Unity Awards

Marlene Hauck Promotes Mental Wellness From Youth Onward

Hauck has dedicated her life to breaking down stigmas around mental illness.

01/01/2024 By Lauren Jackson

Unity Awards

Tracie Troxler Improves Our Soil, and Our Community, Through Composting

“Healthy plants and healthy ecology sprout from healthy soil, and so does a healthy community."

01/01/2024 By Lauren Jackson

Unity Awards

P.J. Brooks and Scott Eller Help People Find a Safe Place to Live

Homelessness erodes people’s dignity by denying them the most basic of needs: a place to call home.

01/01/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Unity Awards

Kira-Lynn Ferderber Educates the Community About Domestic and Sexual Violence

Ferderber believes educating kids is a key part of preventing violence. “It’s so important, as adults, that we make spaces that support young people," she says.

01/01/2024 By Megan McDonald

Unity Awards

Michele Redwine Shines a Spotlight on Black Artistry

“We will not allow what’s happening in Tallahassee to take away who we are—and I believe the arts play a strong part in making that happen.” 

01/01/2024 Photography by Megan McDonald

Unity Awards

Allan Mestel Uses Photography to Connect Sarasota to Conflict Around the World

"My images will always be available to anyone to represent the truth.” 

01/01/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Unity Awards

David Wilkins Brings Black History to Students Who Aren’t Learning It at School

Freedom School is a series of free lessons on African and African American history for students in grades K-12 that launched last February and was renewed and expanded last fall.

01/01/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Unity Awards

Nominations Are Open for the 2024 Unity Awards!

We want to honor members of our community who are bridging divides across racial, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation, socioeconomic, and physical and mental ability groups.

08/21/2023

Unity Awards

Jennifer Fagenbaum Keeps Families at Risk of Homelessness Together

“The people we serve are hardworking and want to be successful and stable. They just don’t get paid enough to match the cost of living here.” 

01/09/2023 By Kim Doleatto

Unity Awards

Doricha Sales Teaches the Art of Ballet to Break Down Barriers

"I think my profession can help more people see that dance is accessible to them.” 

01/09/2023 By Dariela Delgado

Unity Awards

Arlene Sweeting Gives a Voice to Underrepresented Communities

In 2004, Sweeting partnered with the New College Student Alliance and 96.5 WSLR was born.

01/09/2023 By Isaac Eger

Unity Awards

Darren Gambrell Makes Higher Education More Accessible and Inclusive

“It is extremely important that we develop the cultural competence needed to better understand individuals from different backgrounds and cultures.”

01/09/2023 By Yasi Bahmanabadi

Unity Awards

Bill Sadlo Helps Youth Cope With Unprecedented Mental Health Challenges

“We go where the youth and families really need us.”

01/09/2023 By Lauren Jackson

Unity Awards

Dr. Manuel Gordillo Steers a Community Through a Deadly Pandemic

"I’m so proud of the health care system. These are humbling experiences.”

01/09/2023 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Unity Awards

Andrea Blanch Uses a Trauma-Informed Approach to Solve Social Conflict

“My career has been about empowering other people to see their own strength and giving tools away so that people have what they need to make change happen."

01/09/2023 By Bethany Ritz

Unity Awards

Megan Howell Gives Unhoused People With Mental Illness a Chance to Get Back on Their Feet

"Mental illness isn't a choice, and we provide love and support for our clients even on their worst days."

01/09/2023 By Laura Paquette

Listen Up

A Sarasota Magazine Unity Award Winner and Editor Discuss the Battle for the Right to Vote

Local activist Demetrius Jifunza and Sarasota Magazine associate editor Isaac Eger appeared on WSLR 96.5 on Wednesday to talk about felons' voting rights.

12/22/2022 By Staff

Unity Awards

Nominations Are Open for Sarasota Magazine’s Unity Awards

We’re looking for members of the community who are committed to bridging divides across racial, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation, socioeconomic, and physical and mental ability groups.

08/01/2022

Unity Awards

Harvest House CEO Erin Minor Helps People in Crisis

Harvest House now has eight campuses with emergency shelters, transitional housing and 25 affordable rentals in Sarasota-Manatee.

01/04/2022 By Kim Doleatto

Unity Awards

Streets of Paradise's Greg Cruz Fights Homelessness in Sarasota-Manatee

“Anywhere that we can help with this homeless crisis, we will be on the frontlines. No questions asked.”

01/04/2022 By Marc Griffin