Presenting

S ummer is the traditional time to slow down...plan a vacation...and take a breath—but here at GR AVITAS we aim to keep up the exhilarating momentum of recent months. Ever since our write-up in The New York Times, we have been delighted by subscriptions coming in from coast to coast. We are thrilled to have an oppor tunity to expand our message and distribution beyond our local borders. In this issue we meet the dynamic Dr. Kanika Tomalin, Deputy Mayor of St. Petersburg. Our cover girl has turned her gift for listening to others' stories into a means of helping them achieve their dreams. I also had the pleasure of spending an afternoon at gorgeous Selby Gardens with President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki, who has made her way to the cultural coast via the Guggenheim, the Metropolitan Opera and most recently, the New York Botanical Garden. She is revolutionizing the garden and fine ar t experience with an exciting new exhibit, "Marc Chagall, Flowers, and the French Riviera: The Color of Dreams." Along the theme of "Making a Difference," we study the mission and agenda of UN Women, a relatively new branch of the United Nations with a laser focus on empowering women all over the world in order to secure a better future for us all. Taking that global message and applying it to her own local community is "Angel" Lorna Taylor, who is lauded by both GR AVITAS and her fans at The Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women for her effor ts in working with the causes that are near and dear to her hear t. Launching a Quest for Sisterhood, I examine some of the challenges that are holding women back, and how we have a lot to learn from other countries across the globe. We had an oppor tunity to talk with Rory Kennedy, the youngest daughter of Senator Bobby Kennedy, about how she uses a career in documentary film as a platform and a megaphone. We also highlight a businesswoman and entrepreneur by the name of Reese Witherspoon, who demonstrates a side of her talents beyond the charming actor we all know and love. Join us in paying tribute to the late, great Mary Tyler Moore. Her turn as Mary Richards in the 70s enter tained us and made us laugh. She became a dear friend and encouraged working women everywhere that they can, indeed, "make it" on their own. Our repor t on the renaissance the Suncoast is experiencing reveals the extraordinary rebir th of its city centers, fueled by a flood of investment and resolve to turn the Greater Tampa Bay region into a principal entrepreneurial and technology hub of the east coast. When you're ready to explore new areas of the coast—and even venture outside it just a bit—delve into our Girl's Guide to Summer to discover some out-of-the-way excursions and exciting ideas for whiling away your sunny days. Other travel features you'll find within these pages include a breathtaking journey to Africa, as well as a look at planning an exotic "health holiday" in our Medical Tourism piece. We look forward to sharing all of these incredible, inspiring stories with you. Cheers to you and to a fabulous summer! GravitasMag.com $4.95 US Making a DIFFERENCE GIRL'S GUIDE TO SUMMER The Suncoast Renaissance DR. KANIKA TOMALIN Deputy Mayor of St. Petersburg + P E O P L E I D E A S S T Y L E C U L T U R E N E W S CULTIVATING CONFIDENCE TAMPA BAY - SARASOTA | SUMMER 2017 For Women with Purpose Jules Lewis Gibson Founder & Editor-In-Chief Find me on Facebook at Facebook.com/SeasideJules Visit us at GravitasMag.com to learn about our new Audio Magazines FROM OUR FOUNDER Cover photo by Allie Serrano Por traits. Thank you to Rococo Steak for providing the shoot location. 6 | GRAVITAS MAGAZINE GravitasMag.com

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