In honor of Sarasota Magazine’s 11th annual Unity Awards, which celebrate equality, diversity, and inclusion in our community, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County has awarded honorarium grants from its President’s Fund to each of this year’s honorees.

The recipients include:

• Michael Kinsey, Dwight Josey and Jim Minor for connecting others through the “Support Sarasota-Manatee Black-Owned Businesses” Facebook group
• Sarah Hernandez for advancing social justice and racial equality
• Philip Tavill for helping infants, toddlers, and their families through Children First
• Joe and Mary Kay Henson for inspiring philanthropy from food inequality to education to emergency funds
• E. Scott Osborne for advocating for gender equality in Sarasota and across the globe
• Dr. Randall Morgan for dedicating his career to promoting health care equity
• Queen Zabriskie for convening conversations about race at New College and beyond
• Trevor Harvey for fighting to improve and give voice to the lives of people living in Newtown

“I’m in awe at the tenacity, hard work, and passion for enduring change each of these exemplary leaders brings to their work in our community,” says Roxie Jerde, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “By challenging our worldviews and leading with empathy, these award winners are building bridges that help others succeed and find hope. These actions are more than commendable, they’re life-changing.”

The awards were presented Tues., Feb. 23 during a free virtual celebration livestreamed on social media, and are featured in our February issue, which can be found here.

The Unity Awards were first presented in 2010 and have continued every year since. The awards honor people who are “champions of diversity” and build bridges by promoting respect, acceptance, cooperation, and tolerance with a goal of equality among racial, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation, ability, age, and socioeconomic groups.