Every corner of Miami took the stage.

The World Cup brought the world to our doorstep, and Miami met the moment in full color. Alongside it, June carried its own rich calendar of celebration: Juneteenth, Pride Month, Caribbean American Heritage Month, Father’s Day, and National Ocean Month. This city knows how to show up for an occasion, and this month, there were many worth showing up for.

But some of Miami’s most powerful acts of showing up unfolded away from the spotlight, through the quiet, steady work of a community investing in itself. We celebrated and honored the journalists telling Miami’s most critical stories and opened new pathways for local media investment. We looked toward the candidates stepping forward to shape our collective future. We took stock, together, of what our nonprofit sector needs to remain strong.

This is what a city looks like when it is operating at full capacity. Festive and fortified, visible and vigilant, present for the party and present for the work. We were reminded again of what this region is made of.

At The Miami Foundation, we are proud to be part of a community that shows up in so many meaningful ways: connecting donors to causes, strengthening nonprofits, developing civic leaders, and investing in the infrastructure that helps Greater Miami thrive.

Miami shines, and this June, every corner proved it.

At The Foundation

The 7th Annual Esserman-Knight Journalism Awards:
Recognizing the Journalists Who Keep Miami Strong

“You can learn a lot about a society based on who we choose to honor,” our president and CEO Rebecca Fishman Lipsey said at this month’s 7th annual Esserman-Knight Journalism Awards. “Honoring, recognizing, and uplifting our journalists would matter any year, but especially right now in a moment of history where our nation faces threats to our democracy that I never thought I would witness in my own lifetime.”

More than 100 community members gathered to celebrate the South Florida journalists honored at the ceremony, which celebrates exceptional investigative and public service reporting. Selected from 54 nominations from 26 South Florida media outlets, this year’s Esserman-Knight awardees covered everything from deadly safety failures on the Brightline’s tracks to the human toll of immigration enforcement.

Launched in 2019, the Esserman-Knight Journalism Awards are made possible through a partnership between The Miami Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Esserman Family, longtime supporters of arts, equity, and investigative journalism.

“Accountability reporting right here in South Florida (is a way) to hold the powerful to account and reveal injustices and systemic problems that should be addressed,” said Dr. Laura Esserman at the event, held at Florida International University’s Wertheim Performing Arts Center. “Journalism was the way to honor all of the values that we hold dear,” she added, about her family’s philanthropic commitment to local media.

This year’s program also included news leaders and journalists in conversation onstage: Sergio Bustos of WLRN, Deirdre Conner of The Florida Trib and Manny Garcia of FIU’s Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media shared how collaborations between local newsrooms can drive more sustainable, quality journalism in a panel moderated by Press Forward South Florida’s Tere Figueras Negrete.

The Miami Herald’s Julie K. Brown was honored with the Alberto Ibargüen Excellence in Journalism Award, generously sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation, for her groundbreaking investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein case. She sat down with the Knight Foundation’s Vice President of Journalism Amalie Nash to share her experiences and lessons from that history-making reporting, which also recently earned a special citation from the Pulitzer Board.

The breadth and depth of local journalism is a reminder that some of Miami’s most powerful moments happen away from the spotlight, in the persistent work of reporting the truth. We invite you to read this year’s winning stories and to keep supporting local news organizations.

Meet the Candidates Shaping Miami’s Future

Local elections shape the future of our neighborhoods, public spaces, and community priorities, yet many voters struggle to find reliable information about who is running and what they stand for. Candidate forums are one of the best ways to close that gap. They offer a chance to hear directly from those seeking office, ask questions, and make an informed choice.

Vote Miami, our nonpartisan civic engagement initiative, is hosting candidate forums for Miami-Dade County Commission races this summer. Through nonpartisan voter resources, election information, and opportunities for civic engagement, we’re making local elections more accessible and understandable for Miami-Dade residents.

Interested in participating? We want to hear from you! Submit your questions to the candidates here.

Details on dates and participants are coming soon.

Resources to Understand What’s Ahead with TPS

For Miami’s Haitian community and others with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), the Supreme Court’s ruling brings new questions about what comes next. Resources are available to help navigate the road ahead.

In partnership with Stichiz and Island TV, we hosted a live webinar this month with community leaders on the front lines. They walked through what’s at stake economically, educationally, and personally with changes to TPS.

Please consider supporting the many organizations in Miami doing critical work to sustain our community at this time: Americans for Immigrant Justice, Avanse Ansanm, Ayiti Community Trust, the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), Miami Workers Center, Sant La, and many more.

Donor Spotlight: Marlon Hill

Marlon Hill has spent decades helping build Miami; as a lawyer, civic leader, and someone who understands deeply what it means to be rooted here. As a donor and partner of The Miami Foundation since 2014, Marlon has established multiple donor advised funds and has been one of our most committed connectors, referring countless new fundholders over the years. Much like his role in this community, he has shown leadership across the Foundation, from being among the first of our Miami Fellows to serving as a past Board Member.

For Marlon, giving back is both personal and strategic. When Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica, he didn’t hesitate. Through the Caribbean Strong Fund, housed at The Miami Foundation, he mobilized over 12,000 donors, raised more than $1 million, and granted every dollar back into relief efforts on the ground. He calls it proof that the community “doesn’t hesitate” and is there to respond “with both heart and strategy.”

Marlon’s actions model the different ways we each can build a stronger Miami and demonstrate his pride in our community’s diversity, cultural richness, and resilience. As a member of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami Host Committee, he has been committed to showcasing the city’s authenticity on the world stage, while insisting that philanthropy must meet the moment.

To anyone still looking for what their civic story in Miami could be, Marlon’s message is simple: “Start where you are. If you care about this city, there is a role for you to play. The first step is simply getting involved and building from there. The sideline is a lonely place to be.”

Like what Marlon has exemplified, there are many ways your generosity can help shape Miami’s future. The Miami Foundation is here to help you find the approach to giving that’s right for you. Connect with our team to learn more at philanthropy@miamifoundation.org.

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