R. iviera Beach, Fla. – Aa group of Riviera Beach clergy is determined to Reimagine Riviera Beach and have formulated an initiative entitled Riviera Beach CAN! CAN stands for Clergy Advocate Network.

Lead Pastor Dr. Tony F. Drayton, of St. James Missionary Baptist Church in the heart of Riviera, says he’s been advocating for the citizens of the city for 28 years, and it’s about time like-minded clergy and faith leaders come together to work with city and county officials to take action and make substantial change.

“I’ve always been interested in my people, in my city. We have a moral obligation and we’re moving forward,” he said in a telephone interview Monday. He is also a community organizer with Faith in Florida, a statewide multi-faith group that is advocating for initiatives such as voting rights, redistricting and raising a collective voice for the people.

Drayton said Faith in Florida will be heading training sessions for some of the Riviera Beach CAN undertakings as they push for ending gun violence, protecting voting rights, redistricting, youth empowerment, economic empowerment, attainable housing, health initiatives, social justice, education and more.

“We realized we didn’t have a collective moral voice in Riviera Beach so clergy decided to come together and raise our moral voices,” he said.

Alongside Drayton is Pastor Samuel St. Fleur of Christ Family Worship Assembly (CFWA), located on the busy corner of Australian Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. St. Fleur says he’s aware of the challenges in Riviera Beach, but said it’s time for a new narrative and new ways of coming up with answers. “I do believe the city has been misunderstood and there’s room for us to tell the real story and tell a better story,” said St. Fleur. “Riviera Beach has a story attached to it and this is important because we are aware of the crime, the discrepancy in income, and our potential. This is a city that we love and want to become the best city to live, work, and play.”

Drayton and St. Fleur both stress they’re not only looking for clergy to collaborate with, but instead other trusted voices who want the same and are willing to work toward that end. “ We are currently in the initial stages and have 50 or so now. But we’re not only looking for pastors or clergy but other faith-based organizations and others who are invested in community,” said St. Fleur.

Many onlookers consider Riviera Beach to be a diamond in the rough with unlimited potential, a city with a pristine waterfront and a burgeoning marine industry, poised to be a world-class vacation destination. St. Fleur, 45, says it can be all those things and more. “We have not lived up to its potential, but ‘We CAN’ is an empowering statement. It CAN be the diamond in Palm Beach County. It CAN be the things people dream of. Riviera Beach CAN!” Drayton said the group will be a prophetic moral voice for the people. “You can’t speak FOR the people until you speak TO the people. We’re here to make a difference,” Drayton stressed.