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The holidays felt like a time for families in Miami Gardens to get together and for the City to embrace its own survival, despite COVID. We did that, as a community, by inviting residents out for the lighting of the holiday tree so that they could get into a festive mood.
Celebrating Our Seniors
I believe seniors are at the heart of this community, and, as a City, we ought to make sure they’re getting what they need in terms of basic requirements. Celebrating our seniors has been a staple throughout my tenure thus far. In December, I hosted a health fair in partnership with Mount Hermon Church in my Seat 3 district, where our seniors received free giveaways, COVID booster shots, and tests. I intend to make that a yearly event. We also partnered with Nicky Love for another health fair held at Bunche Park for women in the community. We did a Christmas giveaway for our youth with Shear Inc. (Sharing Hope Empowerment And Reaction) in December as well.
In January, I presented a Year in Review, looking back at all the key things my office accomplished. I believe the most significant predictor of what someone will do in the future is what they have done in the past. I also took the time to update my constituents about the plans being worked on and my priorities for the new year. These include empowering young women economically and in their own homes and addressing women’s mental health.
In February, we did our very first Senior Valentine’s Day Celebration, which residents an opportunity to dress up for a red and white themed event held at our state-of-the-art Senior Family Center. There were over 130 attendees. The Miami Gardens Super-Soul Steppers performed, setting the place on fire.
Supporting Women and Business
In the first quarter, I wrapped up the Made in Miami Gardens Economic Opportunity Partnership. We presented $500 grants and technical assistance to three (3) small businesswomen in conjunction with Ms. Lanette Jones from the Jones Foundation.
In early March, I presented the first Ladies International Award to Dr. Lavern Deer for her work as a stellar advocate in the fight against human trafficking.
Later in March, I hosted the second Women’s Empowerment Conference, a virtual conference open to women in the City of Miami Gardens, celebrating their accomplishments. Our guest speaker, Naomi Nontombi Tutu, was the daughter of the late South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu. I also sponsored a resolution to designate March 8th as International Women’s Day in the City of Miami Gardens.
As the first Bahamian-American immigrant to serve on the Miami Gardens City Council, I believe it’s essential to be inclusive to all cultures representing the dynamics of our City.
With Jazz in the Gardens being a world-class event, now we’re looking at stimulating cultural tourism. If we have people coming in from The Bahamas, Jamaica, and worldwide, it’s important that some of that culture is being represented.
For the next quarter, I’m going to focus on the start of an economic model, working with small businesses to bring more national talent to the City.
