Not all pro athletes abuse dogs, date rape and get busted for drugs. Take Stylez G. White, for instance. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end started The Better Us Foundation to improve the quality of life for underprivileged children, having endured adversity and homelessness and gone through the foster care system himself. At the Stylez G. White Autograph Fundraiser at Bucs and Bulls Heaven, he will sign autographs for $10, with a minimum $15 store purchase, and all of the autograph fees will be donated to his non-profit foundation. Tuesday, Sept. 7, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Bucs and Bulls Heaven, 14823 N Florida Ave., Tampa. Fans unable to make it out to the store may place a phone order by calling 813-908-BUCS (2827). www.bucgear.com
We all know graffiti can make a statement about identity, commemorate a fallen hero or just look fascinating or indecipherable. To see all that encapsulated in a single exhibit is one heckuva nifty triptych. G.B. Stephens documents the larger-than-life graffiti of Oaxaca, Mexico, in Artefacto Cultural, displaying photographs he took in Oaxaca between 2002 and 2008. Stephens, an associate professor of theater design at USF, says that the outdoor murals capture Mexican tradition and contemporary pop culture. Meet him at an opening reception for Artefacto Cultural 7-9 p.m. Fri., Sept. 9. Sept. 7-17. Phyllis P. Marshall Center, USF-Tampa, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa. 813-974-5464, centregallery.usf.edu.
This article appears in Sep 2-8, 2010.