Best of the Year

Our Favorite Photos of 2022

From emotional portraits to striking natural beauty to one hilarious lemur, here are some of the best photos we ran in 2022.

12/29/2022 By Staff

Listening to Black Voices

Rev. Larry Green Sr. on the Church's Role in the Black Community and the Hope in Helping Others

"Allowing people to express their anger, frustration and/or sadness can help them find comfort and strength."

12/19/2022 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Black Voices

Charlayne Hunter-Gault on Her New Book and 50 Years of Reporting on Black Life

"We must learn to talk to people who don’t agree with us, which is a challenge these days. Communication is the essence of our existence. In so many ways, this is how we will open doors.”

11/07/2022 By Heather Dunhill

Calling All Artists

Arts Nonprofit Issues Call for Submissions for Upcoming Exhibit

Art 4 Change, a nonprofit that uses art to promote social justice, is asking artists to submit work by Friday, Oct. 28.

10/24/2022 By Yasi Bahmanabadi

Listening to Diverse Voices

Adria Jensen on Growing Up Cuban, Why We Need More Hispanic Lawyers and the Importance of Mentors

Jensen is a partner in the Sarasota firm Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick and has been nominated to become a judge.

10/20/2022 By Bethany Ritz

Listening to Black Voices

Malushua Griffith on Growing Up in St. Croix, Entrepreneurship and Black Maternal Health

"When it comes to doctors, Black women need them not to see our color—we need them to listen and act."

10/11/2022 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Black Voices

Jetson Grimes on Sarasota's Black History and the Importance of Community Activism

"I believe in bringing people together. Everyone is human."

09/13/2022 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Diverse Voices

Renee Lenneman on Foster Parenting, Adoptions and Helping the Next Generation

Lenneman has fostered more than two dozen children since she moved to Sarasota.

08/16/2022 By Allison Forsyth

Listening to Black Voices

Melanie Thomas on Succeeding in the Entertainment Industry and Empowering Young People

"Why can’t we accept each other for the purpose to unify, not to destroy? In unity, there is strength."

08/09/2022 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Diverse Voices

Architect Javi Suárez on His Puerto Rican Heritage, His Art and Making a Home in Sarasota

Suárez's new art exhibition, Sarasota Icons, celebrates those who left their mark on Sarasota, from more obscure names to ubiquitous ones.

08/01/2022 By Kim Doleatto

Listening to Black Voices

Dr. Janet Taylor on Generational Trauma and How Racism Affects Mental Health

"Silence and inaction are damaging. We are not in a position within America and within our communities to be inactive or inattentive."

06/13/2022 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Diverse Voices

Restaurant Owner Poonam Maini on Finding Her Way to a New Life in Sarasota

The owner of Tandoor Fine Indian Cuisine worked to overcome an abusive marriage and build a thriving business, and now gives back to the needy in her native India.

06/06/2022 By Kay Kipling

Listening to Black Voices

Entrepreneur Lillian Lambert on Being the First Black Woman to Graduate from Harvard Business School

"In my class of about 800 students, 18 were women and six were Black: five men and me."

05/10/2022 By Heather Dunhill

Crypto Club

Sarasota Is a Hub for Cryptocurrency Entrepreneurs

Sarasota, a place best known for its white sand beaches and its world-class arts scene, has become a destination and an incubator for some of the biggest players in the young and hungry Wild West of crypto.

05/02/2022 By Isaac Eger

Listening to Black Voices

Former J&J Executive Marilyn Thompson on Diversity, Inclusion and Corporate Culture

Marilyn Thompson also weighs in on the Will Smith/Chris Rock altercation and its broader implications for the Black Community.

04/12/2022 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Black Voices

Neirda Thompson-Pemberton on Diversity in Engineering and Inspiring Kids Through S.T.E.A.M.

"Diversity and inclusion aren’t about an afterthought. They're about intent, from the beginning."

03/16/2022 By Heather Dunhill

Q & A

A Local Ukrainian Shares Her Thoughts on The Russian Invasion

"I think Putin was planning to do this over many years but didn't expect us to stand up to this," says Halyna Kovalyshin, who lives in North Port.

03/08/2022 By Kim Doleatto

Listening to Black Voices

Attorney E. Keith DuBose on Why Sarasota Needs More Black Lawyers

"As a nation, we have become so polarized that it seems the goal is to make others wrong instead of realizing what’s right. We need common voices right now."

02/08/2022 By Heather Dunhill

First Person

'Listening to Black Voices' Shares Stories of Black Life in Sarasota-Manatee

The series reveals the obstacles and triumphs of navigating a nation that continues to struggle with racism and inequality.

01/14/2022

Listening to Black Voices

Dr. Lisa Merritt on Epigenetics, Access and Equity in Health Care

"Be purposeful, tell the truth, and elucidate what the issues are—and, at the same time, come ready with solutions and strategies."

01/11/2022 By Heather Dunhill