Embrace Magazine

In celebration of Embrace Magazine's 5th anniversary, which occurred on June 29, 2024, I have decided to reshare each issue once a month in order of publication! Here is the February 2023 Heroes Issue (9th one published of 12): https://lnkd.in/eVEv3zqe THE MAGAZINE BRAND IS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE. All 12 published issues reshared once per month will hopefully indicate what the publication's power could be if published monthly. Some content is timely to the period it was published while others are timeless. Each issue will be reshared on the 1st of the month (or as close to the 1st as possible). If you are interested in purchasing, or you have a lead to one, please message me in Direct Message. To see all issues, visit the website here: https://lnkd.in/gUjb3Zaa Thank you, please enjoy, and share feedback in public comments if you desire!

In celebration of Embrace Magazine's 5th anniversary, which occurred on June 29, 2024, I have decided to reshare each issue once a month in order of publication! Here is the November 2022 Health Issue (8th one published of 12): https://lnkd.in/eyT5yStQ THE MAGAZINE IS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE. All 12 published issues reshared once per month will hopefully indicate what the publication's power could be if published monthly. Some content is timely to the period it was published while others are timeless. Each issue will be reshared on the 1st of the month (or as close to the 1st as possible). If you are interested in purchasing, or you have a lead to one, please message me in Direct Message. To see all issues, visit the website here: https://lnkd.in/gUjb3Zaa Thank you, please enjoy, and share feedback in public comments if you desire!

I made the news again, this time in the Ocala Gazette! See article here. The article mentions Embrace Magazine, as well as my tied record with Joe Capozzi for Most First Place Awards By A Writer in a given year. We each hold the record at six first place writing awards, His accomplished in 2022; mine accomplished in 2023. https://lnkd.in/g-BtBHmz

Made the news yesterday. This article was published in Coral Springs, South Florida. Coverage on the Florida Press Club 2025 Excellence in Journalism awards. I am included for my contributions to the wins for Multimedia Presentation and the Lucy Morgan Award for In-depth Reporting. https://lnkd.in/e9Zc8Ea6

EMBRACE MAGAZINE — PLUS MY WORK FOR CORAL SPRINGS TALK — WON 14 AWARDS IN THE 2024 FLORIDA PRESS CLUB EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM COMPETITION! 12 awards for Embrace Magazine. Two awards for my work in Coral Springs Talk. Seeing all my colleagues at what may be my final Florida Press Club awards was wonderful. I am photographed with many. Among them is Joe Capozzi. See the second photo. Joe and I have the distinction of holding the tied record for most First Place awards won in a year by a writer. We have won six first-place awards in a single year. Joe won his in 2022, breaking the long-standing record set by Mark Howell in 2007 with five First Place awards. I won mine in 2023, tying Joe’s record. It is an honor to share a state record title with Joe Capozzi. And now, the winners for Embrace Magazine and my work for Coral Springs Talk are… WRITING 1) FIRST PLACE: Travel and Tourism Writing for “West Pride Story”, “Palm Springs — Now with More Gay Added”, and “Attractions of Taiwan” by John Sotomayor and Mark Chesnut 2) FIRST PLACE: Art News for “Stroll Down Memory Lane” by Steve Rothaus, and “Platformers” by John Sotomayor 3) SECOND PLACE: Minority News for “West Pride Story,” “A Seat at the Table” and “Head of a Global Giant” by John Sotomayor and Jack Lemnus 4) SECOND PLACE: Headline Writing for “Summer Camp”; “West Pride Story;” “Follow Me” by John Sotomayor and Rheya Tanner 5) THIRD PLACE: Business News for “Head of a Global Giant” “A Seat at the Table” by John Sotomayor and Jack Lemnus 6) THIRD PLACE: Opinion Writing for “PSA: LGBTQ+ 101” by John Sotomayor and Marcy Shortuse LAYOUT (DESIGN) 7) FIRST PLACE: Front Page Design (Cover) for Travel July 2023, Leadership Dec 2023, and Entertainment April 2024 Covers by jamie ezra mark, Rheya Tanner, Wendy Mak, and Josh clark PHOTOGRAPHY 8.) FIRST PLACE: Feature Photo Essay for “Summer Camp” by magnus hastings 9) FIRST PLACE: General News for “A Convention to Remember” By Ghost Edits 10) FIRST PLACE: Portrait/Personality for “Summer Camp” by Magnus Hastings ILLUSTRATIONS 11) FIRST PLACE:  Art Illustration for “West Pride Story” and “Gays in Hollywood” by Joshua Clark 12) THIRD PLACE: Editorial Cartooning for AJ & Magnus by Bryan & Simon Steel Art ONLINE 13) FIRST PLACE: Multimedia Presentation for “Florida’s George Santos: The Dishonorable Daniel Sohn” by John Sotomayor, Alexander Sotomayor, and Sharon Aron Baron — Coral Springs Talk SPECIAL AWARDS 14) THIRD PLACE: LUCY MORGAN AWARD FOR IN-DEPTH REPORTING, CLASS C for “Florida’s George Santos: The Dishonorable Daniel Sohn” by John Sotomayor and Sharon Aron Baron — Coral Springs Talk Congratulations to all our winners at Embrace Magazine! To see the complete list of winners, click the link here:  https://lnkd.in/exrrgUDK

TONIGHT — the Florida Press Club 2025 Awards Banquet (for awards won in 2024)! I can't wait! My magazine, Embrace Magazine, is up for 12 awards and my work published with South Florida-based Coral Springs Talk is up for 2 more! Total of 14. I will post quick results tonight immediately after the event followed by a detailed listing of our placements tomorrow. Place: Hilton Ocala Time: 6 - 10 PM Special Note: The Lucy Morgan Award for Investigative Reporting — which I am a finalist for — is named after FPC founder Lucy Morgan, who worked for the Ocala Star Banner at the time of its founding. This is the first time the awards banquet, which is held throughout the state, is held in Ocala, bringing the banquet back to its roots. It will also be the last time I enter the FPC awards, as I wrap up my journalism/media career. Fingers crossed for big results! Photos in this post are from FPC 2021 awards.

In celebration of Embrace Magazine's 5th anniversary, which occurred on June 29, 2024, I have decided to reshare each issue once a month in order of publication! Here is the Feb 2022 Luxe Issue (7th one published of 12): https://lnkd.in/e8d6cNZW ANNOUNCEMENT: On September 1, 2024, I announced I have decided to restructure Embrace Magazine into a nonprofit business model. I planned to develop a foundation and transfer the asset, Embrace Magazine, from Sotomayor Media Creations LLC to the foundation. Once done, we would not seek advertisers, rather we would seek tax-exempt donations. THAT PLAN IS NO LONGER IN CONSIDERATION. I have accepted a full-time job with HDG Legacy Hotels. I started on October 2, 2024. THE MAGAZINE IS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ONLY. All 12 published issues reshared once per month will hopefully indicate what the power of the publication could present if published once a month. Some content is timely to the period it was published while others are timeless. Each issue will be reshared on the 1st of the month. If you are interested in purchasing, or you have a lead to one, please message me in Direct Message. To see all issues, visit the website here: https://lnkd.in/gUjb3Zaa Thank you, please enjoy, and share feedback in public comments if you desire!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I would like to invite all my friends to attend the Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism awards banquet on Saturday, February 1, 2025, 6 - 10 PM at the Hilton Ocala in Ocala, Florida! I will receive 14 awards for my work published in Embrace Magazine and Coral Springs Talk, including the prestigious Lucy Morgan Award for Investigative Reporting. This will be the last time I enter the Florida Press Club. So it is a major moment for me. It is also the first time the awards banquet is held in Ocala, so it is convenient for anyone who wishes to attend to help me celebrate this moment. Tickets are only $75 per person (sorry, I cannot purchase tickets for anyone, I live on a budget now) but the food is good and the experience will be momentous! If interested or going, please see the link below on how to get tickets and reserve a room at the Hilton Ocala within the room block, if needed. I am not getting a room as I live in Ocala. I do have my ticket already and I am excited to go! https://lnkd.in/eTcdy7jP

In celebration of Embrace Magazine's 5th anniversary, which occurred on June 29, 2024, I have decided to reshare each issue once a month in order of publication! Here is the Feb 2022 Luxe Issue (6th one published of 12): https://lnkd.in/enMRbaht NOTE: I planned to reshare each issue on the 1st of the month, and I still will, only this one got away with me as I was busier than usual. So rather than on the 1st, I reshare it on Dec 15th — at the halfway point of the month. ANNOUNCEMENT: On September 1, 2024, I announced I had decided to restructure Embrace Magazine into a nonprofit business model. I planned to develop a foundation and transfer the asset, Embrace Magazine, from Sotomayor Media Creations LLC to the foundation. Once done, we would not seek advertisers, rather we would seek tax-exempt donations. THAT PLAN IS NO LONGER IN CONSIDERATION. I have accepted a full-time job with HDG Legacy Hotels. I started on October 2, 2024. THE MAGAZINE IS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ONLY. All 12 published issues reshared once per month will hopefully indicate what the power of the publication could present if published once a month. Some content is timely to the period it was published while others are timeless. Each issue will be reshared on the 1st of the month. If you are interested in purchasing, or you have a lead to one, please message me in Direct Message. To see all issues, visit the website here: https://lnkd.in/ea-S9MM3 Thank you, please enjoy, and share feedback in public comments if you desire!

My brother, Alex, and I enjoyed our Thanksgiving Day meal early, as we do every year. We start with lunch, then seconds during dinner. This year, I gave thanks for the usual: health, family, friends, our home. I added the following… I am grateful I was able to end an impressive 5-year run with Embrace Magazine on a high note, including GLAAD Media award nomination for Print Article, attending the ceremony in NYC; 24 awards at the 2024 Florida Magazine Association Charlie Awards; finalist as Editor of the Year and Journalist of the Year in the 2024 SPJ Florida (Society of Professional Journalists) Sunshine State Awards — the first time anyone finalist for both let alone in same year — and notified Embrace is a finalist for 12 awards in the 2024 Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism competition (plus 2 more for my work with Coral Springs Talk). Finally what I am most grateful for is my new job with HDG Legacy, LLC hotels. Many may not know but I’ve done an exhaustive job search for 9 months before landing the job. I’ve tried in the media profession as well as other professions in my local community, throughout the state and even across the country. Nothing panned out. Having overextended myself financially trying to salvage Embrace Magazine, it was looking very dire. The job was definitely needed, and came just in the nick of time. At 56 years old, it is hard to find work let alone start a new career this late in life. I am fortunate for the opportunity. I am grateful to the Saju family, in particular nurjehan saju and Navroz Saju, mother and son, who gave me the chance. And to Chelewa Joy Springs, CHIA, CAHTA, CHRM for hiring me. I don’t know what I would do or where I would be without you. I hope to retire at age 72. That’s 16 more years. I hope to complete my new career in Hotel, Hospitality, Travel and Tourism with HDG Legacy, LLC Hotels. Grateful.