When Geanie Folder walked into 801 E. Main, inspiration struck her like lightning. “I knew I could do something with the building,” she said. “I looked at probably 11 or 12 buildings in Lakeland, and I just know. I know when I walk in if I’m going to be able to make it happen.” Folder quit her job in 2016 and started a vintage market, the Beatnik Exchange, the following year. She opened Unfiltered Bartow in 2019 and adapted her business to ride out the pandemic. She launched Unfiltered Lakeland on February 25, 2023, in partnership with Wesley and Ashley Barnett and her son, Tray Towles. CHAMPAGNE AND GRAVY With their Lakeland location opening, it was a good time to rebrand and take the concept back to its roots – especially in Bartow – the way she’d first envisioned it. That vision means less emphasis on food and more on retail and art, crochet, and sewing classes. Unfortunately, the Unfiltered Punta Gorda store closed post-Hurricane Ian at the end of last year. “That was heartbreaking,” Folder said. “It just wasn’t meant to be down there.” In Bartow, Folder and company are curating a first-floor shopping experience with boho-style goods, vintage fashion, new merchandise, and the build-you-own-brim hat bar, Champagne and Gravy. Hidden Gem Consignment out of North Lakeland is opening another location on the second floor there as well. The custom hat bar is Folder’s baby and has opened its third location inside her marketplace and coffee shop, Unfiltered Lakeland. Folder described Champagne and Gravy as her “newest love.” She added, “It belongs to me solely, and I get to be creative. Other than designing the spaces, I’ve lost that whole creative part of me. I vowed going into this year I would try to niche out something for just me.” Inspired by her friend who owns the vintage shop, Echoes of Retro in Orlando, Folder started working with hats. Out of respect, she asked her friend permission to go forward with her own brimmed hat concept. “By all means,” her friend said. The pair took a trip to Texas to tour the Lone Star hat bar scene, and when they returned, Folder said, “I’m doing this!” She came up with the name Champagne and Gravy, which her friend now also uses. “I’ve expanded that brand to include anything that I love, that I would keep in my home,” Folder said. “While the hat bar is the focus, there is clothing, bath stuff, lots of fun things, and more fun things coming for that brand. THE SPACE In addition to Champagne and Gravy inside Unfiltered Lakeland, the property hosts three other micro storefronts: East of These, My Crazy Plant Life, and The Vintage Warehouse. Folder noted the location’s retail popularity. They have a waiting list of almost 20 stores that would snatch up a micro storefront immediately if space were available (and more space may be on the way). The Unfiltered marketplace is entirely her own. Sage walls contrast funky plush couches, mauve loveseats, knick-knacks strewn here and there in a way that just works, and a large mural encouraging patrons to “Live Life Unfiltered.” An antique Packard organ draws the eye as you enter, a remnant of the building’s former life as the Poor Porker. “I saw them build this, and I was saddened by the whole thing. I know what it’s like to lose a dream,” Folder said. “I vowed to pay homage to them, pay homage to Lakeland.” To Lakeland’s delight, she kept the beignet cart – and all of the Poor Porker staff. “These stores need to be the least commercialized as possible – every last detail,” Folder said of the Unfiltered concept. From the onset, she asked herself,’ Would I put that in my home?’ and ‘What kind of coffee cup would I serve if I had company over?’ “It was always built on people being able to be who they were,” she said. This individuality is the brand’s pulse. And though Folder is confident in her art and style, she was nervous about opening. “It was crazy,” she said. “I worried if we were going to be good enough for Lakeland – would Lakeland embrace us? […] There’s always that fear when you open, ‘Is anyone coming?’ and ‘Can we hold our own [here].’” To her relief, the community rallied around her business with a steady line of daily patrons. “So far, it’s been phenomenal,” she said. “I would be remiss if I didn’t say how many people come to bat for you, how many people stand up for you, how many people show you grace, how many people show you leeway. If you just reach out – how many people are willing to mentor and help you.” Folder said, “We house artists, we are a marketplace, and we are an experience. A coffee shop is just a portion of what we do.” Food and coffee may not be at the heart of the business, but they certainly weren’t an afterthought. Unfiltered Lakeland serves tea and various coffee drinks using Lakeland’s Ethos Roasters. Uncle Nick’s Bagels grace the menu, along with baked goods and beignets — traditional and “The Poor Porker” topped with maple syrup and bacon — along with soups, salads, and specials like the Waffled Grilled Cheese and Waffled Monte Cristo. A social media post mentioned plans to expand portions of the business in the future. Folder divulged ideas for quirky portable air-conditioned ‘houses’ in the courtyard during summertime. Unfiltered Lakeland is also looking to add more retail space in some capacity. Folder said they are in the process of obtaining their beer and wine license too. With that will come live music and woodfired pizza in the courtyard. Folder plans to bring the Beatnik Exchange to Lakeland at least quarterly (maybe even monthly). She started the bohemian vintage market in the middle of a field in Brooksville. The free-spirited event, gathering an eclectic union of artisans, was later hosted at Music Ranch and SUN’ n FUN but stopped for a time. Folder is excited to bring it back to platform artists and makers. ALL ABOUT THE STORY The Unfiltered brand is one of collaboration. That collaboration is rooted deep within founder Geanie Folder. “It’s all about the story,” she said. And, pushing through the discomfort of having the spotlight on her, she was ready to share hers. “I grew up homeless,” Folder began. She was the oldest of five siblings who lived with their dad, sometimes in a car or squatting in houses. “It sounds bad, but it was all I knew. I view the early part of my childhood as this beautiful, adventurous life, and that kind of set the pace for what I would do into adulthood.” Art is another central part of the Unfiltered brand. It’s an essential foundation in Folder’s life. There was a period in her childhood when she and her siblings were sent back to live with their mother and stepfather. “We lived in this old house, and there was a closet on the second story. He [her stepfather] would lock me in there for weeks,” Folder said. “My brother would shove me pencils under the door. By the time my dad came and got us again, I had taken a pencil and two crayons and completely muraled the entire closet. For me, it saved me. [...] The art portion of this comes from knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt how art is good for us and how art can save our lives. That’s why I never veer far from that.” She eventually adopted her brothers and sisters at age 16 and spent her whole childhood making a home for them. “It was always important to me that they felt loved, they had a place to go, they felt safe. Whatever shabby furniture we managed to get, we made it comfortable, and we made these places feel like home,” Folder said. When the last sibling left home, she knew, “I wanted to be able to provide a space that felt the same for people who wanted to come or needed to come or needed a space. That’s the bones of why we’re here. [...] I only know how to live that way. I don’t know what else to do to serve my community and serve others other than what I’m doing.” Photography by Amy Sexson Unfiltered Lakeland 801 E Main St., Lakeland FB: Unfiltered Lakeland IG @unfiltered_welcome_home

Grab your reading glasses and get ready to book-shop until you drop. It’s time for the 2nd Annual Lakeland Book Crawl! Presented by the Lakeland Booksellers, this weeklong event – featuring sales, surprises, and bookish bonding – runs from April 24 to April 29, 2023. The Booksellers were so encouraged by the community response to the inaugural Book Crawl, they decided to make it an annual event. Like last year, the Book Crawl takes place leading up to National Independent Bookstore Day on the last Saturday in April. “The Lakeland Book Crawl is a weeklong celebration for the book-loving community here in Lakeland,” said one Lakeland Bookseller, Pressed Books & Coffee owner, Christina Needham. “Each day of the week, we will feature a different local bookstore, each with their own daily deals and giveaways, all while highlighting literacy, small business, and our customers.” Here’s what eager readers can expect each day in this “six-day tour de force of books, books, and more books!” Day one kicks off at Bookend Used Books on Monday, April 24, from 10:30 am – 5:30 pm. 30% off *excluding classics. Tuesday – Inklings Book Shoppe from 9:30 am - 7:00 pm. Indie author signing, FREE kids book with any purchase, and 10% off all. Wednesday – Pressed Books & Coffee from 8 am - 6 pm. Free coffee with book purchase. Thursday – Crash Bookshop from 10:30 am - 6:30 pm.  10% off new books. Friday – The Unbound Bookery  from 10 am - 6 pm. 20% off all books. Little Bus Books from 10 am – 7 pm, 50% of proceeds of Spanish titles for No Covers – Free Mobile Bookshop. Lakeland Book Crawl bookmarks will be available for purchase at each of the six locations. One hundred percent of the Book Crawl bookmark proceeds go to the Children’s Home Society of Lakeland “to help promote the literacy and care of orphans and children in foster care.” Keeping with the local love, the Book Crawl hosts collaborated with Lakeland-based commercial artist and illustrator Josh “Bump” Galletta to create their adorable bookworm mascot. Local artist Tate Krupa of the pop-culture-inspired handmade gift shop Red Swan designed this year’s bookmark. According to the Lakeland Book Crawl website, “The goal of this annual crawling is to bring booksellers, book lovers, and the greater Lakeland community together for a bookish good time. We are a kooky collaboration bringing awareness to the community about local independent bookstores.” Pressed Coffee and Books owner Christina Needham noted how much the booksellers enjoy collaborating on the event throughout the year. “We think the more people we can reach to promote books and the importance of books in our community, to use them as a way to connect people, as a way to educate, as a place where people want to come and spend time – we find that brings great value to our city,” she said. “Even though the event does promote our stores, we also want it to be a celebration and appreciation to our customers who faithfully support us all year.” Needham sees the annual Book Crawl as a testament to the community’s commitment to its city. “I think it goes to show how much people in Lakeland love local business and enjoy working together for the greater cause of the city.” Don’t forget to tag your bookish posts with #lakelandbookcrawl and scan the QR code when you visit a participating bookshop to enter for a chance to win a gift card from all six stores. Visit www.lakelandbookcrawl.com for more information. Photography Provided

When Jhoanna Mukai moved from her home in the Philippines to San Diego, California, at 12 years old, she described it as a culture shock. Once she settled in and the shock subsided, Mukai discovered she loved going to new places and trying new things. That same curiosity and contentment with present circumstances have carried on for the middle school science teacher and yoga instructor. From San Diego, the family moved to San Francisco, and Mukai eventually moved to Sin City to attend the University of Nevada Las Vegas. After college, sapped by the club scene, she decided it was time for another change. So, to Puerto Rico she went, where she first tried yoga. A runner slowed down by recurring shin splints, Mukai was looking for an alternative workout. It started as an exercise, and the poses were fun, but it soon transcended that. “I started with Ashtanga Yoga, and that was kicking my butt – that was the first class I took,” she said. “I just kept coming back. I felt really good after, to the point where I’d leave class, and I’d be crying. It got emotional and spiritual, so I explored it more.” Yoga wasn’t the only thing Mukai was introduced to in Puerto Rico. There she met her now ex-husband, an Auburndale native. “I’m grateful for him because he brought me here,” she said. The pair moved to Tampa, Auburndale, and now Mukai lives in Winter Haven. She’s happily engaged and has one dog and 13 spayed/neutered outside cats. “I consider myself a cat rescue now,” she joked. When she moved to the area, Mukai started classes with Inside Out Yoga instructor Jody Reece. “I decided to do YTT (Yoga Teacher Training) just so I could share it. I feel like I’m a sharer.”  The yogic philosophies and principles resonated with Mukai. “Beyond the physical [aspect] of yoga, there’s a lot that I wanted to share with others. Yes, it’s good for balance and strengthening, but also more of that acceptance – that peace of mind.” Her instruction is imbued with that same repose. “That’s what I tell people when they come to class,” she said. “You don’t have to be perfect. Just show up.” Vinyasa and Yin are Mukai’s preferred styles of yoga. “Vinyasa, it’s like the flow, like the power yoga – it challenges you. It’s more of a workout for a lot of people, and I think people resonate with that,” she explained. Yin adversely is a slow-paced practice focused on sustained holds. Describing Yin as mentally challenging, Mukai said, “The practice is to be in the present moment. When that mind wanders, let’s bring it back here.” Seeking mindfulness herself and helping her students navigate the same, Mukai said, “It sounds simple, but I think that’s more difficult than the poses themselves. The mind is a muscle, it’s stubborn, but I think training the mind is more challenging than doing a standing balancing pose.” Teaching middle school and yoga are entwined for Mukai. “Even in teaching kids, there’s something called differentiated instructions where you have to cater to what the kids need. It’s the same thing with yoga – just the understanding that we’re different and approaching it where it would work for the person or the student.” Beyond the meat and potatoes – mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell to middle schoolers and mindfulness at the yoga studio – Mukai hopes to impart independence and curiosity to all her students. “Be you. Do what you can. Don’t try to be anyone else. [...] Be curious about yourself and the world around you.” Even when things don’t work out initially, “There are so many different ways to get on top of the mountain. Find your path.” Much of Mukai’s wisdom was shared with her by her mother. She learned most from her mother to be happy. “I think for me living in that kind of world – a third world country, there’s poverty everywhere, but [still] feeling happy and loved at the same time,” she said. Watching her mother move fearlessly from the Philippines to California, Mukai said, “It inspired me to explore, to be strong, and take risks. Even if it doesn’t work out, it’s okay to come back to where you were before.” Another thing Mukai admires about her mom is her self-assuredness, describing her as the kind of person to “sing with the band at Grove Roots (like, on the microphone)” and the first to dance at a party or take food home at the end. Attending a recent gathering where they didn’t know anyone, “She was having a great time talking to people and encouraging them to eat the Filipino food she cooked,” said Mukai. “She was loud and unapologetic. It was not the first time I was embarrassed by her confidence. I’ve had to elbow her a few times, but everyone always seems to welcome her energy. [...] I need a little more of that courage.” She encourages other women to take her mother’s lead in that regard. “[Don’t] be afraid to take a risk, to try something new or scary. Even if the plan doesn’t work out, accept that it wasn’t meant to be. Know when to keep trying or when to let it go. I got that from my mom. I just thought that’s an important lesson for everyone.” It’s as simple as doing what makes you happy. “That’s the path to take.” Asked if she’d found her path, Mukai replied, “It’s constantly evolving. So, yes. I’m trying to listen and reflect about what would make me happy now.” Photograph by Amy Sexson

The couple behind Bandidas pop-up café, Gio and Gabriella Favilli-Vigoreaux, could teach a masterclass in self-expression. Everything about the brand they’ve created together is intentional, inimitable, and just plain good. The two-woman team operating out of the Catapult Kitchen Incubator started as Vicky G’s and Casita Verde. A Central Florida native and first-generation American, Gio would travel to Nicaragua several times a year to visit family growing up. She delighted in meals made up of fresh fruits, vegetables, beef, and chicken from her grandparents’ farm in Masaya, Nicaragua. That love of food translated to a pursuit of the culinary arts down the line. Gio moved to New York to study at the International Culinary Center and worked in restaurants and bakeries in the city after graduating. She also worked in food media and recipe development for Vice Media’s food department, Munchies. The pandemic prompted a move back to Florida, where she started Casita Verde as a creative outlet and a way to introduce Polk County to Nicaraguan food. Gabriella grew up in Winter Haven. After attending the University of Miami, she moved to New York for culinary school. She spent the next eight years working in restaurants, food media, and recipe development in test kitchens for Epicurious, Good Housekeeping, and Cherry Bombe before returning home in 2020. She pulled from her Puerto Rican roots and formal culinary training to start Vicky G’s, offering handcrafted empanadas with unique fillings and other “twists on Latin food.” About a year and a half ago, Gabriella and Gio joined their ventures to start a new pop-up café called Bandidas. They closed Vicky G’s (as they began offering their hand-formed empanadas through Bandidas) and continue to use Casita Verde as a subsidiary for provisions like hot sauce and kombucha. “It just made sense,” Gabriella said of the transition. “We knew we were going to get married. We’d gotten engaged, and we were spending all our time in the kitchen, side by side.” The couple’s love story intertwines with food from its genesis. They’d met initially when Gabriella was home from New York to visit family, and Gio was selling shave ice at a market. Gio reached out later for information about culinary school as she planned to attend the same school Gabriella had eight years earlier. Before moving to New York, Gio showed up unannounced at Smith Canteen in Brooklyn, where Gabriella worked as the culinary director and head baker. In what could only be culinary kismet, Gio remembered, “I didn’t tell her I was going to be there, and we were actually wearing the same shirt when she came out of the kitchen.” The block-printed shirt was one Gabriella had purchased from Gio during her last visit home. ONCE A BANDIDA, ALWAYS A BANDIDA The name of their pop-up comes from a term of endearment. “As a kid, my parents used to call me a bandida because I was super mischievous and trying to make people laugh,” Gio said. “I was like a little rascal always showing up after playing outside, covered in dirt with scraped up knees – my bike chain connected to my jeans.” Gabriella said, “On the grand scale, it feeds into our desire to do things our own way and not go about anything in the traditional way.” The Bandidas babes are uninterested in the ‘traditional kitchen brigade’ setup. “We’re just doing our own thing,” said Gabriella. Her wife nodded in agreement. “Totally still identify with being a bandida.” Bandidas fare melds their Nicaraguan and Puerto Rican background, formal culinary training, and what they’ve learned working in the industry. “I think a lot of people assume that we only make Latin food, but that’s such a small part of what inspires us,” said Gabriella. “Of course, I grew up eating empanadas, and she grew up eating Nicaraguan food. We sell a lot of things that were taught to us by our mothers, our grandmothers, but we are both classically trained, so we did learn a lot of other types of cuisine along the way.” An excerpt from their website notes, “From pop-up markets to wholesale pastries, our menus are ever-evolving to highlight the seasons and our current inspirations.” And much of what they do now is inspired by their extended time living in New York. “The focaccia for me feels so Brooklyn,” Gabriella said. “There was definitely a focaccia sandwich moment there at one point.” The duo also draws from travels and techniques learned from their favorite cookbooks – always with credit to the source. “It’s really important to credit where you get your inspiration from,” said Gabriella. Both women remember the foundational food that solidified their confidence in cooking. For Gabriella, it was her chocolate chip cookies and hippie scones. “They represent a time in my life when I was working in food media and test kitchens. I got hired to be the baker at a café that was transitioning from getting their pastries wholesale to having an in-house pastry program,” she said. Kerry Diamond, owner of Smith Canteen, was also the editor of Cherry Bombe, where Gabriella worked years prior as the magazine’s first employee. “She gave me a few months to play, and in those few months, I tested a lot of things.” Baking the final iteration of that cookie and scone is marked in her memory for the sheer accomplishment and because Gio eventually worked at the bakery. “So it kind of represents us, too, in a weird way because we both had to make them there but never together, and now we’re making them together,” Gabriella said. Gio remembers developing sardine galettes – her first published recipe. She’s glad to have that same freedom to create treats that break tradition through Bandidas. With Casita Verde, she was firm on offering authentic Nicaraguan cuisine. “Now with Bandidas, if anything, it feels more ‘me’ because I’m not purely Nicaragüense – I’m all things. I’ve learned so many things and have so many relationships with different recipes and experiences I’ve had.” The guava and cream cheese layer cake stands toe to toe with her galettes as a touchstone treat in her repertoire. “I’ve recently gotten really obsessed with making layer cakes, and I knew that the guava and cream cheese one would be a hit,” she said. “I love making these cakes because they’ve sort of become a blank canvas where I get to design the outside of them however I want. Lately, they’ve been pretty whimsical-looking, and I love it.” Gilded galettes and pretty pastries are Gio’s domain. She’s always been into art and working with her hands. “I love it, and I think that comes out in the food,” she said. Her creativity doesn’t stop with decorating desserts. Gio drew the Bandidas logo and turned her handwriting into a font for the brand. She also produces a bi-annual zine called Paloma. Unstimulated after returning to Florida, she thought, ‘What if there was a zine where there were a bunch of different voices and representation?’ So Gio made it herself – a collection of photojournalism, recipes, art, and poetry. Gabriella called the hand-stapled, block-printed zine “very Rocket Power.” Look out for the next issue of Paloma on the Bandidas website. PUTTING DOWN ROOTS Gio finds her most joyous moments are thinking about the future of their business. “At times, it feels like it’s not getting here quick enough because I feel like we’ve been grinding for so many years,” she said. “I know we’re going to get there. A place where our kids can grow up and our nieces and nephews can work. We’ll have that place to express ourselves in every way that we want – through food and colors and branding.” The couple envisions Bandidas as a local bakery selling beautiful, seasonal pastries, among other things – a model Gabriella has admired elsewhere through her travels. “The charming irregularities of a homemade pastry versus a mass-produced pastry – that means a lot to me,” she said. “I always want to keep it feeling small even as we grow.” Though there is no set-in-stone timeline for a brick-and-mortar shop, the two say change is in the air. GIRL POWER Both say they feel lucky to have worked under women in New York. Gio’s first line-cook job was under head chef Kia Damon, who also hails from Florida. “I had a unique experience for New York in that I only ever had a female boss,” Gabriella said. Right out of culinary school, she was hired to help launch Cherry Bombe, a magazine focused on women and women-identifying people in the food industry. “I was always reporting to some badass lady with an extensive career from restaurants to publishing and beyond,” she said. “It really does help you,” Gio said. “Obviously, not every woman that leads a kitchen is perfect and supportive. I’ve had my fair share of women that tend to carry that patriarchal [attitude] probably because they went through it. But it does feel good [to work with women].” Not just women, she noted, but being around Queer folks or anyone who knows what they’re going through has been affirming. “You feel it and acknowledge it, and you never forget it.” Gio admitted to feeling more seen in New York, more impressive even in a sea of people. “Coming back here, it was hard to get people to trust that you know what you’re doing, and you’ve been doing it for a while,” she said. “It’s hard to know if it’s because we’re women or because we’re new faces (even though we both grew up here) or because we’re Latin, or if it’s because we’re Queer or a combination of a lot of things people aren’t used to,” said Gabriella. “If I had a dime for every time somebody told me how we should be making this empanada or why don’t we have Cuban sandwiches.” Along with continued mentorships from their time in New York, Bandidas named DOU Bakehouse owner Diana Cortes-Blanquicet as a guide in navigating their business. “She has been so accessible and transparent and honest about what she faced when she was starting out to where she is now,” said Gabriella, a quality she’s found rare in the local food scene. “We can all help each other. There’s room for everyone.” Gio called Cortes-Blanquicet “a mentor,” Gabriella added, “Everyone who works for her speaks highly of her, and when we’re lucky to have employees, that’s what you aim for.” Foodies can order online or find Bandidas on Saturdays at the Winter Haven Farmers Market and Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market. The pop-up café recently entered the wholesale market at Agape Agora in Winter Haven, offering goods like whole wheat salted chocolate chunk cookies, pear and pistachio galettes, and more. Check out their website below for catering packages. What advice do the Bandidas have for fellow women in the culinary space? “Help other women,” said Gabriella, not missing a beat. Gio added, “And it’ll come back to you.” Photography by Amy Sexson FB: @BandidasLKLD IG @bandidas_lkld www.bandidaslkld.com

The man, the myth, the Eric Crump. Who is he? What is going on at the Aerospace Center for Excellence in Lakeland? Are there aliens hidden away at the Lakeland Airport? Eric Crump, the Director of the Aerospace Center for Excellence in Lakeland, gave us an exclusive tour and behind-the-scenes look at what’s going on there. I left inspired, and after you read this, I hope you are encouraged to venture out there as well. A licensed pilot with years in the aviation field and previous director of the Polk State College aviation program, I’d say Eric Crump is the right person for the job. “Kids and inspiration, it’s why I do this. I used to be that kid,” Crump said. Eric is fueled by the inspiration he creates for anyone who walks through that door. His goal is not only to provide a fun learning experience for kids but to leave them motivated and continue learning about the aviation field. “If they leave motivated, I think we’ve done our mission,” he said. The Aerospace Center for Excellence, also referred to as ACE, is remarkable — a campus filled with world-class facilities sought by students and people worldwide. The ACE Campus includes the Florida Air Museum, the Central Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA) High School, Elevate Aerospace & Logistics Incubator, The Lakeland Aero Club – a high school flying club, the Ramus Skylab Innovation Center, and even a full-size Boeing 727 classroom. These are just some of the many facilities they house on their vast campus. “We live our mission,” said Crump. ‘Engage, educate, and accelerate the next generation of aerospace professionals’ are the words that every staff member lives by on the ACE campus, and it’s why they exist. The center has tons of programs that educate and inspire new pilots. Weekly free storytime readings, summer camps, and multiple scholarships are just some of the things they have to offer new pilots. They’ve had 159 people attend the scholarship program and receive their private pilot’s certificate. RAMUS SKYLAB LABORATORY One of the many unique things housed in the Ramus Skylab Innovation Center is the Redbird Flight Simulation Lab, where people have the opportunity to fly a simulation plane. With this simulation plane, students have a chance to learn how to make an airplane take off and land. They are even introduced to four fundamentals through the simulation: straight-and-level, flight turns, climbs, and descents. From personal experience, don’t attempt a barrel roll on your first simulation run. It will end badly. The Drone Lab is another part of the Ramus Skylab, where students can learn basic aviation terminology and practice simple controls using a mock flight simulator. Other drone opportunities include drone search, where students are taught how drones can be helpful in disaster situations by practicing aerial photography and conducting a simulated disaster relief mission. My favorite part in the Ramus Skylab was the NOAA Science on a Sphere Lab which I was told there are not many of these in the world. Such a powerful sphere, in an instant, it can show galaxies, planets, weather patterns, the sun, and more. Such a powerful tool to teach how hurricanes are formed and how climate change impacts severe weather formation and the planet. SUN ‘N FUN While this is all going on 51 weeks out of the year, there is one week you may have heard about it’s the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo. If you plan on going for the first time, you’re in for a loud treat. It’s one of the biggest aviation fly-ins in the world that welcomes over 200,000 people annually. It’s also the biggest fundraiser for the Aerospace Center for Excellence and its programs. “That one week of the year helps fund what we do 51 weeks of the year, which is our mission,” said Crump. The Aerospace Expo runs from March 28 through April 2 this year, and you don’t want to miss the excitement. The week-long event contains hot air balloons, Warbirds, fireworks, vintage aircraft, and a 5K race where the proceeds benefit the Lakeland AeroClub (a high school flying club that teaches high school and college-age students how to build, restore and fly airplanes, as well as the Women in Aviation, Heart of Florida Chapter). Catch the United States Navy Blue Angels performing stunts and demonstrating amazing teamwork in the air. The Expo is packed with talent and loud entertainment. THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT Does the ACE campus have any UFO aircraft stored away in one of their secret warehouses? Of course, I had to ask. “That’s classified,” said Crump as he laughed. What I did find out is that new events and projects are on their way to the ACE campus. A new speaker series will be introduced, inviting people like NOAA hurricane hunters, so kids can learn and ask questions about what it’s like to fly through a hurricane. Wings and Waffles, a Saturday program, is geared toward the adult audience in which you can listen to various people and hear about their impact on the aviation industry. The future for the ACE campus is bright, and the leadership there is just a part of the reason. The volunteers, staff, and mission all come together to help keep the operation going in the right direction. “Our goal here is to increase opportunities in aviation for everybody,” Crump said. They want to share this campus with everyone and introduce students and kids to a new career they have yet to learn about or maybe even a new hobby. Inspiring and creating possibilities is what the Aerospace Center for Excellence is all about, and I hope you go check them out. Photography by Nate Schaller Aerospace Center for Excellence 4075 James C. Ray Dr., Lakeland aceedu.org FB @AerospaceCenterForExcellence IG @aerospacecenterforexcellence SUN ‘n FUN flysnf.org FB @FlySNF IG @flysnf

It’s been a year since Lakeland Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Amy Wiggins stepped into that role. We sat down with the Chamber president to discuss the past year, her career, Lakeland’s female leaders, and the women who influenced her along the way. Growing up in Plant City before the town had a movie theater led to plenty of time spent in Lakeland. Wiggins fell in love with the community and attended school at Florida Southern College, where she earned a degree in religion with a concentration on Christian education. She now lives in Lakeland with her husband of nine years, Michael Guerrero, and their retired greyhound. PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND After college Wiggins joined the YMCA of West Central Florida as the teen development director. She emphasized the impact of her time working for then YMCA of West Central Florida President and CEO Alice Collins and what she learned about volunteer management. “She was always so encouraging to me to get involved,” Wiggins said of Collins. Collins’ encouragement spurred a recurring theme of civic engagement in Wiggins’ life. She is the past president of the Polk Arts Alliance and the Polk County Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association and is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Lakeland and Polk Vision and is a member of the Lakeland Mayor’s Council on the Arts. Following her time at the YMCA, Wiggins served as a membership executive for the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce and for five years as their vice president of communications. She left the Chamber to join the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra (previously the Imperial Symphony Orchestra) as executive director in 2015, where she stayed for seven years.  The Symphony gave Wiggins proximity to music and the arts – an interest since she was young. She loved ballet growing up but gave that up in favor of marching band, becoming the drum major in her junior high school band. “I love music, and I love the arts, and I recognize how important arts and culture are to a community,” Wiggins said. “If we’re not directly involved on a personal level every day, we tend to take for granted how much music means to us, or how important it is to have an outstanding parks and recreation system, or how beautiful it is to look at a mural, but it’s nice to be awe-inspired on occasion. I think it’s good for our health.” CHAMBER ACCOMPLISHMENTS Last March, Wiggins rejoined the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce as President and CEO. She hit the ground running, hiring people and creating new positions, and fully staffing the Chamber as of January 1, 2023. “I’m proud of the folks that we’ve brought on,” Wiggins said. “We’ve created several new positions to help us meet the mission of the Chamber a little more intentionally.” One such new position belongs to Director of Business Resources, Takiyah Dixon. “It is her job to aggregate and promote all of the resources and educational workshops that are available to our business community,” Wiggins said. “There are so many free resources available to small business owners that folks don’t know about. If we can do a better job of promoting those, then that helps our small businesses become more successful and more competitive.” Under Wiggins, the Chamber has also partnered with Lakeland Vision to bring back the Education Committee, which aims to “identify current resource gaps, connect stakeholders to education partners with clear goals, expectations, and processes, and to promote “good news” stories of educational success and partnership milestones.” “Lakeland Vision has had an Education Committee just about since its inception, and the Chamber really has too, but we had kind of gotten away from that,” Wiggins said. “We know that we are growing our future workforce. It’s critically important for them to have the skills – both technical skills and critical thinking skills – that are going to make them great employees and want to stay in our community. The more engaged our businesses can be in developing the curriculum and letting the kids and parents know that they care about them, the better off we’re all going to be.” The Chamber president also noted the value of sharing the success of local schools with one example. “Students engaged in fine arts in Polk County Schools have a 100 percent graduation rate – that’s something we should be shouting from the rooftops. That’s incredible.” Last year, the Chamber also launched a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee to “educate, lead and influence businesses on creating diverse workforces, inclusive workplaces and equitable opportunities that help all communities thrive.”  Wiggins said the Committee is “focusing on how we better connect our small businesses with our large purchasers. What are we doing to build those relationships, but also what are we doing to strengthen our small businesses so they’re in a place where they can be competitive in bidding for large contracts.” WOMEN LEADERS IN LAKELAND “We are fortunate here in Lakeland to have an incredible network of women leaders who are supportive and encouraging,” Wiggins said. While attending a groundbreaking ceremony the week prior, the Chamber president stood in a row amongst a commanding group of women – Commissioner Stephanie Madden, Senior Vice President of the LEDC Katie Worthington Decker, LDDA Executive Director Julie Townsend, and CRA Manager Valerie Ferrell. “More than one person commented on what a powerhouse row that was, and I don’t know that we’ve ever been in that space before. It’s really exciting that regardless of who we are, we’re being celebrated as leaders and difference-makers in the community. I’m excited about my peers,” Wiggins said. Wiggins raved about her ten years working at the Chamber with Kathleen Munson. “There are very few women in this community that have had a greater impact on, especially the business community and Lakeland’s quality of life, than Kathleen. I have incredible respect for her, and I really do owe her a lot. As a mentor, she helped me learn things I didn’t know that I didn’t know, which I think is always a tremendous mark of a mentor.” The Lakeland Chamber president had advice for young women with sights set on leadership, including maintaining integrity and staying true to yourself. “The hardest lesson to learn – and I say this as someone who is still learning it – is listening. [...] I think about the people that have been in rooms with me who have garnered the most respect, and they are often the folks who said the least,” Wiggins said. “We as women have such unique abilities to process information and to notice things. One of our superpowers is listening, noticing, and paying attention. The more we do that, the more we can bring people together in consensus. I think we’re in a space now in our community that we need to do that.” Photograph by Amy Sexson

“I’m of the opinion that if my creative work is making people feel anything – I’m doing it right,” said Lakeland-based visual artist Sara Savannah Jones. Emotion is the nucleus of the 28-year-old’s work. Her pieces are engrossing and cool, and mystifying. Working primarily with acrylic paints, Jones uses found objects, photography, drawing, painting, and recycled materials. She notes in the ‘About Me’ on her website, “I find that using recycled canvas and “found” surfaces are an essential technique to convey humanity in my work.” Born and raised in Lakeland, Jones is a resident artist at ART/ifact Studios, serves as the vendor coordinator for Buena Market, and is a K-12 teacher at the Cygnet School, heading up their art department. Jones’ Instagram bio reads in part, “World’s greatest hotdog artist,” an inside joke she said has gone too far. But she’s not wrong – her hotdog paintings are superior. In addition to originals and prints, Jones accepts commissions for album covers. “It’s a lot more fun than people asking me to paint their dog’s portrait,” she joked. Jones has created album art for a number of local bands and musicians, including her sister, Emily Ledford, Rover, Revel in the View, Bobby Hawk, Kevin Sumner, Joe Black, and most recently, Liquid Pennies, out of St. Pete. Jones is inspired by New York-based artist Kehinde Wiley and noted an affinity for the vaporwave aesthetic. “My dad’s a graphic designer, and that had a huge impact on what I do,” she said. Her style heavily emphasizes color theory. “With my acrylic paintings, I’m not blending my colors – I’m layering them,” Jones explained. She even has tattoos depicting CMYK and RGB color theories. These elements and influences have culminated into her present style, and “I hope it keeps changing,” she said. BACKGROUND Photography was an early preoccupation for Jones. She would fill up the disposable cameras gifted to her by her parents. A homeschooled student until the ninth grade, she hoped to go to Harrison School for the Arts for photography but wasn’t admitted into the visual arts program. She instead attended Lakeland High School. “The art teachers there absolutely changed my life,” Jones said. She sunk her teeth into the school’s art offerings, taking classes in graphic design, art history, digital and film photography, ceramics, painting, and beyond. In high school, Jones met surreal photomontage photographer Jerry Uelsmann. She said of the film photographer, who passed away last April, “His work is layered. It looks like they’ve been Photoshopped – the base of a tree that turns into a house – but he’s done all of it in the darkroom.” Hopeful and hungry, Jones asked Uelsmann for any advice he had to give. “He told me to always work from an emotional basis.” The advice was somewhat of an epiphany. At the time, Jones approached her art through the lens of what would work aesthetically. “I started thinking about how I could turn a thought or an emotion or something that I was going through into something that was represented abstractly in a visual way.” Small-scale acrylic works remained central after she graduated. When the pandemic hit, Jones explored a larger format, something she has gained traction with in the last few years but found herself still looking to ‘break in’ to the art scene. “I noticed in Lakeland, especially after Covid, that there was nowhere for artists to go after they graduate,” she said. After participating in a show at ART/ifact, Jones was offered a resident space at the studio. She shares her spot with studio roommate, florist Bethany Lynam of Golden Wild. ART/ifact founder Eli Hults asked Jones if she wanted to do a solo show shortly after she took up residency at the studio. “But then Roe v. Wade was overturned, and I was feeling very much like not wanting to talk about myself. So, I put on the Punks for Planned Parenthood show.” The art show fundraiser amassed nearly $3,000 to donate to Planned Parenthood. The show also introduced new artists to the studio, and like Jones, they wanted in. “I love love love Lakeland. I can see myself living here forever, and I want to see the scene change,” Jones said. “It’s been dominated for a while by a lot of the same artists. And that’s great; I want everyone to find success. But I want everyone to have a chance for that.” So, she partnered with VOLUME Art Collective to produce another show called ‘BREAKING IN!’  The exhibit boasted over 50 visual artists of varying mediums, many of whom had never publicly displayed their work. Pursuing art seriously since age 14, Jones finds herself 14 years later, finally established. “It often can feel like the arts community is something you can’t break into unless you attach yourself to someone else,” Jones said. That sentiment catalyzed the BREAKING IN! art show at ART/ifact. “I love the underground arts community. A lot of the artists came to me and told me that they didn’t feel welcome to display their art because it wasn’t what you see around here traditionally. I want to uplift those people and give them more opportunities.” A NETWORK OF WOMEN The BREAKING IN! art show was orchestrated almost exclusively by women. Asked about her experience as a female artist on the local scene, Jones prefaced that she didn’t have a bone to pick with the arts community and certainly didn’t think she had the correct or only vision for its direction, but that it had been tough, especially in Lakeland. “It’s been a male-dominated arts community for a very long time. All the galleries were owned by men, all of the successful artists were men, most of the murals were painted by men,” she said. “It’s been a challenge. Other male artists love to give me unsolicited advice. I’m happy that you want to help, but I’ve found a level of success that I want, and I’m not trying to pursue anything greater than that.” “I try to keep myself close with women,” Jones said. She called her mom, Tracy Jones, “the most beautiful feminist I know,” adding, “She always inspired me to be myself, whatever that looked like, and it looked like a lot of different things growing up.” Women like Buena Market creator Stephanie Bernal and Art Crawl founder Ellen Chastain have also been influential to the artist. Bernal empowered Jones to start putting on events, and of Chastain, Jones said, “She’s always given me constructive criticism and talked to me about how my art has grown.” She is surrounded by other creative, powerful female forces like her studio roommate, Bethany Lynam, sister Emily Ledford, and VOLUME Art Collective founder, Sunny Balliette. Jones said of fellow ART/ifact resident artist Morgan Patterson of Patterson Tattoos, “I call her the best business bitch I know because she’s extremely intelligent and has a huge focus on making a safe and accepting space to get a tattoo.” And, of course, she would be remiss not to mention Cygnet School Director Dr. Wendy Bradshaw. “She’s fed me, housed me, given me a job. She’s a powerhouse.” QUEEN OF CMYK A large, bright piece demanding space and attention in Jones’ ART/ifact studio sits unfinished, ready for the next element to be painted. When asked about approaching her work from an emotional basis, as advised by Jerry Uelsmann, this is the painting that came to Jones’ mind. She fished the heavy 4x4 wooden canvas from a dumpster and got to work on what has become an homage to her support system. The painting features a magenta background (one of her favorite colors) with CMYK along the left side and a melange of painted objects given to her by a friend or acquaintance or left at her house. “Each item exists in real life and represents a person in my life or someone who has passed through my life,” she said. “I’ve been working on it for years because I keep meeting new people who mean something to me.” Asked if the work had a title, Jones replied, “It doesn’t. I feel like maybe I’ll title it once it’s done, but I also don’t think it will ever be done.” When browsing her portfolio, one painting that caught my eye was entitled “Big Fish Boy,” depicting a shirtless man holding a fish. As absorbing as the painting is, its backstory is even more so. Jones used to live in a historic duplex in Dixieland. The house had a detached garage in the backyard full of personal things left behind by previous tenants. The artist decided to poke around and found a gallon Ziplock bag of old family photos. “I thought it was cool to look into these strangers’ lives,” Jones said. She drew the images that she especially loved, of which “Big Fish Boy” was one. She created an entire Polaroid series on this stranger, based on the abandoned photos with notes written on the back, which she used to title her pieces, like ‘Auction School’ and ‘Chris, Night Before Our Wedding.’ “I thought those were so beautiful and sad that they were left behind,” she said. “I love being able to solidify a memory or some kind of nostalgia in my pieces.” HOLDING THE DOOR FOR OTHER ARTISTS “I’ve found the best way to find success is by lifting up other creatives, so that’s the direction I’m trying to go in,” Jones said. She joined the ART/ifact administrative board several months ago. “I wanted to see life in here, and I wanted people to have opportunities, and be around their peers, and have a hub and a place to talk.” “I’m so thankful for Eli because here they understand that struggle, and I feel like together we’re going to put on a lot more shows that feel like they’re for everyone and create a safe space where you don’t have to tack yourself to a man who’s already found success here,” Jones said. Jones noted an almost requisite part of any change in the arts community will be embracing art you’re not used to and “creating a space for art that you’re not used to calling art. [...] You don’t have to like it, but if it makes you feel something, then it’s doing its job.” Reach out to Sara Savannah Jones through Instagram or email to purchase originals and prints or inquire about commissioning an album cover. Photography by Amy Sexson IG @sara.savannah.jones sara.savannah.jones@gmail.com sarasavannahjones.wixsite.com

Black History Month began as a way of remembering important people and events in African communities across the world. The United States observes this month during February each year, and Winter Haven has built a new tradition by bringing the remembrance close to home. After the cancelling of key Black History Month events in 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Conversations spurred amongst City staff about other ways to commemorate this important celebration. That is when the idea to line the parade route with banners honoring Black heroes came to light. Bringing the Tradition Home The original banners showcased national heroes from Black history such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Aretha Franklin, but Winter Haven has a rich history of local black heroes who have made an impact in the local community. In 2021, a committee was formed to identify and honor local Black heroes. The community submitted nominations to the group, and four outstanding honorees were selected. Those local heroes each blazed new trails while demonstrating passion, dedication, and empathy or compassion for the community, and this year’s honorees have done the exact same. Ernestine Mason Davis has made a lasting impact in the community due to her roles as a local, state, and national civil rights leader, community organizer, and philanthropist, and by volunteering countless hours to serve on local boards and committees. The Week of January 30, 2023, will be Ernestine Mason Davis Week in the City of Winter Haven. Mildred Bennett Foster made her impact in the community through her years as a music teacher, choral coordinator, community activist, businesswoman, and champion for youth development. The Week of February 6, 2023, will be Mildred Bennett Foster Week in the City of Winter Haven. Althea Margaret Daily Mills cemented her place in the history of the community through her work as an advocate for equality in education, a postal manager, and a civil rights leader. The Week of February 13, 2023, will be Althea Margaret Daily Mills Week in the City of Winter Haven. Charles R. Richardson Sr. forged a legacy within this community through his work as an educational administrator, City Commissioner, Mayor, County Commissioner, and all-around public servant. The Week of February 20, 2023, will be Charles R. Richardson Sr. Week in the City of Winter Haven. George & Seretha Tinsley together have created a lasting impact within the community due to their shared legacy as business leaders, philanthropists, mentors, and champions for youth development. The Week of February 27, 2023, will be George & Seretha Tinsley Week in the City of Winter Haven.

In honor of Black History Month, the Lakeland Public Library is hosting a Special Edition Stories and Stones Tour of Tiger Flowers Cemetery on February 18. Stories and Stones is a monthly tour offered from October through April, alternating between Roselawn Cemetery and a combined tour of Lakeview and Tiger Flowers Cemeteries. Librarian and event organizer Rebecca Whalon explained the Stories and Stones concept. “We walk through the cemeteries, and I teach you what to look for as far as the stones in the cemetery. What do certain designs mean? What can you tell by the material a gravestone is made of? What can you tell by the symbology on it?” Along with iconography and the meaning behind stones, Whalon time portals guests through Lakeland’s history via vignettes about individuals interred there. February’s Stories and Stones Tour will focus exclusively on Lakeland’s historic Black cemetery, Tiger Flowers. “We’re going to tell their stories, and as we do that, learn more about Lakeland’s history,” Whalon said. “All of these people contributed to the Lakeland we have today, and their contributions were just as valid as from any of the other cemeteries. We want to make sure that’s not forgotten.” Notable figures discussed on the special edition tour include veteran stories, that of civil rights advocate Madeline Brooks, and Lakeland’s first Black librarian, Elsie Dunbar. The Special Edition Stories and Stones tour, aimed at a teen and adult audience, will last about an hour and is free to attend. Those interested must register in advance, as the event has a limited capacity. Registration can be done online or by calling the library. The tour will commence at the southern border of Tiger Flowers Cemetery and will include walking through paved and unpaved areas and potentially uneven ground. Caution and appropriate walking shoes are advised. Community groups interested in taking a private Stories and Stones Tour by appointment are encouraged to contact Rebecca Whalon at the Lakeland Public Library. Find more information about the Special Edition Stories and Stones Tour of Tiger Flowers Cemetery on the library’s website below. Special Edition Stories and Stones Tour of Tiger Flowers Cemetery When: Saturday, February 18, 2023 9:00 am - 10:15 am Where: Tiger Flowers Cemetery Register online: lakelandpl.libcal.com/event/10064365 Lakeland Public Library 100 Lake Morton Dr, Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 834-4280 www.lakelandgov.net/library FB: Lakeland Public Library IG @lakelandpubliclibrary

“Ignorance of each other is what has made unity impossible in the past. Therefore, we need enlightenment. We need more light about each other. Light creates understanding, understanding creates love, love creates patience, and patience creates unity.”  — Malcolm X. The Historic Ritz Theatre will host “Malcolm X: The Musical” by Tommie Wofford on February 19. The show chronicles the life and times of minister, civil rights leader, and prolific speaker Malcolm X. “Set against the backdrop of the civil rights movement, “Malcolm X: The Musical” tells the extraordinary story of a man’s transformation from a life of crime on the streets of Harlem, to a minister and leader of the Black Muslim Movement,” according to the show’s synopsis. The musical’s creator, Tommie Wofford, is partnering with the Ritz to make his February show a benefit concert in support of Black-owned businesses and nonprofits, as well as continued support for the production. One of the organizations the Playwright has chosen to support is the Black Homeschoolers of Central Florida. Since 2009, this organization has provided support, classes, field trips, and learning opportunities, along with hosting events for homeschooled youth from Pre-K through 12th grade. As a former homeschooled student, Wofford said, “African Americans entering the homeschool circuit is happening, but it’s happening maybe slower than I’d like to see.  I feel like there are a lot of benefits to homeschooling, especially in our community. Some people don’t know that they can do it. It seems like a foreign concept. Anything I can do to help Rasheeda Denning and Black Homeschoolers of Central Florida, I’m going to do that.” A PLAYWRIGHT FROM THE RIDGE Hailing from Lake Wales, Playwright, actor, and producer Tommie Wofford began writing “Malcolm X: The Musical” at just 14 years old. Storytelling piqued his interest after enrolling in Theatre Winter Haven’s Academy classes at age 12. Semester after semester Wofford explored writing, performing, producing and “fell in love with it.” “As a young African American male, I was doing a lot of identity searching. In that exploration of who I was, I was reaching for different mentors, reaching for material to read and knowledge to glean. That’s how I stumbled upon “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,”” Wofford said. “Because of some of the things that Malcolm X taught and believed earlier in his career, he can sometimes, by society, be viewed as this radical militant and that we should try to distance ourselves from his legacy, even in the African American community.” Wofford’s soul searching, desire to tell African American stories and passion for theatre crystallized into his first musical. “I was able to tap into the passion, pain, and purpose and understand a little better why he believed some of the things he believed and apply those things to my life and my experience,” Wofford said. One moment of the civil rights champion’s life that inspired Wofford to write his inaugural work involves the biblical story of Job as told to Malcolm X by his mentor, Elijah Muhammad. “It says that when Job was afflicted, he had a hedge of protection around him. There was a time when his hedge of protection was moved, and all these bad things happened to him. Once the hedge of protection was put back on, he didn’t have to live in that right life, but he chose to,” Wofford said. “I think that’s a really important lesson to be learned – especially by the youth. Not all the time are eyes on you, but are you still going to do the right thing?” “Malcolm X: The Musical” debuted in a three-day ‘page to stage’ concert at Lake Wales Little Theatre in 2021. Soon after, the production was fully imagined at Theatre Winter Haven. “One of the things I knew early on with this show […] because of my age and the subject matter, it was going to be difficult to get people to get behind it. I had to be even more proactive and even more strategic with how I made my moves,” Wofford said. His approach appears to have paid off as the production has since graced the stages of Stetson University’s Second Stage Theatre, Orlando Shakespeare Theatre Company, and Feinstein’s 54 Below in New York City. Having navigated obstacles to see his musical realized, Wofford has advice for other young creatives. “Just do it, but do it well and find the connections you already have,” he said. “You can’t sit idle and wait for something to happen or some opportunity to fall in your lap – because it’s just not going to happen.” ABOUT THE MUSICAL “Our musical follows [Malcolm X] from those early days in Harlem as a criminal to world-renown activist and minister for this organization that saved his life,” Wofford said. Promotional materials for the show read, “Calling out the injustices of racism, Malcolm X preached a message of empowerment to the African Americans of his day. Step into the knowledge of who Malcolm really was in this contemporary musical, and experience the pain, passion, and purpose of his life story in a new way!” Over 50 years since the assassination of Malcolm X at age 39, Tommie Wofford noted the enduring significance of his legacy. “It’s important now because we have so many online activists. We have people who sit on their couches or sit in the comfort of their homes, and they just spew words of concern, sometimes coming from a genuine place, or hurt or anger at whatever the matter may be. While that’s important, and there is validation in that, I think we need to go a little deeper,” he said. “When you look at Malcolm X, you see this guy who didn’t just tweet something or post something or talk about it. He made actual steps. [...] The activists today tend to be all bark, no bite. I think we need to, creatively and strategically, go from barking to nipping a little bit. If we do that, we may see some change.” THE FUTURE The young musician and Playwright’s talents were recognized by the Lake Wales Rotary Club, which awarded him a music scholarship. And Wofford, now 19, has plenty of schools from which to choose. Since August, Wofford has been a student of Tony Award-Winning Corey Mitchell’s Theatre Gap Initiative program in Charlotte, North Carolina. Wofford will wrap up his time with the program in the spring. “Thanks to Corey’s help, I’ve been accepted into schools like New York Film Academy, Long Island University, and Berkley School of Music,” he said. Beyond his debut musical, Tommie Wofford’s dream is to one day be an artistic director at a theatre company or to start his own with a focus on producing new works. “That will allow me to not only produce my own stuff but be a person opening up the gate for people to come in with their ideas too,” he said. Following his Ritz Theatre show will be an April 30 production of “Malcolm X: The Musical” at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando. These will be the last of Wofford’s Florida shows for a while, so don’t miss them! After the April performance Wofford and company will head up to New York to transfer “Malcolm X: The Musical” Off-Broadway this fall. Photography provided by Tommie Wofford “Malcolm X: The Musical” Staged Concert Where: The Historic Ritz Theatre 263 W Central Ave, Winter Haven When: February 19, 2023, at 7 pm. Tickets available at centralfloridatix.com Sponsorships are available; Contact Tommie Wofford at Malcolmxthemusical@gmail.com. FB: Malcolmxthemusical IG @malcolmxthemusical

The Hart Art story is one of international love, civil rights hard fought and won, shared creativity turned livelihood, and zany catchphrases come to life. Caroline and Laurie Hart, the artists behind Hart Art have carved out a niche of rustic wood paintings with inspirational themes. And it all started with a tiki bar. Caroline hails from a small West Sussex village. She had a career in the radio industry, including the U.K.’s number-one commercial radio station, London’s Capital Radio. Creativity has been central to Caroline all her life. She loves to write and has trained as an artist, graphic designer, and photographer. Bostonian Laurie toured New England as a professional hula dancer from the age of 15. She went on to spend 17 years working in the medical field. The two met online in 2005. Caroline and Laurie sparked a connection over their appreciation of photography, theatre, and music. That spark would be kindled a month later when Caroline flew across the Atlantic to meet Laurie in person. “And that’s where we first met, at an airport in Boston,” Caroline said, smiling. This meeting nourished their desire to be together. Both women had families to consider – Caroline has two sons, and Laurie has one. They worked out the logistics and flew back and forth internationally every two weeks for 18 months. In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage, and the Harts said ‘I do’ there two years later. The federal government, which oversees international airports, would drag its feet on marriage equality for another 11 years. The binational couple continued to fly between countries to maintain their families until turbulence shook them from the cloud nine of newlywed bliss. “Every time Caroline came into the country, there was a problem,” Laurie said. Airport authorities would question Caroline as if she were a suspect in some dubious crime. They required her to jump through hoop after hoop as though their marriage wasn’t a valid reason for her trips to the United States. Six years into their marriage, Caroline was told she was spending too much time in the country and that it would be the last time she was allowed entry. Faced with the options of staying in the U.S. illegally or drumming up support for the injustice attempting to defy their union – the Harts decided on the latter. Laurie was determined to get the word out. “We’re telling our story,” she said. The Harts explained their plight to anyone who would listen, and their account was featured in everything from the Advocate to Huffington Post and Curve Magazine. They garnered the support of GLAAD, U.S. representatives, and celebrities like Sharon Stone and Debra Messing. The Harts chronicled their experience in the short film “Status Unknown,” shot at Boston Logan International Airport. The national recognition landed them before the judiciary committee in Washington, D.C. On June 26, 2013, in a landmark case for the LGBTQ community, United States v. Windsor, Section 3 of DOMA (Defence of Marriage Act), was found unconstitutional. The ruling allowed Laurie to sponsor Caroline for her green card the following year. Love won again in 2015 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges to strike down state bans on same-sex marriage. Marriage equality was further enshrined when the Respect for Marriage Act was signed into law on December 13, 2022, affirming federal recognition for same-sex marriages. This year, the Harts will celebrate their 17th anniversary. On their website, “theLexperience,” Caroline writes, “Love definitely gave me more to feel inspired about, and my creativity has flourished.” And flourished it has. The Harts co-owned a photography business for 15 years in Massachusetts before moving to Winter Haven in 2019, looking to escape the frigid New England winters. They bought their home that August and registered theLexperience LLC as a business the next month as a joint creative venture and outlet. “We knew how important it was to tell our story. Everyone has a story,” Laurie said. They accrued advertisers for the site until the pandemic hit in 2020. “We thought, ‘Now what are we going to do?’” Laurie said. The couple had honeymooned in Hawaii and celebrated their 10th anniversary on its crystalline beaches. Unable to travel with their 15th anniversary on the horizon, the Harts decided to bring Hawaii to them. “We thought we’d build our own Hawaiian oasis in our back [yard],” Caroline said. “We built this tiki bar, the two of us. It was crazy, and it was very funny because we’d never done anything like it before.” Upon constructing their backyard paradise, Caroline and Laurie embellished it with a painting. “That was always my love, doing art. Every kind of thing you could imagine – detailed pen and ink to oil painting,” Caroline said. Their neighbors loved the image, which inspired the pair to embark on more wood-based painting projects. They sold them to neighbors and friends, who in turn requested commission pieces. Fueled by creativity and encouragement, they ventured to local markets to sell their artwork. Caroline remembers thinking, ‘We could really make something of this.’ She added, “We are incredibly grateful for all the local support for our artwork and even have regulars who frequent the markets searching us out.” When creating a new piece, the pair conceive the initial idea together. “Being creative was something we’ve always had between us,” Laurie said. She prepares the wood to be painted, including the hand-carved bottom edge. Caroline sketches the image, and the two decide on a color palette. Laurie paints the background, and Caroline goes in for detail. Their rustic pieces depict their surroundings and subjects that inspire them – Circle B, the Sunken Gardens, Florida beaches, mermaids, birds, food, and more. In 2022, the Harts met “Lord Honey” Chef Jason Smith through a mutual friend. The Kentucky native won season three of “Holiday Baking Championship,” “Holiday Baking Championship: Kids vs. Adults,” and “Next Food Network Star.” The celebrity chef is a judge on “Best Baker in America” and has made appearances on the “Rachael Ray Show,” “Pickler & Ben,” and “Home & Family.” During the pandemic, they’d watched him on the Food Network and giggled over his ‘Jasonisms’ like “Butter my butt and call me a biscuit!” Laurie and Caroline created a painting based around one such ‘Jasonism’ – “Happier than a rooster in socks.” The Hart Art pair presented it to the Food Network darling. “He was absolutely blown away,” Caroline said. Inspired, the couple made more pieces centered around these whacky Southern sayings. “Because we’re both really creative, when he says something funny, in our heads, we can see it and then make it,” Caroline said. They talked about their idea to paint his sayings with Smith over lunch – and he loved it! The chef was “happier than two skunks kissing in a corn patch” to work with Hart Art. “Well, lord honey children, Hart Art artwork is some of the most awesome artwork I’ve seen in years, from the way that they bring the paintings to life, and how they take a one phrase sentence and turn it into a real-life object is just amazing,” Chef Smith said. “With every brush stroke to the ending product, the stories just appear. [...] They just care and take such painstaking time to make all my dreams come true.” From the first painting the Harts gifted Chef Smith, he said, “I knew right then it was higher powers that had brought us together. For that reason, I knew it was going to be a perfect fit. I had always dreamed of a Lord Honey art line, and it just was a sign it was time to do that, and I had found the right people to bring it to life.” Hart Art now has a two-year contract for collaboration with Chef Jason Smith. They’ve created a Jasonism-inspired series of one-of-a-kind paintings in their signature style on wood. Each piece comes with a certificate of authenticity. They’ve also added distinctive limited-edition prints. This month Hart Art will join Chef Jason for the Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival, where he will be doing cooking demonstrations, and they will bring their artwork. Laurie and Caroline Hart have become family to the chef, “I just love them,” he said. Though their roots spread far and wide from the U.K. to New England, the Harts love Winter Haven. Laurie said, “We know how important it is to get local support. […] The people of Winter Haven and all the surrounding [areas], they’ve been so supportive of us.” The two artists love to take pictures of patrons with their work and hear the stories behind why a piece might speak to someone. They aim to show the same support for local businesses, especially women-owned, like Stacy’s Printing, where they get all their printing done. Hart Art is open to any local shops, galleries, or businesses that would like to display their artwork. To shop Hart Art, inquire about commissions, or learn more about Caroline and Laurie’s story, visit their website, thelexperience.com. Photography by Amy Sexson Hart Art IG @hartart2021 thelexperience.com Chef Jason Smith southerncountrybling.com

“There’s no comparison here. There’s no doubt, no fear, no insecurity, and no competition. This is your workout – you just get to do it with all the other ladies around you,” said Stephanie Garrison, owner and instructor at The Balance Culture Winter Haven. The boutique fitness studio has been a safe and supportive workout space for women in Lakeland for the last eight years. This month, owners Ruthie Tait and Stephanie Garrison bring their heart-pumping, soul-nourishing brand of empowerment to Winter Haven. Ruthie Tait, instructor and owner of The Balance Culture, moved to Lakeland in 2009 to attend Southeastern University. A former gymnast, Tait played collegiate volleyball for four years while majoring in Social Work. During college, Tait and her friend Kirstin Czernek connected over their passion for fitness and nutrition, and with graduation approaching, both were considering their career options. Czernek opted to attend nutrition school while Tait started her yoga certification. The initial goal wasn’t to start a business but rather to teach. “All these different ‘God things’ kept happening and opening doors to start The Balance Culture,” Tait said. Czernek’s husband was looking for an office space and found one with an open room next door and thought it would make a good fitness studio. Ruthie and Kirstin began hosting pop-up classes, offering complimentary Pilates and barre, to gauge community interest in a group fitness studio. “It was such an amazing response,” Tait remembered. For a year, the two women worked to build what they wanted their brand to be. The Balance Culture, a women-exclusive group fitness studio, opened in Dixieland on September 28, 2015. They were at that location for six years before moving to a new studio space last year. A year and a half ago, Tait bought out her friend and former business partner, who retired to focus on her family. “It’s hard to believe that it’s been eight years,” Tait said. “We’re just doing what we love every day – connecting with the community, helping women feel empowered, and having fun working out while we do it.” Tait is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher. She is certified through the Athletics Fitness Association of America (AFAA) as a Group Fitness instructor and Mat Pilates instructor, a certified Spin instructor through Mad Dogg Athletics, and a barre instructor certified through Barre Intensity. Stephanie Garrison has been an instructor for The Balance Culture since day one. She and Tait knew each other through Southeastern, where Garrison was first a student and then the Executive Director for Student Development. The Buffalo, New York native, moved to Florida in high school and studied Business Management at Southeastern, eventually earning her MBA. “I loved being there,” she said. “I’m a product of Southeastern.” Garrison has been involved in dance her whole life. She toured, competed, and performed throughout New York and Florida. “I remember going into my first dance studio at three years old and thinking, ‘How can I do this every day of my life? This is the coolest thing ever.’ It’s honestly been a dream for that long to one: own a business, and two: have a space for women to feel equipped and empowered. I feel, 34 years later, the Lord saying, ‘I’ll give you generations of women to have in a studio.’” The instructor turned Balance Culture Winter Haven co-owner continued, “To now have this opportunity to expand into the brand that I’ve loved and built, grown with, and been a part of is a dream come true.” Garrison is certified through the Athletics Fitness Association of America (AFAA) as a Group Fitness instructor, Barre Intensity, and Mad Dogg Athletics for Spin. Her fitness training forte includes teaching barre, Spin, Pilates, stretch, hip-hop, and strength training. The Balance Culture already has devoted members that drive from Winter Haven to Lakeland for their uniquely women-centric atmosphere. Tait and Garrison knew the Chain of Lakes city would be the perfect place for a sister studio. “Every day, it has been support after support from the Chamber to Main Street, Haven, the Sun. Everyone has jumped on board with what we’re doing here and supported us,” Garrison said. “They’re excited for us, and it’s been such a sweet surprise.” She relocated to Winter Haven in July and now lives just two blocks from the 5th Street fitness studio. The 2200-square-foot Winter Haven space boasts an open studio for their signature group fitness classes, including a barre and mirrors along the wall. Cork beneath the gym flooring remains from the location’s former life as a dance studio. The fitness studio has a client lounge with cubbies and restrooms and an area for nutritional coaching. Balance Culture’s bread and butter are group fitness classes, including Barre, Pilates, Endurance Training, Yoga, HIIT, Bootycamp, Strength Training, and beginner classes. The studio also offers personal training, small group classes, private sessions, and community events. In addition to their variety of group classes, Tait noted, “We have a nutrition coach that meets one on one with clients that are interested in having that support in their nutrition journey of ‘What should I eat? How can I partner my nutrition with what I’m doing in the studio to feel my best?’” The boutique fitness studio aims to create an atmosphere distinct from other gyms and workout spaces. “Our whole thing from the beginning was we want to make everyone feel welcome from the moment they open the door,” Tait said. “From our instructors to our interns, everyone is very much into the mission of empowering women, and that’s woven into everything we do.” Along with building physical strength, the Balance Culture owners hope to encourage their clients mentally. “I think our clients really feel that and feel like their effort and the way they show up in the studio has affected the way they’re able to show up in other ways like in their profession and in their relationships,” Tait said. “That’s our heart, a holistic approach to health.” The Balance Culture Winter Haven had a soft launch from December 29 – December 31, during which they offered two classes a day, free to members and $5 per class for non-members. Their grand opening is set for January 2, 2023, when a full schedule of classes is set to begin. Balance Culture members have unlimited access to all classes and are welcome to attend as many as they’d like. Visit their website to register for a Balance Culture membership or reserve classes. Members can also download “The Balance Culture” app to create a profile and reserve classes. “I think it’s meeting new women in a new city, giving them a space of confidence and empowerment,” Garrison said. “That’s a huge part of our story – you’re not just walking into a gym. You’re not just walking into a fitness studio. You’re walking into your vulnerability and your story. If that means you get to stand next to your friend, do some squats, and laugh because your legs are shaking so much – amazing. If it means you get to come in here after a really hard day of being challenged or feeling defeated, and you walk out of here with something new and bright and strong – that’s worth it too. And if it means you get to sit at our table and talk through what’s going on in your life and where you need help – that’s a part of it too.” As it is for many, this is a transformative time for The Balance Culture – new year, new digs, new community. Owners Ruthie Tait and Stephanie Garrison are up to the challenge. “Our heart is to create sustainable change and create something that people can work into their lives not just in January but for the rest of the year,” Tait said. The pair plan to make their Winter Haven space in the image of their flagship Lakeland studio: a place to gain strength, build confidence, make sustainable changes, and celebrate yourself and the women around you. And if you have the occasional slice of pizza or take a self-care day – that’s okay too. Life is all about balance. Photography by Amy Sexson The Balance Culture 1037 Florida Ave S #125, Lakeland -AND- 31 5th St NW, Winter Haven FB: The Balance Culture IG @thebalanceculture thebalanceculture.com