No doubt this has been a strange year and most of us are eager to move on to 2021, but we FINALLY have something to celebrate on Calle Ocho. Our businesses are opening, and one can see life coming back to our streets, and our Miami Marlins made it to the postseason for the first time since 2003.
We know, there are mixed feelings out there about our home team (formally known as The Florida Marlins), but one thing we can all agree on is that they have been incredible to our local Little Havana community this year, and for that they deserve major props. They may have not advanced to the finals, but they had a great albeit short 2020 season.
Miami Marlins in the past
Baseball has a long history in the Latin Community, and many of our very own GREATS like Livan Hernandez (Cuba) who lead us to our first World Series Win in 1997, and Miguel Cabrera (Venezuela) in 2003 are Latin. The connection is long and steep and was even the subject of a feature-length 2017 documentary by Joe Cardona aptly called Major League Cuban.
The Miami Marlins have always embraced that connection with our Latin community by supporting local organizations like the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana and Viernes Culturales every chance they get. Under the Jeter administration, the Marlins have even embraced our diverse community by making sure that we are all represented at the stadium with bi-lingual campaigns and programs like #juntosmiami and #ourcolores. I personally appreciate that families of all income levels have access to their baseball games. I think that is huge because I am a huge baseball fan myself with a family of 5 that often sits in the very-Miami 305 comunidad section.
Miami Marlins during the pandemic
Most recently during the pandemic, our Miami Marlins were one of the FIRST to step up and use their rainy-day funds to keep ALL staff (including part-time workers) employed during these trying times. Also, The Miami Marlins Foundation was also the first to step up to the plate (pun intended) with food distributions that have continued even still today thanks to their pledge to distribute 800,000 meals through their Home Plate Meals Relief Fund.
Most recently I was so impressed by their willingness to increase their commitments locally despite their own obvious financial difficulties (with a shortened season), with the Kiwanis of Little Havana Back Pack drive that delivered 9,000 back packs to our Little Havana area school children.
In a year where let’s face it, nothing is normal or uncontentious. I think we can ALL finally agree that the MIAMI MARLINS deserve some major applause and kudos for STEPPING UP THEIR GAME in every way. For more information on food drives and the great work of the MMF please visit Miami Marlins Foundation.
Upcoming Food Distribution Dates:
Feeding South Florida & Monkey Knife Fight
November 11, 1 p.m., Marlins Park
Feeding South Florida & Monkey Knife Fight
November 18, 9 a.m., Gwen Cherry Park
Home Plate Meals Thanksgiving Distribution
November 21, TBD, Marlins Park
Feeding South Florida & Monkey Knife Fight
December 2, 9 a.m., Gwen Cherry Park
Feeding South Florida & Monkey Knife Fight
December 9, 1 p.m., Marlins Park
Feeding South Florida
December 16, 1 p.m., Marlins Park
Written by Denise Galvez Turros
Studied Journalism & Mass Communication, Political Science at Florida International University
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