The Bloom Magazine Community Awards

When Bloom founder, Malcolm Abrams, launched Bloom Magazine in 2006, it had four missions: to support local businesses, to support local charities, to support the arts, and to support diversity. Today, these are still the missions. 

In 2019, Bloom launched the Bloom Magazine Community Awards to recognize worthy individuals’ contributions to these four missions. These awards are presented annually to those who have made outstanding contributions to the local business community, the arts, local charities, and diversity.

Each crystal pillar on the Bloom Community Award represents one of Bloom’s four missions.

To nominate an individual for Bloom’s 6th annual community awards, simply submit their name and contribution to one of the four missions:

Include your name and contact information, and email [email protected]. Please mention “nominate” in the subject line. The deadline is October 20.

(front row, l-r) Nicole Griffin, Melinda Seader, and Aubrey Seader; (back row, l-r) Don Griffin, the Rev. Forrest Gilmore, John Whikehart, Dave Askins, and Jeremy Hogan. Photo by Rodney Margison

The Rev. Forrest Gilmore — Executive Director, Beacon Inc.

Aubrey and Melinda Seader — Co-Founders, Off-Night Productions

John Whikehart — President of the Monroe County Capital Improvements Board

Don and Nicole Griffin — Creators of the City of Bloomington Black History Month Living Legend Award & Co-founders of the Monroe County Black Democratic Caucus and the Heritage Project Summer Camp

Jeremy Hogan — Founder, ‘The Bloomingtonian’

Dave Askins — Founder, ‘B Square Bulletin’


(l-r) Rachel Veronesi and Dee Bowler, Carl Cook, Vicki Pierce, and Erin Acquino, Jill Perkins, and Grace Clark. Photo by Martin Boling

Vicki Pierce — Executive Director at Community Kitchen of Monroe County

Carl Cook — Cook Group

Bloomingfoods Inc.

Exodus Refugee Immigration-Bloomington


(l-r) Lennie Busch and Jeff Mease; Michael Shermis; Elizabeth Mitchell, Danielle Bruce, and Gladys DeVane; and Dave Weber and Krista Detor. Photo by Lisa Spencer

Michael Shermis — Bloomington’s Special Projects Coordinator

Krista Detor & Dave Weber — Producer’s of Krista Detor’s Holiday Show

Jeff Mease & Lennie Busch —  Owners of One World Enterprises

Elizabeth Mitchell, Gladys DeVane, and Danielle Bruce — Creators of the theater company Resilience Products


(l–r) Michael Cassady, Adria Nassim, Pat East, Audrey Heller, Sylvia McNair. Photo by Rodney Margison.

Sylvia McNair — Grammy Award-winning opera singer and humanitarian

Audrey Heller — Producing artist director and co-founder of the Jewish Theatre of Bloomington

Michael Cassady — Owner of The Uptown Cafe

Pat East — Tech entrepreneur and executive director of The Mill

Adria Nassim The Herald-Times columnist and disability advocate


(l-r) Beverly Calendar-Anderson, Talisha Coppock, Martha Moore, David Moore, Malcolm Abrams, Leslie Green, and Diane Legomsky. Photo by Haley Brown.

Leslie Green — CEO of Stone Belt

Martha and David Moore — Far Center for Contemporary Arts

Talisha Coppock — Executive director of Downtown Bloomington, Inc. and the Monroe Convention Center

Diane Legomsky — Founder and chair of the Bloomington Refugee Support Network

Beverley Calender-Anderson — Director of the City of Bloomington Community and Family Department