Community Outreach

Thelma Gibson Turns 99 and Raises $70K For Her Non-Profit in Coconut Grove

Published

4 months ago

January 7, 2026

South Florida Insider

Miami Community Celebrates Coconut Grove Civil Rights Icon Thelma Gibson on Her 99th Birthday, Her Non-Profit Raises $70,000 For House & Programs.

December 22nd, 2025

Top Miami elected officials, business leaders, family and friends came together this weekend (Friday, Dec. 19th) in Coconut Grove at the Woman’s Club of Coconut Grove for a luncheon fundraiser gathering to celebrate Black Civil Rights Icon Thelma Gibson as she turned 99 years old this month. Nearly 100 attendees used this monumental birthday to fundraise for her nonprofit– The Thelma Gibson Health Initiative, Inc. (TGHI)–which provides funding, housing, programs and resources for underserved Miami residents that need support with housing, homelessness, substance abuse, ptsd/trauma, job training, poverty, HIV and more.

Commissioner Raquel Regalado attended Mrs. Gibson’s beautiful celebration and provided a Proclamation to her, marking Dec. 19th the official Thelma Gibson Day in Coconut Grove while honoring all the work and dedication she has provided to the community over the past 99 years as a nurse, civil rights advocate and leader.

Mrs. Gibson has dedicated her life to helping the disenfranchised Black community in Coconut Grove achieve fair housing, equality and access to jobs, an adverse point in history that has often been left out of Coconut Grove’s history.

Coconut Grove was originally inhabited by Bahamians who migrated from the Caribbean since the 1800’s and established/built many of the first houses and communities in Coconut Grove, co-existing with fellow Native Americans. Coconut Grove is commonly known as “the little Bahamas” in the Black Miami community because so many Bahamians first lived here in the 1800s-1900s and established and built the city up.

Over $70,000 was raised at Mrs. Gibson’s extraordinary 99th birthday luncheon thanks to a silent auction of donated luxury goods/services provided by local Coconut Grove businesses as well as on-going fundraising efforts by the TGHI non-profit organization.

Hosted in collaboration with Mrs. Gibson’s other organization– the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Miami-Dade County–to celebrate her birthday 99 years ago in 1903 in Coconut Grove. Mrs. Gibson ultimately went on to attend segregated school in Coconut Grove from grades K-12 and through perseverance ultimately overcoming systematic discrimination, segregation inequality in the workplace due to her skin color and gender. This led her to dedicate her life to fighting for true equality for all: “She paved the path for so many of us successful Black and Brown Miami residents working and building companies and brands here in Miami today in 2025. Thelma has truly become a beacon of hope and admiration in Coconut Grove as a successful civil rights leader, community member, compassionate nurse and advocate for equality,” said Merline Barton, President and Co-Founder of TGHI.

Mrs. Gibson was the sixth of 14 children born and has dedicated the last 99 years of her life to uplifting and supporting disenfranchised communities with proactive programs and support through her non-profit and the WCC, which she also founded 25 years ago. Mrs. Gibson has dedicated her life to sharing and promoting education, financial literacy, and mental health wellness with an emphasis on the Brown and Black community.

The TGHI currently serves low-income and disenfranchised communities across Miami-Dade County who are often battling economic inequality, poverty, illiteracy, drug dependency, HIV contraction, delinquency, teen pregnancy, gang violence, crime, mental health crises and/or hopelessness. “Thelma has done so much for us and the local Miami community and we’re blessed to celebrate her impact and continue building on her legacy to support others in need during hard times. As we celebrate her 99th birthday this week, we’ll be able to bring together some of the most prominent women and men of Miami-Dade County and do some incredible good in her honor,” said Jordan Thomas, Director of Strategic Initiatives.

Fundraiser proceeds from this 99th birthday celebration luncheon will directly support the renovation of TGHI’s newly acquired property, which will become the organization’s first permanent home and co-work space, which is Mrs. Gibson’s ultimate vision for stability, dignity, and community empowerment. “I’m proud to have the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Miami-Dade County be a part of this new TGHI chapter, with a dedicated office space as we work on future collaborative ventures and programs that provide positive change in the Miami community. This shared TGHI facility is especially meaningful as Mrs. Gibson not only founded TGHI, but also established the WCC, continuing her legacy of uplifting women, families, and the greater community,” Dr. Melissa stated.

ABOUT THE THELMA GIBSON HEALTH INITIATIVE (TGHI)

The Thelma Gibson Health Initiative (TGHI) is a Florida registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization has been dedicated to making a positive impact in the local South Florida community for 25 years through various programs and initiatives that deliver essential support, resources, and opportunities to disenfranchised communities throughout Miami-Dade County. No matter how small or big a task, from providing clothing, housing, job training or delivering programs that help combat poverty, illiteracy, drug dependency, HIV transmission, delinquency, teen pregnancy, gang violence, crime, and hopelessness, TGHI is dedicated to . Since 2000, inspired by Mrs. Thelma V. Gibson’s involvement in the local Miami-Dade County community, TGHI has focused on developing brighter futures for individuals and families facing socio-economic, emotional or discriminatory challenges by working with and employing caring and experienced professionals including counselors, certified behavior analysts, case managers, and vocational training staff that lead others to a thriving career and a successful, positive life. To learn more, please visit https://www.tghi-cg.org.

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Community Outreach

Miami Beach’s Rainbow Crosswalk Unveiling

Published

1 month ago

April 11, 2026

McKaela Lulic

On Ocean Drive, under the South Florida sun and in one of the most historically meaningful stretches of Miami Beach, the unveiling of the Rainbow Crosswalk marker felt like far more than a routine public event. It felt emotional, defiant, and deeply rooted in memory.

April 11, 2026

Set at 12th Street and Ocean Drive, the Rainbow Crosswalk already carries symbolic power. The site honors Miami Beach as a diverse and inclusive city while recognizing the LGBTQ+ people who helped preserve and revitalize this historic community over the decades. But at this unveiling, officials and advocates made clear that the meaning of the crosswalk has only deepened in a moment when queer visibility and protection feel especially urgent.

One of the most moving ideas repeated throughout the event was that showing up is its own kind of power. There was a sense that simply gathering, standing together, and refusing to be silent mattered. Another message that stayed with the crowd was the reminder to craft love from heartbreak, a line that captured both the pain behind this history and the resilience that continues to define it.

The remarks from local leaders gave the ceremony its sharpest edge. One speaker made the point plainly: “If there’s an attack on one of us, there’s an attack on all of us.” Another underscored that this was “more than a ribbon cutting” and instead “a statement about who we refuse to remove.” That idea landed hard. This was not just a celebration of design or public space. It was a refusal to let queer history be erased.

Perhaps the most memorable line of the morning came with a truth that felt impossible to ignore: “You can try to remove symbols, but you can’t erase people.” In a moment where symbols are often targeted first, the crosswalk stood as proof that visibility still matters and that public recognition still holds power.

There was also a haunting historical connection drawn during the event by a member of the community I had the pleasure of speaking with, with mention that one of the first rainbow crosswalks torn up elsewhere had been in front of Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, where 53 gay people were shot in one of the deadliest acts of violence against the LGBTQ+ community in American history. That reminder gave the unveiling an even deeper emotional charge. This was not just about paint, stone, or signage. It was about survival, memory, and the insistence on being seen.

And maybe that is why another phrase heard during the event felt so fitting: from the destruction comes the resurrection. At the Rainbow Crosswalk, that spirit was everywhere. Not only in the marker itself, but in the people gathered around it, in the history beneath it, and in the message it now sends to everyone who passes by.

Community Outreach

Miami Could Finally Get an Official Anthem as Elevated Tracks 305 Global Song Contest Launches

Published

2 months ago

March 5, 2026

McKaela Lulic

From Latin pop and hip hop to electronic music and jazz, the sounds of the 305 have traveled far beyond South Florida. Yet despite its enormous cultural influence, Miami has never formally adopted an official city anthem.

March 4, 2026

A new global initiative hopes to change that.

Elevated Tracks 305, a newly launched songwriting competition, is inviting artists from around the world to compose an original anthem that captures the spirit, rhythm, and cultural identity of Miami. The contest officially opened submissions on March 4 and will accept entries through March 30, 2026.

The project is led by Elevate Miami and Guitars Over Guns in collaboration with the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, bringing together music education, industry leadership, and civic culture to create what organizers hope will become the city’s defining musical tribute.

Artists interested in participating can learn more at

https://www.elevatecities.org/miami/elevatedtracks305/

Elevated Tracks 305 Launches a Global Search for Miami’s Sound

The Elevated Tracks 305 contest invites musicians, producers, and songwriters with a meaningful connection to Miami to create an original song that reflects the city’s identity.

Organizers say the goal is to capture the qualities that make Miami unique, including its diversity, resilience, cultural fusion, and global influence.

The competition is open to all musical styles. Artists are encouraged to submit songs across genres, including Latin, pop, hip hop, R&B, jazz, electronic, and fusion, reflecting the city’s multicultural soundscape.

Submissions are being accepted through

https://elevatecities.submittable.com

Six winners will ultimately be selected across adult and youth categories.

Music Industry Leaders With Miami Roots Support the Project

The Elevated Tracks 305 initiative has drawn support from major figures in the global music industry who have deep ties to Miami.

Among the artists and industry leaders backing the competition are:

Rico Love, Grammy Award winning songwriter and producer
Jon Secada, Latin Grammy and Grammy Award winning singer songwriter
Rudy Pérez, internationally recognized songwriter and producer
Danny Flores, Latin Grammy winning producer and Frost School of Music alumnus

The judging panel will also include Julio Bagué, Vice President of the Latin Division East Coast and Puerto Rico at peermusic, along with Dr. Chad Bernstein, founder and CEO of Guitars Over Guns.

More information about the nonprofit organization can be found at

https://www.guitarsoverguns.org

Faculty members from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami will also serve on the jury.

Learn more about the Frost School at

https://frost.miami.edu

Cash Prizes and National Exposure for Winning Artists

The contest will award six total winners, including three adult winners and three youth winners.

Prize awards include:

First place

$10,000

Second place

$2,500

Third place

$1,000

Beyond cash prizes, winners will also receive citywide and national media exposure, as well as opportunities for live performances and digital amplification throughout 2026.

Final selections will be determined through a hybrid voting model comprising 50 percent jury voting and 50 percent public voting.

Organizers expect winners to be announced in early May 2026, just ahead of Miami’s annual 305 Day celebrations.

A Cultural Initiative Designed to Celebrate Miami

While the Elevated Tracks 305 competition will crown winners, organizers emphasize that the project is meant to do more than launch a song contest.

The initiative is part of a broader cultural effort from Elevate Miami, a civic platform created through the Elevate Prize Foundation, to strengthen community connection and civic pride through the arts.

By inviting artists across generations to participate, Elevated Tracks 305 aims to create a musical tribute that reflects Miami’s creative ecosystem and global cultural influence.

Joe Deitch, founder of the Elevate Prize Foundation and Elevate Cities, describes the initiative as an opportunity for artists to help define how the city presents itself to the world.

With one of the most diverse music scenes anywhere on the planet, Miami may soon have an anthem that reflects the sound of the city locals simply call the 305.

September 28, 2025

Miami knows how to throw a party with a purpose, and on Friday, September 26, the Mayfair House Hotel & Garden bloomed into The Enchanted Garden for Luminous Global’s 4th Annual Light Up the Night Gala. The evening was equal parts glamour and heart, with guests arriving in style to support a mission that is transforming breast health awareness.

Supermodel and Real Housewives of New York original star Kelly Killoren Bensimon turned heads on the pink carpet, where she was joined by Luminous Global founder and CEO Marylin Dans and Florida House Representative Fabian Basabe. The arrivals set the tone for a night that was as celebratory as it was meaningful.

Inside the garden-inspired ballroom, the setting was pure magic. Guests sipped champagne beneath twinkling lights, live music floated through the air, and conversations flowed as advocates, changemakers, and community leaders came together. The energy of the room made it clear that this was not just another Miami gala. It was a gathering of people determined to make a difference.

The program honored this year’s awardees whose dedication to advocacy continues to shape the future of breast health. Their stories brought both smiles and tears, reminding everyone of the power of education, awareness, and early action. Proceeds from the evening directly supported The Luminous Advocacy Project, a nonprofit focused on promoting early detection, advancing education, and ensuring women everywhere have access to equitable medical care.

Highlights of the Evening

Guests were introduced to Luminous, the first breast familiarity tool designed to give users a visual reference of their own breast health. Presented as an app and awareness lifestyle guide, it helps women and men build consistent habits for self-familiarity. Luminous does not replace medical exams but complements them by empowering people to recognize changes early.

The gala also spotlighted the organization’s global outreach efforts. Upcoming missions include Medical Mission Honduras 2025: Pathway to Wellness, where volunteers and medical professionals will bring diagnostic care, health education, and vital breast health services to underserved communities abroad.

On the educational side, guests learned about the project’s commitment to spreading awareness through multilingual resources and school outreach programs, ensuring that communities both local and international have the knowledge they need to take charge of their health. The initiative’s vision also includes working toward FDA Class III approval for its device, a milestone that would make this technology more widely available.

A Night That Truly Glowed

By the time the music quieted and the last glasses were raised, it was clear that the night had lived up to its name. The gala was beautiful, it was fun, and it carried a glow of hope that left everyone inspired. Guests walked away with more than memories of an enchanting evening. They carried with them the reminder that awareness is action, and that together, Miami’s community can shine a light on change.

To learn more about The Luminous Advocacy Project click HERE!