Join Sarasota Magazine as it honors the winners of our eighth annual Unity Awards, a celebration of the people, companies and projects advancing equality, diversity and inclusion in our community and around the world. Our winners are advocates for the poor, for the physically and mentally disabled, for those from difference cultures, races and religious backgrounds, and those in crisis. Tickets are available for a luncheon celebration at Michael’s on East from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8, with keynote speaker and former Unity Award winner, Neil Phillips, founder of Visible Men Academy.

Our 2018 winners by category are:

• Health Care: Dr. Karen Hamad, Dr. Vida Farhangi and Dr. Wilhelmine Wiese-Rometsch at the Jean & Alfred Goldstein Health Center at Sarasota Memorial Internal Medicine Practice-Newtown
• Nonprofit: Tom Waters, Easter Seals Southwest Florida
• Arts: Embracing Our Differences
• Education: Vickie Oldham, Newtown Alive
• Public/Private Partnership: Sarasota Community Homeless Partnership
• Business: Tarnisha Cliatt, Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce
• Hurricane Heroes: Dr. Myrdalis Diaz-Ramirez, Ana Maria Suarez, Myreli Zamora of SRQ Florida Helps Puerto Rico
• Alumni: 12th Judicial Chief Circuit Judge Charles Williams and Charlie Ann Syprett, Sarasota County Bar Association Diversity Committee