Eileen Higgins remains Commissioner and Daniella Levine Cava becomes Miami-Dade's first woman mayor to give women in office new hope.
The local election winners are bringing positivity into 2020 specially for women in office. First, Eileen Higgins fought and won to keep her spot as District 5 Commissioner. Daniella Levine Cava then made history, becoming Miami-Dade’s first woman mayor. Cava is also the first Democratic mayor in Miami-Dade since 2004.
Known as the “Water Warrior," Cava plans to protect the county's environment and water resources. She is also committed to investing in transit, something Higgins also intends to do.
Cava has advocated for “efficient and effective” transit countywide. Higgins believes transit needs to be more reliable, as there is too much traffic in the county. Both believe that the economy is at risk if solutions to these transit issues are not presented.
As the first woman mayor, Cava has also proven herself an advocate for women’s rights. Cava first won her commissioner seat in 2014 and she has given women in office new hope. Since then, she has helped pass legislation that made Miami-Dade the first county in the U.S. to sign on the UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
Miami-Dade has since adopted policies to ensure equal pay and equality. This will be a positive change for women in the county.
Commissioner Higgins also has a history of advocating for equal rights. She is an advocate for LGBTQ+ protections against discrimination. Higgins plans to continue this fight as Commissioner.
Both have plans to improve the strength of the economy. Higgins’ focus is on attracting higher-wage jobs and growing local small businesses. This is because housing costs in the county are skyrocketing. People are moving out of Miami-Dade due to increased rent.
This is one of the reasons that small businesses are losing business and potential customers. Higgins plans to remedy this through affordable housing. Affordable housing would build safe, successful, and connected communities.
Cava also has plans for the economy that she will tie into her fight against COVID-19. Cava believes balancing health issues and economic issues will keep the economy going. Like Higgins, she recognizes that the lives of small business owners depend on it.
Cava will bring on her chief medical officer to track COVID-19 cases. She also plans to spend time reviewing former restrictions and orders. This will help her make informed decisions while drafting new restrictions. Her priority is keeping Miami-Dade safe from the spread of COVID-19.
History is truly in the works, as these two women work to better the lives of citizens countywide.
To keep up with Commissioner Higgins or Mayor-elect Daniella Levine Cava, visit their Instagram pages—@commisheileen and @dlcava.
