Cuban-American, community activist, Miami historian, preservationist
and freelance writer, Herb Sosa is a founding member and Director of 
UnityCoalition/Coalición Unida, Florida's leading Latino/Hispanic gay
civil-rights nonprofit initiative, offering leadership on issues that concern
Latino/Hispanic LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) and other
minority groups, the Caribbean and Latin America.  Offering leadership
development, social & political empowerment and public speaking lectures
both locally and nationally, Mr. Sosa has also been instrumental in the
development and leadership of UC Florida PAC, a political action committee,
Generación Q, a Latino LGBTQ youth support group and the annual Miami
Masquerade Ball benefit - attracting hundreds of attendees who support the
efforts of Unity Coalition.

Sosa is co-founder and Editor in Chief of Ambiente Magazine (www.ambiente.us),
a Florida and Latin America focused bilingual e-magazine for the Latino/Hispanic
LGBT community, as well as being involved in the production of AmbienteTV,
a national Latino/Hispanic LGBTQ weekly TV program - the first of its kind in the nation-
seen in over 171 cities in the U.S. and Latin America.  Sosa also heads Herb Sosa Design, a full service image, public relations and web design service, with an impressive list of local, national and international clients and is a regularly published national freelance writer.

Mr. Sosa brings over 20 years of corporate and not-for-profit leadership experience in the community.

Previously, Mr. Sosa was Corporate Creative Director for Burdines Dept. stores.  He also was Executive Director of Miami Design Preservation League, overseeing 7 architectural historic districts in South Florida and the 26 year old, 400,000+ in attendance, Art Deco Weekend Festival on Miami Beach’s famed Ocean Drive.  

As founding partner of Beach Image Group, Sosa oversaw all aspects of Image development for small businesses, including promotion, product design, advertising and graphic services.   Clients included: The Govt. of Mexico, Commissioner Nancy Liebman, Lario’s Restaurant, and Goodbodies Shop. 

In 1995 Mr. Sosa created and developed the Ba-Balú Store concept in Miami & Miami Beach, celebrating Cuban heritage thru art, cigars, music and unique giftware, and earning the store the unique distinction of being named one of Conde N’ast Traveler Magazines top 100 destinations in the world in 1996. 

Sosa served as chairman of Miami Beach's Historic Preservation Board for over six years, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Miami Design Preservation League, Dade Heritage Trust, Miami Beach Community Development Corp., Shelbourne & Fernwood HIV/AIDS Housing, and variety of other organizations throughout South Florida. 
In January 2004, Herb Sosa was named one of Tentaciónes Magazines Top Ten Latina/o activists in the U.S. and in 2005 was named one of OUT magazines Top 100 LGBT Activists and featured on LOGO TV.  In summer 2006, Orgulloboriqua.net named Sosa one of their Orgullo Del Momento - Pride of the Moment- recipient and on April 2008 Sosa was named Terra.com's Activist of the Month.

Service
Currently
      Unity Coalition of Miami-Dade: President/Director
      UC Florida PAC board member
     
2004-2006
      National Latino LGBT Leadership –Unid@s/Sigamos Adelante: National co-chair
      Belle Meade Home Owners Association: Historic Preservation Advisor
2001 -2004
      Miami Acción Positiva: Board of Directors
      LLEGÓ: National Latino Exec. Director’s Roundtable
      GMCVB: Board of Directors & Historic Preservation Advisory Committee
      Design & Architecture Month/Biennal 2001: Miami-Dade Chairman
      Urban Environment League, Board of Directors
1994-2002
      Dade Heritage Trust: Board of Advisors, President, and Board of Trustees
      City of Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board: Vice Chair, Chairman
      Shelbourne House: Treasurer, Vice President
1987-1995
      Miami Design Preservation League: Board of Directors, Design Chairman,
      Tour Guide, Product Design & Development
1980-1982
      Interact Service Honors Club, Jr. Rotary Club – Miami Senior High School

Recognitions

2008      Activist of the Month - April 2008 - Terra.com
2006     Named to Orgulloboriqua.net’s - Orgullo Del Momento, Pride of the Moment Award
2006     Herb Sosa named one of OUT Magazines Top 100 activists in the U.S.
2006     Featured in LOGO TV’s documentary on Top 100 activists in the U.S.
2005     National co-chair of Sigamos Adelante/Unid@s – Nat’l. LGBT advocacy organization
2005     Was invited to write the Forward Message for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Hispanic
              and Latino Same-Sex Households in Florida: A Report from the 2000 Census
2004     Herb Sosa named one of Tentaciónes Magazines Top 10 Latino activists in the U.S.
1997     City of Miami Beach Commission Proclamation, June 20th - Herb Sosa Day
1997     Chivas Regal Entrepreneur Award
1996     Café con Leche PBS Documentary, first-generation Cuban-Americans
1996     Up and Comers Business Leaders Award     
1992     Miami Design Preservation League, Award of Recognition
1986     Metro-Dade Co. Parks Dept. Award, Amelia Earhardt Park Visitors Center Design
1982     Silver Knight Nominee, Art – Miami Senior High School
              Burger King Foundation College Scholarship for Art Studies


Experience                                                         
Currently
Freelance Writer
Published locally & nationally in House King Magazine, Revista House King, Preservation Today, Ambiente, SunPost, Miami Herald, Miamigo, Tentaciones & various other publications

Herb Sosa Design
A full service image, public relations and web design service, with an impressive list of local, national and international clients          www.herbsosa.com

Editor-In-chief, Ambiente E-Magazine

AMBIENTE Magazine is a bilingual Hispanic publication produced monthly, free of charge, distributed electronically around the globe, and reaches over 30,000 loyal readers monthly, with a direct market of Florida, the Caribbean & Latin America                     www.ambiente.us                       
                  
2000-2003         
Executive Director, Miami Design Preservation League & Art Deco Weekend®
Non profit historic preservation organization, with over 600 members and year round
educational programs, the Art Deco Museum, the Art Deco Welcome Center, Art Deco Weekend with over 500,000 visitors to Miami Beach each year, and dedicated to protecting Miami Beach's seven historic districts and their architectural legacy                    www.mdpl.org
Responsible for 12 employees, 300 volunteers and a combined annual budget of $1,450,000

1995-2000
Owner, Babalú
A gift and memorabilia boutique for everything Cuban – With stores in Miami Beach, Bayside and on the web, Babalú was named one of Conde N’ast Traveler Magazines top 100 destinations in the world in 1996 and featured on various movies, TV and news shows.

Organizer, Española Way Artist Market
Created and managed the weekly Española Way Artist Market, including over 50 artists & vendors weekly, entertainment scheduling and street improvements

1992-1995                                       
Owner, Beach Image Group
Image development for small businesses including promotion, product design, advertising and graphic services - Clients included The Govt. of Mexico, Commissioner Nancy Liebman, Lario’s Restaurant, and Goodbodies Shop

1990-1992
Creative Director, Visual Presentation Products
A multi level design and manufacturing firm in Florida.  Organizational and personnel responsibilities of corporate retail design, product development and quality control of local national and international manufacturing, supervising staff of over 80 in Florida with clients as Lerner New York, The Limited, Bloomingdale’s, Henri Bendel, and Burdines

1982-1990
Creative Director, Store Planning & Visual Merchandising, Burdines Dept. Stores
Oversaw for the corporate image and development of 42 department stores across Florida & developed special projects for Federated Dept. Stores Corporate affiliates across the U.S.
Responsibilities included seasonal themes & development, new store concepts, fixture, shop concept, mannequin design, and overall corporate image
Supervised 250+ employees, and a 2.4 million annual budget
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RETAIL CONSULTATION

DESIGN MANAGEMENT

PACKAGING DEVELOPMENT
          
HERB SOSA BIO
PUBLIC IMAGE

POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS

GOVERNMENTAL PRESENTATION


WEB DESIGN

IMAGE DEVELOPMENT

CORPORATE & ORGANIZATIONAL

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CONTACT:
786.271.6982
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