#400 WED | Honored Little Hero

Talent: Violinist Jessica Murphy

In the Spotlight: Honored Hero | Lana Michel

Community, Networking + Business Events

At the age of eight, Jessica Murphy witnessed a television program that sparked a lasting enthusiasm within her. “There was a child on TV, I want to say Oprah, who performed violin for the audience,” Murphy recalls. “I remember wanting to be them, looking over toward my mother and saying, ‘Mom, I want to do that.’” Although Murphy doubted her mother's seriousness regarding her ambition, she found herself enrolled in violin lessons the next day.

After 28 years, she has transformed from a young girl with aspirations in Michigan to a successful musician residing and working on the picturesque Emerald Coast. Murphy has traveled across the states with her fiddle and takes pleasure in regularly performing with renowned musicians from the region.

She began her career performing at venues across the Panhandle, subsequently traveling through Texas, Colorado, and Portland, before ultimately moving to the music scene in Nashville, Tennessee. She found herself back in Florida, where she committed her artistic efforts to collaborating with local artists. Currently, she frequently performs at well-known venues like McGuire’s Irish Pub of Destin, where she plays Irish music alongside native Irish guitarist Neve Cunnane as part of a duo. 📍🎶

For Murphy, performing grants her the ability to pass parts of herself to others via music. “It grants a feeling of connection,” she says. “You realize there’s this reality that you think you’re doing something that feels so natural to you and is a part of you, but then people come up to you and say how your music has impacted them and the feelings it’s created for them. Being able to share those feelings with others is most rewarding.”

At the tender age of two, Lana Michel has triumphed over challenges that many adults cannot imagine, and she is now honored as a symbol of resilience and hope. Diagnosed with a rare type of leukemia shortly after her first birthday, Lana endured a rigorous medical journey that involved several rounds of chemotherapy and even celebrated Christmas in the hospital.

The diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia was associated with her Down syndrome, a condition that her parents, Olivia and her husband, were aware could elevate her risk, yet they were still unprepared for the news.

Lana demonstrated remarkable resilience, and shortly before her second birthday, her family received the long-awaited news from doctors – she was in remission. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is celebrating Lana as their 2025 Honored Hero, a designation that acknowledges her courage and determination. 💕

She received recognition at the Visionaries of the Year Gala held at Armature Works in Tampa. The funds generated from this event were allocated to cancer research and support services for families, as facilitated by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

3rd Annual Hog Roast by Tallahassee Harley-Davidson | Saturday, May 24 | 11 AM | Learn More

Character Skate by Skate World Center Inc. | Tuesday, May 27 | 5 PM | Online: $16, Day-of: $23 Tickets

Bots Down Under Bash Casual by TallyRobotics | Sunday, June 1 | 5 PM | American Legion Sauls-Bridges Post 13, 229 Lake Ella Dr. | $20 Tickets Learn More

3rd Annual Dads & Strollers by Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition and Kenyatta Colvin | Saturday, June 7 | 10 AM | Cascades Park | Register Learn More

Mayday Parade | Saturday, June 7 | 7 PM | The Moon | $40 Tickets Learn More

WEE Beauty Fundraiser: Sip & Shop by Women Empowering Each Other Inc. | Saturday, June 7 | 3 PM | WEE Diaper Bank, 5028 Tennessee Capital Blvd. | From $37.05 Tickets

CEO Series featuring Monique Ellsworth by Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce | Thursday, May 22 | 8 AM | Learn More

IGNITE After Hours by IGNITE Tallahassee | Thursday, May 29 | 4:30 PM | IGNITE Tallahassee, 1729 W Paul Dirac Dr. | Register

Featured Event: 2025 Music Business Conference by Institute for Music Business LLC | Thursday to Saturday, May 29 to 31 | Register Learn More

Pathways to Prosperity by the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship | Wednesday to Friday, June 4 to 6 | Tallahassee State College, 444 Appleyard Dr. | Register Agenda

Access Tallahassee Coffee and Connections by Chamber of Commerce | Friday, June 6 | 8 AM | Tallulah CBD. Mushrooms. THC 1410 Market Street C-4 | Register

Capture the Flag by FSU Computer Science | Saturdays, June 7 to July 12 | 9:30 AM | James Jay Love Building Room 016 | Free Register Learn More (For high school and undergraduate students interested in cybersecurity - no experience necessary.)

Professional Women's Forum by Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce | Tuesday, June 10 | 11:30 AM | Dunlap Champions Club, 225 Champions Way, UCB Doak Campbell Stadium | $45 for Members, $55 for Non-Members Register

14th Annual Jim Moran Institute Conference | Wednesday to Friday, June 11 to 13 | James Museum, St. Petersburg | Register

Optimizing Business Processes: Promoting Efficiency and Cost Savings  by Chamber of Commerce | Thursday, June 26 | 5:30 PM | SBDC at FAMU, 625 E. Tennessee St. | Register