Sarasota County School Board member Tom Edwards is stepping into a new spotlight as the next executive director of Project Pride SRQ, a nonprofit that champions LGBTQ+ inclusion and celebrates diversity through high-profile events, community programs and year-round advocacy.
Edwards, who has represented the Venice community as the District 3 representative since 2020, spent more than four decades as an entrepreneur, building a staffing company that placed over 2,000 workers daily.
On the school board, Edwards has been part of bringing new career and trade academies to Riverview, Venice, and North Port High Schools; securing a new Suncoast Technical College campus in North Port through public–private partnerships; and launching an AI Film Lab at Booker High School. He also led efforts to preserve the district’s pre-K program when it faced budget cuts.
Throughout his tenure, Edwards has been one of the board’s most vocal advocates for equity and inclusion, often pushing back against legislation and policies he said marginalized LGBTQ+ students and staff.
Edwards said he’s ready to channel that same energy into advancing the organization’s mission of “building bridges, creating visibility, and ensuring everyone in our community feels seen, valued, and celebrated.”
“Project Pride envisions a silo-free community that is proud, resilient, and unified by shared values, not tribal policies,” Edwards said. “I am so excited that Project Pride has given me this platform to do this important work.”
PPSRQ has scheduled a pop-up town hall at its offices located in downtown Sarasota at 1370 Blvd. of the Arts, Unit C, on August 27 from 6-8 p.m. Community members, residents, advocates and nonprofit leaders are invited to meet Edwards and hear more details regarding the organization’s next chapter.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Project Pride SRQ announces Sarasota School Board member Tom Edwards as executive director
Reporting by Samantha Gholar, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
