Events and Training

The Community Affairs Department participates in many outreach events throughout the year. The events range from large, public gatherings to small workshops which are designed to further our purpose and mission in eradicating illegal discrimination in the community. In order to fulfill this mission, the Community Affairs Department is committed to providing the public with information about their rights and responsibilities as current and prospective:

Our department is also committed to working with the youth in our community and providing them with education to become responsible and aware adults.            

           

Co-Sponsored Events - The Department of Community Affairs provides guidance to event co-sponsors regarding applicable accessibility laws to help ensure that these events are accessible. Co-sponsors are also required to submit an accessibility checklist and application prior to all co-sponsored events. Please click here to download the guide and application. For a list of upcoming events in the City, please click here.

  

Past Events:

Fair Housing Training, April 27, 2007 - Over 200 people attended the 2007 training held at the Largo Cultural Center. The program was sponsored by the Tampa Bay Fair Housing Consortium and featured a fair housing presentation by David Baade from Fair Housing Continuum, and a special luncheon keynote presentation by Karen Jackson Sims, field office director, Tampa HUD Office.

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – This day is observed annually on March 21. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid "pass laws". Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the United Nations General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination. In Pinellas County, we are planning a special event to commemorate the events of 1960 and to raise the awareness of the impact of racial discrimination in our community and our world.  This event will be held on March 21, 2007 from 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM at Eckerd College. More information and a registration form will be posted on the Web site soon.

Emergency Responders and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community: Taking the First Steps to Disaster Preparedness is the first awareness-level course in the DHS catalog that brings emergency responders together with people who are deaf, deaf-blind, late deafened or hard of hearing. This event was held at the Enoch Davis Center on December 8, 2006.

 

Race Equality Week was celebrated to promote racial equality and justice as a fundamental quality of a diverse and healthy community. Several activities were held the week of September 25 – 30, 2006 such as a BBQ cook-off, community art project, art display in City Hall and a Mayoral and Council joint proclamation.

 

The Community Affairs Department participated in the Tampa Bay Fair Housing Partnership that presented Fair Housing Training in April 2006. This event and group was presented with a “Best Practice Award for Ensuring Equal Opportunity in Housing” by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Tampa Field Office. The event drew nearly 150 people in attendance with another 90 people participating via live Web cast.

 

Accessibility Training - The Community Affairs Department and CAPI have hosted several training sessions for CAPI members and city employees related to disability laws and accessibility. Some of these events have included experiential training to demonstrate how barriers affect a person’s access to services and facilities.

 

If you would like to request training from our Department please contact us at 727-893-7345. Some groups that have benefited from our training include employers, housing/property and neighborhood associations, business owners, property owners, realtors, students and more.

 

Brochures and Pamphlets

Our department prints information to educate people about their rights and responsibilities related to illegal discrimination. These brochures can be found in City facilities and in public places around the City. In addition, we have plenty of educational resources available in our office for reference. Our Web site also includes information about agencies and resources that have a wealth of information about these topics on our FAQs and Resources Page.

 

If you need any communication accommodation related to our resources, please contact our office at 727-893-7345 or 727-892-5259 (TDD/TTY) to request materials in a different format.

 

Special Needs/Accommodations

Our events are intended to provide equal opportunity for enjoyment to all participants. If you would like to request any particular aids or services pursuant to disability laws, please contact the Community Affairs Department at 727-893-7345 or 727-892-5259 (TDD/TTY).