Forum : the Magazine of the Florida Humanities Florida Humanities Council Council
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University of South Florida St. Petersburg Digital USFSP Forum : the Magazine of the Florida Humanities Florida Humanities Council Council 4-1-2019 Forum : Vol. 43, No. 01 (Spring : 2019) Florida Humanities Council. Follow this and additional works at: https://digital.usfsp.edu/forum_magazine Recommended Citation Florida Humanities Council., "Forum : Vol. 43, No. 01 (Spring : 2019)" (2019). Forum : the Magazine of the Florida Humanities Council. 85. https://digital.usfsp.edu/forum_magazine/85 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Florida Humanities Council at Digital USFSP. It has been accepted for inclusion in Forum : the Magazine of the Florida Humanities Council by an authorized administrator of Digital USFSP. THE MAGAZINE OF THE FLORIDA HUMANITIES COUNCIL SPRING 2019 floridahumanities.org Tag us @HistoricCoastCulture and #ShareArtHCC Art is See it. Hear it. Taste it. Share it. Submit photos from St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & the Beaches for the chance to win a luxury staycation experience. Learn more at ShareArtHCC.com sjc314518_FSI-ArtIsHereAd-8.375x11_rSg.indd 1 2/20/19 11:08 AM Letter from the Director 2019 Board of Directors #HistoricCoastCulture B. Lester Abberger Tallahassee Wayne Adkisson Pensacola Juan Bendeck Naples Danny Berenberg Jacksonville Frank Biafora St. Petersburg Sally Bradshaw Havana Finding Kurt Browning San Antonio Peggy Bulger Fernandina Beach David Colburn Gainesville Casey Fletcher, Chair Bartow shared Jose Garcia-Pedrosa Miami Joseph Harbaugh Fort Lauderdale David Jackson Tallahassee Sue Kim Ormond Beach values Steve Seibert Thomas Luzier Sarasota Linda Marcelli Gulfport Janet Snyder Matthews Sarasota hree times a year I have the privilege of writing comments in this Dabney Park Coral Gables space. Usually, I want to celebrate a program we are funding, or Nancy Kason Poulson Fort Lauderdale highlight the theme of this edition of FORUM, or bid farewell to Sandy Rief, Treasurer Tampa a colleague like Jon Wilson, who has graced these pages with his Michael Urette Tampa Tskillful and perceptive writing for too many years to count. Glenda Walters, Secretary Lynn Haven But today I want to say “thank you” to our members; a deep and sincere thank you Patrick Yack Tallahassee for your support of the humanities and the Council over the years. You have inspired FHC Staff a deeper understanding of, and commitment to, Florida and have allowed the Council Steve Seibert Executive Director to support community partners who share the state’s history, literature, culture, and personal stories. Barbara Bahr Director of Operations Art is I sometimes wonder what motivates you to be so generous. Our recent surveys show Laurie Berlin Director of Administration you love reading FORUM, but I sense you believe in something more fundamental; that Alex Buell Program Coordinator the humanities are indispensable for a free and diverse society to thrive and we all need Danica Kelly Membership Coordinator to stand together to make the case. Lisa Lennox Digital Media Manager When the National Endowment for the Humanities was created in 1965, one of its Brenda O’Hara Chief Financial Officer sponsors, Congressman Frank Thompson, said this in support of the legislation: Patricia Putman Associate Director “If we have no intellectual, aesthetic, or moral opportunities as we move into automation, we will be, indeed, a sick society, and much of the sickness…is due to the Keith Simmons Communications Manager fact many people lack that purpose which comes from values deeper than power.” FORUM Staff Finding the purpose which comes from values deeper than power describes what Jacki Levine Editor the humanities offer that other forms of education cannot. This is why everyone who Jon Wilson Communications Consultant cares about the development of our next generation should call their school boards See it. Hear it. and demand that the humanities be taught. It is why libraries, museums, and historical Tom Scherberger Communications Consultant societies ought to be supported. Helping us all find that purpose which comes from Ali Patterson Contributing Editor Taste it. Share it. values deeper than power is the humanities’ gift to democracy. It is the source of wisdom David Meek Designer and vision in our citizens. Power, whether measured by wealth, political influence, Submit photos from St. celebrity, or military might, is not and never has been. To advertise in FORUM, contact: [email protected] Augustine, Ponte Vedra At its core, the humanities help us better understand what truly matters to each FHC FORUM / Vol. XLIII, No. 1 Spring 2019 & the Beaches for the one of us and offer some insight as to what matters to others. This deeper human © 2019 Florida Humanities Council understanding allows us to discover shared values, and that is the heart of building The magazine of the Florida Humanities Council chance to win a luxury community. As the eminent Judge Learned Hand wrote, “the spirit of liberty is the spirit 599 Second Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5005 staycation experience. which seeks to understand the minds of other men and women.” (727) 873-2000 Thank you, members, for taking part in this cause. And thank you, Jon Wilson, for Website: www.floridahumanities.org crafting your words so carefully for so long. The Florida Humanities Council is a nonprofit organization funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the State of Florida, and private contributors. FHC FORUM is published three times a year and distributed to the friends of the Florida Humanities Council and interested Floridians. If you wish to be added to the mailing list, please request so in writing or via the website. Views expressed by Learn more at Share-Art.com contributors to the FORUM are not necessarily those of the Steve Seibert Florida Humanities Council. We would like to acknowledge the generous support of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG SPRING 2019 FORUM 3 sjc312348_FSI-ArtIsHereAd-8.375x11_rsg.indd 1 1/29/19 2:21 PM Table of Contents Spring 2019 10 13 14 7HUMANITIES TODAY A look at programs around the state supported by Florida Humanities Council grants, including “Chug boats” that carried Cubans to THIS FLORIDA LIFE freedom, self-portraits by high school A life of firsts A TEACHER TO REMEMBER students and a reading series called Meet attorney, pathmaker Awakening the reader within INSIDER’S FLORIDA: Functionally Literate that pairs award- and former first lady of FAMU, This long-time high school English A tale of two cities winning writers from around the Jeraldine Williams, who was the teacher remembers the professor Beyond the seaside glamour world with top Florida writers. Plus, first African-American student at who opened up her mind to and chic of Fort Lauderdale is a meet five new FHC board members. the University of Florida’s school delving deeply into American deep and rich history ready to And what we’re reading and watching. of journalism in 1963. literature…and changed her life. be explored. By Jon Wilson Interview by Jacki Levine By Sherry Friedlander By Nila Do Simon 20 2618 STATE OF INSPIRATION — FLORIDA BY DESIGN — NEW FEATURE NEW FEATURE Finding home Embracing the sea and sky When acclaimed author Lauren Our new historical architecture COVER STORY: ARTFUL REVIVALS Groff moved south to Florida, she feature kicks off with a look A look at how art and culture are energizing — and transforming — Florida needed a bit of help learning to at the Sarasota School, which downtowns..From Pensacola to Miami, and many points in between, the state’s appreciate her new home. She takes advantage of the Florida cities are seeing a boost in quality of life and commerce, fueled by the power found it through the literature of climate with soaring ceilings of creativity. We visit: Miami, St. Petersburg, Eau Gallie, DeLand, Gainesville, other acclaimed Florida writers. and large windows. Pensacola, and the Florida Mural Trails By Lauren Groff By Barbara Peters Smith Stories by Ron Cunningham 46 52 53 58 MY FLORIDA JOURNEY THE SWEETNESS A new life in America OF MEMORY When Basma Alawee’s family Photographer Andy Sweet captured realized they were no longer safe STATE OF WONDER the vanishing culture of Eastern in Baghdad, they reluctantly joined WHY WE TELL Rounding the curve European Jewish retirees on South the ranks of refugees. As part of an THESE STORIES Early one morning this Beach before his death in 1982. oral history project, Alawee shares The coordinator of a project to photographer went looking for Today, a new book and documentary her family’s story of displacement tell the stories of Jacksonville wetland wildlife to photograph. commemorate the photographer and and adjustment in Jacksonville. refugees explains why their Here’s what he found in the mist, the time he preserved in images. By Basma Alawee as told to voices are so important. just as the sun broke through. By Bill DeYoung Seyeon Hwang By Seyeon Hwang By Emilio “Sonny” Vergara ON THE COVER: Lourdes Alvarez, left, Marina Williams, and Evan Williams pose for our cover in front of artist Ricky Watts’ mural, one of many created during St. Petersburg’s annual SHINE festival. Watts, based in northern California, painted this work in 2015 during SHINE’s first year. Marina and Evan co-own ARTpool, a gallery space and boutique shop in the Grand Central District, and Lourdes works alongside them. Special thanks to