Stark Reminder About The Threat of Human Trafficking

The Light Up The Night event at the Shops at Wiregrass concluded with a candlelight

It seemed fitting that a classic Florida sunset — vibrant slashes of pink, purple and orange — marked the beginning of Light Up The Night, an annual event created to raise education and awareness about human trafficking,

The free event, held right around sunset on Feb. 1 on the upper level parking garage at The Shops at Wiregrass by the Pasco County-based Human Trafficking Foundation (HTF), featured musical performances, local vendors, refreshments, activities for children and teenagers, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Mounted Posse on horseback.

Also appearing were survivors of human trafficking, including Edie Rhea, who told those in attendance that she was sexually abused and trafficked from age 8-17 by her mother’s boyfriend, after he convinced her mother to move to Tampa from their hometown of Baltimore, MD. 

“Moving us was very smart on his part, because it got us completely away from all our friends and family,” said Rhea, 51, who now lives in North Tampa and serves as Executive Director of Healing Root Ministry, a faith-based nonprofit that assists female trafficking victims over the age of 18 with housing, life skills training and obtaining GEDs.

Rhea, who at age 12 was impregnated and then forced into having an abortion by a man who had purchased her, found herself on the street at 17 with no education or basic skills after her mother had kicked out her and her trafficker.

She met up with a man named David, who used to buy drugs from her mother, and the two began a relationship. 

Today, 34 years later, they are happily married with five children, three adults and two under the age of ten they recently adopted.

“When we were first married, I had lots of affairs, because I really believed that every time a man spoke to me, I had to have sex with him,” said Rhea. 

A few years ago, Rhea met up with her former trafficker. They prayed together and she said she forgave him. Weeks later, he passed away, and the experience inspired Rhea to form Healing Root Ministry, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, faith-based organization that provides shelter for those who were once enslaved, as well as “hope, help and healing,” according to its mission statement.H

Several organizations, including Healing Root, received beneficiary funds from HTF at the event.

“The whole idea of Light Up The Night was simply that this is such a dark crime,” said Cpl. Alan Wilkett, HTF chairman and commander of the Pasco County Human Trafficking Task Force. 

“This criminal activity is probably the darkest crime that I’ve ever investigated,” said Wilkett, 58, who has been in law enforcement for 27 years, “and I’ve had the opportunity to investigate just about everything you can imagine.”

Wilkett described human trafficking as a “relatively young crime,” pointing out that there was no official charge against it for victims like Rhea until the year 2000, when Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. 

“Some of the cases we’ve seen over the years, and especially having children myself, have been very impactful on me,” Cpl. Wilkett said. “It’s a broad, encompassing crime that directly affects the fabric of who we are.”

Cpl. Alan Wilkett, HTF chairman and commander of the Pasco County Human Trafficking Task Force, with human trafficking victim Edie Rhea.

Indeed, said both Wilkett and Rhea, human trafficking is a much more widespread issue today then ever before. 

According to HTF, it is the second-largest criminal enterprise in the world, behind drug trafficking, with an estimated 40.3 million current victims worldwide. 

Between 15,000-18,000 are trafficked annually into the U.S. alone, and Florida currently ranks third in the nation for calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

The Tampa Bay area, says the foundation, is usually in the top three cities in the state for trafficking.

In 2017, Pasco County became the first “Trafficking-Free Zone” in the country. This distinction, given by the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, intends to send a message to traffickers that they are being watched, thereby reducing the demand for their victims.

“A lot of people believe that this only happens overseas, but it’s also happening here, now, in our own backyard,” said Rhea, who spends 65 hours every week running Healing Root pro-bono.

Even as the temperature dropped into the low 50s with chilly winds at the event at the Shops, attendees talked with vendors, pledged donations, and enjoyed hot cocoa, popcorn and cotton candy to the backdrop of performances from the Northwest Community Church band and Vessels 360, a Christian-based dance team from Hernando High.

Vessels 360 performed a visceral interpretation of human trafficking, prompting tears from many in the audience, before Cpl. Wilkett handed out checks ranging from $2,000-$5,000 to various organizations who help trafficking victims.

The evening came to a close with a candlelight vigil (photo on previous page) led by Cpl. Wilkett, honoring survivors and offering prayers for current victims. Those without their own battery-operated votive candles thrust their phones in the air, having downloaded candle apps for the occasion.

“”The strongest thing you can do against hate is bring love,” said Cpl. Wilkett as attendees circled the stage. “And the strongest thing you can do against darkness is bring in the light.”

For more information about Light Up The Night or to donate or volunteer, go to HTFoundation.us. For more information about Healing Root Ministry, go to HealingMinistry.com. If you suspect human trafficking or are or have been a victim yourself, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888.

Sports Campus Has ‘Wow’ Factor!

In the past, Wiregrass Ranch developer JD Porter had been so frustrated by the failures of Pasco County to figure out what to do with the 80 acres of land of S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel donated by his family that he quipped they might just take it back.

However, these days, Porter is all smiles.

He was among a group of local dignitaries and media on Jan. 28 invited to tour that 80 acres of land, or more specifically, the still-under-construction $44-million Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County that now stands tall upon it.

“It’s really good to see it actually come to fruition and come out of the ground,” said Porter, who has championed some kind of athletic facility on the property for nearly two decades. “Sometimes, patience is required.”

While the indoor/outdoor sports complex won’t be completed until July, it is beginning to take shape. With a little imagination, you could almost hear the squeaking of shoes and swishing of basketball nets as Ajax Building Corp. project manager Marshall Quarles led a dozen or so media members through the massive, 98,000-sq.-ft. structure.

Although he sees the facility quite frequently, Richard Blalock, the CEO/founder of RADD Sports, said it never gets old to him.

“I couldn’t sleep last night,” said Blalock, whose private company is managing the complex, which is a private-public partnership with Pasco.

RADD Sports CEO Richard Blalock, Pasco County tourism director Adam Thomas, District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore and RADD Sports marketing director Jannah Nager unveil the new logo for the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County on Jan. 28, prior to giving the first-ever hard-hat tours of the new sports facility to local media and VIPs.

RADD Sports beat out three other companies in 2016 for the right to develop the property, ending years of frustration.

However, what was originally earmarked to be a national tennis center back in 2001, and after that, a failed attempt headed up by former Major League Baseball star Gary Sheffield to build 19 baseball fields with on-site dormitories in 2015, is now just months away from opening as potentially the premier sports complex in Florida.

The state-of-the-art indoor sports facility primarily will be home to basketball (the building can be configured as eight regulation-sized courts), volleyball (up to 16 courts) and cheerleading, although Blalock says it can be configured to accommodate as many as 14 different sports.

The building also will house a large fitness area, kitchen, concession stand and various meeting and training rooms.

To the left (and south) of the main entrance into the indoor facility will be two outdoor soccer fields, and there also is room for an open-air amphitheater, playgrounds and can host concerts and other outdoor events.

As part of the project, Mainsail Development Group, Inc. will build a four-story, 128-room Residence Inn by Marriott just a few feet from the sports campus’ main entrance, according to site plans filed with the county on Jan. 22.

Another hotel, a Fairfield Inn, opened on adjacent Wiregrass Ranch property in 2018 and is within walking distance of the facility.

The sports campus is expected to be a huge boon for Pasco’s growing sports tourism, which was re-branded as the “Florida Sports Coast” last year.

Adam Thomas, the county’s tourism director, said that Pasco drew more than one million tourists last year, and 87 percent indicated they would return for future vacations.

Thomas also said he believed that once the facility has been completed, people will be lining up from all over the country to get their youth sporting events hosted there. The campus is scheduled to host a volleyball tournament in September to kick things off, with a half-dozen more tournaments already on the schedule.

“The wow factor is definitely there when you walk in,” Thomas said. “It’s not even done, and you can see the magnitude of this facility.”

The $17-billion youth sports market in the U.S. continues to grow, and the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County is poised to grab its share of that market on the weekends. However,  Blalock also said that the local community will also be served by the facility, especially during the week.

“We’re excited to have it open at 6 a.m. with local seniors, all the way to 10 p.m. with the kids, and then the weekends (with youth sports events),” Blalock says. “We’re excited about all of it.”

Blalock, the former recreation director for the city of Newberry, FL, said this is the biggest project RADD Sports has tackled. He also said that architects and engineers developed a facility in Alachua where the basic design is similar, but the Wiregrass Ranch campus is almost three-times larger. In fact, he hopes the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County will become the model for future projects, and he envisions building four more in Florida.

“This is the prototype,” he said. “We hope these plans can go on the shelf (when we’re done) and we can just pull them and keep going.”

From tennis courts to baseball diamonds to basketball, volleyball and cheerleading, the journey has been a long one. Porter, however, says it couldn’t have ended any better. He looks forward to seeing how the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County impacts the area, and is glad the final product didn’t just focus on singular sports, like the previous tennis and baseball projects, but rather became a facility that offers something for everyone.

“It’s probably one of the most rewarding projects to come out of the ground here,” Porter said. “We took this project and said, ‘Hey, how can we retool this to make it benefit everybody?’ We came back (with something) that is probably much better than what anyone envisioned 10-15 years ago.”

For sponsorship and other information about the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, email Jannah@RADDSports.com or visit RADDSports.com.

SILVA AND GOLD

Camille Albrecht, who teaches synchronized swimming at the New Tampa YMCA, embraces her former student Juliana Silva.

When Juliana Silva’s family first moved to New Tampa, she didn’t speak a word of English; all she understood was her love of the water. 

“I’ve been in a pool since I was four,” says Juliana, now 17 and a former student at Benito Middle School and both Wharton and Wiregrass Ranch high schools.

Currently, Juliana lives in Moraga, CA, just outside of San Francisco, where she trains full-time with the U.S. Junior National Synchronized Swim Team.

After nine years on the Tampa YMCA Stingrays (TYS) competitive “synchro” team at the New Tampa facility, Juliana has her sights set on the ultimate prize: a 2024 Olympic gold medal.

“Juliana came to the Stingrays as an eager-to-learn, naturally athletic eight-year-old,” says TYS Head Coach Camille Albrecht, 30, who has sent several students to the national team. 

Since Juliana didn’t understand English at the time, Albrecht would use hand motions to demonstrate the correct techniques. 

“She picked up all the synchro words and English very quickly,” said Albrecht, who described Juliana as a “joy to coach, always cheering everyone else on.” 

Although Juliana was born in Indianapolis, IN, her family (mother Susana Barrios, father Rafael Silva and brother Leo Silva) moved to Venezuela and Colombia shortly after, returning to the U.S. in 2011. 

“I’d always heard that Tampa was a great city,” says Susana. “Before we moved here, I visited friends who lived right across the street from Hunter’s Green, and I totally fell in love with the area.” 

Athleticism comes naturally to Juliana. Her brother, now 19, started soccer at five, and their father was a former amateur champion and professional tennis player.

All Juliana wanted to do at first was stay home, so her mother decided to get her out of the house by signing Juliana up for swim classes at the Y. 

“She looked at me on the way to that first class and said, ‘Okay Mom, I’m going to try this once, but if I don’t like it, I’m not going to do it,’” Susana says. 

A month later, Juliana  began training with Albrecht, kickstarting her dreams of Olympic gold. 

Building A Track Record Of Excellence

At age 14, Silva placed sixth in her very first Regional “zone” meet, qualifying her for the National meet. It took three attempts to make the junior national team, which she did by placing 16th in the nation. 

“Before that, I was hard on myself,” Juliana says. “I told myself I’d never make it, that this was just for fun. But making it to Nationals was an eye-opener.” 

Susana says she began saving money for the pricey gear required for her daughter’s national competitions, including single swimsuits that could cost $200 apiece. She served her daughter meals and did her laundry while Juliana powered through a grueling training schedule, before and after school and on weekends. 

“My mom supports me to the max,” Juliana says. “She’s the one who’s always pushed me to do this — the reason I joined synchro in the first place is because she was tired of me being in bed, watching Netflix and getting fat!” 

In California, Juliana trains from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. every day except Sunday and spends four hours each evening online for academic classes. 

“It’s like a robot routine,” admits Juliana, who lives with two other teammates and a host family in California. “You wake up, eat breakfast, train, shower, do homework, eat dinner and repeat. If I lay in bed in the morning and think about it too much, I won’t get up.” 

Juliana also says that if she hadn’t struggled to qualify for Nationals at first, she would never have made it this far. 

“My numbers, and knowing I could do better, motivated me,” she says. “Just wanting this won’t get you anywhere. You have to put in the action.” 

Juliana’s team will begin its Olympic training after the Junior World Championships in August, as the team members aim for Paris 2024. 

Susana, who graduated law school at 22, encouraged her daughter to pursue her Olympic dreams and return to college later, reasoning that Juliana will still be plenty young when she “retires” from competitive swimming. 

“I don’t want synchro to be my whole life, because when I retire, I want a career to back me up so I have somewhere to go,” says Juliana, a high school junior who’s interested in forensic science. 

She says she misses everything about Tampa, especially her family and friends, her own bed, and the “heat and humid air,” which she says is easier on her eczema, a skin condition that she says is aggravated by swimming in chlorinated water. 

“My kids are truly Floridians, and we all think of Tampa as home,” Susana says. “Everyone here was so supportive and friendly when we moved in; my kids were invited to sleepovers a week later.” 

Susana says that she will always be grateful for the New Tampa community and particularly the New Tampa YMCA, which twice assisted Juliana via the Y’s Open Doors sliding scale program, without which lessons would have been unaffordable for the family. 

When a spot on the national team opened up, Juliana’s family had one week to decide if she would take it. 

“I told her it was her decision, and she told me, ‘Mom, I’m ready, I’m going,’” says Susana. “When I realized she’d be in a big city without me, I struggled, and of course, I miss her. We’re very close, she’s my baby. But I’m happy.” 

Truly One Of Our Own!

Juliana says she is very excited about the possibility of one day representing New Tampa in the Olympics. 

“When I got here it was unreal; it took me a while to realize that I’m actually here, that I made it, that this is my spot,” she says. “It feels amazing to know that you have a lot of people supporting you and even looking up to you.” 

Susana says she remembers watching, along with Juliana and her grandmother, Michael Phelps’ family celebrate his victory in the 2016 Olympic Games. 

“Juliana turned to her grandmother and asked her if she was ready, and my mother asked, ‘Ready for what?’ And Juliana said, ‘That’s gonna be you, I’m gonna take you to the Olympics!’” 

“If my daughter says she’s going to the Olympics,” Susana continued, “she will be there.” 

For more information about the Tampa YMCA Stingrays, visit TampaYMCA.org or call Camille Albrecht at (813) 785-7092. 

Creative Permanent Makeup By Pam: Worry-Free Eyebrows & More

Pam Edmonson has a warm, welcoming personality that sparkles. You might say she lights up the room. Her passion really shines through when she talks about helping and serving people, especially through her career.

Pam is an experienced permanent makeup artist who owns Serenity Salon & Spa Suites, located off S.R. 54 in the Brookfield Professional Park, about a half-mile west of Morris Bridge Rd./Eiland Blvd. in Wesley Chapel. At the salon, she provides permanent makeup for eyebrows, eyelids and lips.

“It’s such a blessing to know that I’m really being helpful to people,” she says, “especially when you see that end result that makes them feel better about themselves.”

One area of specialty for Pam is helping people who have had cancer. Some come to her after they’ve lost all of their hair from chemotherapy. Others find her before they lose their hair. Pam can help to create their eyebrows in permanent makeup, following the natural hairline that already exists.

Pam says her career in permanent makeup started after many years of running a business in the manufactured housing industry. In 2009, Pam says she wanted to do something different, so she went to school to become a hair stylist.

While she enjoyed hair, Pam says she soon discovered something that interested her even more.

“I love detail,” Pam says. “As a detail person, eyebrows are what first drew me into the permanent makeup field.”

She studied permanent makeup at the Boca Ta-2 School for Permanent Makeup in Williston, FL, in 2010 and began providing permanent makeup services in Zephyrhills in 2011. She is licensed in Florida as both a cosmetologist and as a tattoo artist. 

Pam offers permanent makeup for eyebrows and lips, along with permanent eyeliner. Many of her clients who want permanent eyebrows choose a technique called microblading.

“Brows are always my favorite because of the drastic way they change how someone looks,” Pam says. “Our eyes are meant to be framed, and brows definitely complete the face. Some women look so much younger when they have them done.”

With microblading, Pam uses a small blade and ink to create individual stroke lines. She uses a pencil to draw an outline, then uses the microblade to draw each individual hair, adding a more natural look to the eyebrow.

Pam strongly recommends that anyone considering microblading “should do their homework,” explaining that some people who offer the service may only have taken a three-day class in the technique before they start working on clients. The person who will do your eyebrows should sit down with you and show you before-and-after pictures of their own work, Pam says.

Pam was trained in microblading in 2014, when the process was new. Since then, she says she has done hundreds of sets of eyebrows.

“It’s been close to 10 years since I first went to school,” says Pam. “I’ve learned so much over the years about different ways of doing things, using certain inks, learning from experience, and how everyone’s skin is so different.”

She requires a free, in-person, no-obligation consultation for all clients. Even for someone who is sure they want permanent makeup, Pam still requires a consultation, to look at each individual and their unique skin, and to help them decide which technique is right for them.

Johella Liguori is a client of Pam’s who just recently had microblading done on her eyebrows and permanent eyeliner both above and below her eyes.

“It was great,” she says. “She was very welcoming, super friendly. She’s awesome.”

Johella says she was looking for a way to simplify her daily routine, and not having to worry about eye makeup would make life easier for her.

When figuring out where to have those services done, she did her research, including spending time on Pam’s website at CreativePermanentMakeupByPam.com.

“What caught my eye is that she has tons of years of experience,” says Johella, adding that, “Pam told me from the get-go that I would have to come back for a touch up and fills. I actually came in a third time because my skin is very oily, so she wasn’t satisfied with the result. She had me come again and she didn’t charge me extra for either of the follow-ups.”

But, Johella says she has been thrilled with her results.

“I’m a dentist,” explains Johella, “and everyone notices. I’ve gotten tons of compliments from my patients and co-workers.”

She says many people ask her how much it hurts. For Johella, it wasn’t painful at all. She says Pam kept her numb so she didn’t feel anything, and she appreciated how Pam made her comfortable and ensured that she was never in pain.

Johella says her procedures were all done on Saturdays, and she was able to go right back to work two days later (on Monday). In fact, after her touch-ups, she was out that afternoon, even attending a Christmas party on the same day. She says she had no pain, no discomfort, and no redness or puffiness that would keep her from participating in normal activities.

“Let me tell you,” Johella says. “This lady, she knows her stuff. Eyebrows are her deal.”

There are many women who come to Pam wanting permanent makeup and, like Johella, leave with it, but Pam says there also are many other women who — for one reason or another — don’t.

“You always get a completely honest opinion from me,” says Pam. “It might not be what you want to hear, but I’ll tell you the truth. If somebody isn’t a good candidate, I’ll tell them.”

That might be because of issues with their skin or previous scar tissue. (In fact, Pam says some women are told they should get yearly touch-ups, but Pam recommends asking her for a more personalized recommendation, since yearly touch-ups can cause scarring, and most women don’t need touch-ups that often.)

Sometimes, Pam says she has turned some women away who already had beautiful brows and didn’t need the procedure.

“There are a lot of times that people come in for a consult and they walk out with brow powder,” laughs Pam.

Johella says that anyone considering having microblading or permanent makeup should consider Pam. 

“She’s amazing and I’m grateful,” she says. “With Pam, you really bond and she takes you in as part of her family. She’s really passionate about what she does.”

Creative Permanent Makeup by Pam is located at Serenity Salon & Spa Suites at 33913 S.R. 54, Suite 101, in Wesley Chapel. For a free consultation or more information about Pam’s permanent makeup services, visit CreativePermanentMakeupbyPam.com or call or text Pam at (813) 997-6302.

We Have You Covered: 2019 Oscar Picks

The 2020 Academy Awards will be handed out on Sunday, February 9 (on ABC-TV), and for those of us who haven’t been to see a movie since “Finding Nemo” was released in 2003 (Thanks, kids!), we have enlisted the help of local movie buff Matthew Hunter to guide us through this year’s 92nd annual event with his picks in some of the biggest categories.

Best Animated Feature Film

THE NOMINEES: “Klaus,” ”How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” “I Lost My Body,” “Missing Link” & “Toy Story 4.”

THE PICK: Nine times out of ten, Disney usually reigns supreme in this category. But, not this year. I’m picking “Klaus,” a passion project from director Sergio Pablos. His  unique origin story about Santa Claus and the Christmas holiday is great. In a world of 3D animated features, Klaus stands out from the crowd by being mostly a hand-drawn animated film. Bonus: It’s on Netflix, so you can (and should) check it out.

Best Original Song

THE NOMINEES: “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from “Rocketman” – Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Bernie Taupin; “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from “Toy Story 4” – Music & Lyrics by Randy Newman; “I’m Standing with You” from “Breakthrough” – Music & Lyrics by Diane Warren; “Into the Unknown” from “Frozen II” – Music & Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez; “Stand Up” from “Harriet” – Music & Lyrics by Joshuah Brian Campbell and Cynthia Erivo.

THE PICK: There were some pretty great films songs this year, such as the fun and jazzy “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” or the big grand ballad that was “Into the Unknown.” But I’m picking “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from “Rocketman.” The song manages to work perfectly as a catchy pop song in the context of the movie.

Best Supporting Actress

THE NOMINEES: Florence Pugh – “Little Women,” as Amy March; Kathy Bates – “Richard Jewell,” as Barbara “Bobi” Jewell; Laura Dern – “Marriage Story,” as Nora Fanshaw; Scarlett Johansson – “Jojo Rabbit,” as Rosie Betzler; Margot Robbie – “Bombshell,” as Kayla Pospisil.

THE PICK: My money is on Pugh, who is the best of the many brilliant performers in “Little Women.” Watching her evolution from selfish sister to her own person was terrific, and she probably brings the most emotion and bitterness to her performance of all the nominees.

Best Supporting Actor

Brad Pitt (Photo: Glenn Francis)

THE NOMINEES: Brad Pitt – “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” as Cliff Booth; Tom Hanks – “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” as Fred Rogers; Anthony Hopkins – “The Two Popes,” as Pope Benedict XVI; Al Pacino – “The Irishman,” as Jimmy Hoffa; Joe Pesci – “The Irishman,” as Russell Bufalino.

THE PICK: Hanks, Pacino and Pesci were all terrific, but I think Pitt picks up the award for his performance as Cliff Booth in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” What makes Pitt so great is that he is the epitome of cool, and his character is charismatic and awesome at the same time, already earning him a Screen Actors Guild award in the same category.

Best Actress

Scarlett Johansson

THE NOMINEES: Scarlett Johansson – “Marriage Story,” as Nicole Barber; Cynthia Erivo – “Harriet,” as Harriet Tubman; Saoirse Ronan – “Little Women,” as Josephine “Jo” March; Charlize Theron – “Bombshell,” as Megyn Kelly; Renée Zellweger – “Judy,” as Judy Garland.

THE PICK: While there were some great performances delivered by Ronan, Theron and Zellweger, I thought Johansson’s Nicole Barber was the best. The wife of the main character (played by Adam Driver), Johansson has the difficult task of trying to divorce him while remaining part of her son’s life. The film delves into the hardships of divorce, and Johansson puts everything into the role.

Best Actor

Joaquin Phoenix

THE NOMINEES: Joaquin Phoenix – “Joker,” as Arthur Fleck/Joker; Antonio Banderas – “Pain and Glory,” as Salvador Mallo; Leonardo DiCaprio – “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” as Rick Dalton; Adam Driver – “Marriage Story,” as Charlie Barber; Jonathan Pryce – The “Two Popes,” as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

THE PICK: Banderas was great, and Pryce was superb. However, this is a one-sided competition as far as I’m concerned, because Phoenix in Joker was simply just better. His performance carried the movie, eschewing the usual hammy Joker played by previous actors. Instead, Phoenix played the troubled Fleck as a real person, albeit one with very realistic mental issues — a clinically insane villain, who is creepy, dangerous, and only seeks to make other people’s lives as bitter as his. Outstanding.

Best Director

THE NOMINEES: Sam Mendes – “1917,” Martin Scorsese – “The Irishman,” Todd Phillips – “Joker,” Quentin Tarantino – “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Bong Joon-ho – “Parasite.”

THE PICK: I’m picking “1917” for Best Original Score and Best Cinematography, so it’s only natural I like Mendes for Best Director. The movie is presented in one shot, though obviously it wasn’t. While you may be able to tell where there are cuts, you hardly notice them because of how good the editing is. War films are hard enough to expertly deliver, but Mendes took an already difficult and expensive production and put a unique and challenging twist onto it. That sealed the deal for me.

Best Picture

THE NOMINEES: “Parasite,” “Ford v Ferrari,” “The Irishman,” “Jojo Rabbit,” “Joker,” “Little Women,” “Marriage Story,” “1917,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”

THE PICK: I agree with the Screen Actors Guild — “Parasite” was the best film of 2019.. 

Many people like to overlook foreign movies. In fact, “Parasite” is only the 11th  foreign-language film to be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award, and none has ever won. I think this South Korean film makes Oscar history. The movie has a little bit of everything — the story of a poor family that ends up working for a rich family is dark, suspenseful and sometimes funny.

“Parasite” parallels the different viewpoints of economic classes without ever being too preachy. The intensity builds throughout the film, with surprises that keep you engrossed. However, it never loses its grip on realism. For being entertaining, nuanced and bold, “Parasite” absolutely deserves to be remembered as the Best Picture of 2019.

Matthew Hunter is a senior at Wharton High, a budding journalist and aspiring movie critic who has loved going to the movies since he saw “Robots” in 2005.