Rep. Corrine Brown: “as African-Americans, we have known for quite some time that our professional and personal achievements would come…”

“as African-Americans, we have known for quite some time that our professional and personal achievements would come through business ownership and participation in the economy. `The path towards empowerment' has been a struggle, but we are seeing the rewards. The `path toward empowerment' begins with a sound education and personal commitment. With these key ingredients, our young men and women can achieve their goals and make a difference in the areas of science, business, finance, and education. I am pleased to recognize Bethune Cookman College as a school in my district that is building a state of the art hospitality center for minorities. I have testified for several years to get funding for the Mary McLeod Bethune Fine Arts/Hospitality Training Center, which will create an economic stimulus from Jacksonville to Orlando. The Center will train minorities for management and leadership positions in Florida's tourism industry. Historically, African-Americans have been limited to non-management positions in the tourism industry. This complex once finished will provide hands-on hospitality management training for careers in the hotel, restaurant, tourism, business travel, conference and convention industries. The center will not just be a complex of classrooms and training facilities--it will be a tribute to one of America's foremost champions of civil rights and public education for African-Americans.”