Orange Blossom Award: The First Phone Call Everyone Makes

Terri Lipsey Scott inside the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum in St. Petersburg. Photo credit: NOLA LALEYE

by Avery Anderson

Some leaders shine on stages. Others shine in boardrooms.
Terri Lipsey Scott shines in the moments when someone calls and says, “We need you.”

Today’s Orange Blossom Award goes to the Executive Director of the Woodson African American Museum of Florida — a woman whose leadership in 2025 can be tracked not just in headlines, but in real, tangible actions across St. Petersburg’s arts ecosystem.

Because when Terri moves, the whole city feels it.

The Year the Woodson Took a Long-Awaited Leap Forward

In late 2024, the City of St. Petersburg advanced key steps toward the Woodson’s first purpose-built home — approvals, development planning, and architectural work that roll directly into 2025.

It’s happening.
And it’s happening because Terri has pushed, negotiated, rallied, and advocated for years.

This year marks the first time the new Woodson feels less like an aspiration and more like an inevitability.

And while that would be enough to fill anyone’s calendar, Terri didn’t stop there.

The Work You Don’t See — But Everybody Benefits From

Ask anyone in the arts community who they call when they’re trying to reach more people — students, elders, neighborhood leaders, families — and the answer is almost always the same:

Call Terri. She’ll help make it happen.

When The Studio@620 began outreach for the fall production of Cadillac Crew, Terri didn’t just offer verbal support.
She actively helped connect community groups with tickets — ensuring the stories of four Black women fighting for civil rights reached the very audiences the play was written for.

It was quiet work. Uncredited work. Impactful work.
Exactly the kind she’s been doing for years.

A Growing Statewide Role in a Changing Florida

As Florida continues restricting how Black history is taught in classrooms, the Woodson’s educational work has become not just important, but essential.

In 2025, Terri helped expand:

youth programs such as A Black Girl Like Me
school partnerships across Tampa Bay and beyond
the museum’s role as a trusted history resource for educators navigating shifting curriculum rules

The demand for Woodson-led programming is rising — and Terri is meeting it.

A Leader Who Builds More Than One Institution

Yes, she is building a museum.
But she is also building:

partnerships with fellow cultural organizations
support networks between historically Black neighborhoods and local arts centers
spaces for civic dialogue at a moment when many are shrinking
bridges where the city has cracks

Her influence shows up in big things — museum plans — and small things, like making sure people get into rooms where their stories matter.

Why Today’s Orange Blossom Belongs to Her

Because Terri Lipsey Scott embodies the kind of leadership St. Pete depends on but rarely pauses to honor.

She answers the phone.
She opens doors.
She brings the right people into the room.
She pushes institutions toward justice and belonging.
She carries history forward — and invites the entire city to carry it with her.

In a year defined by transition, growth, and rising stakes, Terri has been the constant.

Today, we honor her with an Orange Blossom Award — for everything she has built, everything she is building, and everything she makes possible simply by showing up when she’s needed most.

What Are the Orange Blossom Awards?

A month-long series from The Arts Passport celebrating the people and organizations whose quiet, steady work strengthens Tampa Bay’s arts ecosystem. No applications. No campaigning. Just community-driven recognition, released daily in December.