59th Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa, Florida

7/11/2019

Mayor Jane Castor

c/o Office of The Mayor

City of Tampa

306 E. Jackson Street

Tampa, FL  33602

Dear Mayor Castor,

My name is Matt Winick from Ann Arbor, Michigan and I have a strong interest in learning history including social justice. In these subjects, I like to learn the need to make civil rights stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution, have criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others.  Mayor Castor, the main reason I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work when you served as Chief of Tampa Police Department and as current 59^th Mayor of Tampa Florida to be very inspiring to me.

When you served as Police Chief of Tampa Police Department from 2009-2015, I liked on how you were a strong supporter of civil rights by advocating for people with disabilities’ rights, expand units to help combat against hate-crime to help protect minorities including people who are different, and express the need for the police department to reduce racial profiling to help protect minorities including immigrants form being oppressed.  Supporting drug treatment programs to help drug-users get the care they need to reduce drug-abuse, working with law enforcement to expand resources to help victims of domestic violence or victims of crime get help on dealing with their trauma, and expressing the need for more funds for DNA testing including forensic science to help solve cases efficiently while reduce sending an innocent person to jail is common sense for criminal justice reform. Another thing that I liked about your work when you served as Police Chief of Tampa Police Department I liked on how you supported community policing to help law enforcement officers engage with the community to reduce tensions between law enforcement and the community,  push for more training services to help prepare or teach law enforcement officers to handle different situations in a non-violent way, and increase hiring women, minorities, and people with disabilities to work for the police department.  In May 2019, I was amazed on how you made history on becoming the first LGBTQ to become Mayor of Tampa, Florida. In your current role as Mayor of Tampa, Florida, I truly appreciated on how you are a strong supporter of civil rights by continuing to advocate for people with disabilities’ rights, working with city council to expand laws to combat against hate-crime to help protect minorities including people who are different, and funding women including minorities businesses to help compete in the economy. Funding renewable energy resources to help reduce addiction to oil with gas, encouraging industries including businesses to use energy efficient products to help reduce high energy cost while reduce pollution, and pushing to improve city services to help clean parks including water resources to make them safe for people to use is common sense to protect the environment.   I like your approach to improve education like funding special education to help students with disabilities get accommodations they need to learn, implementing literacy programs to help people or youth improve on their comprehension,  and pushing for after school programs for youth to get help on their assignments from tutors are great ways to improve on education reform.  Another thing that I like about your work as Mayor of Tampa, Florida is how you work on providing funds to help restore and preserve historical sites including attractions and advocate for criminal justice reform.

Mayor Catsor, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advance subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased. Your commitment to be a strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability.  Also I have enjoyed visiting Tampa, Florida many times to see Ybor City where I enjoyed learning about the history of  how Cubans came to Florida,  walk on the Tampa River Walk to see some of the history of Tampa, and many others.  Your role as former police chief of Tampa Police Department and as current Mayor of Tampa gives me motivation to continue to learn history including social justice.  My future goal is to someday work in these areas to help emphasize the need to make civil rights stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution, and many others.

I strongly believe that you are making a great difference in public service.  I’m amazed that you made history on becoming the first LQBT to become Mayor of Tampa, Florida. I’m also proud on how you are working hard to support civil rights, protect the environment, push for criminal justice reform, and many others.  You have inspired me to work hard on my disability, be motivated to continue to learn history including social justice, and continue to visit Tampa, Florida. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, working hard to make a great difference, and inspiring me.  I wish you the best to continue to make a great difference. 

Sincerely,

Matt Winick