After a brief pause, The Miami Foundation is once again continuing its deepest investment in leaders — one that not only transforms people but entire communities. At the heart of a thriving Miami are the individuals who choose to lead with purpose — those who turn vision into action, who see challenges as opportunities, and who bring people together to create lasting change. The Miami Fellows program has long been one of the Foundation’s most powerful tools for nurturing that kind of leadership.
As we welcome the 18 extraordinary leaders who make up Class XII of the Miami Fellows, we asked one of our former fellows, Pilar Guzmán, to reflect on her experience:
As a proud Miami Fellow, Class X, I want to share a bit of my own journey and why this program continues to mean so much to me.
Miami: A Place We Call Home
Miami is a vibrant mosaic of nationalities, cultures, and languages. It’s a city of beauty and energy, where the ocean meets innovation, and dreams take shape. For many of us, Miami is both a beginning and a destination. Like me, many Miamians came from other countries and built lives and futures here.
Miami is dear to my heart. It’s where my children were born and where my company, Half Moon Empanadas, came to life.
I arrived in Miami in 2006, knowing no one. I had no job or network. If someone had told me what the next twenty years would hold — the challenges, the blessings, the lessons, and the incredible people who would cross my path — I wouldn’t have believed it. All of this can be summarized in one word: Miami.
The Miami Fellows Journey
I became a Miami Fellow during a full, demanding chapter of my life — growing a business while raising two small children. The fellowship weekends were intense, yet they filled me with learning, inspiration, and, most importantly, deep human connection.
The people I met — my classmates, the speakers, the mentors — became part of my story. What I didn’t realize at the time was how profoundly this network would shape my life and business years later.
This is what makes the Miami Fellows program unique. It’s not simply leadership training — it’s an investment in people who are already serving and shaping our city, giving them the relationships, tools, and perspective to make their impact even greater.
When Fellowship Meets Purpose
During COVID, when nine out of ten restaurants closed, Half Moon Empanadas faced a terrifying reality: shutting down stores and laying off staff. But the Miami Fellows network helped us survive — and ultimately, transform.
Through a connection with one of my classmates, Rashad Thomas, we were introduced to the County’s Emergency Department, which provided meals for seniors confined to their homes. Overnight, our kitchen pivoted from making empanadas to preparing thousands of meals for seniors.
That moment was about more than keeping the business alive. It became a lifeline — for our employees, for local vendors, and for the people we served. It reminded me that leadership isn’t about titles or status. It’s about service. It’s about showing up for your community when it matters most.
This is the ripple effect of investing in leaders. When you strengthen one person, you empower an entire ecosystem of change.
The Power of Opportunity
The Half Moon story began in Miami — a city that celebrates resilience and reinvention. From the start, we dreamed big. I’ll never forget competing for our first airport store at Miami International Airport. We were a small local business up against national giants. But I believed in the promise of this country, a place where hard work and integrity could open doors.
And we won.
That moment reaffirmed my belief in the American dream — and in Miami’s power to nurture that dream. Today, Half Moon Empanadas is proud to be Miami-born and growing to more than 15 airports across the nation.
Why to Invest in Leaders
The Miami Foundation believes that people build communities — and when we invest in leaders, we invest in the future of Miami itself.
Leadership is the thread that holds our community together. It’s the courage to stand up for equity, the imagination to see what’s possible, and the compassion to ensure that as we grow, we bring everyone along.
The Miami Fellows embody this spirit. They are educators, entrepreneurs, artists, advocates — people who love this city enough to roll up their sleeves and lead with purpose. The Foundation’s commitment to this program reflects a simple truth: when you pour into people, they pour back into the place they call home.
A Call to the Next Generation of Leaders
Miami is our home. And with that comes responsibility. The opportunities we’ve been given must inspire us to give back — to invest our time, talent, and resources in the place that’s given us so much.
Whether you lead a business, a classroom, a nonprofit, or a family, each of us has a role to play in shaping the future of this city. Together, we can build a Miami that creates wealth and dignity for all — a city that respects people regardless of where they come from or the accent they carry.
We are the reflection of what this country will become in the years ahead. My hope is that each of us recognizes the incredible opportunity before us — and the responsibility that comes with it. Lead with purpose. Lift others as you rise. And never forget to give back to the community that helped you grow.