On Saturday February 22, Miami residents and shop owners drew a line in the sand. As Commissioner Audrey Edmonson moves to demolish a city block in Liberty City*, and in the process displace historic Black businesses, Liberty City residents said "No!"

See photos here: http://bit.ly/a0SXSX

Our response wasn't a protest on a street corner with placards, it wasn't a petition drive, or a meeting. Starting early in the morning, we reclaimed a vacant store front, repainted the exterior in white, and then in an effort to illustrate their devoted sentiment to their community, they painted a big red heart proclaiming that corner the heart of the city.

Children and grandparents gathered on the sidewalk, armed with paintbrushes and took to the wall to draw heart after heart.

Five years ago, there was an initial push to tear down the block (and the adjacent one to the south) and build hi-rise condos, a bus station, and high-end retail shops.

Our recent action comes after Commissioner Audrey Edmonson refused to discuss or honor a Community Building Agreement developed by residents and shop owners since 2005.  

By midday, the residents were joined by an international gathering of grassroots organizations from the annual congress for Grassroots Global Justice, which included residents from China Town in New York City, Oakland California, and Portland, Oregon, and visitors from Brazil. In solidarity, everyone grabbed paint brushes, ladders, and bright color paint cans adding their heart to the fight for Liberty City.   

See photos here: http://bit.ly/a0SXSX

"This was the strip, right here," said Fraizer Hawkins, long time resident of Liberty City, and member of Miami Workers Center as he stood on a small patch of grass next to the MWC office, in front of a smoking barbeque grill, tongs in hand like a conductor before an orchestra. "This is still a very important and historical part of the city. Instead of tearing down the businesses that are here, the county should be doing everything they can to support them."With a heavy heart, he looked down the block, sun glinting in his glasses, distant memories caught in his furrowed forehead.

The Miami Workers Center, along with Low-Income Families Fighting Together, Miami in Action and a coalition of shop owners and residents will continue to fight for community control over development, democracy and fairness in our city. Over the course of the next several months, we will send you updates and ask for your support at our upcoming actions to defend the rights of shop owners and residents in our city.

*Background

When you enter Liberty City on 62nd Street, the first avenue you come to is NW 7th Ave. On either side of the wide avenue are small locally owned shops. There is Leon the tailor, who has done the honors of altering the Sundays Best and special occasion wardrobes for people all over Liberty City.

There is Mop City Barbershop where Mr. Johnny has been cutting hair for decades, and where men gather late into the evening spreading the local news and passing the time.

Across the street and down the block is the old Carver Theatre where everybody, and I mean everybody, used to go to see the latest films.

Down the corner and across the other street, there is Dave's Deli, where you can get eggs and salmon cakes with the signature extra grease to top it off.. You can pick up the latest edition of the Miami Times and hear the latest word on the street.  

On the other side of the block, there is Greene Dreams Shoes, a neighborhood staple in business for nearly 50 years. You can still go get your shoes repaired, pick up a Black pride shirt, or just get some new laces by owners Mr. Greene and Mrs. Greene.

Some of these businesses are threatened. Not by the bad economy, although that isn't helping, but by the bulldozers of a negligent and blind government.

In 2004, Miami Dade Transit started moving to tear down the block of buildings on NW 7th Ave between NW 62 and NW 60th Street. The politicians and bureaucrats said they wanted to build a "Transit Village" combining high-rise condos, a bus station, and retail space. In order to do this, they were going to displace historic Black businesses and disrupt the local economy on NW 7th Ave.

So residents and small businesses organized, along with the Miami Workers Center, who has an office on this block for 8 years.  

We demanded a right to return and financial assistance for the businesses on the block. We demanded affordable housing that meet the local area's needs. We demanded construction jobs and ongoing permanent jobs for people from the neighborhood.

Just as the campaign was gaining steam, after several meetings with the community and Miami Dade Transit, the project died. Now 6 years later,  County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson is revising the Transit Village, and she has been hostile to the residents and shop owners who have an interest in the block at the entrance to Liberty City.

The fight for the heart and soul of Miami will continue….