University

USF Engaging Pillars of the Tampa Bay Region

As a fourth-generation Tampa native, my return to Tampa nearly 10 years ago to work at USF has been filled with a sense of nostalgia and unexpected surprises. My old neighborhood of West Tampa, a historically working-class African American and Latino neighborhood, has progressively undergone “revitalization.” Many of the old mom-and-pop corner stores, including my grandfather’s local store, have long since fallen victim to the economic downturn. I was devastated to learn just recently that the 4th of July Café, known for serving the best cup of Cuban coffee in the city, is no longer in operation.

Nowadays, West Tampa is the home of soaring condominiums and new real estate developments for more economically advantaged residents. Across town, the Seminole Heights neighborhood of Tampa has fully embraced its more artsy-bohemian character. Even the city of St. Petersburg, previously known as “God’s waiting room” (due to its aging population) has transformed into a bustling metropolitan area that is attracting younger professionals and a flourishing art scene.

The history of USF is closely tied to the challenges and opportunities that come with a shifting urban and demographic landscape. In recognition of the importance of understanding the significance of space and place, members of the Mayor’s Hispanic Advisory Council (MHAC), including Donna Parrino (former reference librarian at USF) and Paul Dosal (USF’s vice president for student success), invited USF administrators on a tour of Ybor City. During this tour, Parrino discussed the city’s rich cultural history, including the intersecting lives of Anglo-Saxon, Cuban, Italian and Chinese immigrants and African Americans. Bringing history to bear in the present, the MHAC has been advocating for increased access, economic opportunities and representation of Hispanics across Tampa.

USF administrators, in addition to facilitating informative tours of local neighborhoods and businesses, have also met with the Tampa Organization of Black Affairs to discuss supplier diversity, organized meetings with all three chapters of the NAACP, and participated in local radio shows and virtual interviews with African American leaders. It has been critical for USF leaders to do so because both the approving perspectives and the harsh critiques from the community are necessary for us to build an inclusive and sustainable future together.

The insights gleaned from these external stakeholders are most useful because they are placed in conversation with the expertise of members of the USF Presidential Advisory Committees. These include the Status of Latinos Committee, Committee on Black Affairs, the Latin Community Advisory Council, Committee on Issues of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Women’s Status Committee, and Status of Men Committee, among others. Through our continued advocacy and support for programming organized, in part, by the committees, including the renowned Latino Scholarship Program (celebrating its 29th anniversary this year), the Kente Community and Scholarship Awards, and Pride luncheons and graduation events, the diversity and inclusion office is advancing an expansive approach to community outreach and promoting inclusive excellence.

All in all, what I have come to realize is that the old adage is true: “You can’t go home again.” Given the certainty of change, rather than dream of returning home, our greater calling is to co-create a new sense of home and belonging to be shared among all members of the USF community. After all, this is the One USF way!

Elizabeth Hordge-Freeman is the interim vice president of institutional equity, senior advisor to the president and provost for diversity and inclusion, and an associate professor of sociology.