A Conversation  With County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava; Dr. Yanela McLeod

Miami-Dade County’s Black community has been part of the bedrock of the county since its founding in 1836. In fact, 168 of the 362 men who voted for the creation of the City of Miami in 1896 were Black. But discrimination and a lack of access to capital have dogged our Black neighbors from the start, often impeding self-determination and greater successes.

Miami Book Fair seeks to focus on the County’s past as a means to understand the present and position the community for a better future. To that end, Miami Book Fair is bringing together an esteemed panel of influencers to discuss race, wealth and equity, including our Black community’s access to quality health care, affordable housing and quality education.  Panelists will come together to explore our history, but more importantly to talk about our future – what concrete steps can we all take, supported by our county government, to ensure a future that fully includes and supports our Black communities and where Black residents can find themselves at the center of decision-making. Program will include public Q&A.

Daniella Levine Cava was elected Miami-Dade County’s first-ever woman Mayor in November 2020. She enters the Mayor's office following a nearly 40-year career as a relentless advocate for South Florida families in public service and elected leadership.

Yanela Gordon McLeod is adjunct professor of history and director of Communications and Alumni Affairs for the College of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities at Florida A&M University. In The Miami Times and the Fight for Equality: Race, Sport, and the Black Press, 1948-1958 (Lexington Books) author Yanela Gordon McLeod places the newspaper into the historical narrative of the Civil Rights Movement in Florida.

Kalyn Lee, a teacher at Miami Carol City Senior High School, is the 2020 Rookie Teacher of the Year, Miami Dade County Public Schools

Teri Williams is President and Chief Operating Officer of OneUnited Bank. She is responsible for implementation of the Bank’s strategic initiatives, as well as the day to day operations of the bank. These operational areas include all retail branches, marketing, compliance, lending, information technology, customer support, legal, and human resources.

OneUnited Bank is the premier bank for urban communities, the largest Black-owned bank, the first Black internet bank and a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).

Nancy Ancrum is the Miami Herald’s editorial page editor since 2013. She has worked to increase the opinion pages’ digital visibility and accessibility, using Facebook Live interviews, for instance, to ensure readers can participate in candidate interviews and to give issues a wider airing through conversations with newsmakers.

Miami-Dade County’s Black Communities: History, Present and Future