Headliner to be Emily Raboteau, author and professor at City College of New York
Sustainability experts, community organizers and decision-makers will be among those gathering on Nov. 6 in Sarasota County for the 20th Annual Sustainable Communities Workshop, Sarasota County staff announced this week.
“Slated for the Harvest House Learning Enrichment Campus,” the day-long public workshop will feature the theme Then, Now, Next: 20 Years of Sustainable Communities, “to reflect on the past, observe present challenges and actions, and plan for the future of our local region,” a news release notes.
“This celebratory workshop will highlight topics like local history, resilient architecture, sustainable business, climate communication, and sustainable community practices, as we look to build a secure, prosperous future for Sarasota County,” said Michelle Marinangel, sustainability outreach coordinator with Sarasota County’s University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension and Sustainability program.
“Sarasota County’s continuing growth in popularity has made the area a destination for many, while also highlighting the need to protect limited resources and foster sustainable and healthy communities that adapt to change,” the release points out. “The Sustainable Communities Workshop offers information and opportunities to effect meaningful, measurable change,” the release adds.
Emily Raboteau, author and professor at the City College of New York, will be the headliner for the 2025 workshop, the release says. “She will explore the personal and societal impacts of environmental change, including how climate emotions and artistic expression shape resilient communities.”
The workshop also will feature Don Hall, training coordinator for Transition Network, and John McCarthy, vice president for regional history at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, the release adds.
“Sarasota County UF/IFAS Extension and Sustainability offers both online and in-person participation options, with tickets costing $20 to $55 ($5 to $30 for students),” the release points out. In-person registrations will cover breakfast and lunch, it notes. To learn more about the event and to register, go to tiny.cc/ufsaraext_scw2025.
“ ‘Early-bird’ registration for in-person participation is discounted through Sept. 26, at $45 per spot, the release says, noting that in-person attendance at the Harvest House Learning Enrichment Campus, which stands at 3650 17th St. in Sarasota, is limited to 250. Therefore, the release adds, event organizers encourage early registration.
Along with “the issues-driven workshop,” the release continues, “the milestone anniversary event will feature something extra for attendees.”
“Following the workshop,” Marinangel said, “we are thrilled to host a social hour with live music and honor local sustainability champions with a special awards ceremony as part our 20-year celebration.”
Anyone with questions about the event may visit www.scgov.net/sustainablecommunities, email sustainablesarasota@scgov.net, or call 311 (or, 941-861-5000 outside Sarasota County).