Shannon Fortner

Organizer, Founder & Executive Director @Fabulous Arts Foundation

Sarasota, FL, US

Shannon Fortner, President & FounderFrom a young age, Shannon has fervently dedicated herself to the activist causes of justice and equality, timelessly inspired by their personal and political icon, Harvey Milk. In 2009, Shannon attended an Equality March in Washington D.C. where activist Cleve Jones put forth a rallying cry to the crowd to start organizing in their communities—inspired, she immediately went to work. The Equal Civil Rights Rally, which Shannon put together later that year, quickly evolved into the Harvey Milk Festival—not only to celebrate one of the nation’s first openly gay politicians, but to advance his ideals of equality, diversity, and LGBTQ+ rights. Changing the world starts in your backyard— and over the past decade this Sarasota-based festival has evolved into a multifaceted celebration of art, expression, queer identity, LGBTQ+ education and more. Shannon’s non-profit, the Fabulous Arts Foundation (FabAF), also conducts diversity training for local businesses, oversees a LGBTQ+ scholarship program, and continues the perpetual mission of queer advocacy. When they\'re not organizing for justice, they\'re either commanding the audience in synth-rock band MeteorEYES, or arranging what will be on stage as talent buyer and event coordinator for both the Ringling Underground at the Ringling Museum, and her own arts management company, Moxie Productions SRQ. The community that Shannon diligently serves has recognized her efforts over the years, having received accolades such as the ‘Unity Award’ from Sarasota Magazine and the ‘Icon Award’ and ‘Favorite LGBTQ Community Leader & Activist’ from SarasotaOut.com.Mission: HMF fosters the arts as a catalyst for social and political change.Vision: We promote equality for LGBTQ+ people by fostering emerging artistic talent and supporting equal rights legislation. Creating safe spaces within our community, as well as a platform for our community to be heard. COMMUNITY FOCUSED, COMMUNITY DRIVEN!