The 2021 FMA Charlie Awards Banquet

A Night to Remember

Embraced as Magazine of the Year at the Florida Magazine Association 2021 Charlie Awards Gala

If you have never been to the Westin Sarasota hotel, make plans to do so. The panoramic views from the rooftop bar and pool are marvelous, as well as the art deco design and resort amenities from lobby to rooftop. As memorable as those features were, the Westin Sarasota will forever be remembered by those who attended the Florida Magazine Association 2021 Charlie Awards Gala on Friday, July 16, 2021 as the setting for the night a small startup LGBTQ magazine called Embrace from Ocala, Fla. made history.

Established in 1953, the Florida Magazine Association never had a LGBTQ magazine member until Embrace. Established in 1957, the Charlie Awards never had a startup magazine win first place for both Best New Magazine and Best Overall Magazine in its inaugural year until Embrace. That night, the Florida Magazine Association took it a step further by awarding Embrace with first place Best New Magazine and Best Overall Magazine, as well as Magazine of the Year. In total, Embrace was awarded with 22 awards: 8 Charlie, 6 Silver, 7 Bronze, and the sole Magazine of the Year.

Embrace was the only magazine to win top honors in all four Best Overall categories, taking Charlies in Best Overall Magazine and Best Overall Writing, and Silvers in Best Overall Design and Best Overall Digital Innovator. Other top honors recipients included: Internal Auditor, Boca Magazine, Florida Realtor Magazine, Sarasota Magazine, FORUM: The Magazine of Florida Humanities, The Boca Raton Observer, and Palm Beach Illustrated.

The Florida Magazine Association also awarded Sabrina Salovitz as 2021 winner of the Doug Damerst Scholarship, a $1,000 cash prize. A junior at Florida Coast University pursuing a major in journalism with minors in interdisciplinary studies and political science, Salovitz is the Editor-in-Chief of her university paper, Eagle News. She has also been published in her hometown newspaper, The Port Charlotte Sun.

In addition to the event itself, Embrace Magazine will always hold the judges’ comments as motivation moving forward. For Magazine of the Year, one judge said “From front to back this is a brilliantly conceived and executed magazine, with edit, art, and design seamlessly combining to create a look that is exciting and modern … Features are treated as moments of visual storytelling … Great work, and easily my choice for Magazine of the Year.” Another judge for MOTY wrote, “This is a very exciting new entrant in Florida’s magazine community. I’m voting for it because it breaks the norms enough to excite and engage, yet maintains a high bar of quality in terms of content and design. Please, newcomer, do not take your foot o the gas pedal.”

To that judge I say, “Not to worry, I won’t.”