Legends and Legacy Community Award

 

Brooks was drafted in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he played his entire 14-season professional career. The 11-time Pro Bowl selection, nine-time All-Pro and 2002 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year is widely considered one of the best linebackers in NFL history. He also earned a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers and is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Before the NFL, Brooks played at Florida State, where he was a three-time first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection, a two-time first-team consensus All-American and a member of the 1993 Seminoles national championship team.

He is the founder of Derrick Brooks Charities and has been recognized numerous times for his community endeavors. He has been the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, the Bart Starr Award, the Byron “Whizzer” White Award and the JB Award through the NFL Players Association. In the Tampa community, Brooks has received the Citizen of the Year award from the Tampa Sports Club, the Lee Roy Selmon Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tampa Sports Commission, a Community Hero Award from the Tampa Bay Lightning, a Community Champion Award from the Boys and Girls Clubs, and a WrestleMania 37 Community Champion Award.

In 2024, Brooks was awarded the keys to the city in his hometown, Pensacola, Florida, with Jan. 13 being declared Derrick Brooks Day. Currently, he is executive vice president of corporate and community development for Vinik Sports Group.

 

 

 

Bullard’s life story redefines resilience, generosity and the power of community. Known globally as WWE legend Titus O’Neil, Bullard entered this world under circumstances that would have defeated most. Born and raised in poverty, he faced ridicule as a child and was told he would not live to see 16.

With the support of teachers, mentors and a community that chose to believe in him, he transformed his life. A standout high school football recruit, he graduated from Florida and went on to achieve international fame as a WWE superstar and global ambassador. Yet his most profound victories happened outside the ring. In 2018, Bullard founded the Bullard Family Foundation to help change the generational narrative of underserved communities, just as others had done for him. He has also raised money for scholarships and for nonprofit organizations such as United Way, Susan G. Komen and the Special Olympics.

Through his credo, “exposure leads to expansion,” he has opened doors of opportunity for countless children, creating a legacy rooted in love, service and empowerment. He has earned widespread recognition for his work, from being named a two-time finalist for the ESPN Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award to being featured on the Ebony Power 100 list. In 2023, he was named Philanthropist of the Year by Tampa Bay Business & Wealth. His impact is felt not only in the Tampa Bay area but across the world. Bullard’s greatest life title, however, is that of a proud father to three beautiful children — TJ, Titus and Leah. A Mega Dad of the Year honoree, he celebrates fatherhood in his second book, “Wrestling With Fatherhood — My Championship Journey to My Greatest Title: Dad.” Bullard leads a life of service and believes in the power of one moment to change a life.

 

 

 

Castor, the 59th mayor of the city of Tampa, embodies a legacy of dedicated service and unwavering commitment to her hometown. A lifelong Tampa resident, she graduated from Chamberlain High School and the University of Tampa, where she was a basketball and volleyball scholarship recipient and Hall of Famer.

Her journey in public service began as an officer for the Tampa Police Department. She eventually rose through the ranks to become Tampa’s first female chief of police in 2009. She served six years as chief, pursuing progressive law enforcement strategies, reorganizing the department and reducing major crimes by 70% citywide. In 2019, Tampa residents elected her as mayor, and she immediately spearheaded ambitious initiatives through the establishment of the Transforming Tampa’s Tomorrow advisory teams. These teams created road maps to address the city’s most pressing issues, including transportation, affordable housing, workforce development, resident services, and sustainability and resilience. 

Castor’s administration is implementing the city’s most ambitious infrastructure initiative in generations, undertaking the challenge of rebuilding Tampa’s aging water and wastewater systems. The Progressive Infrastructure Plan to Ensure Sustainability, a pioneering $3 billion program known as PIPES, underscores her unwavering commitment to enhancing Tampa’s essential infrastructure.

Castor’s tenure has been marked by significant accomplishments, including securing more than $90 million in federal and state funding for vital transportation and mobility enhancements. Furthermore, her administration has established Tampa’s inaugural sustainability and resilience officer position and the first Climate Action and Equity Plan for the city, demonstrating a proactive approach to environmental stewardship.

Overwhelmingly reelected in 2023, Castor remains resolute in her mission to transform Tampa’s tomorrow, placing an emphasis on improving residents’ quality of life through the enrichment of city parks and the celebration of art. She is often seen around town with beloved office dog Alcaldesa, which means mayor in Spanish. Beyond her mayoral duties, Castor is a proud Seminole Heights resident who enjoys spending time with her family, fishing and cheering on Tampa Bay sports teams.

 

 

 

Myers is a native and lifelong resident of Hillsborough County. She was elected to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners in November 2020 and represents District 3. She currently serves as the chaplain of the board and has long been an advocate for improving transportation, affordable housing and health care in the county. Myers also has championed the county’s construction of an African American Arts and Cultural Center.

In addition to her duties as a county commissioner, she chairs the Affordable Housing Advisory Board, the Environmental Protection Commission, the Hillsborough/Pinellas Workforce Development Consortium and the Transportation Disadvantaged Coordinating Board. She also serves on the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County, the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County, the Florida State Fair Authority, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority Board and the Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization Board. The civic activist was also a member of Mayor Jane Castor’s African American Advisory Council, the Hillsborough County Health Care Advisory Board and the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, among others. Myers uses the theme “It’s About the People.” She is an advocate for individuals in her community, presenting awards and commendations to residents in the county for their unwavering commitment to the area. Myers is a Florida A&M graduate. She was honored last year by the school’s National Alumni Association at its annual convention. The honor celebrated alumni who represent success in business, education, health care, public service and community service.

 

 

 

Sparks-McGlinchy was a member of the South Florida athletics department for 26 years, where her responsibilities evolved from business manager when she began at the school to senior associate athletics director when she retired.

She managed several internal departments and had administrative supervision of nine of the athletics teams at South Florida. She also served as the school’s senior woman administrator, with oversight for Title IX compliance.

Sparks-McGlinchy created community involvement opportunities for South Florida student-athletes, which included playing adaptive sports with the patients at Shriners Children’s Hospital. Additionally, she provided leadership on several committees, including the NCAA’s Business/Finance Cabinet, as a member of its Marketing Committee. She also served on the Strategic Planning Committee for Conference USA and was chair of the Conference USA Senior Woman Administrators. When South Florida joined the Big East Conference, she served on the Championships and Competitions Committee and the Men’s Soccer Committee. For 16 years, she represented South Florida on the State of Florida Council on Equity in Athletics, chairing the Finance Committee. After a year of retirement, she returned to the workforce as the executive director for the Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce.

Sparks-McGlinchy credits her parents as her role models when it comes to community involvement. The South Florida alum remains active, serving on the boards of the university’s Women in Leadership and Philanthropy, where she mentors students; the Sports Club of Tampa Bay, where she was the first female president; and the St. Vincent de Paul Joe Latina Center, where the pantry provides food to an average of 100 families per week.