\u201cMy commitment to service or even to the work of Liberty City has never once wavered,\u201d Gutierrez said. \u201cI feel like I have brought Liberty City into every workspace that I\u2019m in. I still feel very much connected.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gutierrez has proven that her efforts to help minorities, especially those in need in the Black community who have suffered systemic racism for generations, is a primary goal. She\u2019s helped Blue Meridian\u2019s partners invest significant capital in partnerships relevant to that \u2013 approximately $250 million over the last two years, by collaborating with other nonprofit organizations, communities and the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through her work with philanthropic activist Geoffrey Canada and the Harlem Children\u2019s Zone, Gutierrez has implemented strategies that have begun to transform communities across the country through place-based partnerships. Every while single step she\u2019s taken in her career has led her to bigger projects, she has always felt connected to her community and purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor me it\u2019s about lifting people out of poverty, moving millions of children and their families out of it,\u201d she said. \u201cThings are even worse today than they were during Martin Luther King\u2019s time in terms of people\u2019s ability to achieve economic mobility. I think we\u2019re all still deep in the struggle and trying to figure out approaches and strategies that actually work for children in poverty. I feel like I have dedicated my entire life only to serving the most vulnerable children in this country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

------<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Claudia Morales Miami Times Contributor | This profile is a collaboration between The Miami Times and the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University.<\/em><\/p>\n","post_title":"Cecilia Gutierrez thrives through her passion for service","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"cecilia-gutierrez-thrives-through-her-passion-for-service","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-17 04:24:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-17 04:24:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/ourhistorymakers.com\/?p=1654","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":1627,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2023-02-23 00:56:33","post_date_gmt":"2023-02-23 00:56:33","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2017, just a few weeks after The Miami Times named him part of a new generation that shares Martin Luther King\u2019s dream, Tarell McCraney gave a heartfelt speech at the Academy Awards. Standing with director, collaborator and fellow Miamian Barry Jenkins, he accepted the Oscar for best adapted screenplay for \u201cMoonlight,\u201d which also won best picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis goes out to all those Black and brown boys and girls and non-gender-conforming [kids] who don\u2019t see themselves,\u201d McCraney said onstage with Jenkins at his side. \u201cThis is for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMoonlight\u201d is based on a play McCraney wrote called \u201cIn Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue,\u201d which was inspired by his own experiences as a child. He grew up in Liberty City as a poor, gay Black boy whose mother struggled with drug addiction and eventually died of HIV\/AIDS. He was bullied by the kids in his neighborhood but found a community and peace in the theater world. He went to high school at Miami\u2019s New World School of the Arts and continued on to DePaul University in Chicago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019s now the chair of and playwriting professor for Yale\u2019s School of Drama, and the Yale Repertory Theatre playwright-in-residence. He is also a member of the D-Projects Theater Company, which was founded by Teo Castellanos, McCraney\u2019s longtime teacher and collaborator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another of McCraney\u2019s plays, \u201cChoir Boy,\u201d has similar themes of sexuality, masculinity and race to \u201cMoonlight.\u201d The work, which was written in 2012, hit the boards at Toronto\u2019s Canadian Stage in November 2022 with some changes to the original 2012 version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an interview with The Globe and Mail, McCraney said he thought \u201cChoir Boy\u201d and \u201cMoonlight\u201d are just as poignant today as they were in the past. He referenced the targeting of the LGBTQ+ community, such as Florida\u2019s \u201cDon\u2019t Say Gay Bill,\u201d which limits instruction of sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen \u2018Moonlight\u2019 came out in 2016, I was like, folks will see this and think, oh\u201a that was a coming-of-age story back then,\u201d McCraney told the newspaper. \u201cWhen I think of \u2018Choir Boy\u2019 and \u2018Moonlight,\u2019 I think to myself, wow, I did not expect them to be so relevant and yet here we are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to theater and film, McCraney has added a TV series to his growing list of projects. \u201cDavid Makes Man\u201d premiered in 2019 and has had two seasons. Its protagonist is a young Black boy who lives in poverty in South Florida but attends a privileged school for gifted children. The show\u2019s first season follows David\u2019s struggle to switch between his poverty-stricken home in the projects and his exclusive magnet school. In the second season, he reaches adulthood and continues to wrestle with the balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That exploration of trauma and the reactions one has to it, from despair to resilience, is evergreen in McCraney\u2019s work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what all great art should do,\u201d he said on NPR\u2019s Fresh Air in 2021. (It should) \u201cremind us that there\u2019s something larger than ourselves and that there is resilience and that there are different ways in which we engage it, but that we are more alike in our engagement than different.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

------<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natalie La Roche Pietri Miami Times Contributor | This profile is a collaboration between The Miami Times and the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University.<\/em><\/p>\n","post_title":"Tarell McCraney is making an impact long after \u2018Moonlight\u2019","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"tarell-mccraney-is-making-an-impact-long-after-moonlight","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-02-24 18:04:35","post_modified_gmt":"2023-02-24 18:04:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/ourhistorymakers.com\/?p=1627","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":1624,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2023-02-23 00:52:59","post_date_gmt":"2023-02-23 00:52:59","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shevrin Jones is under siege. In a room in Tallahassee teeming with cameras, activists and journalists, he exudes frustration and anger as he answers questions about Gov. Ron DeSantis\u2019 recent ban of the Advanced Placement African American Studies curriculum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCrumbling schools and dilapidated buildings are the issues being ignored because we have to deal with the promotion of Jim Crow 3.0,\u201d Jones said during a press conference this past Jan. 26. \u201cPeople don\u2019t know and don\u2019t care about what\u2019s happening in Black communities, but desire to referee how our history is taught.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since being named a \u201cNext Generation Dreamer\u201d in 2018 by The Miami Times for embodying Martin Luther King\u2019s legacy, Jones has become a rising star in Florida politics. From Broward public school teacher to state representative to being named one of the area\u2019s most influential people under age 40, the 39-year-old has made a name for himself as a breaker of barriers. In 2020, he made history as the first Black LBGTQ+ state senator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care too much for the recognitions and positions,\u201d said Jones. \u201cI look more for changing and enhancing people\u2019s lives. That\u2019s my reward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Born in Miami Gardens, he is the son of a teacher and a preacher. He graduated from Florida A&M University with a bachelor\u2019s degrees in biochemistry and molecular biology in 2006. After that, he taught advanced placement chemistry in Broward County and then biology at Florida Atlantic University High School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I was teaching, the state changed the assessment requirements for students to graduate, and many of my students were forced to take recovery courses,\u201d he said. \u201cSo, I went to the principal and asked him who keeps changing the rules. He said politicians, and I replied: \u2018Perfect, then I\u2019m running for office.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2012 Jones ran for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives and won unopposed in the newly created 101st District. He was reelected until term limits compelled his departure in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That year he ran to represent Florida Senate District 35 in a closely watched election. Despite homophobic and racist attacks, he beat six other contenders by at least 27 points and raised more money than all of his opponents combined. He was elected in 2022 for the newly created District 34 after redistricting and now serves as vice chair of the appropriations committee on education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m teaching; teaching is who I am,\u201d Jones said. \u201cBeing an educator and then being a politician complement each other more than one would think.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jones has pushed for legislation that promotes record expungement for some felons as well as measures to reduce penalties for marijuana users. He has also advocated for providing incarcerated women with basic health care products, and sterile needle and syringe exchange programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also co-authored a bill to improve financial literacy among students and was a co-author of the so-called \u201cAva\u2019s Law,\u201d which requires pregnancy testing for female detainees in custody for 72 hours or more and mandates that authorities comply with certain conditions for pregnant inmates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Joe Biden recently appointed Jones to serve on the Board of Advisors at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), making him one of the administrators of more than $5.8 billion in support of marginalized institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI will go as far as the people will take me,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

----<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steban Rondon Miami Times Contributor | This profile is a collaboration between The Miami Times and the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University.<\/em><\/p>\n","post_title":"'Dreamer' Shevrin Jones: From the classroom to the Capitol","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"dreamer-shevrin-jones-from-the-classroom-to-the-capitol","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-02-24 18:05:02","post_modified_gmt":"2023-02-24 18:05:02","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/ourhistorymakers.com\/?p=1624","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":1617,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2023-02-23 00:43:23","post_date_gmt":"2023-02-23 00:43:23","post_content":"\n

Back in 2006, Miami Opa-locka Executive Airport is where it all began for Jamaica-born and Miami-raised Barrington Irving. He created a nonprofit educational program called Experience Aviation that inspired young students to learn about STEM education. Two and a half years later, he became the first Black person and youngest pilot to fly a plane solo around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now 39 years old, he has witnessed his program become a force for change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been doing this since 2006 here at the airport and it\u2019s just been transformative to see not only how the airport has grown, but how the people have grown,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2015, Irving was recognized in The Miami Times<\/em>\u2019 inaugural class of its \u201cNew Generation of Dreamers\u201d for his educational program, which is called The Flying Classroom. The program, which the Times said \u201ctakes mentoring to new heights,\u201d ignited an interest in aviation exploration among students from all walks of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since then, says Irving, \u201cwe\u2019ve had students build airplanes, race cars, hovercrafts, solar go-karts and launched a for-profit curriculum company in over 1,000 schools across the country. We\u2019ve also expanded technical skill training programs for adults and positioned over 100 individuals with well-paying technical careers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Flying Classroom has become both a virtual and hands-on educational experience taught in more than 600 schools nationwide. In the near future, Irving plans to expand his educational efforts in a school that will be based near the Opa-locka airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re preparing to launch a technical training center in collaboration with Miami-Dade County Chairman Oliver Gilbert III,\u201d said Irving. \u201cA training school will launch in the very same community I grew up in. It\u2019s going to be something special and unique. So many within our communities just need skills and opportunities to occur in short turnaround order.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Flying Classroom and Experience Aviation have already transformed the Opa-locka airport into an enriching learning environment that welcomes a diverse array of students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I first came to the airport, there weren\u2019t many folks who looked like me,\u201d said Irving. \u201cI\u2019m grateful to know that I\u2019ve helped change that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He strives to build accessible educational opportunities for both children and adults of all backgrounds, with a goal of moving them beyond school and into career fields where he believes they can fulfill their dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMartin Luther King\u2019s \u2018I have a Dream\u2019 speech applies to so many phases of life,\u201d said Irving. \u201cIn 2015 I was in a position of being a trailblazer. Now I still see myself as [one] but have become more involved with helping to carry others and create greater opportunities for those who may need inspiration, resources and a push to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sabrina Beguiristain Miami Times Contributor | This profile is a collaboration between The Miami Times and the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University.<\/em><\/p>\n","post_title":"Barrington Irving helps students soar to new heights","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"barrington-irving-helps-students-soar-to-new-heights","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-02-24 13:52:11","post_modified_gmt":"2023-02-24 13:52:11","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/ourhistorymakers.com\/?p=1617","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"total_page":false},"paged":1,"class":"jblog_block_24"};

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