Mama Hattie’s House is building hope and opportunity for girls stepping into adulthood to fulfil their mission to give young women a place to call home.

In the heart of Overtown, a place has begun to take shape, and it all started with one empty lot. Soon, this space will become Mama Hattie’s House, a haven for young women transitioning out of foster care and into independence.

This project is the vision of Girl Power Rocks CEO and founder, Thema Campbell, in honor of her grandmother, Hattie Skinner Bacon, better known as Mama Hattie. For Thema and her daughter Rashada, this home is more than just a building, but a way to honor her grandmother’s legacy.

“I grew up around my grandmother, also my mom,” Thema said. “My mom was a great mother, but we loved Mama Hattie. We wanted to be at my grandmother’s house; she had a sweetness about her.”

According to the Florida Department of Health, there were 20,627 children ages 17 and under in the foster care system in 2024. In Miami-Dade County, there were 1,422 children in the foster care system last year.

“Mama Hattie’s House is on its way to becoming a real thing and it was just an idea in my head because I wanted a safe place for girls to live, especially those girls who were aging out of foster care,” Thema said.

Rashada Campbell, director of operations at Girl Power Rocks, highlights that Mama Hattie’s House aims to give young women aging out of foster care the support they need as they enter adulthood.

“The girls who will be coming to Mama Hattie’s House will be girls who are aging out of foster care,” said Campbell. “The girls are typically not equipped with financial management, higher education. A lot of them don’t understand the real dangers of going out on your own at 18.”

According to the organization Children’s Rights, 50% of youth with prior involvement in foster care are unemployed by age 24. Research also found that an FBI operation across 76 cities in the nation found that 60% of sex trafficking victims were previously involved with the foster care system.

The need for a place like Mama Hattie’s House, especially in Overtown, is crucial to helping these young women. The neighborhood has limited access to safe housing and youth services, making it even harder for those aging out of foster care to find the support they need.

“They are going through some hard things in that community so having that resource of consistency is extremely important,” said Carissa Ford, a clinical social worker.

The house will provide secure housing, mentorship, educational support and life‑skills training to girls who have aged out of foster care to help and prepare them for the world.

Despite this incredible idea of Mama Hattie’s House being the culmination of a life-long goal, Campbell has been helping girls in need for over 25 years. Their mission is “to create a world where every girl, regardless of background, has the tools and support needed to reach her full potential.”

They aim to help these girls and to give them a safe space through many programs.

One of these is their after-school program, which welcomes girls from all over Miami-Dade County for two hours after school for a variety of activities, including arts, sports, field trips, and parent support groups.

The Girls Choir introduces participants ages 7 to 17 years old to diverse musical genres and cultures, while the Girls Intervention Program Plus helps at-risk youth and first-time nonviolent offenders build essential life skills. Through the Sister Circle Mentorship Program, girls are paired with positive role models for guidance and support.

“We have to make sure we are putting services, putting support behind these girls so that they can grow up to be good mothers, and unities and friends,” said Campbell.  “We have to make sure that women and girls are held to a very high standard.”

The organization also provides opportunities through experiences like the College and Heritage Tour, which exposes girls to universities and historical landmarks and the Summer STEAM Workforce Training Camp, where they gain hands-on skills for future careers. Together, these programs prepare girls to thrive academically, professionally, and personally.

Keaira Carter, who was in the foster care system, understands the value and importance of a place like Mama Hattie’s House and the good it can do for these girls.

“I feel like Mama Hattie’s House will give these girls that were in situations like I was in or worse, it will make them feel like they belong somewhere, like someone actually cares,” said Carter.  “I feel like it is a chance that I never had, that I was never given, that I never knew would have existed in the first place.”

It’s stories like hers that inspired Campbell to continue to fight for these girls. Not only her own experience but seeing what they were going through made her want to help.

“The way that Mama Hattie’s House became a thing for me was when I was meeting these girls who had been through trauma, who had been through God knows what atrocities that I couldn’t even imagine could happen to me when I was growing up,” said Campbell.

According to the Florida Girls Initiative (FGI), in 2022 at least 1.36 million Florida girls were living with circumstances that put their futures at risk. An estimated 461,000 have suffered abuse and trauma.

The construction of Mama Hattie’s House is scheduled to begin in 2026 and it will represent much more than four walls and a bed.  It will be the first time these girls will have a space they can call their own and feel safe.

They won’t have to worry about where to sleep or where to sleep, they will have a place in which they will not only be taken care of, but will also help them to achieve the skills to take care of themselves and in the future depend on no one.

Mama Hattie made Campbell and her family feel like they always had a place to go, a place to call home, and now, she carries that same message that her grandmother taught her and expands it to the girls and the community with one simple message: No one should face life alone.

This story is part of a collaboration between Miami’s Community Newspapers and the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University..

Eduardo Burgos still remembers how eager his middle school classmates were to celebrate Christmas. Kids were jumping for joy as they left school, excited to see their families. But for Burgos, reality wasn’t so sweet. His father had been arrested for fraud and robbery in October.

That left him with only a pen, paper, and his imagination as an escape.

It worked. Almost 25 years later, Burgos, a Miami local who is now an adjunct art professor at Miami Dade College’s Kendall Campus, sat in a booth at the Miami Book Fair Street Fair recently with stacks of his self-made comics spread across the table. As the illustrator and writer of a wide-ranging comic collection, he has turned those early years of trauma and pain into a career built on connection.

“I wanted to share my work with the general population in South Florida because I made comic books that are created to help other people,” Burgos said.

The 37-year-old has eight comic books in total, each about 24 pages, that relate to real-life experiences.

They weave multiple periods from his life, growing up with a drug-addicted parent, finding refuge in art and navigating unfavorable childhood environments into stories he hopes will resonate with others holding similar memories.

“Fix” was Burgos’s first release in 2024. It describes his relationship with his drug addict father growing up. “Revive” is an extension of that, focusing on his dad dealing with the problems before it’s too late.

He then released his self-help book, “Kosis.” He had written it in 2016, but did not officially release it until after he published “Fix.” The book addresses being creatively blocked and how to overcome it by stepping out of one’s comfort zone. That period came after a low point in Burgos’s life: being kicked out of his grandfather’s house and losing his estranged father.

The next volume was “Compass.” It follows his relationship with his late grandmother, who passed away due to colon cancer. In the book, an evil guy is essentially a manifestation of colon cancer. Burgos gets defeated because his grandmother loses her life.

In the book, the bad guys are inspired by the killer from the “Scream” franchise and the character “Phantasm” from Batman. He has three finger-like claws on each hand, a hooded gown, a skull face, demon wings for flight and no floats because he has no feet. On the other hand, his grandmother is light-skinned, with gray hair in a low bun, wearing a white nightgown, socks and some wrinkles on her face.

“My relationship with my grandmother made me feel deeply loved,” Burgos said. “She cooked for me, took me to school whenever I needed, and showed up to every vital moment: parent-teacher nights, school events and graduations. Her presence gave me a sense of stability and unconditional support, shaping who I am today.”

Two months after he discovered he had a half-sister who was terribly abused as a child on ancestry.com, he put out two volumes of “Plantoman.” In volume one, a masked hero runs against time to save his daughter from an evil priest’s world of addiction and manipulation. Then, in volume two, the masked hero confronts the evil priest who has influenced his daughter’s mind, leading her further into the world of addiction and manipulation.

Burgos also has books based on others’ experiences. “Casanova” was inspired by an article he read about a kid who was being made fun of in class because his mother used the website “OnlyFans.”

“Mijo” brings awareness to the growing human trafficking in South Florida.

“I see [the comic book collection] as a way for me to give back to the community, not just through entertainment but to use my storytelling as a way to help other people,” Burgos said.

Although Burgos placed a lot of emphasis on the comics’ storytelling, he also focused on the artwork. Inspired by 13th-century and 14th-century art, Burgos consistently uses only black-and-white sketches to convey a sense of immediacy throughout the comics.

This isn’t new, though, as Burgos has used this artistic style to visually extend his emotions through his work without relying on color since his early childhood.

Now, Burgos has sold a little over 100 copies of his comics. At the book fair, he was in one of many artists’ booths in downtown Miami.. Attendees stopped by throughout the day to flip through Burgos’ illustrations. Many asked about the real experiences behind the comic.

Burgos sells prints for $17.49, T-shirts for $30.99 and comics for $9.99 on his official website. He plans to continue expanding the series to reach more people through additional storylines, but ultimately hopes his books help others open up about their experiences. He also hopes to increase his presence at conventions and fairs and develop more apparel.

“I want them to take away that vulnerability could be their superpower, and they can use it as a means to help other people,” Burgos said.

This story is part of a collaboration between Miami’s Community Newspapers and the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University.

Janine Rice chose a state park just north of Dania Beach to say goodbye to her father.

In July 2021, the now 58-year-old children’s rights attorney hosted Donald Rice’s celebration of life at the coastal Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula State Park after discovering the spot shortly after his passing. Ever since, she’s been a regular of its beach and trails, sometimes visiting every morning — with a cup of coffee in hand, she starts her day among peaceful tides and memories.

Originally from Maryland, Rice would come to Florida with her family as a young child, visiting the coast from Fort Lauderdale to the Keys. Her father was once a competitive swimmer, so a connection to water was always a part of their lives.

Janine Rice, a former scuba instructor, bought a state park pass for its salty breeze and sea grape-lined paths. But when her city of Dania Beach floods, the park gets a bulk of the hit. The standing water blocks cars from entering, and the beach is out of her reach.

“It’s tragic,” said Rice. “I’m not frustrated in a selfish, kind of personal, ‘Darn it, I didn’t get to go to my happy place today.’ It’s more like, if this keeps up, no one’s going to be able to enjoy this beauty.”

Rice said the flooding in her area has been getting worse in recent years, recounting how this year she had seen a sign for the first time informing residents that king tides are flooding out the roads.

Whether from heavy rainfall or the rise of tides, Florida is more likely to flood than any other state due to its flat landscape. In 2024, the state received an average of 56.82 inches of precipitation, which was 3.17 inches above the historical average. Tidal flooding has also been a growing issue, increasing by 352% across Florida since 2000.

While flooding is extensively covered in the media and discussed by public officials, the issue in local parks often gets less attention, despite the inconvenience to residents and the ecological damage.

Officials at Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula State Park declined to comment.

James H. Goodlet Park in Hialeah is home to various courts, fields, and tracks, and the 28-acre recreational facility is a reliable spot for physically active residents nearby.

German Mata, a 19-year-old Florida International University student and local visitor to the city park for the past eight years, goes to play sports with friends. Mata says that two of the four basketball courts almost completely flood in heavy rain, and that the park’s two artificial turf soccer fields are even worse off.

“It’s frustrating when I want to play soccer and the water has still not gone into the ground to make it possible for me to play,” he said, adding, “It’s kind of hard to play basketball on water.”

For urban parks like Goodlet, Ali Ebrahimian, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Florida International University, finds fault in the consistent use of pavement for the spaces’ flooding.

Flood water can easily be absorbed into the earth with enough time, getting taken in by roots and dirt. However, when heavy rain falls onto a concrete basketball court or sidewalks, for example, it puddles for far longer, with not much hope beyond evaporation to clear the water over time.

“Just compare bare soil, or some green space in your backyard, versus pavement in the street, asphalt,” he explained. “[With] the runoff and rainfall that happens, water can penetrate into the soil and soak into the soil and go down… But if rain falls on the street, on an impermeable surface… it runs off the surface, and it becomes a flood.”

Officials at the City of Hialeah Department of Parks & Community Engagement did not respond to requests for comment on Goodlet park.

Alexander Garrido, 18-year-old student at Florida International University, joined the community of Key Biscayne when his friends started inviting him to their local spot, Crandon Park, one of Miami-Dade’s seven heritage parks — places designated to preserve their historical and cultural value. Now, whenever he has friends coming in from out of town, the county park is his go-to place to take them to.

It’s not always available, though.

“When flooding happens…there’s been times where we flat out just haven’t been able to go, and our entire plans for the entire day was going to the park,” Garrido says.

He added that, when there are higher tides, he can’t even enjoy the park’s beach. Ryan Brewton, Stewardship Area Manager of Crandon Park, shared the same sentiment, stating, “You won’t see any sand left” in a king tide.

“We don’t want to just use parks as a barrier, we want to also have it accessible for everyone to be able to enjoy,” Brewton said. “Parks are, I think, one of the biggest benefits to residents and everyone in terms of health, fitness, placemaking. These are all kind of our strategic objectives for the facility. Also, being good stewards and making sure that we’re providing this space — not only for the residents, but also for the local ecosystems.”

At Crandon Park, Brewton knows the daily walkers, bikers, and long-time visitors from back when the park held a zoo from 1948 to 1980. He’s heard from visitors about both tidal and heavy rain flooding.

“Residents, most of the ones that have been here, are kind of aware,” Brewton added. “They will ask questions on, ‘When do you expect these king tides to go or some of this flooding?’… But most of the time it’s just more of questions like, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’”

When flooding seems unpredictable to visitors, some just don’t risk coming.

“I usually try to time it on a day that it’s like a zero percent chance of rain,” Garrido said. “Anything higher than like 20 percent, I just won’t even plan a day at all.”

Sonia Infante of the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Department, said the department is studying flooding and sea level rise to help analyze the impacts on their county parks.

“We recognize and appreciate that the community relies on County Parks, greenways, and open spaces daily for recreational opportunities,” she said in an email. “We also understand that flooding in local parks can be a concern for residents, especially as it can impact recreational activities… We anticipate implementing key sea level rise improvements and flood mitigation strategies that address flooding at County Park sites, including Crandon, as funding becomes available.”

Miami-Dade isn’t the only county trying to deal with the issue.

“We have to recognize that there is not a strategy where everything’s dry all the time,” said the Chief Resilience Officer of Broward County, Jennifer J. Juradot. “You’ll never design a system that can deal with that volume of water, so there will always be areas and conditions under which, with the right circumstances, there is the potential for flooding.”

“Success is the preservation of our parks, the continued use as a community asset,” Jurado added.

For coastal spots, she referenced a developing project in the department for new seawall installations to preserve shorelines. For urban parks, they’ve moved to integrate more stormwater management to preserve recreational assets.

“Florida’s state parks are designed and managed with resilience in mind, especially in coastal areas where flooding can affect both visitor access and natural resources,” said the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Communications Director, Alexandra Kuchta.

She described some choices the department makes to combat flooding — such as raising roads and structures, as well as rebuilding others. “Florida’s state parks experience flooding differently depending on the local landscape, so DEP’s responses are tailored rather than one-size-fits-all,” she said. “In some areas, periodic flooding is part of the natural system. Elsewhere, targeted design changes help reduce impacts on visitors and amenities…These approaches help shorten recovery time and reduce repair costs after storms or flooding.”

This story is part of a collaboration between Miami’s Community Newspapers and the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University.

Peter Gutierrez, 21, has lived in Cutler Bay for much of his life, but when he reached adulthood, he began to question whether Miami was where he wanted to settle down.

“There wasn’t really a specific moment I realized I wanted to move away,” Gutierrez said.”It was more of an encroaching feeling.”

After developing a love for theater, he decided to move to New York City to pursue his passion after graduating from Florida International University next year.

“I just knew if I want to be successful in my career, I can’t stay in Miami,” Gutierrez said.

He’s not alone. Miami ranked the third-highest city in a national survey of young people, ages 18-34, with no children who said they were “very likely” or “likely” to leave their town, according to Gensler, a global design and architecture firm that conducted the survey.

In contrast, San Diego and Boston have much smaller percentages of young people fleeing, with both cities under 30 percent. The Gensler study, conducted last year and released earlier this year, stated the cost of living, jobs, health care, crime and public transportation are among the most important factors when young people choose where to live.

The survey found 51.8 percent of Miami’s young residents were likely to leave, while Baltimore ranked the highest with 61.6 percent and Charlotte, North Carolina, came in second with 58.3 percent ready for greener pastures. Detroit placed just behind Miami in fourth with 51.6 percent of young people very likely or likely to leave.

Dr. Edward Murray, associate director of the Metropolitan Center at FIU, said the area’s economy is a key factor in the trend.

“Miami-Dade county is reliant on three major industry sectors — leisure and hospitality, health care and retail. They comprise about 60% of Miami Dade’s employment base yet most of those jobs in those three sectors are low-wage service jobs,” Murray said. “Those occupations in our core industries do not provide enough for anybody to be able to afford the current rent and home prices.”

Ryan Gleicher, 24, was born and raised in Westport, Connecticut, before he moved to Miami in 2019 in order to attend the University of Miami, where he double majored in broadcast journalism and public relations.

After graduating, he jumpstarted his career by working as a producer for “CBS Miami” for two years, where he covered local news. Until he got the opportunity to work as a writer for “Fox News” in New York City.

“I knew I had to take it,” Gleicher said. “It was the opportunity of a lifetime, and I don’t regret it at all.”

He left Miami last August and temporarily moved back to Connecticut to “get his ducks in a row” before moving to New York in October.

While he describes the move as a “difficult decision,” Gleicher says he’s been thriving in New York.

“New York City has a lot to offer, it’s where I got my big break and I’m sure many other people did as well,” Gleicher said. “I don’t think the same can be said for Miami.”

Cara Gilliland, 25, was born and raised in Vero Beach before moving to Miami at 17 for six years. While she enjoyed the different cultures the city had to offer, overcrowding and high cost of living was what ultimately led her back to Vero Beach, where she now works at Citrus Elementary School as a third grade English Language Arts and Social Studies teacher.

“Keeping up in Miami was just very expensive, and now I don’t have to deal with its traffic anymore,” Gilliland said. “I wanted to move somewhere that was less populated so that led me back to Vero, which is a much smaller town.”

During her time in Miami, she worked as a waitress at “Forno Italiano Pizzeria” and then as a receptionist at “Love Nail Salon,” while attending the University of Miami.

After graduation, Gilliland longed to become a teacher but felt the salary ultimately wouldn’t be adequate enough to sustain a comfortable, stable life in the city.

“I just don’t see how it would be worth it to stay there if you want to be smart with your money,” Gilliland said. “We don’t have it like our parents used to, back in the day.”

For his part, Gutierrez, the FIU student who is set to New York for theater after he graduates next year, agrees it’s the Miami job market that is driving many young people away.

“Entry-level positions basically do not exist here, it leaves college students feeling stuck after they graduate,” Gutierrez said.

While specific data for Miami isn’t available, the national unemployment rate for college graduates, ages 20-24, was 9.3 percent in August, more than double the overall during the same time period, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Having to rely on the FIU bus system between campuses to attend his classes, which some days would be on both the Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay campuses approximately 20 miles apart, Gutierrez also hopes that Miami will improve its public transportation.

“I wish I could take the train everywhere, to school or downtown, that would be a blast,” Gutierrez said.

“I do love Miami as a whole but realistically,” he added, “there’s so many other places out there where I could have a better life and be at peace.”

This story is part of a collaboration between Miami’s Community Newspapers and the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University.