9/11 Commemoration Event

This year’s program will feature speeches from distinguished community leaders, including Kevin Lockerbie, President and Head of School, Admiral Farragut Academy; Celeste Davis, Director of Arts, Culture, and Tourism for the City of St. Petersburg; Colonel Jim “OB” O’Brien, MacDill Air Force Base; and Mark Aeling, Sculptor and WADA Board President. The ceremony will also include a performance of the National Anthem, an invocation, and presentations by Admiral Farragut Academy students.

In addition to commemorating 9/11, RISE St. Pete will introduce the inaugural Phoenix Awards, celebrating individuals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and selflessness in service to our community. This year’s honorees include:

• Zulgeil Ruiz Ginés, LM, CPM: Zul is a midwife, educator, and advocate for culturally safe midwifery care, serving low-income and historically underserved women of color in St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay area. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Zul selflessly provided homebirth and prenatal services to pregnant women who were unable to access hospital care. She is also the founder of the Kolibrí International Birth Institute (KIBI) to offer multicultural continuing education for professionals.
• Colonel Jay Powers (Ret): With 22 years as a Special Forces Green Beret, Colonel Jay Powers led nine combat tours in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, earning five Bronze Stars for Valor. Since retiring as Deputy Commander of Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), Jay has chosen to focus on shaping future leaders in Tampa Bay. He serves as a high school wrestling coach, leadership instructor for the USF Office of Corporate Education, and Chief Operations Officer for Tampa Bay Wave, a nonprofit dedicated to propelling young entrepreneurs and their game-changing companies.
• Professor David Manson: A composer, trombonist, and educator who has had a lasting impact on the St. Petersburg arts community. He has been a key figure at St. Petersburg College since 1991, where he co-founded the MIRA (Music Industry/Recording Arts) program. David also directs the St. Petersburg Jazz Festival and the innovative EMIT series, which has brought over 500 concerts and workshops to the area.

Following the ceremony and Phoenix Award presentations, attendees are invited to a light reception catered by Bagel Babe at Foodie Labs.

This event is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors: Tunnels to Towers Foundation, General Dynamics, Valspar Championship and Copperhead Charities, and St. Petersburg College. A special thank you to our Board Member, Scott Neil, for his dedicated efforts in securing these vital partnerships.