We're launching a new feature, Untold Tampa Bay, to give you a glimpse into the lives of the people who make up our diverse community and whose stories often go unheard.

In the bustling food court of Citrus Park Town Center mall, the scent of chicken wings wafts from Wing Boys Deli, a new food stall that held its grand opening two weeks ago.

• To customers, the sizzle of meat hitting the hot grate is the sound of lunch. To Javier Rodriquez, the man behind the grill, it's the sound of a dream realized.

A sound that makes him remember how it all began.

He remembers fleeing Cuba with his mother and four siblings during the 1980 Mariel boatlift. The sight of their boat nearly toppling over while people rushed to one side, desperate for a glimpse of their new home.

He remembers settling in West Tampa, where he tasted his first chicken wing at 7 years old — a dish that would define his future.

He remembers his mother enlisting his help in the kitchen, dicing onions and garlic while his siblings played outside.

He remembers selling wings at a corner store when he turned 16 and the goosebumps he got when he saw a customer enjoy his cooking.

He remembers meeting a woman named Angelica Torres, cooking her dinner and watching for the smile on her face. Love at first bite.

He remembers the day he and Torres decided to launch Wing Boys Deli and how she tasted each of the 100-plus sauces he created.

He remembers his wing shop's humble start inside a gas station off Busch Boulevard in 2019, loading his Lincoln Navigator with frozen chicken each morning.

He remembers the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought his restaurant to the brink of closure just as it was starting to gain traction.

He remembers when the mayor's office stepped in and helped him secure a loan, providing the restaurant with the financial lifeline needed to make it to the mall.

And now, working away in the kitchen, he also dreams about the future. One where he can franchise his business to other Black and brown entrepreneurs "to help minorities, to help the forgotten ones, the people that can't get it."

The customers who approach the counter of Wing Boys Deli never witness the calloused hands that prepare their meals. They don't know that each chicken wing carries the weight of Rodriquez's story.

Or that with every order, his story continues.

📬 Got an idea for someone to highlight in our Untold Tampa Bay series? Hit reply.

5️⃣ Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature adjourned Friday, ending a 60-day sprint where lawmakers delivered on some of Gov. Ron DeSantis' priorities. We rounded up five things legislators did this year.

🎓 Congrats to all the University of South Florida grads! 74-year-old Kathleen Doermer, the oldest student graduating this weekend, shared her hopes about helping pave the way for other "non-traditional students."

💸 Most Floridians retiring now are going it alone. They're part of the first generation to rely on private savings instead of pensions to navigate the financial vortex of retirement.

🏫 What we're watching: The fate of Just Elementary School will be decided at a Hillsborough County School Board meeting on Tuesday.

• The district is considering closing the West Tampa school, where 83% of students are Black, due in part to underenrollment and staffing difficulties.

Axios Tampa Bay reader Ray Ann Favata snapped this photo during an early morning walk through Carrollwood Village.

• We love seeing your photos of Tampa Bay! Keep sending your pictures to [email protected], and we'll feature some in upcoming newsletters.