State of Black Miami forum to promote joint action on a common agenda

Miami-Dade County’s diverse black population shares a common heritage but seldom unites in pursuit of shared interests.  To address the need for joint action, Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Jean Monestime – along with County Commissioners Barbara Jordan, Audrey Edmonson and Dennis Moss, and Miami City Commission Chairman Keon Hardemon – are co-hosting a free daylong forum to bring together black Miamians of all backgrounds to discuss issues affecting the African diaspora and to develop a collective action-oriented agenda.

The “ONE HERITAGE: State of Black Miami” community forum will take place on Thursday, April 7 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Florida Memorial University Smith Conference Center, 15800 NW 42nd Ave., Miami Gardens, FL 33054. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

“In order to address the long-standing problems that the black community faces, black Miamians of all backgrounds must come together to work on a common agenda,” Chairman Monestime said.   

The forum will feature four separate panel discussions to assess Black Miami’s state of economic prosperity, community development, quality of life, and youth/next generation. The expert panelists will cover a range of topics including job creation, business opportunity, housing, transportation, education, health, youth violence, and criminal justice reform. 

A number of key stakeholder organizations will participate in the forum, including the Miami-Dade branch of NAACP, Urban League, Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce, Black Affairs Advisory Board, SantLa Haitian Neighborhood Center, and the Collective Empowerment Group. The event is sponsored by Florida Memorial University, New York Life African-American Empowerment Plan and Jackson Healthcare System.

For more information or to RSVP, call 305-694-2779, email [email protected], or visit www.stateofblackmiami.org #SOBM2016