Sarasota NAACP Holds Freedom Awards Banquet
Left to right: Trevor Harvey, NAACP president; Nate Jacobs, Captain Lori Jaress, LaTonya Melvin from Publix Supermarkets, Dr. Jobia Keys, Nancy Jenkins, Cheryl Steele, Jaela Dennis, Kevin Stiff and Joe Polzak.
The Sarasota County Branch NAACP held its 34th Annual Freedom Awards Banquet on October 3rd at the Hyatt Regency, Sarasota. The prestigious Freedom Awards are presented to individuals, organizations and businesses that have significantly contributed to furthering the local and national goals of the NAACP and for their significant contributions to the Sarasota community. The 2019 honorees were Jaela Dennis, Rising Star; Dr. Jobia Keys, Go Forth and Prosper; Sarasota Police Department’s Homeless Out- reach Team headed by Joe Polzak and Kevin Stiff; Publix Supermar kets/Publix Charities, Business and Industry; Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Community Service; Captain Lori Jaress, Public Service; Cheryl Steele, Education; and Nancy Jenkins, Lifetime Achievement.
Dennis is a senior at Booker High School where she is in the Advance International Certificate of Education program, Career Technical Education Program, College for Every Student and the Brilliant Pathways Program. She is point guard for the Tornadoes’ girls basketball team. Dr. Keys is the Assistant Professor of Communications at Florida Southern College, earning her Ph.D. in Communications from Georgia State University. Stiff and Polzak have been with Sarasota Police Department’s Homeless Outreach Team since its inception, helping to direct our homeless population to service providers available to them. Publix Charities serve the communities in which it operates, helping to meet the needs of the community by supporting organizations that focus on youth, education, reducing hunger and alleviating homelessness.
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe was founded by Nate Jacobs in 1999 and have since developed several signature education and community outreach programs including Stage of Discovery, a summer musical theatre intensive program for students ages 13 to 18.
Capt. Jaress has been with the Sarasota Police Department for 26 years and currently oversees the Support Services Division. She is a 2018 graduate of the FBI National Academy, Class #273. Steele has been an educator at Pine View School for 31 years and teaches seventh grade language arts. She is also chairman of the Middle School English Department.
Nancy Jenkins and her husband, the late Asa Jenkins, owned Jenkins Pure Oil Gas Station on 27th Street, now Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. For many years, they served Newtown and surrounding communities. She remains active in her church, Greater Hurst Chapel A.M.E. Church.
Cynthia S. Howard was banquet chairperson and Trevor D. Harvey is branch president.
