One of The Last Great Galas of the Season
- Vero Minute
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Tony Cho grew up in Vero Beach, left for Miami, and spent two decades reshaping places like Wynwood and Little Haiti into some of the hottest neighborhoods in the country. Along the way he became one of the more influential voices in regenerative placemaking globally, advising cities, building conservation districts and writing about what it looks like when developers stop extracting from communities and start restoring them. Then he came back to the Treasure Coast and activated ChoZen Center for Regenerative Living.
We've written about ChoZen before, and if you haven't been, you should go! 40 acres off Roseland Road in Sebastian, nestled against the 22,000-acre St. Sebastian River Preserve, doing measurable work in conservation, regenerative agriculture, and community building. One of the more remarkable things happening in this county, hiding in plain sight.
On May 16, ChoZen hosts its second annual Roots of Regeneration gala, and the crowd it draws will tell you something. Cho's network spans Miami's creative and conservation communities, urban innovators, environmental leaders, and the kind of people who travel for a weekend on a whim because Tony's involved. That world is coming to Sebastian, and the evening is open to anyone who wants to be part of it.
The gala is open-air, on the land, with a farm dinner and a headlining performance by Leah Song of Rising Appalachia, a touring folk artist, fiddle-driven and activist at her core, currently working her way through festivals in the U.K. and the Hudson River Valley before her tour comes through Sebastian.
The full Roots of Regeneration weekend runs May 15–17, drawing Cho's broader network of conservationists, creatives, and changemakers, many arriving from Miami and around the nation. Most of the weekend is a deeper immersive experience. But Saturday night is open to everyone.
Tickets and details at chozencrl.org/roots-of-regeneration.
Before the gala, ChoZen closes its monthly Artisan Market season with a Mother's Day edition on Sunday, May 10, free to attend with local artisan vendors, live music by Miranda Realino and Giselle World, and a seasonal brunch. This is the last one until fall. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 11115 Roseland Road in Sebastian. RSVP on Eventbrite.
So buy something nice for your mom, and if you see Tony, say hi and tell him Vero Minute sent you.
