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          HomeReleasesMiami-Dade County Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez Receives “Be a Voice Award” from Voices for Children Foundation
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          Board of County CommissionersPress Release
          Commission District 05
          https://www.miamidade.gov/district05
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          • 786-498-5003
          Headshot of Vicki L. Lopez
          Vicki L. Lopez

          Miami-Dade County Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez Receives “Be a Voice Award” from Voices for Children Foundation

          Press Release elected /global/government/commission/district05/home.page, 2026-01-12 2026-01-12T13:00:00.000Z 08 00 am Claudia Gonzalez [email protected] 786-498-5003 Miami-Dade County Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez Receives “Be a Voice Award” from Voices for Children Foundation Miami-Dade County Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez (District 5) was honored with the “Be a Voice Award” by Voices for Children Foundation at its Annual Be a Voice Gala on Saturday, January 10, 2026. <p>Miami-Dade County Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez (District 5) was honored with the <strong>&ldquo;Be a Voice Award&rdquo;</strong> by <a href="https://beavoice.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Voices for Children Foundation</a> at its Annual Be a Voice Gala on Saturday, January 10, 2026, <strong>in recognition of her unwavering advocacy, leadership, and dedication to empowering foster youth and supporting families across Miami-Dade County. </strong></p> <p>The &ldquo;Be a Voice Award&rdquo; is presented to individuals who demonstrate exceptional commitment to improving the lives of children in foster care and ensuring they have the resources, opportunities, and support needed to thrive. <strong>Commissioner Lopez was recognized for her longstanding work securing funding and championing policies and initiatives that strengthen protections for foster youth, elevate their voices, and invest in the well-being of vulnerable children and families. </strong></p> <p>&ldquo;Receiving the &ldquo;Be a Voice Award&rdquo; is a true honor,&rdquo; said Commissioner Lopez. &ldquo;At the heart of this work is a simple belief: every child deserves to feel safe, supported, and truly seen. Advocating for foster youth and the families who care for them means strengthening the safety net and support systems that help children feel loved and hopeful about their future. I am incredibly grateful to Kadie Black and Voices for Children for their tireless dedication and for standing alongside our children every step of the way.&rdquo;</p> <p>Voices for Children&rsquo;s Annual Be a Voice Gala brings together community leaders, advocates, and supporters to raise awareness and funds for programs that provide advocacy, education, and support to children in foster care. Commissioner Lopez&rsquo;s leadership has made a meaningful impact on these efforts, helping to advance policies and resources that promote stability, opportunity, and hope for foster youth across the county.</p> <p>&ldquo;Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez has been a steadfast champion for children in foster care, using her leadership and voice to create meaningful, lasting change,&rdquo; said Kadie Black, President &amp; CEO of Voices for Children Foundation. &ldquo;Her commitment to securing critical resources and advancing policies that protect and uplift our most vulnerable youth has made a real difference in the lives of the children and families we serve. We are deeply grateful for her leadership, partnership, and unwavering dedication to ensuring every child feels supported, valued, and heard.&rdquo;</p> <p>Commissioner Lopez remains committed to working alongside community partners, child advocates, and families to ensure that every child in Miami-Dade County has a strong voice and a brighter future.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/resources/district-05/images/2026-01-12-be-a-voice-award.jpg" width="281" height="190" alt="Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez" /> <img src="/resources/district-05/images/2026-01-12-voices-for-children.jpg" width="287" height="191" alt="Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez" /><br /><!--StartFragment --><em><span class="cf0">Left to Right: Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez at the Be a Voice Gala receiving her award.<br /></span><span class="cf0">(Photos by: District 5 Office/Miami-Dade County)</span></em></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><!--EndFragment --></p> /resources/images/releases/headshot/district05-headshot.jpg no 2026 00 a.m. 00 a.m. Commission District 05 1 rel1768310724477670 Commission District 05 District 5 Main Office,District 5 Miami Beach Office 2100 Coral Way, Suite 400,1700 Convention Center Drive, 1st Floor Miami, Miami Beach 33145, 33139 La Comisionada Vicki L. López del Condado de Miami-Dade recibe el premio “Be a Voice” de la Fundación Voices for Children La Comisionada Vicki L. López del Condado de Miami-Dade (Distrito 5), fue galardonada con el premio “Be a Voice” por la Fundación Voices for Children en su gala anual titulada “Be a Voice”, que se celebró el sábado 10 de enero del 2026 <p>La Comisionada Vicki L. L&oacute;pez del Condado de Miami-Dade (Distrito 5), fue galardonada con el premio &ldquo;Be a Voice&rdquo; por la Fundaci&oacute;n Voices for Children en su gala anual titulada &ldquo;Be a Voice&rdquo;, que se celebr&oacute; el s&aacute;bado 10 de enero del 2026, en reconocimiento a su firme apoyo, liderazgo y dedicaci&oacute;n para empoderar a los menores en acogida y ayudar a las familias de todo el Condado de Miami-Dade.</p> <p>El premio &ldquo;Be a Voice&rdquo; se otorga a personas que demuestran una dedicaci&oacute;n excepcional a mejorar la vida de los ni&ntilde;os en acogida y asegurarse de que cuenten con los recursos, las oportunidades y el apoyo necesarios para prosperar. La Comisionada L&oacute;pez fue reconocida por su trabajo desde hace mucho tiempo para conseguir fondos y promover pol&iacute;ticas e iniciativas que refuerzan la protecci&oacute;n de los menores en acogida, ayudan a que sus voces sean escuchadas e invierten en el bienestar de los ni&ntilde;os y familias vulnerables.</p> <p>&ldquo;Recibir el premio &lsquo;Be a Voice&rsquo; es un verdadero honor&rdquo;, dijo la Comisionada L&oacute;pez. &ldquo;Este trabajo se basa esencialmente en una sencilla convicci&oacute;n: que todos los ni&ntilde;os merecen sentirse seguros, apoyados y verdaderamente reconocidos. Defender los intereses de los menores en acogida y de las familias que los acogen significa fortalecer la red de seguridad y los sistemas de apoyo que contribuyen a que los ni&ntilde;os se sientan queridos y tengan esperanzas sobre su futuro. Quiero expresar mi gran agradecimiento a Kadie Black y a la Fundaci&oacute;n Voices for Children por su incansable dedicaci&oacute;n y por acompa&ntilde;ar a nuestros menores a cada paso del camino&rdquo;.</p> <p>La gala anual de la Fundaci&oacute;n Voices for Children re&uacute;ne a l&iacute;deres comunitarios, promotores y simpatizantes para crear conciencia y recaudar fondos para programas que brindan defensa de sus intereses, educaci&oacute;n y apoyo a los menores en acogida. El liderazgo de la Comisionada L&oacute;pez ha tenido un impacto significativo en estos esfuerzos, al ayudar a promover la adopci&oacute;n de pol&iacute;ticas y la b&uacute;squeda de recursos que fomentan la estabilidad, las oportunidades y la esperanza para los menores en acogida en todo el Condado.</p> <p>&ldquo;La Comisionada Vicki L. L&oacute;pez ha sido una firme promotora de los intereses de los ni&ntilde;os en acogida y ha utilizado su liderazgo y su voz para crear un cambio significativo y duradero&rdquo;, afirm&oacute; Kadie Black, presidenta y directora ejecutiva de la Fundaci&oacute;n Voices for Children. &ldquo;Su dedicaci&oacute;n a conseguir recursos esenciales y a promover pol&iacute;ticas que protegen y mejoran la vida de nuestros j&oacute;venes m&aacute;s vulnerables ha representado una verdadera diferencia en las vidas de los ni&ntilde;os y las familias a los que atendemos. Queremos expresar nuestro profundo agradecimiento por su liderazgo, su colaboraci&oacute;n y su inquebrantable dedicaci&oacute;n a garantizar que todos los ni&ntilde;os se sientan apoyados, valorados y reconocidos&rdquo;.</p> <p>La Comisionada L&oacute;pez mantiene su compromiso de trabajar junto con los socios de la comunidad, con los defensores de los intereses de los ni&ntilde;os y con las familias para asegurarse de que todos los ni&ntilde;os del Condado de Miami-Dade tengan una fuerte voz y un brillante futuro.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/resources/district-05/images/2026-01-12-be-a-voice-award.jpg" width="281" height="190" alt="Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez" /> <img src="/resources/district-05/images/2026-01-12-voices-for-children.jpg" width="287" height="191" alt="Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez" /><br /><em>De izquierda a derecha: la Comisionada Vicki L. L&oacute;pez recibe su premio en la gala &ldquo;Be a Voice&rdquo;.</em><br /><em>(Fotos: Oficina del Distrito 5 del Condado de Miami-Dade)</em></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><!--EndFragment --></p> local county miami-dade elected elected Commission District 05 Contact Us /global/government/commission/district05/contact-us.page About the Commissioner /global/government/commission/district05/about-commissioner-vicki-lopez.page /global/publicrecords/search.page Commissioner Vacant Vicki L. Lopez /resources/images/commission/district05/vicki-lopez-160x283.jpg Vicki%20L.%20Lopez /global/government/commission/district05/about-commissioner-vicki-lopez.page District 5 Main Office - 2100 Coral Way, Suite 400 [loc1477066246562696] : Miami ^ 33145 loc1477066246562696 305-375-5924 305-375-5904 [email protected] /global/government/commission/district05/home.page District 5 Miami Beach Office - 1700 Convention Center Drive, 1st Floor [loc1541436820626395] : Miami Beach ^ 33139 loc1541436820626395 305-375-5924 305-375-5904 facebook twitter instagram district-05 org15168914713733 loc1477066246562696,loc1541436820626395 District 5 Main Office,District 5 Miami Beach Office 2100 Coral Way, Suite 400,1700 Convention Center Drive, 1st Floor , Miami, Miami Beach 33145, 33139 305-375-5924,305-375-5924 305-375-5904,305-375-5904 [email protected], /global/government/commission/district05/home.page, facebook,twitter,instagram https://www.facebook.com/people/Commissioner-Vicki-L-Lopez/61584543944165/?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=A25Oih3TEAXXSYoX&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F17hffeXRE2%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr,https://x.com/commvickillopez?s=21,https://www.instagram.com/commissionervickillopez Vacant
          MIAMI-DADE ( January 12, 2026 )–

          Miami-Dade County Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez (District 5) was honored with the “Be a Voice Award” by Voices for Children Foundation at its Annual Be a Voice Gala on Saturday, January 10, 2026, in recognition of her unwavering advocacy, leadership, and dedication to empowering foster youth and supporting families across Miami-Dade County.

          The “Be a Voice Award” is presented to individuals who demonstrate exceptional commitment to improving the lives of children in foster care and ensuring they have the resources, opportunities, and support needed to thrive. Commissioner Lopez was recognized for her longstanding work securing funding and championing policies and initiatives that strengthen protections for foster youth, elevate their voices, and invest in the well-being of vulnerable children and families.

          “Receiving the “Be a Voice Award” is a true honor,” said Commissioner Lopez. “At the heart of this work is a simple belief: every child deserves to feel safe, supported, and truly seen. Advocating for foster youth and the families who care for them means strengthening the safety net and support systems that help children feel loved and hopeful about their future. I am incredibly grateful to Kadie Black and Voices for Children for their tireless dedication and for standing alongside our children every step of the way.”

          Voices for Children’s Annual Be a Voice Gala brings together community leaders, advocates, and supporters to raise awareness and funds for programs that provide advocacy, education, and support to children in foster care. Commissioner Lopez’s leadership has made a meaningful impact on these efforts, helping to advance policies and resources that promote stability, opportunity, and hope for foster youth across the county.

          “Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez has been a steadfast champion for children in foster care, using her leadership and voice to create meaningful, lasting change,” said Kadie Black, President & CEO of Voices for Children Foundation. “Her commitment to securing critical resources and advancing policies that protect and uplift our most vulnerable youth has made a real difference in the lives of the children and families we serve. We are deeply grateful for her leadership, partnership, and unwavering dedication to ensuring every child feels supported, valued, and heard.”

          Commissioner Lopez remains committed to working alongside community partners, child advocates, and families to ensure that every child in Miami-Dade County has a strong voice and a brighter future.

          Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez
          Left to Right: Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez at the Be a Voice Gala receiving her award.
          (Photos by: District 5 Office/Miami-Dade County)

          # # #

          To request materials in accessible format, sign language interpreters, and/or any accommodation to participate in any County-sponsored program or meeting, please contact the ADA Coordinator, five days in advance to initiate your request. TTY users may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service).

          Vicki L. Lopez, Commission District 05

          District 5 Main Office
          2100 Coral Way, Suite 400, Miami, FL 33145

          District 5 Miami Beach Office
          1700 Convention Center Drive, 1st Floor, Miami Beach, FL 33139

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