I can’t help but think Sarasota County Commissioners messed with the wrong candidate in Fredd Atkins.

A declared candidate for Sarasota County Commission in District 1 drawn out of a jurisdiction and told to wait two years to run, Atkins just filed a class action lawsuit, along with other Newtown activists, alleging questionable redistricting was racially motivated.

There’s been speculation the new federal case will go nowhere. There’s likely not enough black voters in Newtown to have drawn a majority minority district, one where they would make up more than half of voters. Dan Vicuna of Common Cause tells me that hurts an argument the Voting Rights Act was violated.

But Atkins’ involvement in this case makes things interesting. He happens to be Sarasota’s first black mayor, and got there in the 1980s by successfully advancing a similar argument to this one. Then, black activists sought to end at-large voting and force single-member districts for City Commission elections. The case launched in 1979 took until 1985 to reach a conclusion.

“I think this is very much a similar case,” Atkins said. “It’s based on the same statutes— the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the 14^th Amendment.”

It's easy to forget the NAACP at the time didn’t really win. Rather, a judge agreed to a settlement proposed by the city that Sarasota adopt the mixed system still in place today. There would be three commissioners decided in district elections and two elected at-large.

Afterward, Atkins became a candidate in a newly-drawn District 1. He’ll remind you that district has never been majority minority either. When he ran in 1985, about 45 percent of voters were black. But that was enough, and every year since, a black commissioner has represented District 1.

Notably, Atkins also thought the most important part of the settlement was allowing commissioners to be elected with a plurality of the vote, but the City Commission eventually took steps to make a runoff system. He’s still bitter at how the ruling has eroded through the years.

Still, the outcome from a historic perspective seems enormously consequential 34 years in the future. And it may actually be a lesson in how even though the NAACP didn’t get all it wanted, it was enough to permanently change city politics. That’s worth thinking about now.

And Vicuna said there’s solid arguments about the redistricting violating equal protections of minority voters. “It does sound like there was a real targeting of that community,” he said. “If the court determines or provides that cutting out the community and moving it to a different cycle, and doing so in defiance of all other reason, then the defendants could be in trouble.”

The old case also showed whatever parties ask for, anything can happen in court. In 1985, every seat on the City Commission had to stand for election, despite the city normally staggering votes. If that happened with this case and voters in District 2 were allowed to vote, Atkins may just get a chance to run there in 2020.

Or new lines could be thrown out. Or a completely new map could surface. Possibilities are endless, which makes this legal venture so risky for the county.

It’s funny to think Atkins in 1985 ran as the young guy without the baggage of NAACP leaders. He’s since made some friends but likely more enemies with his blunt style and willingness to raise the prospect of underlying racial animus. That’s partly what he’s doing right now, but he also knows how to make the case.

Vicuna said if Atkins can argue he was targeted despite being a clear favorite of voters in the previous make-up of the district, that helps his case. But Atkins also argues not just for himself but a substantial chunk of voters in the community who supported him for years.

“All we ever asked for was a chance to win,” Atkins said, of the old case and the new one. “We never asked for a fiat. We just wanted an opportunity to compete.”

Sarasota warmly received “Visions of the Black Experience,” a three-day, five-film event that occurred last weekend and drew close to 200 participants. The event, which celebrated black contributions to art, culture and science, was hosted by New College of Florida, in partnership with the Sarasota Film Festival, the Boxser Diversity Initiative, the Manasota branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, and the Multicultural Health Institute. It included hands-on hair care workshops, panel discussions by filmmakers, audience talkbacks, and a worldwide film premier, as well as documentaries of the contributions and achievements of black Americans.

The festival organizers curated a collection of films that centered black accomplishment, and explored themes of self-image and the breaking of stereotypes typically imposed on blacks in America as well as globally. Something the Lord Made, an Emmy-winning 2004 production, dramatically portrayed the groundbreaking contributions to cardiac surgery made by Vivien Thomas; while four documentaries examined the evolution of black identity and black entrepreneurship in the beauty industry, the global policing of natural black hair and the “new” natural hair movement, an African-American expedition to ascend North America’s highest mountain and the 20^th century’s pioneering African-American author and producer of more than 44 films, Oscar Micheaux.

Our country has a history of overlooking the contributions of certain people. It’s important to correct the record, not only for the benefit of those previously overlooked communities, but so that society as a whole can better recognize the untapped potential that exists—potential that needs only the opportunity to come forward and lift up us all.

Health and wellness, broadly defined, was the theme for Visions this year. There were a number of films focusing on beauty and self-image because beauty norms and standards that label the hair and bodies of some African Americans unacceptable, unprofessional, deviant, and even dangerous continue to negatively impact the opportunities, experiences, and self-image of many people. It was important to examine this form of inequity as well as celebrate the work of people challenging these beauty norms and creating more equity and acceptance.

Visions builds on the legacy of an earlier black cinema project called Project Black Cinema as well as the work of individuals who organized an African-American spotlight at the 2019 Sarasota Film Festival in April. Members of the original “Project Black Cinema” group—Charles Stephens, Ralph Barnett and Che Barnett—were on hand to discuss the significance of their efforts to promote and provide a platform for the cultural and artistic contributions of people of African descent. Founded in 1992 by a vanguard group comprised of graduate students in the FSU film studies program and other Sarasota residents, these pioneers offered the community a cultural bridge connecting them to the black diaspora experience through film, art, theatre, dialogue, and performance.

Original art by Eleanor (Ellie) Merritt Darlington, who served on Project Black Cinema’s founding advisory committee, was on display at the festival, creating a visual bridge between Visions and PBC.  Darlington’s painting, “Tribal Memories,” served as the basis for the unique icon that served as both a visual identity and fundraising source for Project Black Cinema.

PBC co-founder and artistic director Charles Stephens recalls the challenge he and Darlington had to address while developing the PBC logo: “There’s not one definition of Blackness; we were searching for a global identifier that could express the many facets of black life throughout the diaspora but also lend the sense of the space available for a more globalized discussion of what blackness was.”

Visions of the Black Experience is an important next step towards community-wide engagement and immersion in greater multicultural awareness through the arts. Sarasota is blessed to have community members that believe in the power of the arts to enrich our community and who will invest to make these experiences available. And New College is proud to be a convener and collaborator, and play host to what we hope will become a new Sarasota arts community tradition.

Visions of the Black Experience was free to participants, underwritten by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the New College Foundation, as well as the Harry Leopold Foundation and the David , Adrianne and Jordan Rubin Fund (both of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County), the Willa and Robert Bernhard Fund at Gulf Coast Community Foundation, and The Meliora Foundation, Inc.

Dr.  Lisa Merritt is executive director of the Multicultural Health Institute. Dr. Bill Woodson is the chief diversity officer at New College. Dr. Queen Meccasia Zabriskie, is an assistant professor of sociology at New College. 

The Sarasota, Florida-based TREE Foundation's efforts to save the "church forests" of Ethiopia were highlighted in a short film published by The New York Times as part of its award-winning Op-Docs (opinion documentary) series. The work of independent filmmaker Jeremy Seifert, "What Makes a Church? A Tiny, Leafy Forest," was published on the Times' website on December 3. The film was narrated by Dr. Alemayehu Wassie Eshete of Ethiopia, an active board member of TREE Foundation which is an international non-profit organization dedicated to tree and forest research, exploration, education, and conservation across the globe. Seifert visited Ethiopia last February at the invitation of TREE executive director Dr. Meg Lowman to visualize the foundation's international work to save the essential areas of biodiversity known as "church forests." The documentary explores the crucial role that religious leaders can play as champions of conservation, in this case to construct stone walls that exclude cattle grazing and protect the forests surrounding churches. Learn more at the TREE Foundation's website, treefoundation.org. 

TREE Foundation

Compeer Sarasota is harnessing the power of the Internet with a three pronged launch of a new website, Facebook presence, and Instagram site - all for the purpose of offering youth as young as five, along with their parents and teachers the power of one-on-one mentorships for those with a diagnosed mental illness. On July 18, 2019, the Florida State Board of Education voted to require the public schools to provide students in grades six and above to take a minimum of five hours of mental health education annually. Proving its value immediately, the Facebook page Compeer Sarasota Youth reached over 1,500 Sarasota residents in the first 5 days, and the website compeersaratoyouth.org has delivered 2,500 pages of information since its launch. Supplying friendships with adult mentors are the key to Compeer’s youth program and social media is one more step to reaching young people and matching them to adult volunteers in the Sarasota area.  

Compeer Sarasota

Music Compound is excited to announce that ten students will audition December 17th in Miami for America’s Got Talent. Students have attended one or two six week audition workshops at Music Compound. To close the audition workshop, Music Compound will host a live dress rehearsal for students and fans. The audition workshop was led by Grammy Nominee and vocalist, Yaya Diamond. Each six week series focused on song selection, audition cuts, stage presence, introduction, artistry development, and media training. In addition to the workshop, every student takes private lessons weekly. The dress rehearsal is December 11th at 6pm at Music Compound’s Cattlemen Studio. The goal is for students to gain followers, to perform for a live audience, and work through nerves. 

Music Compound

A generous grant from Manatee Community Foundation (MCF) will help student achievement reach new heights in Manatee County. An investment of $100,000 from MCF’s ‘Success Through Literacy Fund’ will provide funding to Soar in 4, an initiative that promotes student success and school readiness. The grant was awarded to the Manatee Education Foundation to support the District’s Soar in 4 Family Nights and summer programs for pre-kindergarten students. A Soar in 4 Family Night is planned for Wednesday, December 4, from 5pm until 7:30pm. Learning activities will be taking place at Manatee Central Library, The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, and ArtCenter Manatee – all located in Downtown Bradenton. A special gift will be given to the first 50 children to visit ArtCenter Manatee (McDonald’s gift cards) and Manatee Central Library (drawstring backpacks). All families are invited to play, explore and participate in activities designed to support classroom learning. 

Soar In 4

Suncoast Charities for Children will be holding the 34th Annual Sarasota Holiday Boat Parade of Lights on December 14 and area boaters are invited to enter free of charge. The event begins at 6pm, with vessels making a short transit across Sarasota Bay and entering the Bayfront Park area at approximately 7pm. Best areas for viewing are Marina Jack and Bayfront Park. All vessels must be over 21 feet in length. Boaters can submit a private or corporate entry and will be judged for cash prizes. An awards ceremony will take place immediately after the parade on the Marina Jack fuel dock. Greg Corvelle and Sarah Catell are co-chairs for this year’s event. To enter or for more event information, visit sarasotachristmasboatparade.com 

Sarasota Holiday Boat Parade of Lights

Christmas is a particularly busy time of year at the Animal Poison Control Center, and the following five items account for the majority of holiday calls. Chocolate is hands-down the winner for most vet calls at Christmas. Why? Usually it's because of wrapped chocolate gifts left under the tree. And often a pet has shredded wrapping paper to get to the treat, thus destroying the chance to learn exactly what ingredients have been ingested. Tree preservatives cause mild gastrointestinal upset. However, if there is bacterial contamination, the potential for gastrointestinal upset can be more significant. Poinsettias are primarily mucous-membrane irritants – and despite the worry they cause pet owners, the plants aren't usually too dangerous if handled properly. Any and all medications need to be stored up high or in a locked cabinet. Keep alcohol and other "cups of good cheer" out of your pets' reach. If your pet ingests something it shouldn't, please call the Animal Clinic of the Humane Society of Sarasota County at 941.364.3605 or contact one of the emergency facilities listed at www.hssc.org. 

Humane Society of Sarasota County

Join the vendors at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime when they open their doors from 5-7pm on Wednesday December 18th. Enjoy a Holiday Fashion Show by Eyecatcher by PJs and Elegant Style Boutique, free beer from JDub’s Brewing, and other fun surprises. Shop local for those holiday gifts, but don’t be surprised when you find lots of goodies for yourself. You can find unique handmade ornaments, succulents, collectibles, furniture, jewelry, art, and so much more.  

The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime