Suit Up and Show Up is an annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event aimed to change the attitude of young men in the community through a discussion about "Suiting Up and Showing Up for the Roles in Your Life". With the assistance of volunteers, each young man meets with a professional tailor to select a suit, shirt, tie and shoes. Those who have witnessed past Suit Up and Show Up events can attest to how truly transformative this day is for students and volunteers alike. See for yourself. Watch this video.

Each year this Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event aims to change the attitude of young men in the community through a discussion about "Suiting Up and Showing Up for the Roles in Your Life". Candid conversations between panelists and students center on how to achieve positive results by fostering personal responsibility. The event works to improve students' self-respect inside and out culminating in a personal shopping spree with assistance from professional tailors & volunteers, young men select a suit, shirt, tie and shoes. It is a transformative day for students and volunteers alike. ​ Suit Up and Show Up conceived by the CDC of Tampa's CEO Ernest Coney, Jr., who is determined that a young man would not receive his first suit on the occasion of his funeral. The first Suit Up & Show Up was held after Ernest purchased a suit for a young man, an innocent victim of gun violence. John Singleton was a developing leader in the CDC of Tampa's Youth Leadership Movement program; it was the 17-year-old high school junior's first suit.

CDC of Tampa presented the 5th Annual Suit Up & Show Up event on Friday, January 19th--in celebration of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy. This annual leadership retreat for young men ages 16-24 focuses on life skills, goal setting and financial literacy--while providing each young man in attendance with a tailored suit and all the accompanying accessories. Over 85 students--from Middleton High School, Bowers-Whitley Career Center, Gary Adult Center, Carver Exceptional Center, Chamberlain High School, Tampa Bay Tech, THA's YouthBuild program, as well as HCC Ybor Campus attended this year's event. Special thanks to our event sponsors and partners, the amazing cadre of professionals who volunteered their time to teach and mentor our young men, as well as our emcee Rod Carter, panel moderator Ernest Hooper and keynote speaker Jameis Winston.

80 young men from around Hillsborough County participated in a day of personal development at the 2016 Suit Up and Show Up event, presented by CDC of Tampa.

Artical By Shelby Lopez (Open Post) Updated February 21, 2014 at 2:51 pm TAMPA, Fla.- (Feb. 21, 2014) – The Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc. (CDC of Tampa) is hosted its inaugural Suit Up & Show Up event on February 24 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County. Suit Up & Show Up is designed to provide minority male youth, 16-24 years of age, with an opportunity to engage with minority male professionals who are eager to empower them with knowledge, tenacity and self-assurance. News Channel 8 anchor, Rod Carter, served as the emcee and Tampa Bay Times columnist and East Hillsborough Bureau Chief, Ernest Hooper, will be the keynote speaker. Both men have an active role in our community encouraging young men in personal and professional development and are eager to participate in this initial event. “I’m so thrilled the CDC is hosting this event,” said Ernest Coney, CEO and President of the CDC of Tampa. “I know it will be an impactful, positive experience and a chance for these young men to gain opportunities about making good choices and building confidence in their abilities to achieve success in their future.” Youth participated in breakout sessions on goal setting, personal responsibility, and suiting up for the roles in your life. After completing the sessions, the youth began their transformation at the CDC of Tampa’s Suit Up Closet by selecting a suit, shirt, tie, and shoes to take home. For more information on the CDC of Tampa visit http://www.cdcoftampa.org/ . Additional information on Suit Up & Show Up may be found at http://www.cdcoftampa.org/suit-up-and-show-up/ or by contacting Julie Rocco at Julie.Rocco@cdcoftampa.org or 727.254.7131. About CDC of Tampa The Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc. (CDC of Tampa) creates opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to job training and placement, affordable housing and youth programs. The CDC was incorporated in 1992 for the purpose of alleviating poverty and physical deterioration in Hillsborough County’s East Tampa community. CDC of Tampa is a charter member of the NeighborWorks® network, consisting of 240 private nonprofit affiliates that work in nearly 4,500 urban, rural and suburban communities nationwide.