The City of Miami Beach, together with the Miami-Dade branch of the NAACP, will host a panel discussion with the public Wednesday night to discuss making Memorial Day Weekend a fun and safe environment for both its visitors and residents.
“We can only achieve greatness when we work together,” said Commissioner Ricky Arriola. “Unity in the Community is a welcoming venue for everyone to share their thoughts on how we can build a better, stronger, and more just tomorrow.
"Memorial Day Weekend is one of our busiest weekends here in Miami Beach," Arriola told WIOD. "We welcome hundreds of thousands of tourists and we want to make sure that everyone has a great time."
The commissioner admits that the city has not done the best job in the past of coordinating the various events of the holiday weekend. He says he wants that to change this yer through a group effort and approach.
The candid discussion will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday at The Betsy Hotel (Collins Avenue enterence) located at 1433 Collins Avenue. Community members are welcome.
Panelists include:
- Betsy Hotel owner Jonathan Plutzik
- Miami Beach Police Spokesperson Ernesto Rodriguez
- Professor of African American History Tameeka Hobbs
- Headliner Market Group CEO Mike Gardner
- GMCVB Vice President of Multicultural Tourism & Development Connie Kinnard
- Miami Beach resident Jeff Feldman
“This is the year of advocacy, the Me Too movement, Black Lives Matter and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas undertaking. It is important for all communities to find a way to connect with what unites us,” added NAACP Miami-Dade President Ruban Roberts.
“This is why, Unity in the Community is so very important. The NAACP and the City of Miami Beach are working together to build bridges and tear down walls.”