St. Pete is celebrated for its fabulous weather, beautiful vistas, world-class food scene, and thriving cultural atmosphere but the people of St. Pete truly make this city something special. In appreciation, each month Green Bench Monthly shines a light on one of the many people that make St. Pete unique.
This month we’re shining that light on Michelene Everett. Born in New York City, Everett graduated with a degree in hospitality and tourism management from the Fairleigh Dickinson University. As a seasoned professional event planner, she relocated to the Tampa Bay region in 2015 with big plans. Since then, she has launched her own business while also using her formidable skills to fully engage in efforts to make our community better.
Creating Memories with HydeParkEventDesign.com
As the founder and creative director of Hyde Park Event Design, Everett’s mission is “to deliver extraordinary experiences for corporate clients who want to create memorable events as an investment for building long-term relationships with their guests.” She has managed events for groups as large as 108,000 for a wide variety of companies including pharmaceutical and software-technology businesses as well as nonprofits. Her current favorite client is one of the latter, the Warehouse Arts District Association (WADA). Serving WADA allows her to take advantage of the unique spaces to craft special and memorable events for good causes. As she notes, “There isn’t anything you can’t do here.”
Changing the World: One Neighborhood at a Time
The belief that we can change the world if we engage with our communities has led to Everett’s involvement with a variety of local organizations, including Girl Scouts of West Central Florida, the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg, and the League of Women Voters of the St. Petersburg Area. She knows that changing the world often starts right next door, especially in a community like St. Petersburg, where neighborhoods make the city someplace special. Understanding that citizens can “create their own legacy,” she is committed to doing the work. She graduated from the Pinellas Citizens University and the Council of Neighborhood Associations Leadership Program in 2018, served as president of the Historic Kenwood Neighborhood Association, and now is on the Historic Kenwood’s partnership committee, a volunteer program to help neighbors in need. “I believe that we are blessed to be a blessing to others,” she said. “Love thy neighbor, America.”
Changing the World: One Vote at a Time
Everett strongly believes that there is “nothing more American” than being civically engaged. We have the power to help determine what kind of country we live in, if we get involved,” she said. She has hosted “You Should Run” workshops on behalf of Ruth’s List Florida to recruit female political candidates and managed a campaign that collected more than 18,000 petitions for Florida Amendment 4, the voting rights restoration effort. Over the next year, she is committing her time and energy to get the vote out by uniting people “on issues, not political parties.” Her social media campaign “encourages voter participation and engagement by allowing everyday Floridians to share their most personal stories on issues like health care, education, and gun violence.” Anyone can be part of this campaign. Follow #RegisteredVoter or @voteflorida to read other people’s stories and tell yours!
