldwide stage. Children need to be encouraged to dream big and they need to be given the tools necessary to achieve those dreams.

The Achievement Centers for Children and Families is a model non-profit that has done just that for half a century and in process the organization has done a lot to break the cycle of poverty.

To see Coco giving back is not a surprise to me.

While I don’t know Coco, I do know her family.

Her grandmother, Yvonne Odom, is one of my heroes, her grandfather Red is a wonderful man who has coached generations of local kids and her parents Candi and Corey are really special and caring people. The Gauff/Odom family are committed to Delray Beach, especially our children.

Coco had a big week professionally reaching the quarterfinals at the French Open, one of the the cathedrals of the sport. She’s still only 17 years old. She has a game as big as any prospect since the Williams sisters, who also have ties to Delray Beach.

But beyond sports, she seems to be a young woman of compassion and substance. She has a platform, and she appears willing and able to use it—like Martina, Billie Jean, Venus and Serena before her.

Coco’s grandmother Yvonne was a groundbreaker in her day too. Fifty years ago this September she became the first Black to attend Seacrest High which later  became Atlantic High. Three years before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 7 years after Brown vs. Board of Education, Yvonne Lee Odom integrated Delray’s high school. To this day, she remains brave, outspoken and respected. She’s a treasure.

I have a feeling her granddaughter is going to leave a mark far, far beyond tennis. She sure has had some great role models.

 

8 July, 2019 5 5 Comments

A Star Is Born

July 8, 2019 By 5 Comments

Delray’s own: Coco Gauff

 

Every now and again an athlete breaks through and touches the hearts and minds of people all over the world.
The ability to capture those hearts is part of the magic of sports.

Maybe it’s the talent it takes to excel, maybe it’s the sacrifice or the personal story. Regardless, some athletes seem to rise above.

You don’t have to be a tennis fan to be caught up in the story of Cori “Coco” Gauff.

The 15-year-old from Delray Beach will play in the Round of 16 today at Wimbledon and that’s a monumental achievement.  Coco is making headlines all over the world after three scintillating victories, including a convincing first round win over her hero Venus Williams who also has extensive ties to Delray.

There are many aspects to the Coco story. Yes, she’s the youngest. Yes, she’s the “next one” and yes she has a very big game.
But she also has the “it” factor, that intangible that is hard to explain but you sure know it when you see it.

She plays without fear.

Staring down her idol Venus, beating a past semi finalist in the second round and digging deep to escape a tough third round match against a powerful and experienced opponent who was playing very very well announced to all who were watching that they were witnessing something special.

Coco has that champion’s demeanor. She know she belongs. And despite what must be enormous pressure she continues to play fearlessly, going for shots and digging deep  when she gets in a hole.
It’s amazing to watch. And she has become the story of the tournament no matter what happens from here on out.

You get the sense that you are watching history, the glorious coming out party of a special transcendent athlete.

Of course, a few wins at a high profile event does not a career make.
But…this feels different. This feels real.

For her hometown of Delray Beach, Coco’s amazing run has been a joyous occasion.
Large crowds gather at her parents restaurant, The Paradise Sports Lounge on West Atlantic Avenue and Military Trail for “watch parties” that have been covered on the national and international news.

Leading the cheers are Coco’s grandmother –the wonderful Yvonne Odom, herself an historic figure as the first African American student to attend Atlantic High School.
We’ve written about my friend Mrs. Odom on this site. She’s special too.

That her own athletic ambitions were scuttled by the racial attitudes of the times is a part of her grand daughter’s amazing story. Yvonne was not able to play sports at Atlantic despite her considerable athletic talents.
To see Coco thrive at Wimbledon must be extra special for Mrs. Odom and her family. You can see the joy the family is experiencing and it’s inspiring.
I’ll be hoping that the run continues. But even if it ends today or with Coco lifting the championship trophy, we have a strong sense that this story is just beginning.

4 April, 2018 12 12 Comments

Making History, Living History

April 4, 2018 By 12 Comments

Yvonne Odom

““If we lose love and self respect for each other,this is how we finally die”
― Maya Angelou, who would have been 90 today.

Last week, civic rights icon Linda Brown passed away.

She was the historic figure and namesake in the landmark Supreme Court case “Brown v. Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas” which overturned school segregation in 1954.

When I heard the news, I immediately thought of my friend Yvonne Odom.

Mrs. Odom was the brave student who integrated Seacrest High School seven years later in September 1961. Seacrest would later become Atlantic High.

Mrs. Odom was in 10th grade that year when she walked into that school alone. It’s hard to imagine, from the vantage point of 2018, what that must have been like.

When Mrs. Odom went to Seacrest on her first day, a white stranger reached out and took her hand. That stranger was Paula Adams, a student council member. She wanted to help Yvonne cope with the stares of students.

As we remember the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s Assassination today and this week, much is being written about the civil rights movement and how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go.

Race is clearly still a major issue in America—our schools, neighborhoods and many institutions remain segregated—despite the 1954 ruling. And yet there’s been progress.

Back In 1961 Delray, the school’s administration was so worried about Yvonne’s safety that they asked her to use the faculty bathroom.

They didn’t know her well. She insisted on using the student’s restroom. She was not afraid.

Mrs. Odom paved the way for future African students at Seacrest/Atlantic.

And she walked away from a lot to be a leader–people give up a lot to be “the first.”

At Carver High School, she was a standout in many ways. Her basketball coach was the legendary C. Spencer Pompey who had identified Ms. Odom as a leader. He was right, as he always seemed to be.

Writing the name C. Spencer Pompey gives me an opportunity to tell you how wonderful he was—a gentleman, an historian, a mentor, a leader, a teacher and a pillar of strength not only in this community but throughout Palm Beach County and the state. People like the Pompey’s (including his wife H. Ruth), Elizabeth Wesley, Solomon D. Spady and others are important. They become important people because of the impact they make, the legacies they leave, the lessons they impart and the lives they mold—positively.

Yvonne Odom was and is a leader. She is an important person.

The year she left for Seacrest to make history was going to be her sophomore year at Carver High School. She had been chosen by Mr. Pompey to be captain of the girls basketball team. She was also slated to be part of Carver’s Homecoming Court, which was a big deal and a major honor.

But she left for Seacrest for a more important mission….and because she was African American, school officials thought it best to minimize her contact with the white kids. That meant: no sports, (impacting her ability to earn a college scholarship), no physical education classes and no rides on the school bus.

According to Sun-Sentinel archives, Palm Beach County desegregation began with a lawsuit filed in 1956 by West Palm Beach attorney Bill Holland, who objected to school officials’ refusal to let his son be admitted to a West Palm Beach elementary school.

 

A committee, which included Holland and Odom’s father, the Rev. Randolph Lee, went to black families’ homes to recruit black students to attend white schools in Jupiter, Lake Worth and what was then Palm Beach Junior College.

 

Lee, a minister who worked with Holland and the attorneys, decided his daughter fit the profile of what they were looking for.

 

Mrs. Odom was one of five students who were used in the group’s plan to integrate. She fit the bill: a top student who exhibited strength and character.

Mrs. Odom’s father, Rev. Lee, worked hard to ensure his daughter’s safety, working with administrators to make sure she was OK.

In my own prior interviews with Mrs. Odom she said she was never physically abused but was called derogatory names on two occasions.

She went on to a distinguished career in education, including teaching at Carver Middle School.

She has also been involved deeply in the Delray community for decades.

Linda Brown also remained involved in the “movement”. She was an important person.

As was MLK.

A single bullet changed the world 50 years ago in Memphis.

A half century later we continue to mourn the death of MLK—but the work continues. It always does. We are nowhere near the mountain top. To some, that may be a depressing prospect and truth be told there are sad elements to this journey, but to others the dream is so compelling, so valuable and so important that they are willing to keep on going. Thank goodness for their commitment.

We are lucky to have people like Yvonne Odom in our midst—living testaments to history but like others she is not merely a relic of the past. She remains hard at work in the community. As it should be. As we all should be.