Miami is lucky to be home to some powerhouses running the show. The county is run by some incredible individuals, such as Commissioner Eileen Higgins, who has achieved some incredible feats during her career.
In fact Eileen Higgins accomplished a lot in 2021 alone, making waves as one of Miami’s most well-loved and respected leaders. In just the past two months, she’s managed to have three major pieces of legislation passed that will benefit the community in Miami in several ways.
In November of this year, her legislation to expand NEAT Streets Miami-Dade was successfully passed, increasing funding for tree plantings to now include unincorporated areas of the county. It also expands where trees can be planted by NEAT Streets, from strictly public rights-of-way to include parks, schools, public housing, and more. The goal is to help low-income neighborhoods increase the tree canopy there, given how difficult accessibility can be.
Soon after, another legislation urging the Florida Legislature to provide funding for the Bay of Pigs Brigade 2506 Museum was approved. The museum, which is in Little Havana, was created to commemorate the 1,400 freedom fighters who fought to liberate the people of Cuba from tyrannical, dictatorial rule. It’s been 60 years since this historical event and Commissioner Higgins was quoted saying that these stories need to be celebrated and preserved for generations to come.
The museum honors the Assault Brigade, which was comprised of Cuban exiles in the US, including doctors, engineers, musicians, and incredible individuals who worked to liberate the Cuban people--with over 100 people losing their lives in combat or after the captivity. Through state funding, they hope to improve the museum and honor the sacrifices they made, and we look forward to seeing this incredible moment for the Cuban community being memorialized.
Commissioner Eileen Higgins is also ending the year on a high note, with another legislation passed at the start of December, creating the Plastic Free 305 Program. The program is a certification-based volunteer program for businesses in Miami-Dade County, encouraging them to take more action to reduce their plastic consumption. It’s an excellent initiative to motivate businesses and individuals alike, to lead to a Greener Miami. This is an extension of Commissioner Higgin’s Greener Coral Way initiative, which was launched in 2019.
This is just the start of some incredible work that the Board of County Commissioners is engaged in, and we can’t wait to see what 2022 holds!
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