What happens when the community gathers in solidarity, standing 10 toes down, fighting, not only for the full restoration of 12.8-million-dollar budget cut to arts programs and cultural grant funding from the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), but for the outright disrespect to communities of color by this unconscionable plan? It is particularly egregious because those that contribute immensely to the cultural fabric of south Florida will be impacted the most by these cuts.
Survival and Quality of Life Are at Stake for Many
When the news broke about this budget proposal which decimated funding, the Miami arts community activated, coming together on a WhatsApp group chat titled “Arts Action Miami,” not only to discuss and vent, but to strategize. Meetings, sessions, townhalls and virtual discussions were planned and attended. But, the gag is that this new plan includes merging DCA with the library (make it make sense ya’ll). Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, county commissioners, and the Deputy Directory of Cultural Affairs, Ashlee Thomas attended many of these sessions (organized by them). They spoke about their plans, which also included increasing the sheriff’s department budget (side eye) as well as reducing funding for programs that support housing and community development as well as small businesses.
The community was outraged, rightfully so. As, I listened to the community members discuss their plans which included organizing interviews and sharing social media posts; and, as I read various articles, I noticed a common thread, there was no Black representation. Those of us who live in south Florida understand the dynamic of race and that MANY Hispanics/Latin (o/as) who are white presenting (or not), do not identify as Black, therefore benefiting from white privilege and denouncing Black identity. But that’s a conversation for another day. It became very clear that there needed to be a discussion that centered the voices and experiences of the Black community—artists, educators, funders, presenters, consumers, parents, grant writers, and business owners to speak on how these budget cuts would affect them. It was disturbing because not only is there erasure of our faces and voices in terms of advocating for our community but, it also speaks to how south Florida is represented (culturally) globally. I began to ask my colleagues, “where is Black Miami?” Where are the artists, dancers, and communities such as Little Bahamas, Goombay, Junkanooners in Coconut Grove, Dance Africa, Afro Cuban, Afro Brazilian, Afro Peruvian, Jamaican, and Haitian? Where are the recipients of the Cultural Affairs funding?
Pressure Buss Pipe
Within the last week or so, due to the community galvanizing through petitions, calls and emails to the mayor and commissioners, showing up in person and virtually to protest these cuts, the mayor has “recovered” $66 million to be used for the 2025 -2026 fiscal budget to restore community grants, projects, and initiatives, this also includes keeping the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) as an independent agency. But we understand that this is a short-term solution. This is not a consistent or recurring budget, which means we will be back here again next year if this proposed budget is voted on and approved on September 18th by the commissioners.
As a final activation townhall before the September 18th vote, many community members met at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex (LHCC). Flyers were sent, social media posts went up, calls were made, people were on the ground doing the work to get the seats at the LHCC filled by community members as well as Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, county commissioners, and the Deputy Directory of Cultural Affairs, Ashlee Thomas. Sadly, only Thomas showed up. How is it that the mayor and the commissioners were no shows when they were present to all the other events?
In true artist form, the show went on. Organizer, Brittany Williams welcomed us and Dasha Saintremy, manager of the Little Haiti Cultural Complex (LHCC) ushered us into a peaceful demonstration with a powerful spoken word about “keeping the legacy alive” beginning with a poem titled “Art is the 4th Pillar” acknowledging the indigenous peoples who invested their time, bodies, and artistic contributions to the lands articulating that “this land is not ours to claim, but it is our duty to respect.”
Loni Johnson served as moderator, in perfect symmetry and in alignment with Saintremy’s ancestral recognition, she poured libations in acknowledgment to our ancestors.
Asking the audience to stand, we were guided to “Just take this moment to take a collective breath to acknowledge those that came before us…” As Black folk, who are truly connected to the culture and spirit, it is understood that we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors and recognize their power and the need to pay reverence.
Artist, educator, and activist Michelle Grant-Murray, dressed in a vibrant yellow flowing ensemble, embodying Oshun, offered an ancestral call, educating some and reminding others that “we call on spirit, so that we invite the spirit in to protect us.” She began the discussion of storytelling, inviting the audience to speak, as griots, addressing the damage that the proposed budget cuts will create to our communities.
Performance artist Lucko Brono gave a power point presentation showcasing his artwork. Artist, educator, and scholar A’Keitha Carey was next on the mic, speaking of her experience in various facets of the arts (performance, education, curriculum design, grant writer, and dance critic) emphasizing the need for dance writing and archiving, enlightening the audience about the erasure that our community experiences when there is no one writing about their work.
Next, Loni Johnson and Ashlee Thomas took the stage allowing for Thomas to speak to her knowledge of what’s happening from an administrative perspective and what her feelings were about what’s going on, particularly as an artist.
State Representative Fabiàn Basabe (District 106) made an appearance speaking about corruption on these boards (chile, no comment!).
The Call Out
Brittany entered the space charged up, shuffling empty chairs around, reminding us that representation and diversity matters and the diversity that took place at the LHCC did not exist in the previous meetings (virtual) stating, “we come from many different walks. The real reason they are not here is because we control the agenda. They have shown up to 18 townhalls that they controlled and told us what they wanted to tell us….” She continued to speak on our voice and our power, reminding us that we are their constituents, and to exercise our power in the voting booth. She went on to say that “we need a lifetime endowment of the arts.” Yes ma’am!
After that powerful call to action encouraging us to activate, Black Miami Dade founder Nadege Green spoke from the audience educating di people dem, informing us that “the oldest arts space in Miami is a Black space, it is the Lyric Theater in Overtown, built in 1913.” She was dropping nuggets left and right as she spoke about the “investment in the Black art community, and that our communities do not get funded in the same way and have never been funded in the same way and so these cuts have a disparate impact because it was never equal to begin with.” She stepped on toes and corns and had some people clutching their pearls when she stated that the New World School of the Arts model was build off the Northwestern High School model. You bettah come with the history!
Why Are We Here Again?
Between1994 and 2016, there have been 104 publications written on various topics such as:
arts inclusion in education; the social impact of participation in the arts; arts and healthcare; arts and economic growth; the effects of music and movement on mother–infant interactions; the role of creative industries in industrial Innovation; the arts and human development; the social benefits of engagement with culture and sports; and the impact of arts education on the cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes of school-aged children (artfund.org).
The research has been done for decades and we have seen the positive impact, so, why are we here AGAIN? What this budget cuts proposes will risk and reduce the quality of life for many communities, damaging us/we/them/us on a surface and cellular level for decades.
“…Research demonstrates significant correlations between an accessible and well-funded arts and culture landscape and a vibrant community overall. We found that people living in …communities with many cultural resources are MORE CONNECTED, MORE INVOLVED in helping their communities, and have MORE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. We also found that positive economic connections to arts resources, like funding, have even STRONGER OUTCOMES IN RURAL COMMUNITIES” (artfund.org).
Arts are not optional, they are fundamental, intrinsic, endemic, and a vital part of our culture, community, and existence. The arts make better humans…PERIODT!
In conclusion
It takes more than saying, I love art, or my daughter danced, played the piano, or the violin. You must have a global perspective and cultural appreciation of these forms, be empathetic of the experiences of our communities, and be willing to confront inequities, dismantle systems of power, and protect vulnerable communities that will inevitably become destabilized due to this level or erasure.
Image 1: Loni Johnson & Ashlee Thomas
Image 2: Dasha Saintremy
Image 3: Loni Johnson
Image 4: Michelle Grant-Murray
Image 5: Lucko Brono
Image 6:: A’Keitha Carey
Image 7: Fabiàn Basabe
Image 8 Tawanna Hall
Image 9 Iman C
Image 10: Unknown
Image 11: Unknown
Image 12: Dr. Valerie Patterson
Image 13: Mo Beasley
Image 14: Brittany Williams
Image 15: AC & TCS
Survival and Quality of Life Are at Stake for Many
When the news broke about this budget proposal which decimated funding, the Miami arts community activated, coming together on a WhatsApp group chat titled “Arts Action Miami,” not only to discuss and vent, but to strategize. Meetings, sessions, townhalls and virtual discussions were planned and attended. But, the gag is that this new plan includes merging DCA with the library (make it make sense ya’ll). Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, county commissioners, and the Deputy Directory of Cultural Affairs, Ashlee Thomas attended many of these sessions (organized by them). They spoke about their plans, which also included increasing the sheriff’s department budget (side eye) as well as reducing funding for programs that support housing and community development as well as small businesses.
The community was outraged, rightfully so. As, I listened to the community members discuss their plans which included organizing interviews and sharing social media posts; and, as I read various articles, I noticed a common thread, there was no Black representation. Those of us who live in south Florida understand the dynamic of race and that MANY Hispanics/Latin (o/as) who are white presenting (or not), do not identify as Black, therefore benefiting from white privilege and denouncing Black identity. But that’s a conversation for another day. It became very clear that there needed to be a discussion that centered the voices and experiences of the Black community—artists, educators, funders, presenters, consumers, parents, grant writers, and business owners to speak on how these budget cuts would affect them. It was disturbing because not only is there erasure of our faces and voices in terms of advocating for our community but, it also speaks to how south Florida is represented (culturally) globally. I began to ask my colleagues, “where is Black Miami?” Where are the artists, dancers, and communities such as Little Bahamas, Goombay, Junkanooners in Coconut Grove, Dance Africa, Afro Cuban, Afro Brazilian, Afro Peruvian, Jamaican, and Haitian? Where are the recipients of the Cultural Affairs funding?
Pressure Buss Pipe
Within the last week or so, due to the community galvanizing through petitions, calls and emails to the mayor and commissioners, showing up in person and virtually to protest these cuts, the mayor has “recovered” $66 million to be used for the 2025 -2026 fiscal budget to restore community grants, projects, and initiatives, this also includes keeping the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) as an independent agency. But we understand that this is a short-term solution. This is not a consistent or recurring budget, which means we will be back here again next year if this proposed budget is voted on and approved on September 18th by the commissioners.
As a final activation townhall before the September 18th vote, many community members met at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex (LHCC). Flyers were sent, social media posts went up, calls were made, people were on the ground doing the work to get the seats at the LHCC filled by community members as well as Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, county commissioners, and the Deputy Directory of Cultural Affairs, Ashlee Thomas. Sadly, only Thomas showed up. How is it that the mayor and the commissioners were no shows when they were present to all the other events?
In true artist form, the show went on. Organizer, Brittany Williams welcomed us and Dasha Saintremy, manager of the Little Haiti Cultural Complex (LHCC) ushered us into a peaceful demonstration with a powerful spoken word about “keeping the legacy alive” beginning with a poem titled “Art is the 4th Pillar” acknowledging the indigenous peoples who invested their time, bodies, and artistic contributions to the lands articulating that “this land is not ours to claim, but it is our duty to respect.”
Loni Johnson served as moderator, in perfect symmetry and in alignment with Saintremy’s ancestral recognition, she poured libations in acknowledgment to our ancestors.
Asking the audience to stand, we were guided to “Just take this moment to take a collective breath to acknowledge those that came before us…” As Black folk, who are truly connected to the culture and spirit, it is understood that we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors and recognize their power and the need to pay reverence.
Artist, educator, and activist Michelle Grant-Murray, dressed in a vibrant yellow flowing ensemble, embodying Oshun, offered an ancestral call, educating some and reminding others that “we call on spirit, so that we invite the spirit in to protect us.” She began the discussion of storytelling, inviting the audience to speak, as griots, addressing the damage that the proposed budget cuts will create to our communities.
Performance artist Lucko Brono gave a power point presentation showcasing his artwork. Artist, educator, and scholar A’Keitha Carey was next on the mic, speaking of her experience in various facets of the arts (performance, education, curriculum design, grant writer, and dance critic) emphasizing the need for dance writing and archiving, enlightening the audience about the erasure that our community experiences when there is no one writing about their work.
Next, Loni Johnson and Ashlee Thomas took the stage allowing for Thomas to speak to her knowledge of what’s happening from an administrative perspective and what her feelings were about what’s going on, particularly as an artist.
State Representative Fabiàn Basabe (District 106) made an appearance speaking about corruption on these boards (chile, no comment!).
The Call Out
Brittany entered the space charged up, shuffling empty chairs around, reminding us that representation and diversity matters and the diversity that took place at the LHCC did not exist in the previous meetings (virtual) stating, “we come from many different walks. The real reason they are not here is because we control the agenda. They have shown up to 18 townhalls that they controlled and told us what they wanted to tell us….” She continued to speak on our voice and our power, reminding us that we are their constituents, and to exercise our power in the voting booth. She went on to say that “we need a lifetime endowment of the arts.” Yes ma’am!
After that powerful call to action encouraging us to activate, Black Miami Dade founder Nadege Green spoke from the audience educating di people dem, informing us that “the oldest arts space in Miami is a Black space, it is the Lyric Theater in Overtown, built in 1913.” She was dropping nuggets left and right as she spoke about the “investment in the Black art community, and that our communities do not get funded in the same way and have never been funded in the same way and so these cuts have a disparate impact because it was never equal to begin with.” She stepped on toes and corns and had some people clutching their pearls when she stated that the New World School of the Arts model was build off the Northwestern High School model. You bettah come with the history!
Why Are We Here Again?
Between1994 and 2016, there have been 104 publications written on various topics such as:
arts inclusion in education; the social impact of participation in the arts; arts and healthcare; arts and economic growth; the effects of music and movement on mother–infant interactions; the role of creative industries in industrial Innovation; the arts and human development; the social benefits of engagement with culture and sports; and the impact of arts education on the cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes of school-aged children (artfund.org).
The research has been done for decades and we have seen the positive impact, so, why are we here AGAIN? What this budget cuts proposes will risk and reduce the quality of life for many communities, damaging us/we/them/us on a surface and cellular level for decades.
“…Research demonstrates significant correlations between an accessible and well-funded arts and culture landscape and a vibrant community overall. We found that people living in …communities with many cultural resources are MORE CONNECTED, MORE INVOLVED in helping their communities, and have MORE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. We also found that positive economic connections to arts resources, like funding, have even STRONGER OUTCOMES IN RURAL COMMUNITIES” (artfund.org).
Arts are not optional, they are fundamental, intrinsic, endemic, and a vital part of our culture, community, and existence. The arts make better humans…PERIODT!
In conclusion
It takes more than saying, I love art, or my daughter danced, played the piano, or the violin. You must have a global perspective and cultural appreciation of these forms, be empathetic of the experiences of our communities, and be willing to confront inequities, dismantle systems of power, and protect vulnerable communities that will inevitably become destabilized due to this level or erasure.
Image 1: Loni Johnson & Ashlee Thomas
Image 2: Dasha Saintremy
Image 3: Loni Johnson
Image 4: Michelle Grant-Murray
Image 5: Lucko Brono
Image 6:: A’Keitha Carey
Image 7: Fabiàn Basabe
Image 8 Tawanna Hall
Image 9 Iman C
Image 10: Unknown
Image 11: Unknown
Image 12: Dr. Valerie Patterson
Image 13: Mo Beasley
Image 14: Brittany Williams
Image 15: AC & TCS
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