Gulf Coast Community Foundation recently awarded Embracing Our Differences a $40,000 Arts Appreciation grant, which offers unrestricted funding to area arts organizations in support of their artistic missions. According to Sarah Wertheimer, Embracing Our Differences’ executive director, the grant will help fund the organization’s 2021 outdoor exhibition, which promotes awareness of diversity and proclaims the values of inclusion, kindness, and respect. The grant will also be used to fund EOD’s year-round outreach programs and initiatives.

“Embracing Our Differences is committed to an important mission—keeping the value of inclusion and diversity in the public eye,” says Wertheimer. “We accomplish this through the power of art and education. Millions of people around the world are rejecting hate and seeking common ground. For the past 17 years, tens of thousands of these people have shared this message of hope with us. Year after year, we’ve passed that message on to our local community. We’re deeply grateful that Gulf Coast Community Foundation has been with us every step of our journey.”