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RESOLUTION CODESIGNATING THAT PORTION OF NW 23RD AVENUE BETWEEN NW 62ND STREET AND NW 63RD STREET AS �BERNARD CARLTON POITIER, SR. WAY�

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WHEREAS, Mr. Bernard Carlton Poitier, Sr. (�Poitier�) was born on June 23, 1937, in Miami, Florida, where his parents, Mr. Cyril Poitier, Sr. and Mrs. Albertha Poitier, raised him and his nine siblings; and
WHEREAS, Poitier attended Miami-Dade County public schools, including Liberty City Elementary and Dorsey High School, proudly graduating from the latter as part of the Class of 1955; and
WHEREAS, Poitier continued his education at Tuskegee Institute and later earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Bethune Cookman College, now Bethune Cookman University, after which he furthered professional studies at the Atlanta School of Mortuary Science and Miami-Dade Community College, ultimately becoming a licensed embalmer and funeral director; and
WHEREAS, Poitier began his career as an educator in the Miami-Dade County public school system, teaching at Charles R. Drew Middle School for several years before establishing Poitier Funeral Home in 1970, where he served the community with dignity, compassion, and unwavering commitment; and
WHEREAS, through decades of service, Poitier provided critical support to families in need, including pro bono burial services and assistance to the first 22 Haitian refugees attempting to seek asylum in the United States, as well as family planning and support to bereaved families, demonstrating his deep sense of responsibility to humanity; and
WHEREAS, Poitier expanded his business to include Poitier�s Casket Company, further contributing to development and opportunity in the District 3 community; and
WHEREAS, in 1987, Poitier answered his spiritual calling and became an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, founding St. Luke Cousin Memorial A.M.E. Church, also located in the heart of the District 3 community; and
WHEREAS, Poitier was a mentor, teacher, and guide to countless individuals, some of whom entered the mortuary profession and started their own businesses under his leadership and example; and
WHEREAS, even as his health declined, Mr. Poitier remained devoted to uplifting his community and reminding others of the values he lived by: �You Got To Be Loyal and You Got To Love One Another�; and
WHEREAS, Poitier passed away on October 15, 2021; and
WHEREAS, Poitier�s legacy of service, compassion, entrepreneurship, and spiritual leadership has left an indelible impact on the community he loved and served for a lifetime; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Barbara Poitier�his devoted spouse�together with the entire Poitier family, seek to honor his extraordinary life and contributions to the community; and
WHEREAS, this Board would also like to honor Poitier�s lasting legacy by codesignating that portion of NW 23rd Avenue between NW 62nd Street and NW 63rd Street as �Bernard Carlton Poitier, Sr. Way�; and
WHEREAS, that portion of NW 23rd Avenue between NW 62nd Street and NW 63rd Street is a County-maintained road located in unincorporated Miami-Dade County; and
WHEREAS, this codesignation is in County Commission District 3,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Having considered this matter at a public hearing, codesignates that portion of NW 23rd Avenue between NW 62nd Street and NW 63rd Street as �Bernard Carlton Poitier, Sr. Way.�
Section 2. Directs the Clerk of the Board to send certified copies of this resolution to the United States Postal Service, the Traffic Signals and Signs Division of the Department of Transportation and Public Works, the Development Services Division of the Regulatory and Economic Resources Department, the Miami-Dade Sheriff�s Office, and the Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue Department.