For a year and a half, Sarasota Magazine has published the series “Listening to Black Voices.” The idea was conceived after one of our writers, Heather Dunhill, was moved by the tragic murder of George Floyd and wanted to explore how to start a deeper conversation about race and the Black experience in Sarasota. Her personal and probing interviews, along with beautiful portraits by photographer Michael Kinsey, turned into this series, published in partnership with the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. We are proud that it has become a powerful platform to tell the extraordinary and moving stories of Black women and men who are part of our community.

Today, we’ve expanded our scope, again with the support of Gulf Coast Community Foundation, to “Listening to Diverse Voices.” We recognize that there is a chorus of voices in our community—voices which have often been unheard. As our community grows and becomes more diverse, we want to hear from the wide variety of people who are our neighbors. Everyone at Sarasota Magazine has always felt privileged that we get to tell stories that lead to a deeper understanding of our community and humanity. We hope you’ll find “Listening to Diverse Voices” another way to cherish our differences and connections. Click here to read the stories.