Mark Sharpe is Executive Director and Chief Potential Officer for the Tampa Innovation Partnership
The COVID Crisis, poorly considered lockdowns and now righteous anger over the killing of George Floyd have laid bare the underbelly of America. No, I am not in any way justifying the violent elements of otherwise understandable anger, but I am making the case that America must address the social and economic inequity which has plagued our nation since its birth. Our poorest communities are like dry timber vulnerable to any spark that might create a destructive wildfire. Lack of public healthcare, adequate infrastructure, or sustainable income have combined to create an environment which makes our poorest the most vulnerable to disease and economic downturn. It does not need to be this way.
America is the greatest hope for freedom and economic opportunity in the world, yet we have allowed generational poverty and deprivation to hold down segments of our society which have suffered incalculable injustice and discrimination.
This is why I am so inspired by the progress made by Uptown and the opportunity we have today to create a new world for citizens who have yet to participate in the economic miracle that has lifted so many out of meager subsistence.
Uptown is the alignment of community energy and focused resources for the express purpose of creating equitable economic growth. The Tampa Innovation Partnership has committed to an unprecedented partnership with the Uptown residents for the express purpose of creating what President Reagan called “a city on a hill; a beacon of hope for all mankind.”
I am certain that America’s greatest days are ahead of us. We have faced great trials before and will successfully manage our current challenges. Physics teaches us that pressure creates diamonds and that stress can make us stronger. We will weather this series of storms and come out better and stronger, yet this is not enough. To make the suffering of those before us, like Mr. Floyd meaningful, we must cross the chasm, to a place where everyone excels. This my friends is Uptown. Join us.
Hello. The work that you are doing is exactly what is needed. Your leadership has always made a great difference. I worked for you when you were the Chair of Tampa Bay Water. You represented the agency well during our federal trips to DC. I retired from the agency in 2015. So if I can ever be of volunteer assistance to you in any federal outreach or funding efforts,please let me know. I am unable to travel due to the coronavirus but would be happy to help from home and could help with outreach efforts in the future. Thank you for the great work.
Thank you for addressing the frustrations of those in my community Mr. Sharpe! The first step to healing is acknowledgement. What angers and frustrates the most is the lack of acknowledgement and care. Again thank you.
Nice response, Mark! Great job.
Do we know what is driving the high rates of Covid-19 infection in the area around the Mall?
We’re sorry for taking so long to respond to your question. Generally, household income and access to personal vehicles in the area are much lower than the county as a whole. Household income has been shown to be a correlating factor in higher COVID-19 rates as well as several other health challenges. Another potential factor: residents in the area might be more likely to be working in jobs that expose them more to the risk of contracting the virus compared to other areas where residents may be more likely to work in roles that allow them to work from home. As the experts have time to dig further into the data, we’ll wait to see if there are any other factors identified.