The Soul of Sarasota

Newtown, Sarasota, a tight-knit city surrounded by a rich culture of arts and history, has been the home to Melanie Lavender since birth. Melanie, a Sarasota spoken word artist, has a gift of cultivating her words to bring strength and produce healing from past traumas. 

 After losing a loved one, Melanie turned to writing and speaking to help process her emotions. Little did she know that this would open the door to a whole new realm of possibilities. 

 During the early years of Sarasota, people came from all over for new opportunities. However, due to segregation laws that separated people of color, Newtown was created as a self-sustained community. Vickie Oldham, Founder of Newtown Alive and President of Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition, has been taking steps to spotlight the unique history of Newtown. 

 As racial reckoning continues to take place all across the nation, Vickie believes in the importance of creating a space that highlights the rich history of the arts in Newtown by people of color. Vickie's dream of this arts center is coming true with the upcoming Sarasota African American Art Center and History Museum. 

 Through Melanie's passion for spoken word, she has become a "voice of change" in the Newtown community. “The history of Newtown is worthy of being celebrated and retold as a guide map for future generations to build on,” explained Melanie. Leaders in Newtown have united to use the arts to spark a sense of identity and inclusion to their neighbors. By proclaiming the history of their fore-founders who helped morph Newtown, Sarasota into the artistic area it is, people can experience Newtown in its raw and authentic nature.