- April 23, 2024
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Co-Chairwoman Graci McGillicuddy, Chairman Dennis McGillicuddy and Co-Chairwoman Carol Poteat-Buchanan
Embracing Our Differences Associate Executive Director Sarah Wertheimer with Embracing Our Differences Education Director Brenna Wilhm
Mark Pritchett welcomes attendees.
Caroline Ellerson, Umbreen Khalidi-Majeed and Donna Koffman
Flora Major and Marlo Turner
Lyn and Richard Manning
Brooks Tracey
Veronica Brady and Mark Pritchett
Embracing Our Differences Board Chair Dennis McGillicuddy shares the mission of Embracing Our Differences with attendees.
Howard Tevlowitz and Mike Ritter
Paul Yarrington and Haven Williams
Stacy Hanan and Rachel Saltzberg
Bunny Skirboll, Helen Glaser, Hedria Saltzman and Holly Freedman
Nelle Miller and Betty Schoenbaum
Embracing Our Differences Associate Executive Director Sarah Wertheimer smiles as she addresses the crowd.
Judith Yaeger, Tammy Karp and Kyla Weiner
Sandra Hanan, Debbie Haspel, Scott Anderson and Larry Haspel
Susan Ionescu, Dr. Bernadette Bennett and Gabrielle O’Berry
Linda Commito and Mike Rosario
Dr. Marsha Kindall-Smith and Nate Jacobs
Anton Kernohan, an executive member of the Coexist Club at Riverview High School, tells his coming out story.
Arlene Greene and Sharon Comkowycz
Paul and Courtney Tarantino with Tom Waters
Dr. Terry Osborn with Dr. Dina Ciotola
Doris Berkey, Jannon Pierce, Linda Poteat-Brown and Jonna Keller
Thomas Thacker and Allen Brown
Brooks Tracey, the art teacher at Sarasota Middle School, tells his unique story of his longtime involvement with Embracing Our Differences.
Riverview High School Coexistence Club Docents Brookelynn Greco, Camryn Marshall, Mikaela Whaley, Caitlyn Bradley and Tiffany Chau
Nick Owens and Anton Kernohan, an executive member of the Coexist Club at Riverview High School
It was an emotional afternoon Dec. 14 when supporters of Embracing Our Differences filled the ballroom of Michael’s On East to hear stories of some of the organizations’ most inspiring participants.
Embracing Our Differences Board Chair Dennis McGillicuddy opened the afternoon with an explanation of the core values and mission of the organization, throwing in some jokes about how some guests had already begun munching on their kale salad. After the official break for lunch, Mark Pritchett, president of Gulf Coast Community Foundation, shared his appreciation for the organization, and Embracing Our Differences Associate Executive Director Sarah Wertheimer welcomed the first of two special guest speakers.
The first was Brooks Tracey, the art teacher at Sarasota Middle School who not only plans an annual lesson plan around the Embracing Our Differences art exhibit, but was a contributing artist to the exhibit as a child. Tracey expressed his appreciation for the organization and why it’s made an impact on his life as well as the lives of his students.
The second speaker was Anton Kernohan, an executive member of the Coexist Club at Riverview High School who serves as a docent who guides visiting children around the Embracing Our Differences art exhibit every year. Kernohan delivered a heartwarming speech about his journey as a homosexual elementary schooler-turned teenager who was constantly bullied because of his sexual orientation.
“I will not stop sharing this story until there will no longer be a need for this story,” he proudly declared to the crowd.
