November Featured Spotlight
The purpose of the “Southern Culture, Southern Charm” segment is to feature an artist, activists, or someone pushing our culture forward through acts of service. These are people that I consider my friend/family or admire, so why not highlight their work. I want to display the local talent of Black LGBTQ and Allies. I have noticed that there is a multitude of artists/creatives that are doing fantastic work. Unfortunately, most of society’s focus tends to be on celebrities or gossip. We are here to change the narrative one blog post at a time.
Today, we spotlight someone that is making incredible changes to his community through advocacy, food, and grassroots campaigning for change. I have known Tyron “Ty” Hanna for about five or so years, and every time we get together, he inspires me to push forward. As I dreamed about opening a business or starting my blog, I reached out to him for advice. Being a black business owner can be difficult, and being gay on top of that can lead to treacherous waters. I struggled to find my audience and worried too much about who would be comfortable displaying my true self. Fortunately, I had Ty as my encourager, friend, and confidant that has had multiple businesses and runs a nonprofit. He deserves this spotlight on the “Southern Culture, Southern Charm” segment.
Read below a little more about Tyron Hanna.
Born December 3rd, 1978, Tyron Hanna grew up in Belle Glades, affectionally known as “Muck City.” Tyron was very active during his time in grade school and even participated in the marching band, in which he became a drum major during his senior year of high school. Tyron graduated from Glades Central Community High School then began his passion for servant leadership and community development. His goal is to bring awareness to the needs of Western Palm Beach County.
Mr. Tyron Hanna, Founder and Board Chairman of Thrive for a Change of the Palm Beaches, is a civil rights advocate for people who have “paid their debt to society” and strives to become a model and productive citizen. Through his organization, those individuals are granted an opportunity to start over and provide valuable services like job placement, career development, and essential living skills.
Tyron’s passion stems from his dearly departed mother, which she instilled in him “always to believe that people from all walks deserve a second chance.” Through Thrive for a Change, he can live out his mission to change a person’s financial situation and path in life.
In Tyron’s professional career, he has held many positions and even owned several operated businesses. One business, in particular, was his Salon and Barbershop in which he owned and operated. Being a Licensed Nail Technician himself, Tyron understood the needs and wants of our community extended through our ability to be confident. The industry has taught him that feeling beautiful elevates your confidence and improves your perception of yourself.
During his time as a Beauty Shop operator, he had a host of interactions with the youth that fell into the trap of the justice system. He became a mentor to those kids and assisted them in overcoming being incarcerated. With the multitude of issues in the jail complex industry, Ty decided to redirect his attention to the criminal justice sector by obtaining a B.S. in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Juvenile rehabilitation from the University of Colorado. After receiving his degree, he worked for the County, State, and Federal levels of the criminal justices department as a program specialist. This positive entailed assisting intimates in obtaining real-life experiences and professional developments while serving time. Unfortunately, due to the recession, the government cut funding, eliminating his position. The loss of his mother to breast cancer and unemployment motivated him to start his organization in which he can provide the same services to individuals transitioning from the criminal justice system back to society. These setbacks spurred the founding of Thrive for a Change of the Palm Beaches, Inc. in February 2015. The key tenements were providing change and the ability that everyone deserves a second chance to become productive citizens. Tyron Hanna, Founder, and CEO pledged that this organization would be the premier nonprofit within Palm Beach County and Beyond to assist families and communities that cannot make it on their own. In his courageous efforts, Tyron Hanna submitted a bid to run for County Commissioner; his platform was to apply the same mission-minded ideals that Thrive has for all of the citizens of Palm Beach County and beyond. Although he was unable to secure the ballot, this didn’t stop him from providing services in many capacities to the citizens of Palm Beach County. Whether it is opening a school in Western Palm Beach County, providing senior citizens with meals during the holidays, or providing transitional services to ex-felons, Tyron’s goal and mission are always to bring about CHANGE.
Tyron currently owns and operates Thrive for a Change of the Palm Beaches, Inc. Hanna and Jackson Catering, Hanna and Hanna Enterprises, CEO of T & B Transportation, and sits on many boards of various nonprofit organizations. Tyron’s life works about change, and he continues to be an avid leader in the community and beyond.
Social Media:
Facebook: Thrive for A Change of The Palm Beach, Inc.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveforachangeinc/
Contact: Tyron Hanna
If you would like to be featured in next month’s Southern Culture, Southern Charm feature of the month, please contact southerncoopert@gmail.com.
Thomas “Tommy” Cooper is the founder of Southerncooper.com. He enjoys traveling, cooking, meditation, hiking all things southern, and family/friends. Follow him on instagram- southern_cooper and duragmeditation. Like, subscribe and share southerncooper.com
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