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Send us a textKatrina Foss shares her unfiltered story of survival, addiction, and trauma. From childhood trauma and domestic violence to drug induced psychosis and living on the streets of Florida's notorious Overtown, Katrina found herself dying in the hospital, and that didn't even stop her. Now in recovery, Katrina opens up about the path she walked—from self-harm, group homes, prostitution, and homelessness to healing, motherhood, and finding strength through spirituality and 12-step recovery. Her story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of second chances.
Michael Simkins stopped by the pod with a bottle of E11EVEN Vodka in hand, and let's just say—cocktails were poured, stories were shared, and the energy was very Miami.We talked about growing up in Miami Beach, his detour to Brooklyn Law, and his early days at Akerman before jumping into real estate with small deals around town. It wasn't long before Michael set his sights on Overtown and Park West, quietly assembling land and betting big on neighborhoods others overlooked.Then came the game-changer: acquiring the former Gold Rush strip club and transforming it into what's now the globally recognized E11EVEN nightclub—an ultra club that's as Miami as it gets. And he's not stopping there—the brand is now making moves into the hotel-condo world.A wild ride from spreadsheets to strobe lights—this one's not to be missed.Connect with usWant to dive deeper into Miami's commercial real estate scene? It's our favorite topic—and we're always up for a good conversation. Whether you're just exploring or already making big moves, feel free to reach out at felipe@builtworldadvisors.com or give us a call at 305.498.9410. Prefer to connect online? Find us on LinkedIn or Instagram—we're always open to expanding the conversation. Ben Hoffman: LinkedIn Felipe Azenha: LinkedIn We extend our sincere gratitude to Büro coworking space for generously granting us the opportunity to record all our podcasts at any of their 8 convenient locations across South Florida.
In honor of Women's History Month, we welcome Bea Hines, the Miami Herald's first African-American female journalist. With a career spanning over 50 years, Bea's journey began at the age of six when she and her family moved to Overtown, later growing up in Liberty City. Raised during a pivotal time in Miami, she covered some of the city's most controversial headlines. The story of her professional and personal journey will leave you in awe.
In today's episode of This Day in Miami History, we discuss the 1984 acquittal of Luis Alvarez for the shooting death of Nevell Johnson Jr. in 1982. We also explore Miami's larger racial history and more with Dr. Seth A. Weitz, associate professor of history at Dalton State College and his book, "City of Hope, City of Rage: Miami, 1968-1994" (Click the link to order now!) Visit the This Day in Miami History shop on Spreadshirt for the ALL-NEW Interama t-shirt, and more, as well as TDMH-branded material!Remember to follow This Day in Miami History Podcast on your preferred podcast provider, as well as Twitter and Facebook!Police sealed off a 250-square-block area of the Overtown... - UPI Archives, Dec. 29, 1982The Overtown ghetto, inflamed by the swift acquittal of... - UPI Archives, March 16, 1984Here is a chronology of Miami's recent racial strife.... - UPI Archives, March 16, 1984Miami's Verdict | TIME, March 26, 1984THE BLOG: 30 YEARS AGO : STATE V. OFFICER LUIS ALVAREZSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/this-day-in-miami-history-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
If it happens, a new performing arts center would be the most expensive project in the history of the City of Sarasota. The project took another step closer to becoming reality this week, and our reporter Della Hale has the details. Next: In the City of Sarasota's weak-mayor system, the city manager plays a key role. The city is facing a difficult transition after Marlon Brown's surprising retirement announcement, and Ramon Lopez is updating us on this. Then: Helene, Debby, and before that, another thousand-year rain event - how is Sarasota Bay holding up? The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program director talked to WSLR about the bigger environmental picture. Finally: Amid storms and flooding, a bit of relief: A ribbon cutting for a neighborhood park in Sarasota, complete with a drum line and speeches.
Lotus Village Voices - The Official Podcast of Lotus House Women's Shelter
In this episode, our hosts hit the streets during our latest community drive to connect with the vibrant Overtown community. Since 2020, Lotus House has been dedicated to hosting community drives, and this month, we took the opportunity to interview local residents. Tune in as we hear firsthand from community members about their experiences, thoughts on the drive, and ideas on how we can better support Overtown. Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1eDONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.comVolunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteer/All other inquiries email: love@lotushouse.orgWebsite: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Salleth & RunishaEditor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman
Ep.204 Nina Chanel Abney (b. 1982, Harvey, IL) has been honored with solo exhibitions at the Savannah College of Art and Design, Georgia (2023); the Museum of Contemporary Art, Cleveland (2023); the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (2022); the Gordon Parks Foundation, Pleasantville, New York (2022;traveled to Henry Art Gallery, Seattle); the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston (2019–21); Palais de Tokyo, Paris (2018); and the Contemporary Dayton, Ohio (2021). Additionally, her solo exhibition at the Nasher Museum of Art, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina (2017), toured to the Chicago Cultural Center; Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and the California African American Museum, Los Angeles; and the Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase College, State University of New York. Abney was recently commissioned to transform Lincoln Center's new David Geffen Hall façade in New York, drawing from the cultural heritage of the neighborhood previously known as San Juan hill that comprised African American, Afro-Caribbean, and Puerto Rican families. Abney's recent public mural at the Miami World Center was similarly inspired by Overtown, a historic Black neighborhood in Miami. Abney's work is held in the collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Brooklyn Museum, New York; the Bronx Museum, New York; the Dallas Museum of Art, Texas; the Rubell Family Collection, Florida; the Nasher Museum of Art, North Carolina; and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; amongst others. Photo credit: Jesper Damsgaard Lund Artist https://ninachanel.com/ Jack Shainman https://jackshainman.com/ Chronogram https://www.chronogram.com/hv-towns/review-nina-chanel-abneys-lie-doggo-at-jack-shainman-gallerys-the-school-20807734 Blockonomi https://blockonomi.com/super-punk-world-nfts-face-backlash-over-focus-on-race-and-gender/ Cultured Mag https://www.culturedmag.com/article/2024/05/16/nina-chanel-abney-jack-shainman-upstate-show Air Jordan 3 Collaboration https://ninachanel.com/news/10-closer-look-at-nina-chanel-abney-s-air-jordan/ nft now https://nftnow.com/art/cryptopunks-debut-artist-residency-program-with-nina-chanel-abney/ NYTimes https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/18/arts/design/abney-bey-fordjour-simmons-harlem-renaissance-met.html The Cut https://www.thecut.com/2023/11/where-nina-chanel-abney-gets-her-custom-hats.html Surface Magazine https://www.surfacemag.com/articles/scad-museum-of-art-life-affirming-power-of-personhood-fall-2023-exhibitions/ Juxtapose https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/in-session/big-butch-energy-synergy-a-conversation-with-nina-chanel-abney/ W Magazine https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/nina-chanel-abney-exhibition-big-butch-energy-artist-interview Hyperallergic https://hyperallergic.com/767955/nina-chanel-abney-jacolby-satterwhite-david-geffen-hall-lincoln-center/
On the South Florida Roundup we examined why so many Miami politicians are up in arms — after the federal Transportation Security Administration hosted a tour at Miami International Airport for an official delegation from Cuba (01:03). We also looked at the controversy at Town Park Village, the Overtown housing cooperative whose issues were exposed this month by WLRN (19:03). And we asked why King Willonius of Delray Beach and his popular track “BBL Drizzy” are the country's latest AI music dispute (34:35).
In celebration of International Women's Month, we welcome two local female business owners who have flourished in their careers through hard work and determination. Listen to this episode where I chat with Fayola Nicaisse of Ebene, an organic beauty product line located in Overtown, and Camille Rhone of CNR Beauty, specializing in all things hair. We discuss career, community, and their journeys to discovering the magic behind their personally crafted products.
Miami is a city steeped in magic and mystery, from its rich cultural history and vibrant culture. Yet, amidst the glittering facade of glamour and vibrancy lies a darker chapter in Miami's history—the Cocaine Cowboys era—a tale of excess, danger, and intrigue that left an indelible mark on the cityscape. But beyond the myths and misconceptions, Miami beckons with its eclectic neighborhoods, picturesque beaches, and a wealth of cultural treasures waiting to be explored. Join us as we uncover the allure of Miami, from its pulsating nightlife to its serene hideaways, offering a glimpse into a world where magic and reality intertwine.The Birth of the "Magic City"Miami is often referred to as the "Magic City" due to its rapid growth and development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The term "Magic City" was coined by a local newspaper editor named Julia Tuttle. She created the term to describe the incredible transformation of Miami from a small, remote outpost into a thriving metropolis almost overnight.Julia Tuttle was a prominent Miami pioneer. She originally visited her parents in South Florida in 1875 and fell in love with what is now known as Biscayne Bay. She later purchased 640 acres at the mouth of the Miami River and returned as a widow to live there in 1891. She convinced Henry Flagler to bring his railroad to the Miami River, and over seven years she lived there, she worked to build the community and had a lot to do with transforming the region. In 1896, Miami was incorporated as a city. From there, the city experienced a significant boom in population, infrastructure, and economy during the early 20th century, fueled by the Florida East Coast Railway. The nickname still fits the city's vibrant atmosphere, diverse culture, and ongoing growth and innovation.Cuban Influence on MiamiCuba has had a significant influence on Miami, particularly due to waves of Cuban migration to the city, especially after the Cuban Revolution in 1959. It's shaped the city's identity, culture, economy, and politics in so many ways.PoliticsCuban exiles and their descendants have been actively involved in local, state, and national politics, shaping policies and perspectives on issues related to Cuba and Latin America. You feel like you are in another country!Cultural InfluenceCuban culture is in music and art, cuisine and language. Salsa music, mambo, and Afro-Cuban rhythms have bled into Miami's music scene, and Cuban artists have made the city vibrant and contributed greatly to the colorful art.CuisineCuban cuisine is all over Miami. The city has numerous Cuban restaurants and cafes serving authentic Cuban food. Some signature Cuban dishes include sandwiches, picadillo, and arroz con pollo.ArchitectureCuban influence & heritage can be seen in so much of Miami's architecture, particularly in neighborhoods like Little Havana - colorful Art Deco buildings & classic Spanish-style architecture.Language and DemographicsSpanish, particularly Cuban Spanish, is widely spoken in Miami.EconomyCuban migration has had a significant impact on Miami's economy, contributing to the growth of tourism, hospitality, and international trade. Many Cuban entrepreneurs have also established successful businesses in Miami, which has played a huge part in enriching the city's economic landscape and creating further diversity.The "Dark Side" of Miami and the Cocaine Cowboys Era.The Cocaine Cowboys era and drug trafficking had a significant impact on Miami during the 1970s and 1980s. It caused a surge of drug-related violence, crime, and corruption in Miami. Miami was the primary entry point for cocaine smuggling into the US for powerful drug cartels like the Medellín Cartel led by Pablo Escobar. This led to an explosion of wealth in Miami, led by the cartel individuals. It fueled a construction boom because drug profits were laundered through real estate investments, which led to the rapid development of luxury properties and businesses. However, it also contributed to a culture of excess, with conspicuous consumption and hedonism becoming more prevalent. Not to mention widespread violence as rival factions were fighting for control of the lucrative trade routes and markets.Law enforcement agencies really struggled to contain the violence and corruption associated with the drug trade. There were high-profile cases and efforts to crack down on drug trafficking networks, but it created "The Cocaine Cowboys era," which gave Miami a reputation as a city marked by both glamour and danger. It still lasts today.Myths About MiamiEveryone in Miami is WealthyMiami is home to many affluent individuals and neighborhoods, there is also significant socioeconomic diversity in the city. Many residents are working- or middle-class individuals who may not enjoy the lavish lifestyle often associated with Miami. Richer areas are Brickell, Key Biscayne, and parts of South Beach; Poorer areas are downtown and some parts of Wynwood.Miami is only about beaches and nightlife.While Miami is famous for its beautiful beaches and vibrant nightlife, it offers much more than that. It has a rich cultural scene, diverse neighborhoods, delicious cuisine, and a thriving arts community. You don't have to be a party animal to love Miami.All Miamians are Latino or Cuban.While Miami does have a large Hispanic population, including many Cuban-Americans, it is a melting pot of cultures from all over the world. You'll find people from various ethnicities and backgrounds living in Miami.Miami is Not Dangerous.Known by some as a "sin city," Miami can be dangerous, but not as dangerous as you may think. Miami is not on the FBI'S top 15 most dangerous cities list - which measures the violent crime rate and the highest cost of crime per capita, which includes instances of murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Like any major city, Miami has its share of crime, from drugs, gambling, etc, but it's unfair to label the entire city as unsafe. Many neighborhoods are safe and welcoming to residents and visitors. But as with any city, you must exercise common sense, and taking precautions is essential. You need to do your research, do not talk to strangers or get in cars with strangers, etc. Also, ignore creepy men trying to hit on you, or tell them no if they don't look too dangerous.Miami is all Glitz and Glamour.While Miami does have its glamorous side, with luxury hotels, high-end restaurants, and designer boutiques, it also has a laid-back, casual vibe. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the city without breaking the bank. You can explore parks, outdoor spaces, and museums and even go dining at local eateries and food trucks. There are free cultural events and art festivals as well. And don't forget the beaches are free (Key Biscayne, South Beach, Hollywood), minus the parking. Miami is only for the Young and Single.While Miami is known for its vibrant nightlife and party scene, it's also a great place to live for families, retirees, and people of all ages. The city offers excellent schools, diverse neighborhoods, and many activities for people of all ages and interests. You can't drive in Miami - The traffic is Too BadJust be careful where you park, and know that people honk a lot.The Best Areas in Miami for a Solo TravelerSouth BeachThis area is popular for its vibrant nightlife, beautiful beaches, and diverse dining options. You'll find plenty of opportunities to meet people at bars, clubs, and social events. However, it can get crowded and rowdy at times, so staying vigilant is important.Downtown MiamiDowntown offers a mix of entertainment, dining, and cultural attractions. It's also close to popular destinations like Brickell and Wynwood, which are known for their lively nightlife scenes. Choose accommodations in well-reviewed hotels or reputable Airbnb listings.BrickellThis upscale neighborhood is known for its high-rise condos, sophisticated bars, and restaurants. It's a popular spot for young professionals and offers a relatively safe environment for solo travelers.WynwoodFamous for its street art and hipster vibe, Wynwood is home to trendy bars, breweries, and galleries. It's a great place to meet fellow travelers and locals interested in art and culture. Just be mindful of your surroundings, especially at night.Coconut GroveThis historic neighborhood has a more relaxed atmosphere than South Beach. It has scenic parks, waterfront dining, and boutique shops. It's a good option if you prefer a quieter environment but still want access to nightlife and social activities.Hotels VS Airbnbs in MiamiFor a solo traveler, a hotel is safer, but it can be pricier than Airbnb, depending on where you want to stay. Airbnbs tend to be much cheaper for a group.Unique Destinations to Visit in MiamiVizcaya Museum and GardensThis historic estate features stunning gardens, European-inspired architecture, and unique photo opportunities around every corner.Versace MansionThe Versace Mansion is where world-renowned Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace was murdered on July 15, 1997. He was shot outside his Miami Beach mansion by Andrew Cunanan, a serial killer who took his own life eight days later. His South Beach mansion is now a "killer" lunch spot, and it's a great deal. Guests can also stay there. However, it is a pricy hotel.Coral CastleThis mysterious structure was built by Edward Leedskalnin using 1,100 tons of coral rock. The method of construction remains a mystery.Wynwood Walls The Wynwood Walls is an outdoor museum that showcases large-scale works by some of the world's best-known street artists, making it a vibrant spot for unique and colorful photos.Venetian Pool This historic public swimming pool built in the 1920s featuring waterfalls, caves, and incredible landscaping, providing a picturesque setting for photos.The KampongThe Kampong Botanical Garden features a collection of tropical fruit trees and flowering plants.Oleta River State ParkOleta River State Park is Miami's largest urban park along the shores of Biscayne Bay. You can kayak, hike, and picnic among mangrove forests.Deering EstateThis historic landmark and estate has guided tours of the mansion and gardens, as well as access to scenic trails along the waterfront.Miami Beach Holocaust MemorialThe Holocaust Memorial is a moving tribute to the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust, featuring sculptures and reflecting pools.The Monastery of St. Bernard de Clairvaux Originally built in Spain in the 12th century, this monastery was dismantled and reconstructed in Miami, creating a unique architectural juxtaposition.Grapeland Water ParkThis water park features a quirky collection of sculptures and structures, including a giant pineapple and a shipwreck-themed play area. It provides fun and unusual photo opportunities.Key Biscayne Crandon ParkCrandon Park is home to a unique fossilized reef and the historic Cape Florida Lighthouse. It offers hiking, picnicking, and wildlife viewing opportunities.Miami City CemeteryThis cemetery, dating back to the 19th century, features historic gravesites, elaborate mausoleums, and lush landscaping, providing a fascinating glimpse into Miami's past.SportsMiami has a strong sports culture, with teams like the Miami Heat (NBA), Miami Dolphins (NFL), and Florida Marlins (now Miami Marlins, MLB).Day Trips from Miami Everglades National Park Everglades National Park is a short drive from Miami. It's a unique ecosystem full of wildlife. You can take an airboat ride to see alligators, birds, and other wildlife or explore the park's trails and visitor centers. It's great if you are not from Florida and are used to seeing our wildlife, and it's great for a family trip as well.Key WestWhile it's about a 3-4 hour drive from Miami, Key West is worth the trip for its charming atmosphere, beautiful beaches, and vibrant culture. You can visit the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, explore Duval Street, and relax by the water. Boat rides are fun as well.Fort LauderdaleOnly about a 30-minute drive from Miami, Fort Lauderdale has beautiful beaches, shopping, dining, and great cultural attractions. It also has Gulf Stream horse racing tracks, gambling, and the famous Hard Rock Guitar Hotel. Stroll along the Fort Lauderdale Beach promenade, visit the Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, or take a gondola ride along the city's canals.Biscayne National ParkLocated just south of Miami, Biscayne National Park is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. You can go snorkeling or diving to explore the park's coral reefs, take a boat tour to see the historic lighthouse on Boca Chita Key, and enjoy spectacular views of the ocean.Wynwood Arts DistrictIf you're interested in art and culture, head to the Wynwood Arts District in Miami. This neighborhood is one of my favorite Miami spots and is known for its colorful street art, murals, galleries, boutiques, and super trendy restaurants and cafes.Coral Gables Coral Gables is a beautiful and upscale neighborhood in Miami, known for its Mediterranean Revival architecture, greenery, and historic landmarks like the Venetian Pool and the Biltmore Hotel. Spend the day exploring the shops and restaurants along Miracle Mile or visiting attractions like the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.How to Stay Safe in MiamiAreas of Miami to Avoid when VisitingHistorically known for its high crime rates, Overtown has seen some revitalization efforts in recent years but still may not be the safest area, especially at night. Liberty City is another neighborhood with a reputation for crime. While Little Havana is vibrant and culturally rich, there are many areas that are not safe, particularly at night. If you want to go, exercise caution and stick to well-lit, populated areas.Avoiding Certain Beaches at NightWhile Miami's beaches are beautiful during the day, most are unsafe after dark. Stick to well-populated areas and avoid isolated or poorly lit beach areas at night.Be Cautious of Scams and Tourist TrapsBe wary of overly aggressive street vendors, "free" tours that require a purchase at the end, and other similar schemes.Be Careful when Driving in Rush Hour TrafficIf possible, avoid driving during peak traffic times to prevent getting stuck in gridlock.Be Vigilant at NightWhile Miami's nightlife is legendary, some areas may be more prone to rowdiness and crime. Exercise caution and be aware of your surroundings, especially if you're out late at night. While Miami does have public transportation options like buses and the Metrorail, they are way less frequent and safe at night. Consider using rideshare services or taxis if you need to travel after dark, but don't get in an unregistered taxi, uber, or Lyft. Ask, "Who are you here for?" Miami can be a fun place to show off, and it's okay in certain areas like Brickell. Anywhere else, I would be extremely careful, and if you are new to the city, I would not wear your extremely fancy items. Cars also get broken into all the time, so do not leave things in your car. Better safe than sorry! In addition, don't take backroads at night.Bars can be safe to go into alone, but many female solo travelers get targeted in Miami, especially in bars and clubs. Don't take a drink from a stranger that you can't see being poured by the bartender. Also, men in Miami can be very aggressive, so be upfront with them and seek help from a bouncer if they will not leave you alone.What to Wear for A Night OutYour attire depends on where you are headed for the night. For clubs in Brickell and even South Beach, Ladies typically wear dresses or skirts and a top with heels, and guys wear nice shoes, buttoned-down short or long-sleeve shirts, and sometimes suits. Some clubs have strict "not too casual" dress code rules. For bars and any event in Wynwood, like a garage party, more casual clothes can be worn (e.g., rompers, shorts and tops, sneakers, and jeans and T-shirts for guys).Miami BeachesBeach Swimming in Miami When it comes to swimming in the waters off Miami's beaches, it's generally safe as long as you adhere to common-sense safety guidelines. While South Florida is known for its shark population, the risk of encountering a shark while swimming is very low. Most sharks are not interested in humans as prey and typically avoid interactions. Additionally, lifeguards and beach patrols in Miami are very vigilant about monitoring the waters and providing warnings or closures if any dangerous marine life is spotted.Favorite Miami BeachesMiami Beach is great for people-watching parties, meeting new people, good food, and all the action. It even has big events like pop up music festivals. For a more relaxed atmosphere, check out Key Biscayne. It is more relaxing, family-oriented, and has a great view of the Miami skyline. However, watch out for the "no-see-ems!" Beach TipsSome beaches, like South Beach, may experience higher theft rates, especially during peak tourist seasons when there are larger crowds. A few tips are to not leave valuables unattended, use lockers if available, and be mindful of your surroundings. Also, remember that local law enforcement and beach management often take measures to address theft. If you can not put items in a locker, do not bring valuables, and if you must bring valuables, like your phone and wallet, you can ask a normal-looking couple to watch them. It is taking a risk, but it has worked for me. Waterproof phone pouches are great for bringing a phone into the ocean. If you go into the water, stay where you can see your items. Do not let yourself drift far if you go into the water.Take the following precautions to ensure your safety while enjoying the beach:Swim in designated areas: Stick to beaches with lifeguards on duty and swim within the marked swimming zones.Avoid swimming alone: It's safer to swim with a buddy or in groups, especially in open waters.Stay alert: Be mindful of your surroundings while in the water and avoid areas with fishing activity or schools of baitfish, as these can attract sharks.Respect marine life: Avoid touching or approaching marine animals, including sharks, stingrays, and jellyfish.Follow beach safety guidelines: Pay attention to warning signs, flags, and instructions from lifeguards regarding water conditions and any potential hazards.Miami HurricanesIf you are visiting Miami when a hurricane hits, follow the steps below.Stay informed: Monitor local news, radio stations, or weather apps for updates on the hurricane's progress, including its projected path, intensity, and any evacuation orders or shelter information.Evacuation orders: Follow any evacuation orders issued by local authorities. Secure your accommodations: If you're staying at a hotel or rental property, inquire about their hurricane preparedness plans and follow any instructions provided by management. They may have protocols in place for guests during a storm.Stock up on supplies: Gather essential supplies such as non-perishable food, water, medications, flashlights, batteries, first aid supplies, and important documents. Ensure you have enough supplies to last several days in case of power outages or limited access to stores.Prepare your belongings: Secure outdoor furniture, decorations, and any other items that could become projectiles in high winds. If you're staying in a rental property, follow any instructions provided by the owner or management on securing the premises.Charge devices: Make sure your cell phone and other electronic devices are fully charged in case of power outages. Consider purchasing portable chargers or external battery packs for backup power.Stay indoors during the storm: Once the hurricane arrives, remain indoors in a safe location away from windows and doors. Follow safety guidelines: Follow any safety guidelines provided by local authorities, such as avoiding flooded areas, staying away from downed power lines, and using caution when venturing outside after the storm has passed.Be prepared for the aftermath: After the hurricane has passed, be prepared for potential flooding, debris, and other hazards. Follow instructions from authorities regarding cleanup efforts and any additional safety precautions.Miami stands as a captivating blend of magic and reality, where the dreams of visionaries like Julia Tuttle collide with the gritty realities of history. From its inception as a fledgling settlement to its evolution into a global destination, Miami's story is one of resilience, diversity, and constant reinvention. While the echoes of the past, including the tumultuous Cocaine Cowboys era, add layers of complexity to its narrative, Miami continues to thrive as a beacon of creativity, opportunity, and cultural fusion. As visitors traverse its vibrant streets, bask on its sun-kissed shores, and immerse themselves in its diverse tapestry of experiences, they discover a city that defies expectations and invites exploration.
In this episode, we crack open a Corona and jump into the fascinating world of South Florida real estate with the one and only Brian Bandell. We dive into Brian's journey from the Associated Press to Reuters to the South Florida Business Journal where he has been for the last 20 years reporting on health care, business and now real estate for the last 7 years. Did we mention Brian is also a novelist, with four thrilling books under his belt? We dish about everything from The Brightline and its potential to transform transit-oriented development along the Florida East Coast railway, to the hidden gems of Hollywood, Flagler Village, and Overtown. We also touch upon the rezoning opportunities in Hollywood, Curry Park (West Palm Beach) and Riviera Beach - because who doesn't love a good upzoning discussion?But wait, there's more! We delve into South Florida's office market, population swings, property taxes and who really benefits from Florida's no state income tax. And just when you thought we couldn't cram any more excitement into one episode, we hit you with the impact of higher interest rates, rising insurance premiums and construction costs. Plus, we break down the Live Local Act and its impact on the elusive unicorn of workforce housing.So grab a drink, sit back, and join us as we navigate the wild world of South Florida real estate with Brian Bandell - the man, the myth, the real estate legend.
Happy New Year and welcome to the first episode of 2024 with Kamila Pritchett, the Executive Director of the Black Archives History & Research Foundation of South Florida at the Historic Lyric Theater, where we always record The King-dom podcast. In this episode, we discuss the Lyric Theater's 110 anniversary celebrated in 2023 and its importance to the Overtown community, and Miami at large. If you have never been to the historic theater in Overtown or the Black Archives cultural locations (one of which includes the home of Miami's first black millionaire, Dana A. Dorsey), now is the time to check out their calendar of events.
Interview by Manny Akiio / mannyakiio We recently sat down with Miami native Khaotic for an exclusive “Off The Porch” interview! During our conversation he discussed growing up in Overtown, his upbringing, his first job in the streets being watch out, selling dope to his sister, facing 10 years in prison, transitioning out the streets, his thoughts on snitching, getting his first music check from his single “Shot Gun”, his single “DimePiece” ft. Rick Ross, his princess treatment movement, his thoughts on trying shrooms, cutting his Wicks off due to his trial, catering his music to women, creating Afro R&B, premiering on reality TV, witnessing Kodak Black's success, being inspired by DC Young Fly to pursue his acting career, being reached out by the team of Love and Hip Hop, filming LHHH Atlanta, filming his own series, ghostwriting, Natural Bodies vs. BBL and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Just another Tuesday on WIOD except for a little disturbance in Overtown, which Neil and The Bird discuss. The whole "Book" is in, it is Super Bowl Week, and the "Old Neil" creeps back in.
Today, we welcome affordable housing developers Alben Duffie & Michael Swerdlow who are responsible for the Block 55 mixed-use development in Overtown. The property features 578 high-quality apartments for low-income seniors on top of 250,000 square feet of retail space and a parking garage. The entire retail space has been completely leased to some exciting retailers. I'm thrilled to see developments of this nature that continue to revive Overtown as the destination it was once known to be.
Your grassroots news from Southwest Florida: Developer Pat Neal got green light from the Venice City Council to build a shopping plaza. But neighbors are pushing back. Ramon Lopez tells us what they are up to. Then: Manatee and Sarasota Democrats joined in a forum to look for paths towards immigration reform; Josh Holton with partner station WMNF was there. Then: Internet access in the countryside can be painfully slow. A state broadband program funded with federal Infrastructure Act dollars is making a difference in rural DeSoto and East Manatee counties; Jim DeLa with the Community News Collaborative reports. Next: A mural was unveiled yesterday, honoring the African American roots of the fast-gentrifying Sarasota neighborhood once known as Overtown. Sophia Brown has more on that.And: There will be new rules for the Skyway Fishing Pier State Park, to protect pelicans and other birds. Chris Young with partner station WMNF tells us why and how.
Your grassroots news from Southwest Florida: Developer Pat Neal got green light from the Venice City Council to build a shopping plaza. But neighbors are pushing back. Ramon Lopez tells us what they are up to. Then: Manatee and Sarasota Democrats joined in a forum to look for paths towards immigration reform; Josh Holton with partner station WMNF was there. Then: Internet access in the countryside can be painfully slow. A state broadband program funded with federal Infrastructure Act dollars is making a difference in rural DeSoto and East Manatee counties; Jim DeLa with the Community News Collaborative reports. Next: A mural was unveiled yesterday, honoring the African American roots of the fast-gentrifying Sarasota neighborhood once known as Overtown. Sophia Brown has more on that.And: There will be new rules for the Skyway Fishing Pier State Park, to protect pelicans and other birds. Chris Young with partner station WMNF tells us why and how.
Saliha Nelson is the CEO of Urgent Inc, a youth center in Overtown whose mission is to educate the next generation of creative leaders in Miami. Their annual youth film festival is being held on Thursday and Friday at Miami Dade College North Campus.
Gaia Goddess, Dream-work & YOU! Guest: Maria Marshall Who or What is a Gaia Goddess and how does this belief fit into modern society? In Greek mythology, Gaia also spelled Gaea /ˈdʒiːə/, is the personification of the Earth and one of the Greek primordial deities. In Ancient Egypt, Imhotep's Dream Temples, and Ancient Greece, Asklepios' Dream Temples helped dreamers bring the important messages from their Dreams into the Waking World. What gifts does Gaia bring to our dreaming lives, and how can we use those gifts in our daily waking life? Maria Marshall, founder of Gaia Goddess, discusses her Gaia Goddess work with us. https://gaiagoddesslifestyle.com/ Bio: Maria Marshall, CEO and Founder of Gaia Goddess has a strong background in visual arts and was educated at Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design. She is a conscious creative who utilizes social entrepreneurism, storytelling, and community building to inspire, heal and empower women. Maria has developed an integrative practice of Healing that combines color, sound, voice, and reiki vibrat ion. Additionally, she has volunteered at Lotus House Shelter in Overtown, Florida, where she taught courses in Reiki and worked with meditation and other transformative tools. Currently, Maria is spending most of her time working with Gaia Goddess developing content and a supportive community for all women on a path of empowerment, Healing and spiritual expansion. Video Version: https://youtu.be/gj9qVxzhYag Call in and Chat with Kat during Live Show with Video Stream: Call 646-558-8656 ID: 8836953587 press #. To Ask a Question press *9 to raise your hand Have a Question for the Show? Go to Facebook– Dreams that Can Save Your Life Facebook Professional–Kathleen O'Keefe-Kanavos http://kathleenokeefekanavos.com/
Johnny visits the Haitian communities of Overtown and Allapattah, interviewing local rappers and documenting the history of the Zo Pound and their influence on the Miami Drug Trade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today your historians of hysteria discuss an incident of such savagery and stain on us as a so called civilized society it has been shrouded in the history books, the lasting impact of this savage happenings leads to comparisons to our very own back yard of Overtown and the development of the 95, join us as the something perplexing podcast discusses black Wall Street! - 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre - Tulsa Historical Society & Museum (tulsahistory.org) 'Black Wall Street' Before, During and After the Tulsa Race Massacre: PHOTOS - HISTORY How was Miami's Overtown neighborhood chosen as the place to expand I-95? - The New Tropic School Desegregation in Tulsa, OK (umaryland.edu) The Devastation of Black Wall Street - JSTOR Daily What the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Destroyed - The New York Times (nytimes.com) 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865) | National Archives
"Miami has always been a unique place, right? In comparison to the rest of the states. I feel like I'm in a different country and it's just so Caribbean, it's so island. So the city is special in that way. Today there's this boom and the energy has shifted toward culture. And when I say culture, a cultural perspective of Miami being showcased as much as Latin culture is known here in the city. So that's been very exciting to see from a food and beverage, perspective." Jamila Ross While we have had a fair number of well-known guests on our program, part of our mission is to also talk to people you may not know yet, but we think you will soon. In fairness, the dynamic duo on the show today, Jamila Ross and Akino West, are not total strangers to media coverage. Their wedding in 2021 during the height of the pandemic was covered in the New York Times Style section. Attention as a budding hospitality power couple began buzzing in 2018 where they purchased a building in Miami's historic Overtown to open their first venture, the cool, chic, 22-room bed and breakfast, The Copper Door that captured the attention of Vogue. Akino and Jamila West met as culinary students at Johnson and Wales in North Miami, and both possess impressive culinary pedigrees. Jamila worked in management as part of the LA-based hospitality group, SBE, and Akino as a chef in esteemed kitchens such as the local Miami institution, Michael's Genuine, and as an intern at the three-Michelin-star restaurant, Noma, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Noma has been ranked as the number one restaurant in the world for multiple years. In 2021, the couple opened Rosie's, a brunch focused pop-up restaurant, serving a feel-good, soul food brunch with subtle Italian nuances and classic techniques. It became a huge hit. Recently, Rosie's found a permanent home in the hip-insider Miami neighborhood, Little River. I can tell you from having experienced Akino's food and Jamila's skilled and detail-focused hospitality, these are two people to watch. Join me, your host, Brad Johnson, along with these two talented entrepreneurs making a name for themselves and illuminating the way forward for the next generation, on Corner Table Talk. * * * Instagram: Corner Table Talk and Post and Beam Hospitality LinkedIn: Brad Johnson E.Mail: brad@postandbeamhospitality.com For more information on host Brad Johnson or to join our mailing list, please visit: https://postandbeamhospitality.com/ Theme Music: Bryce Vine Corner Table™ is a trademark of Post & Beam Hospitality LLC See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We learned so much from our conversation with its Executive Director, Ieshia Haynie. She is inspiring, wise and super passionate about her position and all the good the Optimist Club does! Listen and enjoy this very interesting conversation about a woman who's done so much for the good of community and the future of our youth.
The show continues as they meet with an entrepreneur and recording artist from Overtown known as Dollar Bill. Everyman Show · "Red Dollaz Blue Faces" – Ep. 163 Sea. 5
Anitrice Jackson, better known as “Mama Joy,” started Nana's Restart in 2013 as a way to serve her community of Overtown, Miami. Since then, she has been doing this work on her own time and dime… because her passion and purpose is people.Mama Joy shares with us how her own life struggles motivated her to create this organization. When she was in need, she received help for herself and her children. Years later, she is now doing everything she can to help children and their parents by getting them school supplies, toys for Christmas and more.Mama Joy's entire family is involved in Nana's Restart, and despite limited resources, the contribution and the impact they are having on people's lives is simply amazing.Life has not always been easy for Mama Joy. But she never gave up. Her determination and strength helped her navigate tough times, and she is now doing everything she can to help other families in need. A beautiful example of generosity and giving-back.If you would like to help Mama Joy, visit her website and consider making a donation to support her work.If you enjoy listening to our podcast and would like to support us, check out our Buy Me a Coffee page:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/jippodcastOur website:https://justinterestingpeople.comFollow Mama Joy & Nana's Restart on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nanasrestart305Nana's Restart's website:http://nanasrestart.orgFollow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/justinterestingpeoplehttps://www.instagram.com/rosieandre_comhttps://www.instagram.com/jeremieandre_fr
Tomorrow Is The Problem PodcastWelcome to the ICA Miami Podcast. Each season, we'll explore familiar concepts from everyday life that we often take for granted.We'll expand these concepts to understand their critical historical and cultural underpinnings and forever change the way you view them.Sound WavesThe focus of this second season is sound as art, music, protest, and violence.An exploration of how sounds shape our experience of the world requires a study of music, but also that of the less explored sonic landscapes that exist outside of the anthropomorphic auditory register.Sounds of MiamiA mixtape of Miami unicity, History, future, culture, losses and rebuildings.Time Stamps + Takeaways[1:33] Your Miami mixtape.[2:13] Ashley Solage describes her Miami, humid days, mangoes in mom's backyard and island music in the streets.[3:00] Alexandra Vazquez, 305 or die, talks about her book The Florida Room and why this architectural feature is used in her work.[5:49] Tiger Tiger cover of Patti Smith's Because the Night. Alexandra talks about the Miccosukee.[9:27] Etapp Kyle and Tarra Remix Moscow by Danny Daze (Danny From Miami). Ashley shares her experience as the venue manager and founder of ‘The Void' at LMNT.[15:20] DJ Uncle AL and Felix Sama Mega Mix. Alexandra explains the Miami (Liberty City and Overtown) crosses and losses and rebuildings that this song underscores.[22:35] Rocking Chair by Gwen McCray. Alexandra and Ashley's hopes for the future and for Miami's music.[27:34] Bonus Track: The Institute at Midnight by Matthew Evan Taylor, as well as his own words on what Miami music is.[29:21] Episode 7 is next: Sounds of Jazz as Critique.Contributors + GuestsAshley Solage / Artist, Community Organizer.Alexandra T. Vazquez / Associate Professor.Donna Honarpisheh / Assistant Curator and Host.This podcast was made in partnership with Podfly Productions. This episode was written by Jocelyn Arem and Donna Honarpisheh, and edited by Frances Harlow. Our showrunner is Jocelyn Arem, and our Sound Designer and Audio Mixer is Nina Pollock. Links + LearnICA MIAMIPodflyJunk, by Bruno Hunger and Gregor HuberThe Florida Room, by Alexandra VazquezBuffalo Tiger, Miccosukee LeaderTiger Tiger Because The NightEtapp Kyle and Tarra Remix, MoscowDJ Uncle AL and Felix Sama, Mega MixGwen McCrae, Rockin' ChairMatthew Evan Taylor, The Institute at MidnightGean MorenoQuotes + Social“Part of what happens, especially around Miami music history, is that it kind of mimics some of the apartheids of the city itself, where it keeps people and music in these separate camps … That's not the truth of the music.”“In that moment, none of us had any care in the world. We weren't thinking about bills, jobs, about homophobia, nothing. I think about that day and how it is possible for marginalized or oppressed communities to actually come together and support each other and experience freedom.”
Check out The Green Haven Project & Follow on Instagram @green.haven.project I met David through my organization, Black Men Build. He had called together various organizations in the community to support the residents of Overtown after a shooting. I was very impressed with the work David has done helping address the food deserts that plague our community. He helps teach people how to grow fresh produce and gives away everything in the community gardens away to the local residents, free of charge. David's story and perspective on life are intriguing and I wanted to tell people about the good work he's doing for the people. He's hosting an event 8/20/22 where he's giving away seedlings (baby plants). Tap into the website to donate and learn more. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/big-skut/message
At age eight, Mary's family moved to unit #10 in a public housing complex in Newtown. The differences between conditions in Overtown where they lived before, and the new complex were like night and day. The new apartment had a bathroom, electricity, a yard with grass, and sidewalks. Before that, their shotgun house had no running water. They pumped water for bathing, washing dishes and laundry. There were three tubs to wash, rinse garments, and rinse again. Before Clorox, a boil pot whitened clothes. An outhouse 15 feet from the house was used. A portable oil stove was the major kitchen appliance and kerosene lamps provided light. An imaginary boundary line kept community children from veering past 10th Street. Simmons only ventured across the line to grocery shop with her grandmother. “We would walk down Main Street and smell peanuts in the five-and-dime store. I remember asking, ‘Granny can I have an ice cream cone.' She said, ‘sit here.' I sat on the curb. I never forgot the place, Oleander's. Granny went in, got it, and brought it outside. I looked at her, looked at the cone, looked at the people sitting inside. But you didn't ask adults questions. You just did as you were told.” Sheila Sanders has a sweet smile but don't mistake it for weakness. She organized a boycott of the Sarasota Federal Bank as a third grader at Booker Elementary School. At that time, her class learned money management by filling out savings deposit slips for their pennies, dimes and nickels, but the students could not take tours of the bank as children from other schools did. Sanders persuaded her classmates to send deposits to Palmer Bank where they could tour. Her actions foreshadowed future activism. The teenager proactively participated in the NAACP accompanying leaders John Rivers and Maxine Mays to local and state meetings. In high school, Sanders learned about the political process by reviewing the agenda of school board meetings and attended the meetings by taking the city bus. “Some things won't be said just because you're sitting there.” Sanders, William “Flick” Jackson and John Rivers joined Dr. Edward E. James II as plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the City of Sarasota. They successfully pushed for single member district voting that opened the way for African American representation on the Sarasota City Commission.
The memory of Sarasota Mayor Willie Charles Shaw is razor sharp. He was reared in “Black Bottom,” a swampy land in Newtown near Maple, Palmadelia and Goodrich Avenues. There were no streetlights or curbside mail delivery. Overtown had its own neighborhood with the same name because of its rich black soil. Shaw can quickly rattle off the locations of community landmarks, dirt paths, swimming holes, citrus trees and bus routes; and the names of neighbors. Newtown's dusty roads were paved in 1968, but the first paved streets followed the route of the city transit bus. His grandmother and family members owned land along Orange Avenue and 31st Street. When there was a death in the neighborhood, Mrs. Herring, Fannie McDugle, and Mrs. James formed an unofficial neighborhood association with Mrs. Viola Sanders at the helm. The women collected food and flowers for grieving families. Shaw's mother sewed a heart or a ribbon on the right sleeve of the bereaved. The retired letter carrier attended the Booker schools with teachers Barbara Wiggins, Mrs. McGreen, Prevell Carner Barber, Aravia Bennet Johnson, Foster Paulk, Esther Dailey, Coach Dailey, Janie Poe, and Turner Covington. “I would have to say that the entire learning experience at Booker groomed me into a leader. We were taught that you always had to be better, do better. You had to.” Shaw was among the African American students who traveled on a bus across the Skyway Bridge to attend Gibbs Junior College. He served in the U.S. Air Force, then became a letter carrier following in the footsteps of Jerome Stephens, the first African American in Sarasota hired by the postal service.
School integration caused trauma and fear for Carolyn Mason and rightly so. She lived in Overtown's “Black Bottom” located at the corner of 8th Street and Central Avenue in segregated Sarasota. There was a dividing line at 3rd Street or present day Fruitville Road. “I call it the Mason-Dixon line. North of Fruitville was the Black community; and south was downtown for the more affluent community.” The communities did not mix. “My senior year in high school should have been my best year, but it was full of apprehension. I couldn't think past the fear of being around people I had never been around before. I didn't know what I was afraid of, but I was afraid. Somebody should have talked to the children – all of the children – about what to expect. Somebody should have said, ‘You don't have anything to worry about.'” Mason began a career in public service after viewing a theater production in Sarasota that lacked a diverse cast. Frustrated, she became the go between for talented African American artists and arts organizations. “I offered myself as a bridge. I was probably on the board at one time of every arts organization in Sarasota County.” She was elected to the Sarasota City Commission and served from 1999 to 2003. She was Mayor of Sarasota from 2001 to 2003. Mason is the first African American elected to the Sarasota County Commission in 2008 and served as chair in 2013 and 2015. Social issues are the focus of her work. Carolyn Mason's oral history was provided by interviewer Hope Black.
* Trying to help your kids with math in 2022 * Leaving your child alone at a bar * Marijuana and children * Slavery, the 13th Amendment and Prison Labor * I-95, Eminent Domain and the government's destruction of Overtown which was once a thriving black community in Miami * The uproar over the Saudi Funded LIV golf tour * Tens of billions of dollars funded for Ukraine and the lack of domestic funding for a myriad of needs Explore the show's: * Website - www.theAIBshow.com * Instagram - www.instagram.com/theaibshow * Facebook - www.facebook.com/theaibshow * YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UCsLfGQJf8T7mBXzKCEfZsgQ
On this episode of AMPed Up Podcast we sat down with Mojo, a professional contemporary artist based in Miami. To be honest, we thought this episode was going to be focused on art, but it took a pleasantly surprising turn right from the start as Mojo opens up about all things fatherhood. From custody battles to raising a teenage boy, to finding newfound healing after the death of his own father, Mojo lays it all out on the table. What Adrian jokingly refers to as a therapy session for dads demonstrates the power of and the need for more honest, raw and vulnerable conversations about fatherhood and men's mental health. A SCAD graduate, Mojo discusses how he became the artist he is today and how his mission as a creator has evolved. He dives into his work for companies like Nike, showcasing at Art Basel, and his own non-profit Healing with Hues, which focuses on youth development & empowerment through art. Most recently, he talks about creating murals in Miami's historic Overtown neighborhood and what it means to bring art and beauty to one of the city's most neglected streets. Currently, Mojo is in Lacoste, France working on a new canvas collection as part of SCAD's Alumni Atelier 2022. To keep up with his work follow him on Instagram @gotthemojo and check out his website https://gotthemojo.com Where to find Mojo: https://www.instagram.com/gotthemojo https://gotthemojo.com https://www.healingwithhues.org https://www.scadartsales.com/art/artists/anthony-reedii Where to find Dr. Adrian Mesa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-adrian-mesa-11357489/ https://www.instagram.com/dr_adrian_mesa Where to find AMP Group Mental Health https://www.instagram.com/amp_mental_health https://ampmentalhealth.com
On May 3, 2022, Dion Pouncil of Pouncil Technologies, gave a keynote presentation titled "What is Money? & How to Put it to Work for You!" at the Center for Black Innovation, in Miami's historic Overtown district.
Professor John Bailly leads students on six-hour expeditions through Miami. In their journeys, Panthers learn things that surprise even Miami-born students.
As we enter Black History Month and the season 3 finale of Triggered AF, your hosts welcome the executive director of the Black Archives, History & Research Foundation, Timothy A. Barber, to discuss the importance of preserving black culture in spite of the challenges. Focusing specifically on gentrification, tune in as they discuss how to empower a community as well as develop it. From investing in the culture and history that already exists to rehabbing structures in a way that people can remain and thrive in their neighborhood, listen in as they challenge gentrification, and reverse engineer the process to start benefiting the community as a whole. KEY POINTS: - Does gentrification help or hurt? - How to marry gentrification with redevelopment - The history of Overtown and urban removal - Why the preservation of black art and culture is so important - Investing in leaders and gatekeepers we can trust - Are there any positive effects of gentrification? - Preserving The Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater QUOTABLES: “If you don't know your history, you will never know when they're trying to take you back.” “You have to find a way to empower the people that live in the area prior to bringing in those levels of housing and things of that nature. Because the first thing they need is jobs.” “Going back to the gentrification effect, bringing these new people in, the difficult part of it is to get them to invest in the community, other than just paying rent in the community.” GUEST RESOURCES: Learn more about Timothy A. Barber and The Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater at bahlt.org IG | instagram.com/bahltsoflo FB | facebook.com/black.archives.3 PRODUCTS / RESOURCES: For more info, visit their website: triggeredafpodcast.com Like what you're hearing? Follow Triggered AF on their Socials and share the love! IG: instagram.com/triggeredafpc Twitter: twitter.com/triggeredafpc FB: facebook.com/triggeredafpc YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCNxXUw6_j_pMnfd5ASIGAOQ Stay connected with your hosts! Alechia Reese | instagram.com/alechiareese/ Dani Foster | instagram.com/danifostercoaching/ Triggered AF is edited by Instapodcasts (visit at instapodcasts.com)
In this episode we highlight a few historic black communities of the past Black Wall st., Harlem and Overtown. The dynamics and why they worked so well then, we dive into whether or not something like that can work in today's society. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kenneth-williams74/support
Two amazing humans navigate the grey as we discuss the highway system. You heard that right, highways! But stick with us, we think this is a powerful topic. When we think about our own convenience and the ways we travel, we often fail to notice or think about the structural racism that is literally embedded in the very structures we use for our travel. We talk about how highways displace people of color, reinforce segregation, limit access and resources, create environmental hazards, and allow others to complete avoid passing through.Support the show (https://cash.app/$blackblondepod)
Up close and personal with SEOPW CRA Executive Director Cornelius Shiver. Learn about the mission and vision for transforming Southeast Overtown and Park West neighborhoods
The Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency continues to invest in economic development and small businesses. From COVID-19 emergency grant funding to CRA Construction grants, small businesses remain at the heart of the SEOPW CRA's community empowerment initiatives. On this episode host, City of Miami Commissioner Jeffrey Watson, spotlights the expansion of the SEOPW CRA's latest small business construction grants awarded to two businesses in the redevelopment area. The former owners of Copper Door Bed & Breakfast, Jamila West and Akino West, will embark on an exciting new business venture for their new café and bar concept called Negra Y Fuerte. The café and bar will be located on the ground floor of the Soleste Grand Central located at 218 NW 8th Street in the Overtown redevelopment area. Additionally, Overtown staple Lil Greenhouse Grill restaurant, which recently received national recognition by Oprah Winfrey and several local awards, will expand to the ground floor of Lyric Point, a freestanding retail and office space located at 101 NW 8th Street in the redevelopment area. Lil Greenhouse Grill, currently located at 1300 NW 3rd Avenue, is a soul-food restaurant owned and operated by Overtown resident Chef Karim Bryant who has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant business, and Nicole Gates. Chef Bryant previously operated a mobile restaurant located in Overtown, and he also managed the Theodore Gibson Park Concession Grill. Lil Greenhouse restaurant Co-owner Nicole Gates shares insight on what the community can expect to see with the new expansion.
The top stories from the Miami Herald for Sept. 15 including the latest headlines on COVID-sniffing dogs at the Miami airport, an Overtown soul food pop-up that is opening a restaurant, Silicon Valley Bank in Miami, UF and FIU college rankings, Florida Keys condo repair.
The Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency (SEOPW CRA) is excited to welcome Miami Spice to historic Overtown and continue the SEOPW CRA's economic development marketing efforts to position Overtown as a South Florida culture and entertainment destination. This year Miami Spice celebrates 20 years. It is a two-month-long restaurant promotion (August 1, 2021-September 30, 2021), organized by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau's (GMCVB), in which participating restaurants offer three-course menus at reduced prices. Red Rooster Overtown is a Miami Spice participant for the first time since opening in the Overtown Culture and Entertainment District in December 2020. The restaurant opened in the redevelopment area as the first initiative of the SEOPW CRA's culture and entertainment district. Their participation is the very first for the Overtown community by any restaurant. Tristen Epps, Executive Chef at Rooster Overtown chats with host Miami City Commissioner Jeffrey Watson about what Rooster represents for the area, his background as a chef, and what folks can continue to expect from Rooster and the evolution of their menu. In part two of this episode, host Watson interviews Connie Kinnard, VP of Multicultural Tourism & Development at the GMCVB. Its mission is to promote the diversity of Miami's multicultural communities, attractions, and events. Many of the programs facilitated by this department are directly related and created to support business partnerships, cultural organizations, and tourist attractions in Black communities and neighborhoods like historic Overtown.
Tina Brown, the CEO of Overtown Youth Center, shared the story behind her title with us on Sunday, August 15th, 2021.Tina is a daughter of Miami – Historic Overtown to be exact – and the powerhouse leader has dedicated her life to improving the lives of those who live, work and play in the community of her birth. Armed with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Savannah State University; a Master's Degree in Accounting and more than two decades of experience in the field of accounting and business management for both corporate and non-profit entities.Today, Tina serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Overtown Youth Center; overseeing both Mourning Family Foundation, & Honey Shine, Inc; with an annual $5 million budget for all for programs; as well as managing a $20 million Capital Campaign Project to reconstruct OYC and expand its programmatic services. Thus far, $15 million has been raised and the project is scheduled to be complete in the 1st Quarter of 2022.Due to her lifelong passion of empowering young people, Tina doesn't take her role lightly or for granted. She believes deeply in changing the narrative of children and families residing in low – socio-economic/systemically marginalized communities by providing a comprehensive and holistic approach that levels the playing field. SUE SAYS"I asked Tina why she felt she was able to aim higher than other children who grew up in the tough neighborhood of Overtown, Florida. It was a teacher, she said. Her history teacher was a man who took the time and interest in Tina and pointed out her gifts so she would see she had choices in life. Tina is certain that having a mentor and someone who believed in her, is absolutely what led her down the right path. Her purpose now is to offer that same hope to other children in Overtown.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/women-to-watch-r/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Miami District 5 Commissioner Jeffrey Watson hosted “Origins: The Soul, Light, and Spirit of Miami,” a three-day celebration of the 125th anniversary of the city's incorporation showcasing historic Overtown and its cultural institutions. Commissioner Watson partnered with the Southeast Overtown Park West Community Redevelopment Agency and local organizations to present a weekend of community events paying homage to the neighborhood's rich history and Miami's Black pioneering community. On Thursday, July 29, 2021, Commissioner Watson kicked off the celebration with a community youth talk featuring Historian Marvin Dunn and youth from throughout District 5 to discuss what Miami means to them and the history of Miami. The event was hosted in the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency redevelopment area at the historic Overtown Performing Arts Center. Youth groups represented included Touching Miami with Love, City of Miami Police Department PAL, Overtown Optimist, Little Haiti Soccer Club, Meyga, and the Overtown Youth Center. A special thank you to moderator Trina Harris from Touching Miami with Love for moderating the event. Listen to youth discuss what Miami means to them in light of the City's birthday celebration. Our youth are truly the future of this great city!
Bulletproof Hygiene Podcast Episode 26 Hosts: Charissa Wood, RDH & Brittany Simon, CRDH, BASD Guest: Dr. Uche Odiatu Key Takeaways: Introduction Microbiome Understand Your Why Psychobiome Diversify The Biome Hormones And Microbiome References: Mighty Networks: Bulletproof Hygiene Bulletproof Hygiene: The Guide For Finding Fulfillment Through Purposeful, Profitable Hygiene The Autoimmune Solution: Prevent and Reverse the Full Spectrum of Inflammatory Symptoms and Diseases Website: Gut Healthy Chairside PDF: Gut Healthy Chairside Conversations Tooth Boss Instagram The Microbiome Solution: A Radical New Way to Heal Your Body from the Inside Out Bulletproof Hygiene Ep. 16 with Dr. Uche Odiatu Dr. Uche's schedule: September 9th: CDA North San Francisco September 10th - 11th: Overtown, Florida Tweetables: What we eat has the biggest impact on our microbiome. Dr. Uche Odiatu Eating should enliven you not take your energy. Dr. Uche Odiatu It's impossible to be healthy with less fiber. Dr. Uche Odiatu
On this episode of The Experience Overtown Show, Host City of Miami Commissioner Jeffrey Watson talks about technology and media career opportunities with Florida Film House CEO Marco Mall and upcoming Summer enrollment for the 1st Take Youth Film Program. Listeners explore Overtown through a new historic Overtown Legacy Trek and Tour with guest Nicole Crooks, Overtown Community Engagement Coordinator with Catalyst Miami, and Terrance Cribbs-Lorrant, Executive Director of the City of Miami Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum Inc.
Kann der Bau einer Autobahn auf Rassismus gründen? Absolut. Das zeigt das Beispiel der US-Stadt Miami. Dort wurde ein Highway Ende der 50er Jahre bewusst so geplant, dass er den blühenden, von Schwarzen bewohnten Stadtteil Overtown zerschnitt und zerstörte. Das hat Auswirkungen bis heute. Der Mord an George Floyd durch einen weissen Polizisten hat in den USA die Debatte über Rassismus intensiviert – auch über strukturellen Rassismus. Viele werden sich erst jetzt bewusst, wie sehr Entscheide des Staates und der Behörden Schwarze und andere Minderheiten benachteiligen. Solchen strukturellen Rassismus gab es auch bei der Stadtplanung. Ein Beispiel ist Overtown, das Schwarzenviertel von Miami. Dort ist die Kriminalitätsrate 50 Prozent höher als im Rest der Stadt, viele sind arbeitslos und leben in Armut. Das war nicht immer so. Overtown war früher ein strikt abgetrenntes Viertel, die dort lebenden Schwarzen durften nur zum Arbeiten ins weisse Miami Beach, das sich zum mondänen Ferienziel der Reichen mauserte. Dort traten in den Hotels und Ballsälen in den 50er Jahren auch die schwarzen Stars des Jazz und Soul auf. Übernachten aber durften sie in Miami Beach nicht – nach ihren Auftritten vor den Weissen mussten sie zurück nach Overtown. In den dortigen Clubs gaben sie dann aber legendäre Konzerte, viele davon in der Second Avenue von Overtown. Und mit der Bürgerrechtsbewegung und der Lockerung der Rassengesetze zog im schwarzen Stadtteil Zuversicht und ein bescheidener Wohlstand ein. Doch all das hatte ein Ende, als man landesweit die Interstate Highways zu planen begann. Die Stadt beschloss, in Miami die Autobahn quer durch Overtown zu bauen – im vollen Wissen darum, dass dies das Viertel zerstören und einen Teil der Bevölkerung vertreiben würde. Und so kam es auch. Bis heute sind die verheerenden Auswirkungen dieses planerischen Entscheids von damals spürbar.
Kann der Bau einer Autobahn auf Rassismus gründen? Absolut. Das zeigt das Beispiel der US-Stadt Miami. Dort wurde ein Highway Ende der 50er Jahre bewusst so geplant, dass er den blühenden, von Schwarzen bewohnten Stadtteil Overtown zerschnitt und zerstörte. Das hat Auswirkungen bis heute. Der Mord an George Floyd durch einen weissen Polizisten hat in den USA die Debatte über Rassismus intensiviert – auch über strukturellen Rassismus. Viele werden sich erst jetzt bewusst, wie sehr Entscheide des Staates und der Behörden Schwarze und andere Minderheiten benachteiligen. Solchen strukturellen Rassismus gab es auch bei der Stadtplanung. Ein Beispiel ist Overtown, das Schwarzenviertel von Miami. Dort ist die Kriminalitätsrate 50 Prozent höher als im Rest der Stadt, viele sind arbeitslos und leben in Armut. Das war nicht immer so. Overtown war früher ein strikt abgetrenntes Viertel, die dort lebenden Schwarzen durften nur zum Arbeiten ins weisse Miami Beach, das sich zum mondänen Ferienziel der Reichen mauserte. Dort traten in den Hotels und Ballsälen in den 50er Jahren auch die schwarzen Stars des Jazz und Soul auf. Übernachten aber durften sie in Miami Beach nicht – nach ihren Auftritten vor den Weissen mussten sie zurück nach Overtown. In den dortigen Clubs gaben sie dann aber legendäre Konzerte, viele davon in der Second Avenue von Overtown. Und mit der Bürgerrechtsbewegung und der Lockerung der Rassengesetze zog im schwarzen Stadtteil Zuversicht und ein bescheidener Wohlstand ein. Doch all das hatte ein Ende, als man landesweit die Interstate Highways zu planen begann. Die Stadt beschloss, in Miami die Autobahn quer durch Overtown zu bauen – im vollen Wissen darum, dass dies das Viertel zerstören und einen Teil der Bevölkerung vertreiben würde. Und so kam es auch. Bis heute sind die verheerenden Auswirkungen dieses planerischen Entscheids von damals spürbar.
Host City of Miami Commissioner Jeffrey Watson talks about affordable housing, Overtown Juneteenth events, and speaks with Jackie Bell, CEO of New Washington Heights CDC, and Leroy Jones, CEO of Neighbors and Neighbors Association to discuss small business development in Overtown during the nation's covid-19 pandemic early recovery phase. Jackie Bell is the CEO of New Washington Heights CDC. The organization which works in tandem with SEOPW CRA, she's worked to bring black-owned businesses back to Overtown for more than 45 years and continues to be a pioneer for economic change in the community through Folk Life Friday. At 83 years old, Ms. Bell is considered to be a beacon in the Overtown community. Folk Life Friday returns June 18th + 19th at the Overtown Pedestrian Mall located at 819 NW 2nd Avenue. Leroy Jones is the CEO of Neighbors and Neighbors Association. The organization runs the Overtown Business Resource Center located at 1490 NW 3rd Avenue, Suite 106 in Overtown and recently teamed up with the SEOPW CRA to manage the SEOPW CRA's COVID-19 Emergency Small Business Grant. The grant will award up to $10k in grant assistance to small businesses located within the redevelopment area. Jeffrey Watson (Host) Twitter | Instagram | Website Twitter: @JWatsonMiami Instagram: @jwatsonmiami Social Media: Twitter: @cityofmiamicra Facebook: miamicra Instagram: @miamicra
City of Miami Commissioner Jeffrey Watson is joined by Photojournalist Rashaan “DJ Fly Guy” Alexander to discuss his current photo exhibit in partnership with Hampton Art Lovers at the Historic Ward Rooming House titled “To Miami, with Love.” City of Miami Commissioner Jeffrey Watson is also joined by Executive Director Timothy Barber of the Black Archives to discuss the new Overtown youth jobs initiative sponsored by the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency and Commissioner Jeffrey Watson. Timothy Barber also shares insight on the significance of the Black Archives in preserving and collecting the history of Black Miami. Business Spotlight: Overtown Business Resource Center Historic Ward Rooming House: 249 NW 9th St, Miami, FL 33136 To see the full list of upcoming art exhibits and programming visit www.Hamptonartlovers.com To learn more about The Black Archives History & Research Foundation of South Florida, please visit https://www.bahlt.org/
Eric Harland is on the couch! Multi-GRAMMY nominated drummer, Eric Harland is one the most in demand drummers of his generation. He has been recognized in the Boston Globe, New York Times, JazzTimes, Modern Drummer, All About Jazz, The New Yorker, DownBeat, L’uomo Vogue and other prominent publications. His current list of performing groups are James Farm with Joshua Redman, Prism with Dave Holland and Kevin Eubanks, Sangam with Charles Lloyd and Zakir Hussain, Charles Lloyd New Quartet, Overtown with Dave Holland, Jason Moran, and Chris Potter, and Voyager, Eric’s own widely recognized group. But Eric doesn’t stop there, he also manages to fit in many collaborations with world renowned artist like Les Claypool, the band Dispatch, John Mayer, Spike Lee, Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson from American Idol, and more. Eric is a true talent and is a thoughtful, proactive human being. You can find Eric on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Follow me as I take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about my days of growing up in the church. Although I grew up as an Episcopalian, growing up in the church is something that anyone can identify with regardless of your denomination. What is your favorite memory of growing up in church?Thanks for listening and make sure to subscribe! Follow on social media: Twitter: @raytalkslive Facebook: @raytalkslive Instagram: @raytalks_live Email: raytalkslive@gmail.com
The Magic City is our second stop as we explore the local history of Miami. We learn about the indigenous history of the Tekesta people; the history of Overtown, Liberty City & Deep City Records; activist Dorothy Fields, singer Gwen McCrae and break down the best music of Miami 70s funk.YouTube playlist: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh4juLq0lBQBDnt3MVWrD6fcwArpLgMs-Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3jZR8kDg11LbXFzsrjXcCT?si=876ea65993c64afeA World More Concrete: Real Estate and the Remaking of Jim Crow South Florida: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-world-more-concrete-n-d-b-connolly/1118620579
Go Inside the Play Call with Shawn and this week’s guest, Najeh Davenport, as they reminisce about his days playing for the University of Miami, including the tight-knit nature of sports and how his teammates pushed each other to succeed. They also discuss the “three-mile radius” that Davenport experienced growing up in Overtown, Miami, and the culture shock of moving to Green Bay when he was drafted to the NFL.
The entrepreneurship series continues with Jamila Ross, a non-traditional hotelier who's made a big impact with The Copper Door B&B, a small hotel in historic Overtown, Miami. Part two airs 12/1/2020.
Hoppa in i Lamborghinin och häng med på ett hisnande äventyr i en stad och en tid fylld av tropiska behag, yachtklubbar, delfiner, axelvaddar, rosa flamingos, glänsande skyskrapor och pastellfärgade strandhotell. Staden är Miami, året är 1984. Vroooooom! Efter mötet med Diego Hermoso har Ray och Ronnie fått upp spåret på Rick Ayalas mördare, och nu går allt snabbt framåt! Tunga bevis avslöjas i Overtown i detta avsnitt! (Miami 1984 är ett egenskrivet scenario till vårt egna regelsystem Vanitas) Spelledare: Adam Yngvesson Ronnie Rodriguez: Simon Karlsson Ray Jones: Eric Herlin
Urgent Inc. Overtown, Miami's Oasis for the Youth!
Millions of people in America are living with hunger or Food Insecurity everyday including many of our own South Florida Communities. Local Non-profit organization, Buddy System MIA, has been helping residents since the pandemic began. Their latest initiative is bringing community fridges filled with free food to neighborhoods like Overtown and Richmond Heights. Jessica Gutiérrez and Fania Celestin speak on how the idea of community fridges in Miami began, where you can donate and how you can help by volunteering. We also speak on Miami’s Diversity, el Perreo Pre-Pandemic and the importance of inclusivity in our communities. @Miamicommunityfridge @Buddysystemmia @Jessaguti @hey_fania @305Times_
Lil Greenhouse Grill is the darling of Overtown Miami's revitalization. Overtown was once heralded as the Harlem of the South but was destroyed when I-95 was grazed through the neighborhood. Owners Nicole Gates and Karim Bryant have positioned Lil Greenhouse Grill has the neighborhood restaurant, the local Cheers, and the go-to spot. Nicole shares how the pandemic has affected the normal course of business and how to continue to sustain. Nicole also shares her optimism for the future and their expansion plans. BlackPagesMiami.com presents Series 2 of the Black Business Podcast featuring the stories of how these businesses have found their sweet spot, are creating products, and are creating their own path to success. Series 2 spotlights one of the largest Black-owned businesses in Miami - Alpha1 Staffing. The company has found tremendous success securing local, state, and Federal contracts and continues to break barriers. Other features include The LimeLight Collection, Cuffed Design, Lil Greenhouse Grill, Way Slay, Maggie Rose Miami, and The Happiness Coach.
BE SURE TO SEE THE SHOWNOTES AND LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE. Eve Picker: [00:00:15] Hi there. Thanks so much for joining me today for the latest episode of Impact Real Estate Investing. Eve Picker: [00:00:21] My guest today is Avra Jain, co-founder of the Vagabond Group. With a career path that has taken her from bond trading on Wall Street to developing properties along some of Miami's trendiest streets, Avra has earned a reputation for identifying the next IT neighborhood. Her remake of The Vagabond Hotel on Biscayne Boulevard in the historic MiMo District of Miami changed the course of that neighborhood forever. Eve: [00:00:58] Be sure to go to evepicker.com to find out more about Avra on the show notes page for this episode. And be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you can access information about impact real estate investing and get the latest news about the exciting projects on my crowdfunding platform, Small change. Eve: [00:01:23] Hi Avra. Thank you so much for being on my show. Avra Jain: [00:01:27] Thanks so much. Eve: [00:01:28] Very nice to be here, yeah. I love this quote from your website, which says, "We operate from the perspective as storytellers, allowing history to take center stage and create a genuine sense of place". And I would really love you to tell us a little about what that means. Avra: [00:01:46] Well, that really has come from the work that we've done. We, kind of, we got there. We, I'd like to think there were people that actually, sort of, do it and then rather than talk about it. So, I can say that that actually, actually came from the work that we're doing. My team is three architects, one of which was, has a master’s in historic preservation. And so, when we start a project, or we do a project, the first thing that we do is that we study the history of the community, of the buildings themselves, architecturally, culturally. And so, we always sort of start from the story. And if there isn't a story, we don't do the project. Eve: [00:02:36] Oh, interesting. Avra: [00:02:37] Yeah, so we actually, so that quote really came from how we really operate. So that's a real reflection of the work. Eve: [00:02:48] So what sort of stories do you look for? Avra: [00:02:52] You know, it varies. So, in Miami there's a section of, there's a historic strip from the 1950s and 60s called MiMo which stands for Miami mid-century modern. So, there's a boulevard, Biscayne Boulevard, which used to be US1. So, if you were driving down post-World War Two in your 57 Chevy and you were going to Miami, the Magic City, you would have driven on US1 or Biscayne Boulevard. And there is a section that had these old 50s and 60s motels and, you know, with a big neon signs, and so, we came up here, one of the projects, larger projects that we did, that we're known for is the preservation work. When we renovated the Vagabond Motel to Vagabond Boutique Hotel. And that was the tipping point for the historic boulevard. So, we bought about 10. The neighborhood at the time was all drugs and prostitution. And, you know, it had been a neighborhood that you would've just driven right through with, you know, the shades down next to the baby seat, you know, but there were some spectacular, you know, vintage mid-century architecture, which I know you're an architect so you can appreciate. Eve: [00:04:17] Yeah, I know. I took a look on your website. They are stunning. Avra: [00:04:21] Yeah. So well, these were buildings that were up for demolition. And they were in disrepair, you know, SWAT teams were coming in once a month to empty them out because of, you know, drugs and things that would go on. And so, we knew that in order to, and this was a neighborhood that used to be Main Street, Biscayne Boulevard used to be Main Street. If you couldn't afford to stay at the Eden Roc or the Fountain Blue, you would've stayed at the Vagabond. Same architect that did the very famous Delanoe Hotel on Miami Beach. So, we knew what it once was. So, it was about, you know, bringing it back. There are other times when we actually, you know, neighborhoods, right, where we go into warehouse districts and create neighborhoods. This was a neighborhood that was so all we do was bring it back. And there was actually some really affluent neighborhoods nearby and surrounding neighborhoods that were also original from the 1930s and 40s. So, it was really a beautiful project to do both architecturally and for what it did for the community. The thesis was, if we bought enough of these motels that were 20 dollars an hour, you know, sixty dollars a night. The hotel that we bought next to Vagabond, in the lobby the sign said: "no refunds after five minutes". And it originally said ten minutes and they whited it out. That was the neighborhood and so we bought six of these old motels. A couple of them were abandoned and the rest of them we shut down. What happened was we thought is, if you shut down where people were actually doing these bad things, could the neighborhood find itself again? And it did. Eve: [00:06:20] What gave you the courage to do that? And what sort of resistance did you feel for these projects? Avra: [00:06:28] Oh, no resistance. Oh, my gosh. The city was like, the mayor, you know, we when we opened the Vagabond, we had nine hundred people. Everybody, all the arts, everybody. It was like a really big deal. This was, you know... Eve: [00:06:40] I suppose I meant from the point of view of, because opening is easy. But what about the financing? I mean, how easy.... Avra: [00:06:47] Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I was going to say, we had no community resistance. In fact, people continually thank us all the time. But the resistance, yeah, sure financing, couldn't get any. Eve: [00:06:58] Yeah, I'm sure. Avra: [00:07:00] Yeah, no, I mean you know, you've done this enough times, Eve. So in fact even my traditional real estate investors, I had done a lot of adapted use in New York City and other places and a lot of my investors which go all the way back, you know, twenty five years to New York City, even some of them were like, ah, you've done a lot of crazy things, but they just could not get past the working girl on the corner. They couldn't get past it. They could not see the architecture. They could not see, they couldn't see the history, they just couldn't see it. They couldn't believe that it would come back. And so, a lot of, in this particular case, a lot of the money for that particular project was myself and my partners, you know, my spouse. I mean, we put up, I'd say 40, 50 percent of the money. So, it was really a cash project. But we found some very clever financing opportunities, financial opportunities. So, we did, I did my homework. I always tell people, you know, part of real estate is doing your homework. Understanding zoning, understanding the community and doing the outreach. Understanding building codes, a lot of homework. Well, I'd done my homework and I knew that there had been an ordinance set up in 2010, where you could sell development rights for historic properties. So, you know, in New York City, we knew that we could do this. We call them transferable development rights. Eve: [00:08:32] Right. I'm very familiar with them. Yeah. Avra: [00:08:34] So in Miami, for this particular strip, because it was historic, they down zoned it, meaning they limited, they did a height restriction of 35 feet. They took away buildable rights for the property owners. In exchange for doing that, they offered the property owners the ability to sell those development rights. So, floor area ratio, you know how much you could build. And then later they adopted a policy that also allowed you to sell the density. Like how many apartments you could build. The number of doors we call it, right? So, I was able to arbitrage that and the value of the transferable development rights for the Vagabond was three million dollars. Eve: [00:09:24] Wow. [00:09:25] And the purpose of those development rights and the ability to sell them is also to incentivize property owners to preserve and invest in the historic preservation of the property. So, you can sell those rights, but you have to reinvest them into the property and meet historic guidelines. Eve: [00:09:43] Interesting. [00:09:44] Yeah, it's not a little project. Actually, I think that, you know, in order to get historic preservation to work, you really have to give people incentives because it's very expensive. For those of us who build, doing historic preservation it's more expensive. It would've been cheaper for me to knock the building down and build it again than it was to actually preserve the existing Vagabond. So, they have to give you incentives otherwise... there's a reason why developers let those buildings go into disrepair and Eve: [00:10:16] because they're expensive, yeah. Historic tax credits help as well. I don't have Florida has a state credit as well, but I've used those in the past and they certainly help to fill the gap, that's for sure. Avra: [00:10:29] Yes. We qualified. We nationally designated the Vagabond Hotel. We met those standards and got the federal tax credit. So, we got 20 percent of our investment into the property. Yeah, every state's different. Every state's different. Every municipality is different. Eve: [00:10:47] This really took creative financing and the, since then, you said you bought six of them and how did the financing change one you opened the Vagabond Hotel? Avra: [00:10:57] Well, once we opened the Vagabond, sold the development rights, we were able to, get banks to give us some financing. But most of the projects we did, we did cash. We did cash and we financed after. It was just still, even now it's easy, you know, but I took rents, rents on the Biscayne Boulevard for twenty, twenty-five dollars. The Starbucks leases from me for 70 dollars, triple net. So, now it's very easy to get financing. And the Boulevard has a lot of cachet, but it Avra: [00:10:57] It's very difficult, yeah. I mean, this is actually why I started Small Change because, you know, banks almost squash the creativity out of what needs to happen, the creativity and innovation out of what needs to happen in cities, because you can't, they want to only finance what's been done before. So, how do you tackle a place like this if you can't get financing and you don't have the cash? Avra: [00:12:00] Yes, it's almost, I would say, it's almost impossible. So, you know, you rely on friends and family. A lot of it's your check book. But that's also the opportunity. Those are the properties that are also undervalued, right? The property that trade that are most expensive, are really a function of financing. You know, Multifamily trades at a tight cap rate because that is the darling with the lenders. Banks really, and part of it is the regulations, banks have to fund based on cashflow, income from properties. The regulations almost mandate it. Eve: [00:12:36] Yes. [00:12:37] So, lending on land or lending on an abandoned building and for adaptive reuse, which is unfortunate because in a lot of the underserved communities you need. Eve: [00:12:48] That's exactly what you need, yeah. Avra: [00:12:49] And what you lose because these are buildings that need a lot of work. Of course, they're not income producing, nobody should be living in them. And some people do live in properties like that and shouldn't be there. So, you know, the banking industry does not set up to be helpful. You know, what has happened, short of being able to fund yourself or have enough track record to to attract funding, is that there's a, sort of a hybrid lending space now. Used to be you could only get bank financing or a bridge loan or, you know, hard money loan you call it, right? 13, 14 percent which makes projects also unfeasible. You just, you give away all your profits in interest costs. But there's hybrid money out there now, that is more flexible, and you can get, you know, between six and nine percent depending on the project and you’re, and the sponsorship. We've been able to get hybrid money for projects like this. And it's really because of our track record. And it's all personal guarantees, right? I have to sign personally on everything. Eve: [00:13:58] Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I sign my whole life away. Avra: [00:14:02] Until the projects completed. You know, it's very hard for people to get into this business from the developer's side. You know, I have three architects that work for me and they didn't want to be in a firm, just, as you guys would call being a cad monkey. I think, you know where you're just drawing all day, right? And so, they wanted to be developers. And so, they came and worked with me. And they're learning development really is about money. So, when you think about what does it take to be a developer? We're not licensed. Architects are licensed, builders are licensed, right? Your electrician's licensed. Even the real estate agents are licensed. Developers are not licensed. You can call yourself a developer as long as you have a check book. Eve: [00:14:52] Yes. So, what would you tell other women who want to be real estate developers? Avra: [00:14:57] You have to love it. Well, first of all I'd ask, what does developer mean to you? So, if I asked you Eve, define developer, what, how would you define it? Eve: [00:15:07] Well, for me, it's all about the buildings. I'm very passionate about buildings and places and using architecture to make better places. So being a developer for me is the opportunity to really make some significant change through the money that I invest, or I put together to make buildings better. Avra: [00:15:34] And then there's a lot of people that would like to do that, right? So how do they do that? Right? And there's, I think there's a lot of people with vision and, so, you need the money, right? And then you have to be able to execute. And so, a lot of what goes right or wrong is in the execution. So, you know, you have the vision, but it's the, now is the execution. You know, how well do you budget, the quality of the work, the team that you can assemble. And you know the surprises, right. You know, we say we're in the problem-solving business, really, especially with more adaptive reuse or historic preservation. You have no idea where you're buying. You know, we've gotten pretty good at it now and I can tell you every time it's different. Eve: [00:16:24] Oh, yeah, it's a challenge. But that's the fun of it. But listen, why? You know, you're a female developer, I'm a female developer. There are very few of us. Why is that? Because, you know, women are very good at team building. Avra: [00:16:40] Well, I think a lot of women are doing it. They just don't have the title, right? So, in my particular case, I'm the founder and, you know, I know I run the company, but a lot of women are doing it. They're just not, I think the front person. Interesting. You do your work, you're the front person. You're doing it but the women that work for me, they all work, you know, I give, I empower them, they all have their own projects within, within the Vagabond Group. They all run their own jobs, they do the architecture, they do the expediting, you know, of course, all under. And they've been with me long enough. They know at first, you know, tightly under my watch and now, you know, call me if you need me. Eve: [00:17:25] But still, that's a little bit different because they don't have access to their own money. And that's, I think, you know, as you said, the deciding factor. So, where I live there's very few women who kind of can plan their own destiny as real estate developers. I actually don't know of anyone else at the moment. So, Avra: [00:17:45] It's money, so that's it. You've really defined it. But I will say there's a couple of other things. So, you know, because people have asked me Avra, why, you know, why aren't there more? Well, one is money. And a lot of that money comes with track record. You know, I wouldn't give a first-time person, developer money. I mean, you know, you really have to have experience in order to gain that. So, when I first did my first projects, it was mostly my money. Eve: [00:18:11] Yes. [00:18:11] You don't want to lose somebody else's money while you're learning, right? So, there's a learning curve here and so, as you learn and you'd have track record, you can get sponsorship, but you really have to have that, you know, especially in what we do, right? So, what you and I do, we find these. It's easy buying a multi-family, lipsticking it up, creating value. OK that's one thing. But to actually go in and create place, that's different. And that requires mostly cash investments. The returns usually reflect the risk, they always do. I mean, I don't, you, know people, you know, people go "I get two times two times my money". And people are happy getting two times their money in four to five years. [00:18:59] I can tell you that isn't, that would never be a deal on my desk. If I don't think I'm making four to five times equity, in five years, I don't do the deal, which is why I'm able to get sponsorship. So, part of it is discipline. You know, there's a lot of projects I'd like to do, but I look at them and go, you know, I just can't I can't pencil it. And then, those projects that I can't pencil, which is like affordable housing, I just do myself and I'm OK. But those don't make money. I'm OK that they may or may not make money because I'm doing those for different reasons. Those are for social reasons. But when I'm doing deals where I'm taking in investment money, you know, the returns for the type of deals that we do, at least the perceived returns need to be much higher. But I do that for myself. I mean, a lot of this is my own money and I treat everybody's money if it's my own money. I also don't take fees. I'm not a fee developer, so I get paid based on success. So, I don't, I don't take fees. Eve: [00:20:03] Ok. So, you right alongside equity investors who risk their money, then. Avra: [00:20:09] Right alongside. So, I don't make a penny until you make money. And I think that's part of what, the other way that I've been able to raise money. Now, not everybody can do that. That's not realistic for a lot of people. But I've been able to do that because I set myself up for that. I saved enough money. I don't want to get paid, which is why I've been able to get, you know, the investment I get. Because people want to know that your interests are aligned and there are a lot of developers out there, they're really in the fee business. They're just, they're in the fee business period. And I don't think that that makes us aligned. Eve: [00:20:52] So, tell me a little bit more about the 50s motels that you're converting to affordable housing? Avra: [00:20:58] Yes, we I did one, we did one in Little Haiti, not too far from the Vagabond. So, if you couldn't afford to stay at the Eden or at the Vagabond, if you couldn't afford to stay the at the Vagabond, you would have stayed at Superior, Superior Motel and Apartments, which is west, further west and 1950s. It's a more modest property. You know, in some of the more modest neighborhoods then historic properties are more modest, but it doesn't mean they're less important. And I bought the building to do affordable housing. The person that runs affordable housing for the county, Mr. Lu, he would say, he actually stalked me into doing this. He wanted to put a new face to affordable housing in the projects that were being done. So, I started by giving him suggestions on what I would do and how I would go about it and then he said, then he just asked me to do something and I did. I can tell you that it was a horrible experience. Working under the administrative aspects of affordable housing. You know, they wanted to give me a small sur-tax loan. That was a half a million dollars sur-tax loan. And then by the time they were ready to give me the loan, I said, I don't even want it. It'll be the most expensive money I've ever gotten because I've spent fifty thousand dollars in administrative costs to get a 500,000-dollar loan, right. There was like a 10 percent cost. You know, every draw request was like the size of a Bible. I said, you know... [00:22:28] No, that's right. [00:22:29] I said, Mr Lu, I can do the work, but I can't handle the administrative aspect of this. I wouldn't get a draw for, you know, a draw request. I don't know how sophisticated everybody is on the podcast so I'll try to be a little more descriptive, but, every time you build a building and it's time to, and you have a loan, you do the work, you turn in your invoices, so to speak, and you're supposed to get reimbursed. Well, Eve: [00:22:57] Quickly, right? Quickly is the idea because you'd need the money to keep going. Avra: [00:23:00] Well, six to 10 weeks. Eve: [00:23:03] Yes, I've been there. Avra: [00:23:05] Which means that in you know, that if a guy doesn't get paid for six weeks or would anyway, if you weren't getting paid six weeks after you've done a job, you'd leave the job site. [00:23:16] Yeah. So, it costs a lot of money in time because you're, [00:23:19] So I ended up floating the entire job, meaning I paid everybody myself and then getting reimbursed, you know, six, twelve weeks later. And again, that's not feasible for most people. And that's why affordable housing doesn't work. And that's why, when you drive around and you see these, sort of half-completed buildings, is because you have to have the means in order to get through those projects. And I ended up, I probably have a half a million dollars of my own money in the project making zero return. So, because the cost to do it right versus the rents that you should charge. It doesn't mean, I can charge higher rents but truly affordable rents, you cannot build affordable housing in Miami. If you gave me a piece of dirt and said Avra, build affordable housing at 80 percent of the averaged income, I would tell you I couldn't do it. Eve: [00:24:15] You can't do it anywhere, actually. You can't do it anywhere in the world, I don't think. So, oh, maybe some places, but it's a standard problem, yeah. Avra: [00:24:22] Right, so it has to be subsidized, so you have to get grants. So, the reason why we were able to do historic preservation was because of the, you know, the entitlement programs to sell entitlements. That allowed us to grant ourselves some moneys to do these, what I called public benefit projects, historic preservation of the benefit. And you're saving time, you're saving moments in time, right. And then, same thing with affordable housing. You cannot do affordable housing without subsidies and grants. It's impossible. So, those are instances. And people think, oh, well you can get financing for it or people will do impact investing on these things. Eve: [00:25:02] No, you can't. Avra: [00:25:03] A bank doesn't lend to the same criteria where there's a public benefit or not. It's not to say they don't want to, but they can't. Eve: [00:25:12] Yeah, so non-profits become very important in this equation. It's very difficult. How successful has that motel been and have you built other ones that are affordable? Do you have a waiting list? Eve: [00:25:22] Oh yeah. Well that project, it's called, it was a motel and efficiency apartments. So, there's all apartments, most of them efficiency apartments. Very successful, 100 percent occupied. When you can charge a...And we were able to lease to more high risk candidates, you know, maybe people who've a felony in their past, you know, not a violent crime or something, but we're able to lease to people and not take security deposits. And a lot of, you know, our employees, one of the reasons why we started, we did, we started to do some affordable housing. When we opened the motel, or the hotel, Vagabond Hotel, because we realized our staff were taking two or three buses to get to work, and they were single Mums. So, we actually started subsidizing housing for our employees, early on. We bought an apartment building close by and then we realized that obviously this was not just a Vagabond issue. This is a national, well certainly a local and certainly a national issue. So that started our efforts in affordable housing, was sort of subsidizing for existing employees. And then, when we did the other ones, we're very conscious about trying to fill the void. We can do that because it's a personal investment. We're not a large institution doing affordable housing we've seen. This is not a money maker. I think there's a way to do it where you could get, you know, you can you know, people go, well can you do impact investing and get a five or six percent return? We can, because I don't take developer fees. Eve: [00:27:04] Right. Avra: [00:27:05] And we self-perform a lot of the work. So, I'm able to do that. So, on the project I did after this, I took in two small investors who wanted to participate in impact investing. So, we did one in Little Haiti and then we did their next projects in Overtown. Forty-four units in Overtown. And we're in the process of renovating that. Also, a 1950s, late 50s, so it's a combination of preservation and affordable housing, which we think is important. You know affordable housing is not bricks and mortar, it's about people and the qualities of their life and how they feel about themselves. We say we're really in the self-esteem business. You know, how does a single mother feel in their house? The stress level, you know, knowing if her kids are in a healthy environment or not in a healthy environment. The projects we're just in the process of doing, we finished two of five buildings so far, we keep everybody on-site and we rotate them. So, nobody leaves the property, they're not relocated. So, people are not, their lives are not disrupted. They stay where the kids go to school, where they went to school. Their friends are still their friends. They go to the same church, you know. So, we think it's important when you do affordable housing to keep communities intact. That's one of our prerequisites. Even when we did the property in Little Haiti, we did two units at a time and rotated people. So, they did not have to move. So, in the building we just finished one of the, in one of the buildings was a single mom and her child was having a lot of health issues and DCF was going to take the child away because they didn't think that the mother was giving the child the asthma medication and everything, because the child was suffering. And the minute we moved her from the apartment that she was in to one of the new apartments, the child was fine. Eve: [00:28:59] Wow. Avra: [00:29:00] She almost lost her child because of the housing, the quality of the housing she was living in. Eve: [00:29:06] That's pretty shocking. Avra: [00:29:09] It's shocking. It's unacceptable. I mean, so, most of the buildings that we, so all these buildings that we bought in Overtown, I mean, they should be condemned buildings. I mean, I'm surprised people didn't, well apparently, they had. Some people had fallen from the second floor into the first floor. I mean, the people live in those conditions because they can't afford higher rent and they don't want to move. You know, these tend to be closer to core locations, right? They're older buildings, closer to where they work, it's where their communities are and they don't want the landlords to fix up the apartments because if they do, they know they have to raise the rent and then they might get kicked out. So, people choose to live in these really, you know, sub-human conditions because they can't afford the rent if it was renovated. So, in that particular project, we teamed up with the CRH, the Community Redevelopment Agency in the area, and because they had seen our work in Little Haiti, they had asked us to do a similar project in Overtown. Avra: [00:30:16] And my, my response was, no. I said, it doesn't work. I go, it doesn't work. I can't afford to subsidize all these projects. So, I said, you know, I told them what they needed to do. One, they had to remove all the administrative. No good developer would operate under those administrative restrictions. And two, I said you're going to have to pay for it. And if you want the rents truly affordable, you're going to have to pay for all of it. Because if you want a seven-hundred-dollar rent, I need to be in that unit for seventy thousand dollars. And by the way, it costs eighty-two-thousand dollars to buy the apartment. And it's going to cost you another fifty-thousand-dollars a unit. Eve: [00:31:03] To renovate it. Avra: [00:31:05] So if you want me to do it, and I'm not going to wait, I'm not going to take draws, you're going to have to give me five hundred thousand dollars every time I start a building. Because I'm not going to, I'm not going to chase you down. I'll do open book. Open book, come anytime you want, knock yourself out. But I can't do the work and meet all the typical requirements. And so, they, they said Avra, yes. Do it. Eve: [00:31:35] Wow. [00:31:36] It went all the way to Commission. Commissioners voted on it and I did the project. So, they basically bought down the rents and people are living in two- and three-bedroom apartments, beautiful two- and three-bedroom apartments. When I say beautiful, you're an architect. You know, I floated the walls. I did resilient channels for the wall boards for sound. Wool between. Everything's copper piping. We don't, you know, rebuilt from the inside out. If you'd walked in, you would have fallen through to the studs, to the studs on the floor and you would have seen the roof two ceilings up. So totally rebuilt, you know, with all the right quality materials. No, everything mold-resistant, every, you know, impact glass safety, all those things. So, people are living in really beautiful apartments. And, so think about what that's like. For them. For them, they're people, right? The pride, how their kids feel to come home, to work, the family gatherings. Remember it's, we don't build buildings. You build buildings, but it's really the quality of the experience in the building. It's how people feel. Otherwise, buildings can be nice to look at, right? Right? What are they really? I mean, building to me, they're made of organic materials, I mean, buildings live. And as builders and developers, we have to, you know, we feel that, we think about that. You know, so lots of times I get a building and it just doesn't feel right. It doesn't have the life. And our job is, that when we do these projects, these adaptive reuse and historic preservation projects, whether it's for, you know, an adaptive reuse or for affordable housing, you have to think of it as how do people live? How are people going to feel when they're there, when they're inside? And that’s, you know, sort of, that’s sort of how we operate. Eve: [00:33:48] That's how it drives you. So, these products, I know we've talked about them a lot, and they're clearly your passion projects. You also work on very, very big projects. Avra: [00:33:58] Yes, so that I can afford to do the passion projects. Eve: [00:34:02] Yes, that's the bread and butter work, right? Avra: [00:34:05] So and those, you know, are more traditional, you know, I do. By the way, they're very good local community banks here that I work with in... we're very fortunate during Covid and everything that, you know, my friends that had the large banks, you know, had a lot of trouble getting, having to work with them and work with their tenants. But the community banks in Miami really stepped up and were the first to say, you know, what can we do? How can we help? So, I've good local banking relations, banks that have lent to me for 20, 25 years that support, you know, that support my projects. Even if they're slightly out of the box they, again track record, they support the project. So, I'm able to do, I'm getting ready to do a large adaptive reuse project towards 50,000 square feet of adaptive reuse in a warehouse district. There might have been a day where I wouldn't get financing, but I will get financing for that, 50 percent loan to cost, and then I'll have the capital stack of my own investors. Then, you know, on some bigger projects, I'm getting ready to do a project on the Miami River. That's a big project to earn, it's a new build. Two hundred fifty-nine apartments,200,000 square feet of office and retail. It'll be almost 180-million-dollar project with 120-million-dollar loan. I'M partnering with a very large developer, Property Market Group, PMG, they build really well. I'm really excited to have a chance to work with them, there are developers that you respect and then there's the other developers that you would really like to work with, and this is one of them. And they're both. And so, they build beautifully. So, they, we're teaming up. They're going to do the residential portion and I'm going to keep the office and retail. You know, without them, they're providing that completion guarantee. I mean, I wouldn't have, I wouldn't have the balance sheet. We're talking financing here, right? I wouldn't have the balance sheet to guarantee a 120-million-dollar construction loan. So, you know, so that's very limiting to do big projects. Problem. You know, I don't do, one reason why I don't do a lot of big projects is because of the financing. It's just by the time we bring in the capital stack and everything, you know, and then when you do that, you lose, you give up a lot of control over the integrity of the project. People start value engineering everything out of the project. And so, you know, the vision gets lost and all-of-a-sudden it's work and it's not fun. You know, it's one reason why I don't do a lot of large projects. So, whereas on the smaller projects, we can keep control. So, you know, so, yes, I am doing a large project because it's a spectacular site with a spectacular vision. But I don't do that as often. The risks are high and the loss, I think more than anything, is the loss of, you know, the vision. I mean when you do big, big projects. You know, what I always say you have to have two things when you, when you partner with people. You have to have the same vision, but you also have the same have the same values. Some people can have the same vision but then if they don't the same values, it is not the same. So, lots of times that happens when you do these, sort of, bigger projects. Eve: [00:37:36] Yeah. You know, I've always stuck with smaller projects for much the same reason. Because I can finish them the way I think they should be finished and no one's egging me on to do something different. Avra: [00:37:47] Everyone wants you to cut corners. Hey, it's already sold. Hey, it's already leased. You know, then, who cares, you know, it's a, if it's a 10-year paint or a fifteen-year paint? Well I care. Eve: [00:37:58] Yes, I'm with you. Avra: [00:37:59] Those decisions that get made, you know, again, the more people that are involved. For developers that have cut those corners, it's short-sighted because then, why do they come and lease my building instead of their building? Because people can feel the difference. They can feel the difference in quality. So, you know, it's interesting right now in this market and during Covid, and people are consolidating and deciding which offices to keep or which ones not to keep or which neighborhoods to be in or not be in. And I can tell you I have two very large tenants that had offices across the city, and they chose to consolidate. And both of them chose to be in my buildings and give up other spaces. And it really is because of the quality of our buildings, the uniqueness of our buildings. It speaks to their brand. And this was a time when spending the money and having your building be special, having there be a story to the building and the neighborhood that is in mattered. Because lots of times you can't spreadsheet this stuff. Anybody in finance and in the financing world wants, you know, a spreadsheet, right? Well, let's do a spreadsheet, right? You can't spreadsheet the quality of a space. You can't spreadsheet cool and placemaking. There's no spreadsheeting that. But when there's stress in the market and you see how people move and what they choose to keep and where they live or work, how, where rents are more stable or whatever, you see the performance. But when I'm doing a spreadsheet and presenting it to a bank, there's no way to quantify that. Eve: [00:39:45] Yeah. Just shifting gears a little bit, are there any current trends in real estate development, especially around the pandemic, that you think are most important for the future of our cities? Avra: [00:39:58] Well, we're staying the course. I mean, our mindfulness, our thoughtfulness, it hasn't changed. If it's before the pandemics, during the pandemic, or the after-pandemic. So, we've always practiced sustainability. Even in our new building, everybody's talking about these new air filtration systems and water systems. We had already designed that into our building before Covid. So, you know, it was like we were already there. We already felt like the wellness trend was, we already got on that bus a while ago. Now the tenants are going to be asking about it and insisting on it. We were already on that bandwagon by. My team is architects and so we are always looking at what's new, what's cutting edge and hopefully somewhat cost affordable so we've already, we're adopting a lot of those. So, I think those things will become more mainstream now. Good. And maybe that will even make them more cost effective. So, we haven't changed. Again, our mindset has always been, you know, we need to adapt to reusing. You use existing buildings. I mean that's the ultimate in sustainability, right? Eve: [00:41:07] Yes, I agree. Avra: [00:41:09] It's like fruit shopping, right? The most, the best thing, people don't realize how many CO2s go into building a building. And you knock it down, you spend more CO2s and then you rebuild it and spend more CO2s. There is a really great study out there, and I don't know if you've read it, on green building. And it was put out actually by the historic preservation community but if you were to take a building and knock it down, build it back, using green, let's say green technology, all the new Green Technologies, Sustainability, LEED certified, whatever, it would take you 80 years to make up for the damage done. 80 years to make up for the fact that you knocked down a building. So, we think, you know, so we are all about keeping existing building, Eve: [00:41:56] Keeping, yeah, yeah. Avra: [00:41:57] Absolutely. And it's interesting. We, and we do it, you know, we don't stop and think, oh, my God, we're saving the environment, right? But we know that it's important to the sustainability story. But we also know that it's important to the cultural story, to the story of community and social resiliency. When people talk about resiliency, but they talk about it like, you know, well, how high is your sea wall, or whatever. Resiliency, by definition, is your ability to bounce back. It does not say how high is your seawall, it's your ability to bounce back. And that is a social, that is a social response, not a building response, not a civilian engineering response. So, we think that focus, that part of social resiliency is part of keeping community. And part of keeping community is to try to save and do adaptive reuse with existing buildings. Again, we're back to why we build our business around this story. We think without the story we, it doesn't, it isn't going to get us where, we won't be interested. And it's got to be a story that, when you do projects that have a story, people want to be a part of it. People want to be a part of it. People want to work on it. People want to help build it. And then people want to live in it and people want to do their business in it. You know, I think builders, developers underestimate the market. Eve: [00:43:37] Yeah, I think you're right. Avra: [00:43:38] I think they underestimated them. They know the difference. And they know how it feels. And if they have a choice to spend a dollar here or a dollar there, they're going to spend it where it also feels good. Eve: [00:43:51] Yeah. So, one last question for you. And that is, what's your big hairy goal? Avra: [00:43:59] Gosh, you know, I guess just, you know, I'm living it every day. You know, Eve: [00:44:06] That's a great answer. Avra: [00:44:07] Yeah, I just, you know, we just keep doing what we're doing, and I think, you know, we talk about, you know, always wanting to learn, right? And knowledge is empowering, but it doesn't give you power unless you use it. So we are, you know, we're always learning, always curious. We're always helpful to other developers. Very transparent. We open source. So, if you go on, I think you've been on, our website. If you go onto VagabondGroupConsulting.com and you hit open source, we open sourced our affordable housing project. You get all the money we spent, all the inspections, all the time, all the materials, everything. The things that went well, the things that didn't go well. I think that one of the goals would be to hopefully encourage more developers and especially people in the public benefits space. Anybody'd be taking public dollars for sure, to open source their projects so more people can learn and so that more, more thoughtful developers can hopefully... Eve: [00:45:16] That's a great idea. I'm definitely taking a look. And I'm super jealous of all of fabulous 50s motels that you're renovating. It's a fabulous... Avra: [00:45:26] Here's a question for you. So how, in your platform, can you help developers like me? Eve: [00:45:33] Well, if you want to start raising money from a broader group of people, from the community, that's really what investment crowdfunding is about. And I see there's a, how can I say this? I landed in Pittsburgh unexpectedly and one of the really big things I learned here is that people really want to be involved with their community and making it better with their city. It doesn't really matter where you go, people are very connected to the place they live in. And I was working with dollars that dried up in the late 2000s and started thinking about crowdfunding to replace them. You know, also working with banks that became more and more skittish and wanted to do less and less innovative project lending. And so, all of that kind of led me to investment crowdfunding, which really lets the crowd decide. So, you could, very soon you'll be able to raise, there's actually upgrades to the rule under way, but very soon an issuer, a developer, would be able to raise up to five million dollars a year from anyone over the age of 18. Avra: [00:46:47] Wow. No, no subscription agreement. [00:46:50] No, no, there's subscription agreements, but we handle all of that electronically online. So, if you go to a funding portal like Small Change, we are registered with the SEC and members of FINRA and it's a very heavily regulated rule. We kind of manage all that. And you basically create a disclosure package which we help you create, register it with the SEC and then everything else is handled electronically as people invest. So, I think the most meaningful thing for me is that if you want to bring along people in your community, you normally don't have a chance to invest and create wealth based on what's happening in their own community. This is a way to do that. Avra: [00:47:38] So, I think it's a great idea. I actually went on your webpage and I thought about it. So, in in the affordable housing project that we did in Overtown, we actually, one of the partners, because we were getting large grants, they asked, they basically assigned us a local CDC, a community. Eve: [00:48:00] Right, a development corporation, yeah. Avra: [00:48:02] Yeah, to be part of the ownership. And it was Mount Zion, which was actually the oldest church in Miami, I think. They're a part-owner, you know, less than 10 percent so the lender has no issues. And I was neglecting again, it was more control thing, it wasn't a money thing because we're not making money. Right, so. Eve: [00:48:24] Right, but they can bring grants to the table that you can't as a for-profit developer, right? Avra: [00:48:31] But the reason why I don't put myself in a non-for-profit space is because I know, I see a lot of the people, in non-for-profit space and it's not non-for-profit, OK? It's actually, I call it, so, I'm in the no-profit space. So, I'm like, so I won't put on a non-for-profit space because everybody pays themselves salaries and things. We don't pay. We don't pay ourselves. Eve: [00:48:53] Well, that's right. Avra: [00:48:54] So the CDC came in and they've been great because they helped, you know, that was the thing. I said, well, as long as everybody understands nobody's getting paid, I'm happy to have a community organization. And I said, so they have ownership, so certainly down the line this, you know, we have a 30-year covenant and down the line there will be some value there. But I thought that it would have been great if, even instead of the CDC or in addition to the CDC, what if everybody in the community, so I get a grant from this CRA. What if every family that lived in that community all got a piece of the project? Instead of this CDC? Eve: [00:49:37] Yeah, I've thought about this a lot. I've actually thought that, you know, in a poor community, wouldn't it be fantastic if there were even a foundation that matched investments made, or to increase the value to people who invest, you know, maybe even 100 dollars? Avra: [00:49:54] Yes. So anyway, we got a three-million-dollar grant, just so you know. But I mean the three-million-dollar grant, and you'll see and, you'll like to see the math in our open source, the three-million-dollar grant will save the residents eight million dollars in rental cost over the 30 years. So, that's a huge benefit to the tenants with subsidized rents but if everybody in the community was given, let's say, a thousand-dollar ownership, assigned a thousand-dollar ownership, right? I mean, as long as I don't have to deal with, you know, a thousand investors, you know, I'm happy to have them own a piece of the project. You know, as long as me as a developer I can do what I do, you know? So, any time there's a grant made into a project, why isn't that grant, which is community dollars, community dollars, taxpayer dollars, why not have that grant be a crowdfund investment? Eve: [00:50:57] Well, it can be. I just think people aren't quite there yet. Avra: [00:51:00] Well, let's do it. Eve: [00:51:01] Yeah. I'd love to do it. I've thought about raising a pot of funds for a community, for example, where someone, maybe you partner with a community development financial institution or a community bank, and someone manages the money, but it's programmatically distributed in the community as well. So now you have, maybe not just your project improving the community, but you're benefiting other people directly. Let's just say you're below a certain income and you need your roof replaced, you can get a loan for zero percent. Avra: [00:51:38] Miami does a lot of that. I have to say, there is a lot of things we do. America Build does that. We have these twenty-thousand-dollar grants. If people know where to look that is made available. Eve: [00:51:51] I know. But I'm thinking really community specific, you know. You pick a community that you're working and you, kind of, really try to build it up and make sure that people who are not wealthy in that community come along for the ride when developers do make investments and the community is improved. So, I mean, it could happen in any number of ways but, you know, we all think about what happens to people who are left behind, right? So, there's something there. I'm not exactly sure what it looks like precisely, but I have tools in my toolkit, these SEC regulations that I understand very well that could be deployed in that manner. Absolutely. Avra: [00:52:34] Yeah. I think there's something there and I think, so, you know, we should talk about that Eve because I'd like to explore that. I think that, I think there's the political will to do it in Miami. I think there's enough. Again, you know, the thing is, is if we do one, right, we do one project and it works, it becomes the model. Eve: [00:52:57] Yes, absolutely. Avra: [00:52:59] So our study, the one that we did for Vagabond Group Consulting, that open source, has become sort of a case study. You know, I get calls from all over the country. People. Eve: [00:53:10] Yeah. That's very important. [00:53:12] You know, and that's what we need to solve some of these problems we need the transparency. We need to have conversations like you and I are having. And we all need to share and figure out best practices. We need to find a solution and it's in the developer's best interest that we find these solutions. I try to challenge some of my big developer friends and say, listen, guys, we need to be part of the solution here. This is really our, becomes our problem. You don't think it becomes your problem, but it does, because if the restaurant in your building, even if you don't want to do it for all the right reasons, you know, you should understand how it affects you, because if the restaurant in your building can't find employees because there's no place for them to live, you know, they're having that problem on Miami Beach and they're having trouble hiring people because nobody can afford to live on Miami Beach. So that affects your ability to rent your space. I mean, you know, so I tried to encourage that, show them even financially why this is in their best interest. That we all, we all don't do well unless we all do well, right? So, how do we incentivize developers to do that? There needs to be policies in place for that as well. Avra: [00:54:26] In Miami, we have something where we, where developers can write a check. Like you're building a building and you write a check towards public benefits. Well, you know, make the developer build the affordable, do the public benefit. You know, sometimes writing a check is easier than doing the work. Eve: [00:54:44] Yeah, no, I agree. Well, this has been absolutely fascinating and I'm going to be in touch soon. But we should wrap up and I really enjoyed talking to you, Avra. Avra: [00:54:56] Yeah, this has been fun. I look forward to seeing your work. So, you have to send me some of your some of your work. Eve: [00:55:04] I will. Avra: [00:55:04] Share some stories. Eve: [00:55:05] Thank you. Absolutely. Eve: [00:55:13] That was Avra Jain, a wildly creative Miami developer. Avra and the Vagabond Group have built projects that range from converting a 100,000 square foot warehouse, to luxury loft condominiums in New York's Tribeca neighborhood, to the remake of The Vagabond from motel to hotel on Biscayne Boulevard. But Avra's passion lies squarely with the personal project portfolio she's building. The conversion of abandoned and historic motels into reimagined, affordable housing communities. She's leveraging her past success to tackle both the restoration of significant architecture and the making of affordable housing in a very unique way. Eve: [00:55:59] You can find out more about impact real estate investing and access the show notes for today's episode at my website evepicker.com. While you're there, sign up for my newsletter to find out more about how to make money in real estate while building better cities. Eve: [00:56:16] Thank you so much for spending your time with me today. And thank you, Avra, for sharing your thoughts. We'll talk again, too but for now, this is Eve Picker signing off to go make some change.
The Scoop on Miami was LIVE this on Friday June 26, 2020 from a place that is easily overlooked but should not be. We are in Historic Overtown, a place that is the most important spot when it comes to black history as well as being one of the oldest neighborhoods. #laneyrada and #ernieemad standing in front of #redroosterovertown and #thecreamery . Get to meet the areas business owners and entrepreneurs as they share their stories and the revitalization of Overtown. The Copper Door Bed and Breakfast, Groovin' Bean Coffee Bar & Lounge, True Cutz, Lil Greenhouse Grill, and we will have LIVE in our studios the Managing Partner for the Internationally acclaimed chef Marcus Samuelsson to introduce Miami to their lates creation Redrooster Overtown and the Creamery. Also join us for Laney Rada's History segments the Miami Rewind that will entertain and educate you of this incredible place we know as OVERTOWN!#miami#travel#laneyrada#ernieemad#vacation#smallbusiness#history#scooponmiami#305#rewind#305hiddentreasure#overtown#redrooster#thecreamery#thecopperdoorbedandbreakfast#truecutz#lilgreenhousegrill#grovinbeancoffeebarandlounge
On today's episode, I interview Danielle St. Luce. Danielle works for BBIF Florida, a statewide Community Development Financial Institution, as their Regional Director in the South Florida market. Her focus is on financing and educating underbanked clients throughout the Miami metro area. Danielle will talk about what underserved small business owners need to know about accessing capital loans during the pandemic. Sadly, many small businesses are being left behind during the pandemic and need to understand how to best financially navigate the crisis. Danielle spent her college years in Togo, West Africa where she completed her baccalaureate before moving to the United States for university. After graduating from Cornell University with her bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Labor Relations, she returned to the South Florida area to work in the non-profit world. Before working in finance, she started in education and moved to the arts. She has continued working with small arts organizations in the Overtown area as a consultant specializing in educating small teams in operations and sales. In work and in life, Danielle consistently seeks individuals and institutions working towards creating equity in an inequitable world. Both professionally and personally, she finds herself involved with working groups focused on a range issues from Opportunity Zones to facilitating dialogue among divergent groups. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/businessscaleinsights/support
This weeks episode is a special treat for you listeners. Ant and Kate dive into the culinary world as they converse with Ant's long time chef friend from college, Tristen Epps of Red Rooster Overtown. Tristen has made a name for himself in the culinary industry working alongside world renowned chefs such as Thomas Keller, Richard Rosendale and more recently Marcus Samuelsson. He has appeared on the Food Network show "Chopped" and ABC's cooking competition show "The Taste". Tristen shares his story on his introduction to food and how he developed his creativeness and style of cooking.
Disparities exist almost everywhere in our global society. In this episode, we take a look at how community redevelopment factors into the future of underserved local neighborhoods, such as Overtown - located in the heart of Miami's urban core. About Our Guest Keon Williams is a native of Miami, Florida, born in the heart of one of Florida’s oldest Black communities named Overtown. Mr. Williams is a 2008 graduate of Bethune- Cookman University with a degree in Politic Science. Mr. Williams also holds a certificate in Community Real Estate Development from the University of South Florida. Mr. Williams has over 15 years of relevant experience in Non-profit Management, Business Development, Business Financing, and Issues-based Advocacy. Mr. Williams currently serves as the Assistant Director for Urban Philanthropies, a non-profit dedicated to transforming distressed urban communities in South Florida through economic and community development activities. Mr. Williams latest initiatives include navigating Urban Philanthropies through the successful startup of a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), to provide financial and technical assistance to small and emerging nonprofits in South Florida’s urban communities; The Overtown Business Boot Camp, providing residents with startup capital and technical assistance to assist with creating a new business; and the launching of The Urban, a new 58,000 square foot food market and entrepreneurial venue located in the heart of Overtown that will feature local food trucks, in addition to custom-designed shipping containers for a centralized bar, retailers and art installations. When Mr. Williams is not working, he serves as the Chairman of the Overtown Community Oversight Board, whose purpose is to encourage and support housing, job creation, economic and business development, educational opportunities, historic and cultural preservation, and to provide written recommendations to the City Commission regarding those activities; The Chairman of The Overtown Optimist Club Inc., a non-profit located in Overtown, tasked with overseeing the participation of 500+ youth and 50 staff members in transforming the next generation through education and sports related activities. Mr. Williams has been a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., since 2008. Mr. Williams credits the motto “Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve,” as the bedrock of his dedication and commitment to advocating for disenfranchised communities. Mr. Williams currently serves on the following community boards: Community Reinvestment Alliance of South Florida, Overtown Children and Youth Coalition, Overtown Community Oversight Board, The Black Collective, Nyah Project, The Equitable and Advocacy Collective, Overtown Optimist Club and Bethune Cookman-University Miami-Dade Chapter. About Urblandia Urblandia is an emerging platform focused on amplifying impact entrepreneurship. Join us on urblandia.com
Collective Drift: Celebrating International Women, Culture, and Travel
(ep 6) What do you do to push yourself through? With Overtown hotelier and historian Kristin KitchenWhat do you do to push yourself through? How do you deal with adversity? Is it possible to succeed during a pandemic? How does a hotelier run a hotel during a time of trouble? How do you use creativity to solve difficult problems? These are all things that hotelier Kristin Kitchen handles naturally because her mother handled difficult situations with imagination and creativity. It’s her grandmother’s voice in her head that inspires her and pushes her through to continue to be her best. It’s the poems that she learned as a child that continue to guide her with their wisdom. It’s the international volunteer trips that she has taken that has allowed her to refocus. This is an interview with the remarkable Kristin Kitchen. She is an African American woman, the owner of the Sojourn Heritage bed and breakfast collection, historian and mom of her rambunctious seven-year-old daughter. She owns 6 Acres B & B in Cincinnati, OH and has recently opened The Dunns Josephine Hotel in the Overtown neighborhood of Miami, FL. While her hotels celebrate African American Heritage the majority of her guests are not African American. We had a great conversation about the stories shared at her boutique hotels, how her grandmother and mother influenced her tenacity, and how international travels have impacted her. As we are living in the Coronavirus pandemic we also discussed how she has been able stay positive by having creative solutions. This episode is the first of a series of episodes that is sponsored by the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA and will highlight the creative women business owners in their community. So you’ll also learn about how Kristin chose the Overtown location and including her favorite spots in Overtown. You can see them in detail below.Kristin Kitchen has been a hotelier for 15 years opening up the first of her Sojourn Heritage Hotels 6 Acres B & B in Cincinnati, OH and more recently the The Dunns Josephine Hotel in the Overtown area of Miami, FL. Both hotels celebrate African American history and are a treat to stay at especially for is a wonderful place to stay at especially for history and jazz buffs. Throughout Kristin’s she has noticed that African American history hasn’t been told properly or enough in the United States or in other countries around the world. This is one of the things that has inspired her to open hotels based on African American heritage. At the hotels guests are invited to participate in “Let’s share life over breakfast”. In these discussions the guests learn about African American history and share their own stories. Kristin's favorite discussion was when white family visited the hotel as a part of their annual celebration of their mother in conjunction with the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Their mother had walked over the Pettus Bridge with Dr King, and did this defying her husband who didn’t want her to go by borrowing money from her black maid. CLICK HERE to Read more and to get the list of Kristin's favorites... Southeast Overtown/Park West CRAinstagram.com/miamicraCollective Driftinstagram.com/collectivedriftDunns Josephine Hotelinstagram.com/dunnsjosephinehotel/Music by Catherine Knowles
We had the honor of hosting William "DC" Clark at the BlackHouse recently. No question DC is a living legend. In this interview we talk about Black Miami from the frontlines and how the environment may look different but these crackers still playing the same game.
John McClain shares his top Super Bowl memories this week. Today he remembers Super Bowl XXIII between the 49ers and Bengals, the riots in Miami’s Overtown and Liberty City areas, Bengals RB Stanley Wilson going AWOL after a drug binge and Joe Montana’s memorable drive to win his third Super Bowl on this episode of the Texas Sports Nation podcast. Support the show.
Sean Canty is an architect and educator whose work focuses on building type and geometry. Among other things, he has recently engaged in teaching a course on reimagining housing and public space in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood.
Valencia Gunder used to dismiss her grandfather's warnings: “They're gonna steal our communities because it don't flood.” She thought, Who would want this place? But Valencia's grandfather knew something she didn't: People in black Miami have seen this before. In the second episode of our series on “climate gentrification,” reporter Christopher Johnson tells the story of Overtown, a segregated black community that was moved, en masse, because the city wanted the space for something else. If you haven't heard part one, start there first. In this episode, we also hear from: - Agnes and Naomi Rolle, childhood residents of Overtown - Marvin Dunn, researcher at Florida International University - James Mungin II, co-founder of The Roots Collective Reported and produced by Kai Wright, Nadege Green and Christopher Johnson. This is part two of a three-part series produced in partnership with WLRN in Miami. WNYC's health coverage is supported in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Working to build a Culture of Health that ensures everyone in America has a fair and just opportunity for health and well-being. More at RWJF.org.
Valencia Gunder used to dismiss her grandfather’s warnings: “They’re gonna steal our communities because it don't flood.” She thought, Who would want this place? But Valencia’s grandfather knew something she didn’t: People in black Miami have seen this before. In the second episode of our series on “climate gentrification,” reporter Christopher Johnson tells the story of Overtown, a segregated black community that was moved, en masse, because the city wanted the space for something else. If you haven't heard part one, start there first. Reported and produced by Kai Wright, Nadege Green and Christopher Johnson. This is part two of a three-part series produced in partnership with WLRN in Miami. WNYC’s health coverage is supported in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Working to build a Culture of Health that ensures everyone in America has a fair and just opportunity for health and well-being. More at RWJF.org.
Valencia Gunder used to dismiss her grandfather’s warnings: “They’re gonna steal our communities because it don't flood.” She thought, Who would want this place? But Valencia’s grandfather knew something she didn’t: People in black Miami have seen this before. In the second episode of our series on “climate gentrification,” reporter Christopher Johnson tells the story of Overtown, a segregated black community that was moved, en masse, because the city wanted the space for something else. If you haven't heard part one, start there first. Reported and produced by Kai Wright, Nadege Green and Christopher Johnson. This is part two of a three-part series produced in partnership with WLRN in Miami. WNYC’s health coverage is supported in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Working to build a Culture of Health that ensures everyone in America has a fair and just opportunity for health and well-being. More at RWJF.org.
Fredd Atkins’ story is a testament to the power that teenagers have to shake up institutional systems. He was reared in an Augustine Quarters “shotgun shack” located behind Horn’s Grocery Store on 6thStreet in Overtown. For fun, Atkins played football and baseball on sandlots and dirt courts.A Booker High School teacher Rubin Mays, reassigned to SHS during integration was Atkins’ lifesaver. Sarasota High students from Newtown successfully changed the lunch menu, added African American cheerleaders to the squad and pushed school administrators to recognize African American history for a week. As a member of the NAACP’s youth council, Atkins registered voters in high school, and attended school board meetings. Activism continued in college. He conducted research for the Miami attorney who filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Sarasota. Atkins’ trajectory was established early. He is one of Sarasota’s longest serving city commissioners, having spent 18 years in public service. He was Sarasota’s mayor three times.Vickie Oldham is leading a groundbreaking historic preservation project called “Newtown Alive.” In 2015, her team of scholars and volunteers began tracing the 100-year history of the African American community of Newtown. The project expanded into a cultural heritage tourism initiative. Oldham is a journalist, marketer and chief motivation officer.Funding for this program was provided through a grant from the Florida Humanities Council with funds from the national endowment for the humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the Florida Humanities Council or the national endowment for the humanities.To tell us how you enjoyed this episode and help ensure funding for similar projects in the future, please click here to take our brief survey.
Glossie Atkins laughs easily and sometimes uncontrollably at the thought of fun times in Overtown. The daughter of Jay and Nettie Campbell was born in Ocala on December 3, 1917. With her sister Ruby Horton as the leader, she left central Florida to work on a farm in Sarasota picking beans and tomatoes. “We filled a bushel basket of beans for two dollars each.” The unrelenting heat and worms on the plants forced a transition from fieldwork to housework. Horton then operated a café. “We had a good time,” Atkins said, bursting into laughter without offering too many details. She attended the oldest Black house of worship in town, Bethlehem Baptist Church.“Oh goodness, we had good service and the choir, everything was good.” The mother of Sarasota’s first African American mayor was a surrogate parent to neighbors’ children. For 35 years, she worked as a domestic sewing, cooking, cleaning and rearing other parents’ children. These days, she joins other mature women of Newtown to crochet scarves, quilts, and caps. “God has been good to me. Yep. Oh my goodness. I’ve come a long way. He brought me and still’s got me going strong.”Vickie Oldham is leading a groundbreaking historic preservation project called “Newtown Alive.” In 2015, her team of scholars and volunteers began tracing the 100-year history of the African American community of Newtown. The project expanded into a cultural heritage tourism initiative. Oldham is a journalist, marketer and chief motivation officer.Funding for this program was provided through a grant from the Florida Humanities Council with funds from the national endowment for the humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the Florida Humanities Council or the national endowment for the humanities.To tell us how you enjoyed this episode and help ensure funding for similar projects in the future, please click here to take our brief survey.
Mr. Harvin was born in Crescent City, Florida and moved to Sarasota in 1940 when he was five years old. He was the one of the first black bankers in Sarasota and he brought Salvation Army bell ringing to the Newtown community. He has lived in both the Newtown and “Overtown” communities, and he attends Bethlehem Baptist church, which is the oldest African-American church in Sarasota.Vickie Oldham is leading a groundbreaking historic preservation project called “Newtown Alive.” In 2015, her team of scholars and volunteers began tracing the 100-year history of the African American community of Newtown. The project expanded into a cultural heritage tourism initiative. Oldham is a journalist, marketer and chief motivation officer.Funding for this program was provided through a grant from the Florida Humanities Council with funds from the national endowment for the humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the Florida Humanities Council or the national endowment for the humanities.To tell us how you enjoyed this episode and help ensure funding for similar projects in the future, please click here to take our brief survey.
Octavia Yearwood is an arts educator, motivational speaker, choreographer, and an overall entrepreneur from New York City. She relocated to Miami in 2012 to expand her arts services company, Team Ohhh. Through Team Ohhh she provides dance and visual art enrichment programming in public schools, private schools and dance studio’s around the world. She has been an educator for the last 15 years, using the arts to bridge the gap between community and academia. She recently became Program Director for South Florida Cares Mentoring Movement where she has been able to work and build relationships with notable arts, education and community organizations like the Perez Art Museum, ICA Miami, URGENT Inc, University of Miami, Rush Philanthropic and local artist to bring transformational experience to the youth of Miami-Dade and Broward County. From curating exhibitions that commission local artist to bring fine arts to the city of Miami Gardens or collaborating with those artist to bring free arts programing to the children of Overtown, Octavia moves forward in using the arts to fortify our youth. Within those years she has also taken her craft and program to Barbados, Haiti, India, Nepal and most recently France where she worked on a photography series to support her book, “How The Hell Did You Do That?” that serves as a guide book for foster youth and other youth suffering from a traumatic childhood. In 2016 Octavia received the American Express Emerging Leaders Award and was honored by Legacy Magazine as one of Miami’s 40 Black Leaders Under 40. 1. Talk to us about the very beginning where were you born and what was your family dynamic like? 2. You entered into the foster care system at a very young age, tell us about that. 3. Your book “How The Hell Did You Do That” was written with the intention to help foster youth and those who have endured traumatic childhoods- walk us through the process of self-healing, what are some of the tools you provide to rise back up from painful experiences.
Welcome to BrewsBeats&Eats w/Oldhead Ed. This week I'm joined by the 305 Emcee Spaz. Tune in while we discuss rocking a crowd in Overtown, being a Chicken Wing man, and the risk you take drinking out of someone else's cup. IG @Spaz305 SoundCloud.com/spaz305
Just another Tuesday on WIOD except for a little disturbance in Overtown, which Neil and The Bird discuss. The whole "Book" is in, it is Super Bowl Week, and the "Old Neil" creeps back in.
DJ H2 is an "OG Millenial" with an extensive portfolio in Miami's music industry. Between setting the vibe at Bar Idol, directing on a video set, conducting photoshoots, DJing at Lyric Live, we just don't know when he finds the time to switch hats. Shoutout to the Towners. This one's for Overtown. #DadeCounty #4la
Joins hosts Tsahai Wilson, Joshua Wright and Zakiyyah Wilbert as they walk through the streets of Overtown on the “David Makes Man” aftershow. Watch what happens when we find out the connection between Raynan and David. Don’t forget our special segment “Sky’s High”, news & gossip and predictions. Haunted by the death of his friend, a 14 year old prodigy living in Florida must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out. What does he decide next? Tune in EVERY week on the DAVID MAKES MAN AFTERBUZZ TV AFTERSHOW PODCAST and find out! We’ll have exclusive news and gossip, character breakdown, plot discussions, special guests and segments! Subscribe and comment to stay up to date on everything related to David Makes Man! ABOUT DAVID MAKES MAN: David Makes Man follows a 14 year old genius named David "from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Over the weekend, a tragedy in Poway, near San Diego California where a 19 year old gunman went into a church, to be specific if you have to, a Jewish synagogue and shot at about 100 patrons inside the synagogue. One woman was killed and I don't have the update on the status of the rest of the results. And to be honest, whether it's 100,000 or 1, it is too many to go by uninvited weapon shooting. One is Two (too) many. And there doesn't seem to be a remedy. We need something to erase the hate, not only in our country (USA) (which doesn't seem too united now) but in the world. KINGS IN THE MORNING, right here, right now.
It's a true creatives playground. From the streets rawest art to the most lavish from across the seas. Art Basel kicks off in Miami drawing thousands to leave inspired and dancing to that conga beat.
Reginald O’Neal was born July 24, 1992 and raised in Overtown, Miami, Florida. He painted his first mural in the summer of 2012 then in 2013 he met his friend and mentor who will teach him classically. In 2014, Reginald took his first trip to Europe and would complete 3 murals in (Austria, Norway, and Spain) and will enter a collective show alongside his teacher in Berlin, Germany. In the same year, he was invited to his first mural festival in Rio San Juan, Dominican Republic. And since then he’s been doing canvas work, residencies, and murals. https://streetartmankind.org/artists/l-e-o/
Its Father’s Day, and we had Mr Good Nightt’s Dad join us on the show! We talk about the life of Mr Good Nightt, Kung Fu movies, today’s society, dating, father life, & Pimping too! #comedians, #funny, #jokes, #laughing, #hilarious, #news, #trending, #lifestyle, #dating, #old school, #Overtown, #Miami, #Florida, #United States, #America, #international, #world, #fathers, … Continue reading "Everyman Show 2018 Episode 23"
“I wanted to make sure kids knew that they could make it.” — Tina Brown Tina Brown is the Executive Director of the Overtown Youth Center, a Mourning Family Foundation charity. Tina is also a Co-Chairperson of the Overtown Children & Youth Coalition, Co-Chairperson of the Equity Advocacy Coalition, and a Board Member of both the Commonwealth Institute and Urban Philanthropies. Tina sits down with the Innovation City team to talk about her journey and how she uses her own experience to help disadvantaged youth discover the options that are available to them and improve their lives.
On September 1, 1944, the Miami Police Department hired "The First Five" black police officers (then called patrolmen) in order to bring some level of equality to policing in the black communities. Considering the overt racism and discrimination of our country at that time, this was a historic moment and these men paved the road for those that would come after them. By 1950, there was 41 black officers on the force and a police precinct and courtroom was established in which to adjudicate black defendants. The building was unique as there was no other known structure in the nation that was designed, devoted to and operated as a separate station house and municipal court for blacks. Today, the Black Police Precinct & Courthouse Museum in Overtown stands as a reminder of the struggles and accomplishments of black police officers in Miami. We sat down with Terrance Cribbs-Lorrant, museum Executive Director and retired Police Lieutenant Archie McKay, who served from 1955 until his retirement in 1980 as a Detective. Lt. McKay is 92 years young and offers an insightful and invaluable perspective on what it was like to be a police officer before and after the segregation era. Terrance provides a unique perspective in his own right as his mother was a stenographer and because he grew up with police officers always being around him. This unique experience has shaped how he views the plight of the modern day police officer as well as what it's like to be a black man in an America where confrontations with the police often turn violent and deadly. This interview is unlike anything we've featured before, tackling difficult and sensitive subjects as well as discussing the museum's role in the community and the current state of policing and police brutality. We hope you enjoy the conversation, Alex and Jeanette For behind the scenes photos, show notes and more visit www.plantedinmiami.com Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube @plantedinmiami
Growing up on the lively streets of Harlem, New York, Rachelle Salnave found an appreciation for her culture and the arts. Her inspirations from family members to African American films she saw with powerful role models gave her the desire to create her own works of film; a historical feature documentary on the gentrification of Harlem and the Emmy nominated film about her Haitian identity, La Belle Vie: The Good Life. Wanting to expose more Haitian & Black filmmakers, she co-created with her partner, Ayiti Images and the Black Lounge Film Series, both of which focus on curated films that celebrate the Black experience. The Black Lounge Film Series is a monthly film screening featuring different themes in art spaces located in historic Overtown. In February, the series premiered its first film: Sammy Davis, Jr. - I’ve Gotta Be Me, at the Overtown Performance Arts Center. This month's theme is female filmmakers and will showcase three films: Macho, directed by local filmmaker, Faren Humes, about a twelve-year old and his conservative uncle who is tested after the killing of a transgender woman in rural town of Sanderson, FL., In the Morning by director Nefertitie Nguvu about love and its inevitable change/decline and Chisholm 72: Unbought and Unbossed, about the first African American woman to run for President of the United States. Rachelle is passionate about sharing her love of film and introducing to the community the many inspiring Black filmmakers to help inspire others. We hope you enjoy the conversation, Alex and Jeanette Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play Music | TuneIn | iHeartRADIO For behind the scenes show notes, photos, videos and more visit www.plantedinmiami.com Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube @plantedinmiami
In Florida Soul: From Ray Charles to KC and the Sunshine Band, John Capouya shows that Florida made valuable contributions to soul, on par with notable soul capitals Memphis, Detroit, Chicago, and Philadelphia. On this ep of Miami Now i spoke with this wonderful author about his invaluable book, a must for music heads everywhere. He's at the Bookfair this weekend with a great panel - and some great music. James & Bobby Purify, Papa Don Schroeder, Linda Lyndell, Same More, Willie Clarke, Johnny Persall, Timmy Thomas, Henry Stone, Betty Wright, Latimore, Helene Smith, KC and the Sunshine Band, Liberty City, Overtown, Deep City Records all come into play in our conversation and his fantastic book. Join Capouya this Sunday for a panel that includes producer and songwriter Willie Clarke of Miami’s pioneering Deep City Records; singer Helene Smith, this city’s first soul queen; Marlon Johnson, co-director of the documentary Deep City: The Birth of the Miami Sound; Jackie Moore, best known for her 1970 hit, Precious Precious; and Miami’s legendary singer/songwriter Timmy Thomas. After the panel discussion and Q&A, Thomas will perform, including his classic Why Can’t We Live Together, a #1 hit in 1972. All this info is at this link ps://www.miamibookfair.com/events/?tribe_paged=1&tribe_event_display=list&tribe-bar-author-name=john+capouya John teaches journalism and nonfiction narrative at The University of Tampa. He mentors students in UT’s lowresidency Creative Writing MFA program, as well as working with private writing clients. During his journalism career he was an editor at Newsweek and SmartMoney magazines, New York Newsday, and the New York Times. Florida Soul is his third book; his previous one, the biography Gorgeous George, is being adapted into a feature film. For more info on John and Florida Soul https://www.facebook.com/johncapouya https://www.instagram.com/john_capouya/
In South Florida, there are a number of vacant lots ripe for transformation and Asha Loring, founder of Health in the Hood Inc., had an idea of what she could turn them into. Inspired by a project her father, Marvin Dunn, created years ago named Roots in the City, Asha began taking empty lots and converting them into nourishing gardens in food deserts throughout Miami-Dade and Broward County. Since it’s origin, Health in the Hood Inc. has planted gardens in Liberty City, Opa-Locka, Overtown and Hallandale Beach. These communal gardens have essentially become classrooms and meeting areas where people can learn things such as how to plant food in their backyards, understand complicated nutrition labels as well as the many benefits of exercise. In addition to providing healthy fruits and veggies, Asha’s organization is also responsible for creating jobs which helps keep the gardens running. Health in the Hood Inc. excels in putting children on the path to healthy futures, giving parents valuable information and creating environments that support healthy choices. We hope you enjoy the conversation, Jeanette & Alex Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Music or TuneIn
A great repeat show with host Rachel Moore. Mr. Neil Shiver, Assistant Director of Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency talks about how CRA serves as a community development tool, and what the CRA has accomplished in Overtown. The CRA is an urban initiative to stimulate and guide the redevelopment of the Southeast Overtown / Park West neighborhood and to create a better place to live and work. Mr. Shiver discusses a $60 Million bond obtained to develop six affordable housing projects in Overtown as well as other community development projects. Rachel Moore hosts this exciting show that explores opportunities for projects in the city of Miami for women in construction,
Mr. Neil Shiver, Assistant Director of Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency talks about how CRA serve as a community development tool, and what the CRA has accomplished in Overtown. The CRA is an urban initiative to stimulate and guide the redevelopment of the Southeast Overtown / Park West neighborhood and to create a better place to live and work. Mr. Shiver discusses a $60 Million bond obtained to develop six affordable housing projects in Overtown as well as other community development projects. Rachel Moore hosts this exciting show that explores opportunities for projects in the city of Miami for women in construction,
We have a chat with one of Miami's rising hip-hop artists, Darkside BayBay as he talks about his early life growing up in the streets of Overtown and Opalocka, how close knit his clique Dark$ide is, and what it will take for him to get to the next level. Plug up and enjoy! Make sure you visit our website at www.theignantagenda.com for the latest interviews, episodes, and events.
CORNELIUS SHIVER is a life-time Coconut Grove resident, has an Associate degree from Florida State University, a Bachelors of Business Administration degree from the University of Miami. A Juris Doctorate degree from St. Thomas University School of Law and is a member of the Florida Bar. Prior to attending law school, Cornelius worked as a Production Analyst with Racal-Milgo, an international high-tech corporation based in England and from there he worked for the University of Miami as the Director of Materials Management. During law school, Cornelius worked for the Brickell Avenue law firm of Silver and Garvett. By the time Cornelius graduated from law school, he was proficient in civil trial litigation, complex commercial litigation and local government law. Cornelius further sharpened in legal skills in New York City working for the American Arbitration Association and later, obtaining additional jury trial experience from the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office. Cornelius has worked in several executive capacities, including President/CEO of Martin Luther King Economic Development, Board-member of the City of Miami Zoning Board, legal and political advisor to former City of Miami Commissioners, Jeffrey Allen and City of Miami Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones. Currently, Cornelius is the Assistant Director of the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency (“CRA”). www.NABWIC.org
Alternate Download Link @ http://bit.ly/2dMwwt 01. Heather Johnson - Home (Tomo's Sundae Lounge Mix) 02. Heather Johnson - Love Alive (Ezel Mix) 03. Soul Dhamma feat. Lady Alma - Dreams (Soul Dhamma Vocal Mix) 04. Heather Johnson - Love Is Stronger Than Pride (Dolls Comber Main Mix) 05. Kerri Chandler feat. Treasa Diva Fennie - Heal My Heart (Kerri Chandler Big Mix) 06. Overtown feat. Shauna Solomon - Satisfaction (Nel's Bump & Grind Mix) 07. Johnny Dangerous feat. Kenny Bobien - Callin You Lord (Yass Demo Mix) 08. Johnny Dangerous - War With The Devil/V's Vox (Mr V Main Mix) 09. P'taah - Everything is Naturally Free/V's Vox (Supernova Chord & Bonus Beat Mix) 10. P'taah - Everything is Naturally Free (Supernova Remix) 11. DJ Roland Clark presents Urban Soul - We Alive (Franck Roger Main Mix) 12. Louie Vega - Vega III 13. Brooklyn Friends (David Morales) - Go Back 14. Heather Johnson - Destination (P60 Mix)
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