Due largely to the bloody turmoil of Guatemala's history of government repression and narco-warfare (the two often intermingled, aided and abetted by us Yanquis), Palm Beach County has become home to as many as 50,000 descendants of the Maya — a people who, in millennia past, built an empire across what are now the nations of Central America. Warriors no longer, their arms are now ploughshares, picking crops in Big Ag's fields and/or trimming the lawns of the well-to-do. Many of them are undocumented and thus easy targets of crime because they are reluctant to call police for fear of deportation. Some have also claimed civil rights abuses by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office — which the center last year petitioned the federal government to investigate. The feds declined, but PBSO was prompted to hire outside experts to review its use-of-force policies. The experts came up with 70 recommended changes. If those are put into effect, the center may now have more time to devote to providing health care, plus legal and educational services, to its flock, as it has done for almost 25 years.

Considering our tendency — nay, our pathological need — to document every bit of minutiae of our everyday lives, there's something beautiful about art that can be wiped away by an abrupt sunshower. The Lake Worth Street Painting Festival is a unique event that taunts the elements with often-stunning works of impermanent art. Having celebrated its 22nd year this past February, the annual two-day fest brings a varied collection of artists ranging in age, background, and skill to the asphalt canvases of Lake and Lucerne avenues. It's a weekend filled with a camaraderie bolstered by giant chalk and pastel renderings, a cornucopia of eats with selections from street vendors and nearby restaurants, and even a bit of music. Founded in 1994 by locals as a way to inject a little culture into the area, the festival now draws more than 100,000 people. Good job, L-Dub.

Readers' choice: SunFest

Equality Florida has been championing LGBT rights in Florida since 1997 and, along the way, has won some meaningful court cases in a state that has traditionally leaned antigay. Gay marriage didn't become legal here until 2015, and Equality Florida was key in making it so. The group championed the cause, backing Karla Arquello and Cathy Pareto until the two women became the first same-sex couple to legally wed in Florida. With that victory in tow, Equality Florida then filed a lawsuit in federal court to have the state's Department of Vital Statistics list same-sex couples' names on their children's birth certificates. In 2015, a bill that discriminates against transgender people who want to use public restrooms was introduced in the Florida Legislature. The group was the first to openly call out the bill as a pure harassment and was soon joined by groups like the ACLU of Florida and TransAction Florida. No matter what crops up to try to bring down the LGBT community, Equality Florida will be there to take it down, Whack-a-Mole style, until the entire state of Florida finally positions itself all the way on the right side of history.

Since 2004, people have flocked to downtown Hollywood on the third Saturday of every month for the Downtown Hollywood Art Walk, when local galleries and businesses open their doors to the public. You don't have to be an art impresario to attend. Your first lesson on local art begins at 7 p.m. with the city's free, 45-minute guided tour of 16 murals in the area. Highlights include 2Alas' ominous Mona Lisa and Tati Suarez's whimsical mermaid murals. At 8 p.m., an artist conducts a live performance, combining music and art on Harrison Street. Artist Daniel Pontet is known to paint with his feet while moving in rhythm with the drums. A group of musicians parades along the streets outside, and eateries host live music. Of the five art galleries, make sure not to miss L.Mercado Studios. The 3,000-foot art center hosts a dozen artists, and people are welcome to watch them work in the open studio.

Even though this poolside hangout is perched on the third floor of the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, you don't need a reservation to enter. From up there, you can watch the yachts and boats come in and out of the marina, watch the people strolling below on A1A, and see the sunbathers relaxing on the beach. Sit at the bar or in the shade of a giant beach umbrella beside the large rectangular pool, heated to a comfortable temperature. Blue recliners are the perfect spot to tan, and should anyone start to overheat, the pool and the air-conditioned lobby are nearby. Sip on lychee martinis, cucumber margaritas, and other frozen cocktails. If you develop an appetite, there's a full menu that includes yuca fries, fish tacos, and nachos. It opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m., making it the ideal spot for late risers looking to spend the day in the sun.

When your local bowling alley organizes a Bruce Springsteen night and brings in live entertainment, you know you have something special. While some may prefer a no-frills bowling spot, this rocking alley keeps guests entertained every night of the week by playing fun music videos on the giant screens behind the lanes and having a light and sound show with a DJ during "Lightning Strikes" Fridays and Saturdays. Even though Strikes feels like a nightclub every night of the week, prices are way cheaper than bottle service ($15 per hour, per lane for up to six people before 9 p.m., or $4 per person if you'd rather pay that way; shoe rental is $3.75). On top of the deal on entertainment, the chicken tenders are surprisingly good and go great with a beer or cocktail. (Yes, there's a full bar.)

It's surprising politicians don't get screamed at more often in public. (Florida ones, especially.) Our anger toward lawmakers doesn't tend to extend past the written word. But Florida Governor Rick Scott is no mere politician. His eyes seem incapable of projecting happiness. It's possible he doesn't have a reflection. And he is, in the now-immortal words of former Lake Worth commissioner Cara Jennings, an "asshole." After Scott cut Medicaid and access to abortions, Jennings ambushed him in a Gainesville Starbucks on April 5 and did something every non-Republican in this state has been dying to do since 2011: She screamed at Rick Scott. "You're an asshole!" she lobbed. "Rich people like you don't know what to do when poor people like us need health services. You cut us. Shame on you. You are an embarrassment." Not only was her initial outburst brave, but Scott's political action committee then posted a video bullying her online, saying she "clearly has a problem." Yes, she does: Her problem is Rick Scott.

Just a few short years ago, South Florida's own Oscar Isaac was an unknown, handsome Guatemalan actor appearing in bit parts in films like All About the Benjamins and in Law & Order episodes. It seemed as if Isaac were headed toward the type of career most from around these parts end up with: that of a lifetime extra who eventually ends up in daytime soaps or out of the business altogether. But the Juilliard-trained thespian is too talented to keep down, and he was soon cast as Joseph in The Nativity, which led to a role as King John in Robin Hood, which led the Coen Brothers to cast him in Inside Llewyn Davis. At this point, it appeared as if Isaac was on his way to a career as an indie actor, starring in artsy films. But Isaac's talent is way too large to box in. Now, he's appearing in blockbuster Hollywood tentpole epics in notable roles such as the villain in X-Men: Apocalypse and, most remarkably, as Poe Dameron in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (as well as the ensuing films in that series). In just a few short years, Isaac has gone from unknown extra to action figure. Not bad for a South Florida boy.

John deGroot is a retired Sun Sentinel reporter who now lives in Wilton Manors. He has a Pulitzer Prize. He knows when politicians, public servants, and criminals need to be brought to justice with a sharp, written critique. He also knows it's often quicker and easier to hit a man in the face with a pie. Say what you want about the embattled, limping Broward Health system, but former CEO Nabil El-Sanadi's January 23 suicide was tragic. So when outspoken Broward Health critic Dan Lewis disparaged El-Sanadi, deGroot's friend, in a Sun Sentinel obituary the day after the doctor died, deGroot drove to Publix — it has everything! — and bought a $7.99 berry cream pie. He then threw it at Lewis in public. Revenge is a dish best served a la mode.

The Miami Heat's Chris Bosh has always been counted out and under-appreciated, maybe because he's not your typical menacing, cliche-ridden pro athlete. Yet throughout South Florida sports history, there have been few athletes as beloved as Bosh. He's not only a phenomenal talent — and key cog that helped the Heat win two NBA championships — he's also proved to be a lovable character with his GIF-able facial expressions, his post-game interview shenanigans, and his love of things like coding, playing guitar, and learning how to speak Spanish. So when he was diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs last season, fans and teammates alike were devastated — not only because the team had lost a tremendous talent for the season, but also because Bosh is a genuinely likable dude who was suddenly facing a very serious health threat. As it turns out, Bosh's condition hospitalized him for several weeks. Then, doctors told him he couldn't travel on planes for a while. The physical punishment an NBA player undergoes also made things risky. Everyone was concerned that they had seen the last of Bosh, that his promising career had been cut short. But at the beginning of the 2016 season, in true Bosh style, he not only returned — he pretty much picked up right where he had left off. His silky smooth shots hit their marks, his defense helped the Heat shut down opponents, and his overall presence breathed new life into the home team. As fate would have it, he was knocked out again with blood clots. But Bosh continues to fight back, showing up at Heat practice, posting videos of himself shooting hoops, and announcing that he has no intentions of retiring. No matter what happens from this point on in his career, Bosh has proven on and off the court that he is the ultimate underdog. A man who should never be counted out. A man who will kill you with his jump shot, then make a goofy face at the camera. Because he can.