Author

Jessi Smith

Jessi Smith

Jessi Smith (she/they) is a freelance writer who is passionate about sustainability, community building, and the power of the arts and transformative storytelling. A fourth-generation Floridian, Jessi received her B.A. in Art History and English from Florida International University and began reporting for 83 Degrees in 2009. When she isn't writing, Jessi enjoys taking her deaf rescue dog on outdoors adventures, unearthing treasures in backroads antiques and thrift shops, D.I.Y. upcycling projects, and Florida-friendly gardening.

Jessi Smith's Latest Articles

Sustainable Buzz Surrounds Tampa Bay’s Locavore Movement

Celebrating the Tampa Bay region's locavore movement, the Sustany Foundation teams up with local farms and restaurants, food trucks, breweries, wineries and spirits companies to present a tastebud-tantalizing Sustainable Buzz Fest on November 7 at the Straz Center.

Sun Boxes Emit Music, Light For Art Center Sarasota
USFSM Ushers In Scientific Renaissance With Mote Partnership, New Science Labs, Biology Major
Florida Students Race To Finish Line At F1 World Championship

Five public high school students from Manatee County will represent the United States at the 9th annual F1 in Schools World Championship Competition in Austin, Texas, November 9-15. The Allegiance Racing Team qualified by winning the national championship in May.

Sarasota’s Selby Gardens Flourishes With Renovations
Local Swap Scene Encourages Community Building

The Sarasota Swappers leave their wallets at home as they gather monthly to share homemade products and goodies that require an investment of special skills, time and energy to produce and can't be found on store shelves.

Let Your Inner Tarzan Run Wild At TreeUmph In Bradenton

The largest elevated adventure course in southwest Florida, TreeUmph features adrenaline-pumping obstacles and a unique birds-eye view of the 14 acres below.

Project Art Connects Past, Future Along Bradenton Riverwalk

The scraping staccato of battered skateboards may cause a slight distraction from the rich history that surrounds Bradenton's Riverwalk, but thanks to the efforts of local teens, artists and historians, Manatee County history comes to life in a series of informative public art panels that line the Riverwalk.

Ready To Sink Your Teeth Into The Locavore Cause?

From gardens to the Gulf, the locavore movement is beginning to thrive in Tampa Bay and across Florida with pioneers like Steve Phelps and Katie and Emilio Sosa at the helm.

Center For Building Hope: A Place Designed For Healing

The designers of the Center For Building Hope at Lakewood Ranch in Sarasota created a place where cancer patients and their families find peace and sustenance in surroundings influenced by nature.

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