Soul of the Coast

As Black History Month wraps up, we present to you our fourth and final installment of ‘Soul of the Coast.’

- final installment of soul of th- coast.- this week news 25's victoria- bailey spends time with a - gulfport native, making waves o- the coast with her many - achievements and plans to unite- communities.- - unlike the 50's and 60's, - growing - up on the mississippi gulf coas- during the 70's and 80's was a- - - - slight improvement for people o- color but not a time- without it's issues.- "there were times when my - successes were diminished by th- fact that people- relegated it to race relations- and certainly i felt- - - - discriminated against then,"- this is angie juzang.

- "i went to st.

James and st.- john private schools.

They were- catholic schools and i- - - - had a lot of friends and i made- a lot of successes during that- time.

I was with the- cheer leading - squad.

I was in service clubs,- editor of the yearbook, - homecoming made,- - - - student body president and in - student government for a long - time."- but being the only black person- from 1st to 12th grade, - with the exception of one year,- she says was quite the- experience.

- " when i was promoted to captai- of the cheer leading team in th- 4th grade - - - - a young lady who lost out to me- said i only got it because i wa- black.

There was a- time when i was the homecoming- maid- and after homecoming everybody- went to a well known facility o- the coast and many of - the children who's parent were- members stopped me at the door- and said you- couldn't come in- because black people aren't - welcome."

- juzang graduated high school in- 1989 and was- - - - accepted to georgia state - university.

- "my experiences were extremely- different, just growing up- catholic, i was - - - - introduced to a lot of other- religions, i was introduced to - lot of other ethnicities and it- was amazing - how the entire community came - together to celebrate each- other.

So martin- luther king celebration wasn't- just a day of african-americans- getting - together and doing celebrations- it was the entire community - black, white, jewish, native- americans, latino - americans and hispanics"- - - - throughout her life, juzang had- major role modles to- follow.

- "you know when you're growing u- you don't know that your father- or my mother in - - - - this case as well our civil - rights leaders speaking out - giving opinions and fighting- for things- like head start and initiatives- like that because they're your- parents.

It was only- until i went to college and the- really understood the dynamic o- race- - - - relations that i understood - how significant his contributio- was to the mississippi gulf - coast and throughout the- country.

I think that the one - thing i learned from him the- most is that while he - embraced- historically black organization- schools fraternity starting the- naacp on the coast, - it was equally as important to- him to have a seat at the table- where we were - not represented"- and in 2013 the legacy business- - - - league was born.

"i established- a networking group for- african-american professionals- several - years ago and black business- owner so we can get together an- share information and - - - - to make sure we're- filling the gap where we- understand opportunities to be- at the table and sometimes we - otherwise wouldn't have that- access if we weren't in the roo- together sharing information.

- to make sure that the outside - world who has this perception o- what mississippi looks like,- understands that we can be- diverse we can be inclusive.so- that people outside - this community when they're - doing their research to - determine if they want to live- here they can see a concerted - effort to make sure that we do- - - - have initiatives" current juzan- is director of marketing and- communications- at memorial hospital at gulfpor- and the first african - - - - american incoming president of- the local - nonprofit organization.

- things she says her dad,- prolific civil rights leader- gilbert - mason, would be very proud of.- "i'm really proud to be in the- healthcare industry because he- actually wanted me to - do something in medicine.

I too- off wanting to be in law.

I - - - - majored in international affair- and women's studies but found m- niche in marketing and happy to- work for one of the - largest healthcare systems on - the mississippi gulf coast i- think he would like - that."- as years continue to pile up- between the civil rights era- and the newest generation,- juzang says it's the older- generations responsibility to - make sure the struggle is - never forgotten.- "there were people who were - systematically oppressed.

They- - - - weren't just disenfranchise the- were dehumanized it was illegal- to teach- people how to read and write an- to- - - - be able to rise from that - adversity comes power and - strength and to understand that- you come from a culture of- people who can overcome a - - - - country where laws were put in- place to keep you in a position- that was less than.

We can stil- educate and and then- ask them to empower themselves- to make sure there are owning - their own businesses- that- they're learning the history or- not kind of relegating it too - well everybody has the- opportunity to do it now- everything is equal.

Everything- is not quite equitable and we - have to