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AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO THE MIAMI HERALD
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2020
ON THE COVER
South Florida Remembers Rep. John Lewis and His Message to Vote
In April 2017, U.S. Rep. John Lewis captivated a small group of South Florida influencers at the Historic Hampton House in the Brownsville neighborhood. They had gathered there for an invitation-only opportunity to meet Lewis and have him sign his award-winning publication March, a comic-book style trilogy following his lifelong struggle for civil and human rights. This issue’s cover photo shows an audience fixated on Lewis as he shared stories of his extraordinary life—from an Alabama sharecropper’s son to a six-term United States Congressman. Legacy Miami reached out to four people in attendance that day who reflected on Lewis’ message and how he influenced them in their respective lives and careers.
Rodney Jacobs, assistant director of Miami’s Civilian Investigative Panel “John Lewis is one of those people who never need to say a word in order to feel their presence when they enter the room. The night when I met him was an electrifying experience for everyone at the event. He stayed late, signed books, and interacted with everyone at the function. His humble
nature made him relatable. The major take-away from meeting him is that we all have a role to play in social justice. Big or small, this kind of justice is our baby, so it’s up to us to nurture it, raise it, and believe in it. That night reaffirmed in me my unequivocal responsibility to social justice” William Hobbs IV, music producer (Tameka Hobbs’ son) “I really didn’t know his importance to be quite honest— fighting for civil rights and everything. Afterwards is when I started to really appreciate the fact that I met him and got a picture with him and he signed a book for my brother. I do remember when he was making his speech, he was explaining how when he was fighting for civil rights in Alabama and getting beaten by the police and how he was jailed 40-plus times and just the perseverance needed for making change in America. I thought that was so deep because nowadays many people don’t have that ambition. They quit when it gets tough. They wouldn’t go through what he went through at all because who would willingly get beat by the police? I don’t know too
many people who would do that. It’s a sacrifice and based on his actions we got progress for African Americans. For that, I will always be grateful for what he’s done.
Dr. Enid C. Pinkney, founding president and CEO of the Historic Hampton House Community Trust, Inc. “I had nothing but admiration for him. He was so unselfish. It was all about the cause and he wanted to bring young people and everybody along. It’s hard to just find somebody who isn’t just trying to promote themselves and can actually get things done. Even after the [segregation] laws changed, we were still being discriminated against. He had to go through all of that to get where he was. It was everything— voting, transportation, just about everything. Those people were trying to figure out ways to keep you in your place.” Dr. Tameka Hobbs, historian and associate provost at Florida Memorial University “In April 2017, I participated in the
program with Congressman John Lewis during the launch of his graphic novel March in Miami. I was there to share the story of FMU’s role in St. Augustine’s civil rights struggle, and I was very excited for the opportunity to occupy the stage with a civil rights warrior. An added bonus, however, was that my sons and I also had a chance to spend a few moments backstage with this American icon. Congressman Lewis was incredibly gracious as he signed our books, chatted, and posed for pictures with us. It wasn’t until Congressman Lewis’s death that I realized the impact of our meeting on my youngest son, Amiri. He watched the funeral services and grieved the Congressman’s death with a level of seriousness I wasn’t expecting from my fourteen-year-old. We talked about what he was feeling, and about the meaning of service, and the value of leaving a legacy. Without a doubt, John Lewis is a hero to us. Our lives would be vastly different without his sacrifice and leadership.” n
IMPORTANT 2020 ELECTION DATES MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PRIMARY ELECTION: AUG. 18 LAST DAY TO REGISTER: JULY 30 EARLY VOTING: AUG. 3-AUG. 16 GENERAL ELECTION: NOV. 3 LAST DAY TO REGISTER: OCT. 5 EARLY VOTING: TBA LAST DAY TO REQUEST VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT: AUG. 8 VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED — NOT POSTMARKED — BY THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTION’S OFFICE NO LATER THAN 7 P.M. ON ELECTION DAY. You can hand deliver Vote-by-Mail ballots to the Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections office: 2822 NW 87th Ave. Doral, FL 33172 or STEPHEN P. CLARK CENTER 111 NW 1st Street, Miami, FL 33128
For more information: Iamelectionready.org
