A range of solutions proposed for South Apopka at community meeting

"The reason why we are here today is to bring about change," said Apopka resident Sylvester Hall. "My goal is to rebuild every home in South Apopka that needs to be rebuilt. That is my goal and my purpose for being here."  

Hall took matters into his own hands to further the idea of turning annexation into reality by hosting an open community discussion on Saturday at the John H. Bridges Center in South Apopka. The event offered educational presentations for residents and a space for open discussions on rebuilding and moving forward.   

Hall said during an educational presentation that it is no coincidence that everything around South Apopka is already annexed into Apopka except them and attributed the cause of the current state of division to the history of racism. 

"When we see poverty, we think it is by accident. South Apopka did not get to be South Apopka by accident," said Hall. "We didn't just get here because we wanted to come over the other side of the tracks and stay over here. We were put over here with no support, with no resources, and pretty much left to fend for ourselves."

"Until people who are not affected by poverty get involved and say 'no more', poverty will never go away. Until we change that mentality, we will always stay enslaved." 

--Sylvester Hall

Although annexation is Hall's ultimate goal for South Apopka, he said the process would take some time and suggested that the community needs to rebuild for the time being. 

"Annexation is going to take a minute before it becomes a reality, but it will become a reality, so in the meantime, we want to rebuild South Apopka," said Hall. "But we aren't waiting for them to show we are moving forward, and we are moving forward in good faith and good spirit." 

Dr. Phyllis Olmstead gave a presentation to share facts about the socioeconomics of South Apopka that needs to improve. 

She said that 34.9% of South Apopka residents live below the poverty, 28% of South Apopka residents over the age of 65 do not have insurance, 76.2% of students graduate from high school, and only 18% graduate from college. 

Olmstead suggested reinstalling the Boys Club to get kids into a safe environment.

"If parents can step in and start doing this, we can get kids off the streets, get them to earn money, and get them to go to college," said Olmstead.

Throughout the meeting, multiple attendees questioned how a change would come to the community if only some people were showing up and supporting the cause. 

Leroy Bell, Chairman of the Apopka Area Concerned Citizen's Council, followed up that question by saying that voting when it is time to elect officials will make a difference.

"Ask them to come out and vote. This is the only way we really truly are going to take power back," said Bell.

To conclude the event, Hall shared with the attendees a clip from the movie "Django Unchained" to showcase the existing black-on-black oppression. 

"I want you to watch this and ask yourself, what character represents me," said Hall to the crowd.

Leroy Bell: "Ask them to come out and vote. This is the only way we really truly are going to take power back."

But even after the meeting, some attendees said they are still unsure about the pros and cons of annexation. Gregory Griffith, an Apopka resident, said he came to the meeting hoping to learn about the annexation's benefits and negatives but said he had not heard anything about that. 

“I’ve been here for two and a half hours, and I’ve heard nothing about those specific arguments,” said Griffith.  

Griffith suggested that an elected steering committee should be assigned that can get together with the mayor and city council to work out the pros and cons. 

“Let’s have a steering committee and hash it out because it seems like a lot of people do not know what the A’s, B’s, and C's are,” said Griffith.

It isn't clear what the next steps for a possible annexation are, but Hall said it starts with having open conversations and coming together. 

"Until people who are not affected by poverty get involved and say 'no more', poverty will never go away," said Hall. "Until we change that mentality, we will always stay enslaved."