Achiv Etikèt

In Greater Miami, we are surrounded by water, and yet there are so few ways to access the bay. That’s why I was excited a few years ago when a friend told me about his favorite spot in Coconut Grove, close to where I live. At the end of tree-lined Royal Road is a small piece of land that’s vacant without much to it, except for the fact that it’s a rare public space where you can take in views of Biscayne Bay. The first time I went looking for it, I biked over and down the “big hill” that’s there with my fishing pole to escape the city for a bit. I didn’t catch a thing, but it didn’t matter – I’d found a new little gem where I could take in Greater Miami’s outdoor beauty. Flash forward to this spring, I was thrilled to see a Public Space Challenge idea that wanted to transform the empty plot of land into a neighborhood mini park so that everyone can enjoy the view with greenery and seating instead of the dirt and litter that’s there now.

CULTRA, a light-hearted jab at everyone’s favorite downtown Miami electronic music festival, came about in collaboration with Emerge Miami, a group of young Miamians dedicated to empowering citizen-led projects. Our goal was to bring new audiences to our world-class green spaces on the bay and, in doing so, provide a platform for local artists while demonstrating a non-traditional use of the parks. These big, beautiful green spaces beg for activity and not just frisbee tossing and soccer games. They are downtown Miami’s front yard – our front yard – and full of potential. From January to May, CULTRA brought a roving, outdoor open mic to a different park on the third-Thursday of each month. Dozens of local musicians, spoken word artists, acrobats, theatrical groups and comedians performed during the series run.

Anyone who’s driven in Miami knows that the transit woes run deep. Currently, more than half of those who drive to work, for example, spend at least 30 minutes commuting, which is higher than the U.S. average and comparable metros like San Diego and Houston. Fortunately, projects, such as the county’s S.M.A.R.T. Plan, are underway to make transportation alternatives more accessible. Large scale projects likes these, however, can take years and immense resources to make happen.

For Coleman public housing residents Annie St. Juste and Lanston Williams, the street is the key public space in front of their homes in Liberty City. Neighborhood kids play outside, walk home from nearby Charles Drew Elementary and take advantage of the outdoor basketball courts and playground. Then at night, everything goes pitch black and it becomes unsafe. Annie and Lanston propose that simply adding streetlights will unlock their neighborhood’s front porch as a safe, accessible community gathering place into the early evening and night.