HALLANDALE – The Hallandale Beach Magnet High School PTA in collaboration with FLASC (Florida Africana Studies Consortium), and The John Hardwick Foundation Inc. will be hosting the 1st annual John Hardwick Lecture Series on Saturday February 23, 2013 from 5-7 p.m. in the auditorium located at 720 NW 9th Ave. Hallandale Beach, Florida.
The event will be an opportunity for both the young and the old to get an insight into the life of ‘Sir’ John Hardwick as he was commonly called.
John Hardwick was a young entrepreneur and community activist who dedicated his entire life to the NW corridor of Hallandale Beach. Hardwick was instrumental in changing the name of the area to the Palms of Hallandale, and sat on many board and committees to improve the lifestyles of the community that he dearly loved. Fighting in the trenches day and night, he neglected his health and died of a stroke in May 2011 at the young age of 41. At the time of his death he was working with FLASC and other groups on several community projects and events; one of which was a Caribbean Book Fair.
John received his education at Hallandale Beach High School, and graduated in 1988 as the President of the Senior Class; he was proud to be a Hallandale High Charger. John had a compassion for cutting hair, and pursued his education in barbering. He subsequently opened his own barbershop, Top Shops on Foster Road.
Hardwick was inspired to help young adults develop business management skills under the name of Crab Wear, was involved in the Broward County Coalition for the Homeless, and the Coalition to reduce HIV in Broward County’s Minority Community. In 2008 John received a Small Business Person of The Year nominee. He also became a part of Lambda Kappa Nu Honorary Service Club, Inc., and sat on the Hallandale Beach Chamber of Commerce, and the Tourism Board to name a few.
“It will be a great opportunity for the community to understand his vision for the community and how it can be lived out.” says Babacar M’Bow a member of FLASC. “John was a trench worker who never gave up on his vision.”
For more information contact Babacar M’Bow at (954) 338-8670.
