Subscribe & save $142 per year!
Skip to main content

Sarasota Magazine

Tagged

In Their Own Words

Listening to Black Voices

The Hon. Charles Williams on the Importance of Patience and Empathy in the Legal System

Williams also shares what it was like growing up in segregated St. Pete, as well as a touching story about meeting his idol, boxer and activist Muhammad Ali.

12/11/2023 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Black Voices

Travis Ray on Family, Theater and the Dream That Led Him to Found Dapper Bowtique

"Our world needs real conversations, without anger, that allow us to get on the same page."

11/06/2023 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Black Voices

Briana Harris Francois on Tennis, Coco Gauff and What It's Like to Be a Minority in a White-Dominated Sport

Francois picked up a tennis racquet when she was just three-and-a-half years old. Today, after a long and successful career, she's the first Black tennis director at The Resort at Longboat Key Club.

10/09/2023 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Black Voices

Former MLB Player Jeremy Shelby on Identity, Opportunity and Giving Yourself Grace

Shelby is the founder, president and head of directors at Sarasota's Elite Life Management, a wealth advisory company.

09/11/2023 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Diverse Voices

City Commissioner and Lawyer Erik Arroyo on His Journey to Success

The first Hispanic, immigrant mayor of the City of Sarasota talks about fitting in, and fulfilling his ambition against all odds.

08/24/2023 By Kim Doleatto

Listening to Black Voices

Chandra Bivens Carty on Reclaiming Her Family's History

Carty's great-great-grandfather was enslaved at Manatee County's Gamble Plantation. Carty is working to establish a memorial that honors him and the other 150-190 enslaved people who worked at the plantation.

08/15/2023 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Black Voices

Shirley Miller on Sex Education and Civil Rights

Miller spent more than 30 years of her career designing and implementing sex education programs in more than 70 countries.

07/11/2023 By Heather Dunhill

listening to diverse voices

Open Arms Consultants' Souad Dreyfus on the Power and Intimacy of Surrogacy and Egg Donation

Originally from Morocco, Dreyfus has been helping people have babies for 20 years.

06/27/2023 By Kim Doleatto

Listening to Black Voices

Francina Hollaway on Growing Up in Segregated Florida and Integrating Her Elementary School

Throughout her education, Hollaway focused on excelling at math. "Writing can be critiqued because it's subjective," she explains. "But in math, there’s only one right answer.”

06/12/2023 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Black Voices

Longtime Educator Dr. Caryl J. Sheffield on the Power of Culturally Sensitive Teaching

Sheffield, a retired professor, also shares the story of her paternal grandfather, Caesar Sheffield, who was lynched in the early 1900s, and how his death resonated in her family.

05/09/2023 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Diverse Voices

Rosa Grillo on Sharing Her Family's History With the Smithsonian

"The most important thing for me is that the world understands that the American Latino community is as varied as the larger American community."

05/04/2023 By Bethany Ritz

Listening to Black Voices

David Wilkins on Reconstruction, Reparation and Black Excellence

“Some people don’t want that history to be taught. It challenges the myth they like to maintain."

04/10/2023 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Diverse Voices

Comedian Steve White on Relocating to Sarasota and How Humor Has Changed Since His Career Began

"The first thing when I get home from traveling is to spin around in my living room and yell at the top of my lungs to express gratitude."

03/28/2023 By Kim Doleatto

Listening to Black Voices

Longtime Human Resources Executive Mirian Graddick-Weir on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The daughter of a former nun and NASA's director of education, Graddick-Weir was most recently executive vice-president of HR at Merck.

03/13/2023 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Black Voices

Dr. Janjay Gehndyu on Emotional Intelligence and the Power of Education

Gehndyu is the former principal of Visible Men Academy.

02/06/2023 By Heather Dunhill

Listening to Black Voices

Tomeika Hunter-Koski on Serving in the Army, Education and Her Charitable Work in Africa

“For decades, Black people have been told to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps when too many of us don’t have boots—and the powers that be continue to systemically keep the boots out of reach."  

01/11/2023 By Heather Dunhill

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

listening to diverse voices

New College Alumna Sofia Ali-Khan on Racism and Reconciliation

Ali-Khan will speak at New College next week about the U.S. legacy of exploitation and racism across her experiences living in different U.S. cities and Canada.

11/03/2022 By Kim Doleatto

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

At Sarasota Magazine, we celebrate Sarasota’s vibrant culture, rich history, and bright future with award-winning, high-quality content that captures the spirit of our community.

Channels

About

Subscriptions

513 Central Ave, Sarasota FL 34236 , Phone: 941.487.1100, Fax: 941.365.9233
© 2026 DreamLarge