Numa Saisselin President Florida Theatre/Military appreciation with Mark Brenner and Teacher Appreciation with Rhodesia Butler

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to community viewpoints. Is Shawneefeeling blessed and highly favored on this Sunday
morning and community, It's a joyto always see and know the community partners.
Today, I have an amazing gentlemanon the line who is filled with
a joy of filling the hearts ofour community through arts and of course our
wonderful location downtown being one of thelargest and longest standing Florida Theater in the

(00:26):
city a nonprofit. So today Ihave the privilege of talking to Numa say
Selin is here to talk to ustoday about the Florida Theater and what's going
on. But first, Numa,talk to us and tell us about you
and how you've helped us and thecommunity and Florida Theater just stand fast as
a community through COVID, And nowthat we're breaking through, what should the

(00:48):
community expect from you and a FloridaTheater. One of the things I hope
for is that out of the pandemicwe have a greater realization for all the
things we lost during the pandemic,one of those things being the ability to
congregate in person and enjoy a concerttogether, or enjoy a play together,

(01:11):
to go to our kids' schools andsee their sports games or their school plays
that you know, we realize whatwe missed and what that means to our
life. And I think everybody knows. It's fun to go out, you
know, it's fun to go outwith other people, it's fun to go
to a concert, but it reallyadds something spiritual to our life, you

(01:36):
know, it feeds our souls.And that sounds very touchy feely, but
I think we lost it for agood chunk of time, and I hope
we realize what was lost, andI hope that that means we value it
that much more in a post pandemicworld. It was a little scary for

(01:57):
us at the Florida, as itwas for most arts organizations and performance venues,
but we made it out the otherside with a renewed sense of purpose,
and the community has embraced that purpose. We've been open two and a
half years now again and have seenterrific attendants and I've had terrific performances.

(02:23):
The first night we were back inDecember of twenty twenty, which seems like
a lifetime ago, we had thebanned Big Bad Voodoo Daddy that night,
and it felt to me what Iimagine it was like in Times Square at
the end of World War Two.Everybody was just so happy to see each
other and so happy to be outin the company of each other and to

(02:46):
have a sense that we were movingback towards normal life. And it's been
like that ever since, and it'sbeen a great feeling to be able to
provide that for the community. Imean, if you're just tuning in Shanny
speaking to Numa, he's the presidentof the Florida Theater Downtown, historic Florida
Theater that has been standing and isa nonprofit. Num I want to thank

(03:07):
you for being a nonprofit because youdo pour back into iHeart as a nonprofit
and you do help us build andtell the story of what's going on in
the community. So thank you asa partner, but thank you as a
nonprofit as well. I also wantedto share that, you know, the
Florida Theater is partnered with a lotof things, and the reason why we're

(03:28):
speaking today is I was overjoyed whenI saw you down at the Jack's River
Jam. So talk to us aboutyour partnership with you know, the City
Downtown partners and how you're building togetherto create events like Jack's River Jam concert
series. So yeah, great question. Over the last ten years that I've

(03:49):
been here, we have been tryingharder and harder to get beyond our own
four walls, to reach out tothe community, to partner with other organizations.
Sometimes it's an arts organization, andthen sometimes it's somebody completely outside of
our wheelhouse, but we have somethingto offer, a value to bring to
a partnership. One of those organizationsis Downtown Vision. Downtown Vision are also

(04:15):
a nonprofit corporation and they managed theSpecial Improvement District Downtown. I think a
lot of people assume that there arecity services that are provided that are not
really provided by the city. Onegreat example is the Ambassadors. We've all
seen the Ambassadors in their big,bright orange uniforms downtown cleaning and providing escorts

(04:38):
to parking lots and directions to tourists. They're all funded and employed by Downtown
Vision. So you know, DowntownVision is out there cleaning Downtown and making
it look better and there's no taxdollars involved. The landlords in the business
of room and district pay a smallassessment every year to fund that effort.
Collectively. One of the things DowntownVision wanted to do is to have a

(05:00):
concert series downtown to bring people downhere so people would come downtown, experience
downtown, have a good time,and come back. And we have been
pleased for three years now to bookthose shows. There's a gentleman on our
staff named Kevin Stone who's our vicepresident of Programming, and he has now
booked six big concerts for Downtown Visionand every Thursday night in April for the

(05:25):
last three years we've had a giantconcert on the riverfront and it's been super
fun. Those shows have drawn tento twenty thousand people sometimes and it's great
fun to see such a wide crosssection of the community down on the riverfront
for free and enjoying a night ofgreat music together. And then some of

(05:46):
those people stick around and go tosupport the restaurants and the nightclubs and the
bars downtown. And you and Isaw each other at Shaggy, who I
thought was fantastic. I hope youagree. Oh well, Numa, I'm
from the island of Jamaica, soI was pleased just being a part of
the entire event. And you know, as high Heart, we've been a
part of the media to push thethree years every Thursday in April Jack's River

(06:13):
Jam. But you know easy andI do the MC for v Night and
ninety three point three to Beat Night. So yes, Shaggy was a great
pull for our audience downtown. Ithink Shaggy is an international artist where it
was focused on just the music andthe love of reggae and the love of
good times and the love of beingdowntown having a good time. So yes,

(06:34):
I enjoy it. And I wantto just thank the community for coming
out, for listening to iHeart,for understanding that we are partnering with great
people like you in the community tobring things downtown for free. And that
was one of the great things.Your involvement, our involvement, it being
generated by a nonprofit in the firstplace. I think speaks volumes about when

(06:58):
Jacksonville and Duvalk County is at itsbest. And I think and it's at
its best when people are all pullingon the same rope together. It takes
a village. It's a cliche,but it's a cliche because it's true.
Well, you know, it takesa village, and it takes wonderful people
to see a vision. It takesa village, But the village has to
see the vision, and the visionhas to be something that will prosper and
we'll bring our community or raise ourlevel of community commitment and involvement. So,

(07:23):
you know, I'm so glad thatthe Florida Theater is still standing,
but you know you're making changes.Talk to us about what's going on with
the Florida Theater before it changes.I understand you're having a big event twentieth.
May twentieth is our annual ball,the Florida Theater Ball. This year's
theme is a New Orleans theme,and if listeners have never been, you

(07:45):
should really come. It supports thenonprofit for Florida Theater. But more importantly,
it is just a great party.There's an open bar all night,
there's New Orleans themed cuisine all night. There's a silent auction and a live
auction so you can bid on somegreat trips and great restaurant certificates and other
great prizes around town. We finishwith a live dance party. The band

(08:09):
this year is the band Be Easy, who I think a lot of people
in Jacksonville know to be a greatparty band. And it all benefits the
Florida Theater and all That information ison our website Florida Theater dot com.
NUMA talk to us about the renovationsthat are coming and what we can expect
after you renovate the Florida Theater.So Florida Theater turns one hundred in twenty

(08:30):
twenty seven, we have been engagedin a multi year improvement project with the
idea that by the time we turnone hundred and twenty twenty seven, we
want the building to be in thebest shape it can possibly be and to
be as self sufficient as it canbe and ready for the next hundred years.
By the end of this calendar year. Over the last four years,

(08:52):
we will have raised and spent fifteenmillion dollars on improving the building. We've
been blessed to have support from theCity of Jacksonville, so for every dollar
we raised towards capital improvements, thecity has put in a dollar which has
been terrific, and we've been verypleased to work with Mayor Curry over his

(09:13):
administration and the current city Council,who have been very supportive of downtown and
the Florida Theater in particular. We'vealready replaced the theater seats, put in
a new concert sound system, putin a new stage lighting system. Earlier
this year, we opened a brandnew VIP room called the Remedy Lounge,
which is named after our naming partner, Remedy Staffing, who put in some

(09:35):
money to make all this work possible. And then this coming summer we're closing
for four months. We will beclosed for July through October, and during
that time we are replacing the theatersheating ventilation air conditioning plant, moving our
electrical vault from the first floor tothe third floor, painting the entire interior

(09:56):
of the theater with historic accuracy,and gutting all of our bathrooms, are
making them beautiful too, and there'smore work out beyond that. But by
the end of not even by theend of this year, by the time
November one rolls around this year,Florida Theater is going to look like an
almost new place. And it's excitingto us because, you know, when
the Florida Theater opened in nineteen twentyseven, there were thirteen theaters downtown.

(10:22):
This was number fourteen, and noneof those other theaters survived and Florida Theater
is the only one. So wewanted to be in the best shape it
can possibly be. Thank you somuch, Numa for calling into community viewpoints
at a community just know that theFlorida Theater is being renovated, for reviving
our city. I understand the energyis real in the city and I hope

(10:43):
the best for all our nonprofits outthere, one being the Florida Theater.
With iHeart, we want to partnerand create win wins, but we also
want a partner to ensure that thereis legacy and it stands still. So
Numa, I want to thank youhearing you talk about the Florida Theater.
I hear your passion and I seeit in your face when I do see

(11:05):
you, So thank you so muchfor calling in today. Is there anything
else you'd like to share with thecommunity about the Florida Theater. How can
they engage? Is there a membershipwith the Florida Theater or there is membership
And if you go to a lotof concerts here, it's well worth it.
And you know, by the way, there's probably forty or fifty shows
happening between now and when we temporarilyclosed, and there are shows booked after

(11:26):
our closure as well. So ticketsare on sale already for great shows like
Tom Jones and Gypsy Queen Kings andBrian Reagan and Florida Theater dot com is
the place that people can find thatinformation. All right, community, get
out, enjoy life. We areoutside one more time and we are engaging

(11:46):
in history. NUMA, thank youso much for allowing us to just enjoy
the Florida Theater. Thank you somuch for your vision, and thank you
so much for your purpose with thisplan. Thank you, Seanny, you
do a service for this community aswell. Well. You know we have
to create the win win with partnerswho believe, and we believe in this
community, don't we? Yes,we do. NOMA, thank you so

(12:09):
much for being a part of communityviewpoints. Soon and as we continue community
viewpoints as Shawnie, good morning.Being that May is a military appreciation month,
I'm going to be talking to ateacher as well, because last week
we highlighted teacher appreciation. He hasa story. The story we have and
how I met this teacher is weoften give back and pour into the community

(12:31):
through Saint Jude. As I wastalking to this gentleman, as I sat
beside him, I found out thathe was very intriguing and he does a
lot in the community. He alsoserves with me to give back to Saint
Jude, but he also gives backin a big way. So today I
would like to welcome Mark Benner toour show. Mark, how you doing?

(12:52):
Oh, I'm doing? How areyou? Mark? I'm so glad
that we were able to sit besideeach other and talk because I would not
have known the person you are orwhat you do. So I would like
to introduce you to the community.So tell us who is Mark Benner.
I am a longtime teacher of specialeducation, mostly PE. And I am

(13:16):
a disabled veteran from the United StatesNavy. And I am a husband and
father of three children, two ofwhich are teachers and the other one.
I don't think he wants to goin that direction, but hey, that's
okay. That's a great profession.So and to have your children go into
the same profession as you is amazing. So Mark talks to us and tell

(13:39):
us about being a teacher and beingin that profession. Well, there are
real teachers. They teach EO AEnglish language arts and I teach specially designed
PE which is a little bit usacademically challenging. We need that. But
talk to us and tell us whyyou went into this field. Well,

(14:00):
you know, when I was inthe Navy, buddy of mine drove us
into a river and I was underwaterfor like eight minutes and they pulled me
out. Thank God. The waterwas ice cold, so it shut down
everything. And then I spent along time relearning how to do everything.
So when I finally got to apoint where I felt like I could give

(14:24):
back because I'm so blessed and Iso want to give back some of my
blessings that I decided to be aspecial ed teacher and teaching emotional behavior disabilities
and autism and severe learning disabled students, and so I've been working with him,

(14:45):
but I've also been a mentor anda coach of baseball, football,
soccer, softball, and swimming.With doing that, you're pouring back into
your community. And you know,in the twenty twenty three we want to
see more of that. We wantto see more of people pouring back into
the community. Its so, whatelse have you done? Because when we

(15:07):
sat with each other, you saidthat you were going to do something with
the special Olympics. Oh yes,I am a huge, huge proponent for
wellness and being physically fit and thatsaved my life. Being physically fit was
the only reason that I wasn't inworse shape. So I wanted to just

(15:28):
spread the message. So I decided, you know, pe, and I
could tell students that no matter whathappens to you, you're better prepared to
face it if you're fit, ifyou eat right, and you exercise,
and that message just I feel calledto read that message to everyone, and

(15:52):
that's my mission. Well, youknow, Mark, You know, we
often don't understand that our body isa temple and we should take care of
it. We should take care ofour mental health, we should take it
of our physical being, and weshould know how to feed our body,
meaning how to eat. So Iunderstand what you're saying, and I really
appreciate this conversation because it's talking toour community to say, we have a

(16:15):
vet here who is a teacher andhe's doing something really special for the community
that needs it. But what you'realso telling the community, Mark, is
that you have overcome to this point. And I understand the calling because I
sit beside you every year at ourSaint Jude Telethon, and you overcome every

(16:37):
challenge, every obstacle of learning thesystem. You get it done. And
I just want to say thank youfor pouring back in the community and never
giving up. Oh, thank youso much. You are just a wonderful
person and being around you just makesme happy and it's a pleasure doing the

(16:59):
tall fone with you. And ifyou want to sometimes get involved in my
special Olympics activities, I would welcomethat. If you ever want to drop
in at Mayport Elementary and Sable PalmElementary is my two schools and you're always
welcome. Well, thank you somuch. Now. Can you know you're
pouring back in the community, You'rehelping parents with their children, You're providing

(17:22):
a space. When we spoke,you also said that some of the children
like music and some don't. There'scertain things that you use to help those
children get through their day. Howabout we talk about that. That's where
the specially designed comes in. Youhave to fit the activity to whatever your
student population is. You may havepeople in wheelchairs, you may have kids

(17:45):
that can't that can't hear, oryou even have students who are visually impaired.
So you have to maybe the activitywork for everybody, or sometimes break
them up into groups and give themmodify the activity so that they can experience
some success. It's really gratifying whenyou see the smile when they give something

(18:10):
at good shot in a basketball courtor something. Is a real, really
good feeling community. If you're justtuning in Shawnny speaking to Mark Benner,
a veteran, a teacher, afighter, someone who will not quit.
And it's pouring back into our community. And that's the message I wanted to
provide in the twenty twenty three isno matter what life has dealt you,

(18:33):
no matter what cards are on thetable, never give up. And if
you never give up, you canpour back into your community like Mark is
doing. Mark, is there anythingelse that you would like to share with
the community at this time? Iactually saved the girl Butler Beach from drowning
called the riptid, and I wentout there and got her, and that

(18:57):
that change everything from me. Isaw everything differently after that, And I
mean, there's no life coach onduty, and the cops came and everybody
came. But as I was pullingout of the water, you know,
it's just in a blessing because Idrowned. Okay, I was an excellent
swimmer and seals and I passed theSeals test for swimming, and then I

(19:19):
was a great swimmer. And thenI drowned. That's ironic. Well,
then I rescued somebody else who drowned, and then I became a high school
swim coach. I just want everyoneto get along and be the best we
can be together and strengthen our communityand our children and stand proud together.

(19:40):
Thank you, Mark. I appreciatethis conversation. I appreciate you doing the
interview with me, and I appreciateyour drive to empower our community. Stay
blessed, my friend, and youknow we will see you again at that
next telephone right, that's right,Seanny, I will see you. I
hope to see you before that.Well, MARKA, we we will be
out at your special Olympics this Wednesday, so I will see you soon.

(20:04):
Thank you so much for joining usfor community viewpoints. And as we continue
in community viewpoints, we are highlightingteachers. So today I have the privilege
of speaking to Rhodesha Butler. She'shere to talk to us about the Leroy
Butler Leap. It's a football andcheer camp. Rhodisha, how are you
today? I am so wonderful andthank you so much for having me.

(20:27):
Well, you know you are apillar of strength in the community. Are
the last time I see you,you were handling the mic at the Florida
Black Expo. So I said,you know, I gotta get her in
here. I gotta talk to herabout what she's been doing with these children.
First, I want the community tounderstand who we're talking to. So
if you would just provide something aboutyou, Rhodisha, and what you stand

(20:48):
for, Oh, thank you somuch. Well, I have been raised
right here and educated right here inour Duba County school system, and I'm
just excited to be able to dowhat ever it takes for children, parents,
families, and our community. Soover the years, I've been afforded
and blessed with the opportunity to workhard on my own, go through school,

(21:11):
go off to Florida State, comeback, and in coming back,
I just saw the need. Iwas asked after mister Butler retired to jump
into the school system if I would, and kind of kicking and screaming,
I was like, no, no, no. But after going over to
Rebout High School, I mean Ihave a turn back. So starting out
after high school, right after atFlorida state, I started my own performing

(21:32):
arts studio and we are thirty twoyears in, but I tell people I'm
thirty, so we won't talk aboutthat. With thirty two years in,
and I'm so excited to have beenable to serve students and families in the
performing arts. But inside of that, I'm so proud of having eighteen years
in our Duval County public school systemeducating and working with families, and was

(21:53):
able to get to a principal levelthis year working with the charter school.
And then the last thing is justbeing a part of our boards. Like
you said, the Black Expo,I'm a part of the United Niggro College
Fund Board and Education and the BlackExpo allow me to play in both areas
where I can help and continue tobe a change agent. And so yes,

(22:15):
the camp we'll talk about today eventuallyis yet just an extension, a
branch of what the Lira Butler Foundationused to do here and we want to
continue those efforts as well anything wecan do to serve children and their families
community. If you're just tuning inShawnee speaking to Rhodesha Butler, she's here
to talk to us about the footballand chair camp and how your child can

(22:36):
get involved, because we know summeris coming in. We want those kids
to get out the house and bebusy. So Rhodsha, if you would
tell us about the football and cheercamp, can they register and where can
they register for this phenomenal camp.You're so excited again blessed. We have
a partnership with the PAL the PoliceAthletic League, and so this is the
second year. We're so blessed thatmister Butler did have after twenty years of

(23:00):
working real hard, he finally madeit into the Hall of Fame. And
so with that he came right backlast year and wanted to do a camp.
So parents can go to Jack's palsportsdot org. That's Jack's palsports dot
org and actually sign up the agesor seven to seventeen. And yes,
it's for those growing training athletes allthe way up to those high school kids

(23:23):
who have already begin playing, justto have a very upscale type of training
presented to them, a little bitof stem information for the academic piece.
And it's both for football players andcheerleaders seven to seventeen. And it's going
to be Saturday, May twentieth,twenty twenty three at the pal location on

(23:45):
Monument thirty four fifty Monument Roads.So we're really excited to partner with them
and to be able to help notonly with the camp and the children,
but to help further their program initiativesalong the way for the rest of the
year. Rodesia Butler community talking tous about her joy and what she's done
with the community. So, Rhodesia, if you would tell me what does

(24:06):
all of this mean to you?I mean, you've grown, We've seen
you in the community. You've empoweredyoung ladies with dance. What does this
mean to you? Growing up myselfand being the youngest of five, I
watched my parents. They were olderparents, so they kept us involved.
They kept us in activities. Imean we had to play instruments. My
dad would whip out, you know, the stand and actually train us because

(24:27):
we come from an art family.However, I know from myself being a
product and having to work through collegemyself, that activities and allowing students to
find a place to grow and beexcited about things that they accomplish. We
know that academics is an expectation inmost households, and even if it's not

(24:48):
as large in a household. That'swhat educators are for. That's what we're
for. Teachers and all the people, all the stakeholders that work in a
building, you know, love andpush kids. But I do believe that
activities outside helped to mold who thatyoung lady or that young man is becoming.
And so that's why the arts andthe sports and community involvement leadership programs

(25:10):
for young people are just so essentialto where they're going. I mean,
if you want to be a partof Leroy Butler and Jack's Pal, they're
presenting the Leroy Butler Leap Football andChair Camp and again, as Rhodesha has
stated, it will be on Maytwentieth. Now, Rhodesha, I know
that you said that you have yourown dance Do you still have your own
dance studio? Yes, ma'am.We have rebranded for the years and I

(25:34):
know many many years, and Ihave so many supportive parents. We were
on the second generations dancers. Nowsome of the dancers that grew up it
was Attitudes performing arts. I wasin Gateway Shopping Center for fifteen years and
kind of moved around. But inthe recent years now my daughters are grown
they're all professional dancers and instructors.We have changed it to simply Row Performance
Academy and we are operating right now, and this is our thirty second year,

(25:59):
and so I'm looking to expand anddo some programs, to work with
the city to do some things inthis new season. So there'll be more
to come on that. But yes, this is year thirty two, and
so I am just really excited andcontinuing that work as well, along with
a few other things that I havecoming for women as well. What do
you have coming for women? Sinceyou are powering a community that's growing into

(26:22):
masterminds and young women and men,what do you have coming for us in
the future. I think Shannie.You know, we always say it takes
a village to raise a family,and that's we focus on the kids,
but so many different people, especiallywomen like ourselves, need that continuous empowerment.
So this will be my third yearduring my power conferences, but this
year is Shannie, which is thefirst time anyone has heard about it.

(26:45):
I'm working towards preparing for our powerconference on a cruise and we'll be leaving
from Jacksonville. I'm looking at January, and so outside of it just being
on a cruise. I think thata lot of times as women were afraid
to talk about certain things or youknow, we've been through some things that
are dramatic, and it helps whenwomen can hear from other women who've made

(27:07):
it to the other side or whohave overcome those obstacles. And I always
lead with struggles make you stronger.And so we're expected as asking American women
specifically to be able to just youknow, keep it moving no matter what
we wear. So many hats,we wear, so many hats, and
I want to be able to continueto empower, continue to be transparent and
share my stories that haven't been toldyet so that I can help with some

(27:30):
sister colleagues like yourself, to reallyhelp women to grow and become no matter
what age they are, no matterwhat age and stage they're in, to
just become their better selves. Intwenty twenty three and twenty twenty four,
spoken like a true trail Blazer,Rhodesha Butler Community on Community Viewpoints Today empowering
us with the Leroy Butler and Jack'sPal Leap Football and Cheer Camp. Along

(27:53):
with Leroy Butler presenting this with thePal, will there be any other guests
of Jack's powe pull it together withus. Last year we had two weeks
to do it. Mister Butler didget into the Hall of Fame or we
turned it right around, and sothey were a blessing. However, we
have an organization coach Rodney Blunt.He's with city Streets to student athletes and

(28:15):
Shawnee. He's doing some amazing thingswith high school boys. Him and Leroy
had a little rivalry with the climpsin Florida State thing last year, but
he brought in a lot of differentplayers, so we will have a surprise
NFL players. But we've got somany Jacksonville greats and so many of those
gentlemen will be coming back again thisyear as well as some new names.

(28:36):
We're working with some people like LaverniusColes and Rashid Mathist and just trying to
get those guys and also some ofour local grades. These coaches around here,
just because they didn't get it tothe NFL, we have some amazing
coaches right here working with our children'sday and day out, and a lot
of them will be there as well. I got to thank you for empowering

(28:57):
the minds that bid young adults.So thank you so much for being a
part of the show today. Ireally appreciate just coming together as sister friends
so that we can empower each otherand the sisters in our community as well
as the young adults and parents outthere. And thank you. Let me
thank you for inviting me because I'mhumbled, I'm honored, and I don't

(29:21):
take it for granted because your workis filled and I know we have our
church homes and our spaces that we'rein and it takes people like yourself to
reach out and help us like yousaid, so I am greatly appreciative and
whatever you would have me to dogoing forward, however, we can collaborate
to do more things right here andI'll be ready and willing to do whatever

(29:41):
you need. Well. I'm alsoready to see you at the Martin Luther
King Parade because you always have agroup of dancers and people representing, so
you empower people. You are greatnessas well. You need to know that.
Okay, thank you so much.Thank you. And as we close
community viewpoints, I just want thecommunity teacher to know that we should love

(30:04):
on our teachers, respect our teachers, and of course it's a Military Awareness
Month. Thank you to all militarypersonnel for their service and what they do
daily to keep us safe. Herein the United States, it's Shawnee with
community viewpoints. Have a blessed day, and remember be great on purpose.