May 30, 2025
Overcoming Childhood Hardship, Royal Native Becomes a Trailblazing Community Activist
By Cindy Peterson
Overcoming Childhood Hardship, Royal Native Becomes a Trailblazing Community Activist
Maitland Keller
My childhood: I had to stop school to help take care of my younger siblings. My dad died when I was 8 or 9 years old. At the age of 12, my parents moved their house from my father’s parents’ land to my mom’s parents’ 80-acre parcel of land in Royal. It wasn’t an easy task. After all that, I had to move away from my beloved community to make a living, picking oranges.
A fun fact: I have always worked well with my hands. Also, I love Steve Harvey. I will watch him all day and all night.
On life’s journey: After I moved to Apopka to pick oranges, I met a group of Catholic sisters who were concerned about farm and migrant workers, especially their health care. After helping to establish the Apopka Clinic, I asked if they would do the same for my people in Sumter County. Thus, Project Health was formed, later renamed to Thomas E. Langley Medical Center.
Building a legacy: I was the first African American appointed to serve on the Board of the West Orange Farmer’s Clinic. I was able to bring similar services to my community. We arranged for the Apopka Clinic employees to come to Sumter and train the new employees. We sold fried fish and chicken dinners as fundraisers to help fund the Sumter Clinic in its early days. Today, the Langley E. Medical Center has five locations. Just imagine that as a child, I had to drop out of school.
I want everyone to know: Today, I live on that 80-acre parcel that once belonged to my mom’s family in my historic community of Royal and I love it. Royal was formed in 1865 at the end of the Civil War and my people kept the land. With its 3,501-acre boundaries and so much historical significance, my work is to help preserve it, which is why my associations are all in Royal.
Recognitions: I have many awards including from Retired Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite House of Representative 2009 Congressional Record, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast of The Villages, Community of Royal, MLK Commemorative Committee of Lake & Sumter Counties, Young Performing Artists, Catholic Sisters of Apopka and the Thomas E. Langley Medical Center.
A saying I live by: Keep doing the right thing and you will be blessed. Also, honor your elders.
Photos: Nicole Hamel
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Originally from the small town of Berryville, Arkansas, Cindy has become a multimedia specialist in journalism, photography, videography, and video editing. She has a B.S. in Communications from the University of Central Arkansas and produces Style Magazine's Sports Hub Podcast and the Healthy Living Podcast. She also produces for Beacon College’s Telly Award-winning PBS show, “A World of Difference.” When she isn’t working, Cindy loves traveling the National Parks with her husband , Ryan, and son, David, photographing wildlife.
