I first heard of LEAP while incarcerated at Hernando Correctional Institution. They came to recruit new people for their program, and though I wasn’t selected at first, that didn’t stop me. I went straight to the higher-ups and to the assistant warden to get a...
I’ve lived in Miami for almost 25 years, and it wasn’t until I found a sense of community that I discovered not only myself but also my city....
When I characterize people as strong, I typically think of their character or physicality. Bold and steadfast or muscular and powerful, I contemplate feats that separate these champions from the daily actions of typical folk – wake, rise, eat, work, sleep and repeat. As a child,...
Sam Ludington is deputy director, program development and policy of the nonprofit Children of Inmates, which coordinates care and family reunification for Florida children whose parents are incarcerated. As a Miami Fellows alum, he stepped up to host a My Miami Story conversation at the...
Miami. We live in “Mi ami” Not “Mi amigo” or “Mon ami.” But “Mi ami.” About a month ago, I found myself sitting in Carl Juste’s studio in Little Haiti. I was there on a walking tour of the neighborhood to plan an upcoming community-based project. Carl, who...
Editor’s Note: This blog post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Miami Herald. On Tuesday, October 17th, this community made history as more than 3,000 Miamians gathered at hundreds of My Miami Story conversations across the county. Small and large groups of residents came together...
After 35 years of serving Miami-Dade County’s LGBTQ youth, Pridelines Youth Services is now Pridelines, Miami’s LGBTQ Community Center. In June 2016, Pridelines moved to a 9,000-square-foot community center, a facility large enough to house programs and services for Greater Miami’s LGBTQ youth, older adults,...
We live in a time when we feel inundated by crises, whether the week brings news of another cyber-attack, international threat or hurricane. But not every disruption has to become a disaster, says Dr. Judith Rodin, author of “The Resilience Dividend.” We can learn to...
On October 17th, thousands of Miami-Dade residents will gather in small groups to talk about life in Greater Miami and ideas to make it better during My Miami Story conversations. Hundreds of hosts have signed up. We checked in with a few about the plans...
I told everyone to meet us at the Community Emergency Operations Center at EcoTech. We scraped up what we could and went to the stores. We went to Publix for supplies and a local meat store. We got some hot dogs and a few bags...