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Miami-Dade Mayor Levine Cava announces new Economic Development and Innovation leadership

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MIAMI-DADE, Fla. – Today, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced that Francesca de Quesada Covey will join her economic development team as Chief Economic Development and Innovation Officer. In this role, de Quesada Covey will lead efforts to accelerate innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment in Miami-Dade to drive continued growth and build a “future ready” economy where all residents can succeed and thrive.

Francesca de Quesada Covey has served the County as Tech Innovation advisor to the Mayor since September 2021, a position funded through the support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. In that role she helped develop the Miami-Dade Innovation Authority, an independent public-private nonprofit created with seed funding from the Knight Foundation, Citadel CEO Ken Griffin, and Miami-Dade County to find innovative private-sector solutions to some of our community’s pressing challenges. She was also Chief Investment Officer at TheVentureCity, an early stage investment firm based in Miami. In this role, she oversaw the investment strategy for pre-seed and seed investments and supported the growth of their 108 portfolio companies.

“Miami-Dade’s economy is ranked one of the most-recovered in the nation and continues to grow with new investments, business relocations, and workers in search of opportunities – particularly in tech,” said Mayor Levine Cava. “It’s more critical than ever that our government works hand-in-hand with the private sector to scale innovative solutions and invest in strong talent pipelines and workforce development, to ensure all our residents can succeed in the new economy. With robust experience across the public and private sectors and driving innovation within government, Francesca is the perfect person to lead our FutureReady economic development strategy as we work to make Miami-Dade the best place in the country to live and work.”

“Miami-Dade’s economy is one of the strongest in the nation, made up of world-class corporations, small businesses employing nearly 60% of our residents, and a burgeoning tech ecosystem. To cement our future growth and to ensure Miami-Dade’s status as an innovation hub, we need to provide more resources for entrepreneurs, increase opportunities for local talent, and modernize and streamline the County’s economic development functions to better serve the people building and scaling businesses,” said de Quesada Covey. “I am thrilled to bring my experience from both the federal government, and fast moving private and public companies, to lead the economic innovation and development team – helping drive forward Mayor Levine Cava’s efforts to grow and ensure a more inclusive, diverse, thriving economy for all.”

Francesca is a seasoned business development technology executive and investor with over 15 years of experience developing public-private partnerships and advising technology firms, elected officials, and government agencies. de Quesada Covey worked at Meta where she led and grew Business Development and partnerships teams focused on internationalization and growth. In her tenure she worked on connectivity, payments, and small and medium-size business efforts, culminating with a cross-company strategy role in the CEO and COO’s office. Before joining Meta, she served as Deputy Counselor of Strategic Engagement in the Office of Public Engagement under President Obama.

de Quesada Covey holds degrees from Columbia University (B.A., political science and French) and Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Paris, France (M.A., finance). She is the daughter of Cuban immigrants, and along with her husband and two daughters she proudly calls Miami-Dade home.

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South Florida News

Derrick Hayes, the founder and CEO of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, joined forces with DJ Khaled and Jay “Jeezy” Jenkins for a day of golf in Miami

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Miami, FL – This week, Derrick Hayes, the founder and CEO of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, joined forces with DJ Khaled and Jay “Jeezy” Jenkins for a day of golf in Miami, FL. The trio came together to support Jeezy’s philanthropic endeavors and enjoy a day of friendly competition on the golf course in celebration of the money raised at the 3rd annual Sno Ball Gala fundraiser.

Derrick Hayes had previously attended the Sno Ball Gala, created and hosted by his friend, Mr. Jenkins, in October. During the event, he placed a generous donation to the foundation. The Sno Ball Gala is a charitable event that raises funds for Jeezy’s Street Dreamz Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Street Dreamz Foundation is dedicated to empowering at-risk youth and fostering their leadership skills through various programs. The foundation’s mission is to encourage independence, respect for others, and motivate each child to reach their ultimate potential in their area of interest.

Derrick Hayes, known for his successful business ventures, is no stranger to supporting causes that make a positive impact on the community. He continues to demonstrate his commitment to philanthropy and empowering the next generation.

 

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South Florida News

Tamarac City Commission Appoints Caribbean-American Morey Wright as Vice Mayor

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TAMARAC, Fla. (December 15, 2023) – During the City of Tamarac’s Dec. 13, regular City Commission meeting, the Tamarac City Commission unanimously voted to appoint District 2 Commissioner, Morey Wright, as the City’s Vice Mayor.

 

Wright will serve as Vice Mayor for a one-year term, with the responsibility of acting as Mayor in the Mayor’s absence.

 

He was elected to the Tamarac City Commission in November 2022. During his time in office, he has represented the City of Tamarac as a voting delegate for the 97th Annual Florida League of Cities Conference. Wright also served as chair of the auditor selection committee.

 

“I’m honored to be appointed as Tamarac’s Vice Mayor,” said Wright. “I am excited to continue to work with the Commission, residents and community members to develop meaningful programs and initiatives that will positively impact Tamarac and ensure that our City remains a vibrant and thriving community for all.”

 

Born in the Virgin Islands to a Virgin Islander mother and a Jamaican father, Wright is a University of Florida alumnus who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He also earned two master’s degrees in business and government from Johns Hopkins University.

 

Professionally, Wright is an executive at a South Florida-based e-commerce company. He also owns a small business that consults on digital technology and marketing.

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South Florida News

Inaugural Reggae Genealogy Concert Event Comes to Plantation, Florida

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Plantation, Florida – On Saturday, February 10, 2024, in celebration of Reggae Month, the story of the Caribbean’s most prolific music genre will be presented to South Florida in a bold new way. The inaugural historical retrospective and concert event “Reggae Genealogy – The Origins, Evolution and Influence of Jamaican Music,” produced by Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, will be presented in the city of Plantation, Florida. A blend of entertainment and education, this event will showcase live performances including music and dance, archival video elements and contemporary narratives for a fully immersive experience. Reggae Genealogy will take place in the northeast parking lot of the Broward Mall.

 

The entire history of Jamaican music will find representation. Beloved icons who are no longer with us, such as Harry Belafonte, the first recording artist to sell a million records in the U.S., will speak to the audience in recorded video. Living legends like Mykal Rose of Black Uhuru, the first reggae band to win a Grammy, will make special guest appearances.

 

Reggae Genealogy event is presented in partnership with Broward Mall and the City of Plantation, and made possible in part by the support of the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Broward County Cultural Division, Grace Foods, Jamaica Tourist Board, Blue Mahoe Capital, the Beach Channel, Visit Lauderdale, Only the Best Printing and the following funds at the Community Foundation of Broward: Judith Cornfeld Fund for the Arts, Helen and Frank Stoykov Charitable Endowment Fund and The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation Broward Community Fund.

The three-hour showcase will trace the early beginnings of popular Jamaican music, prior to Jamaican independence from Britain in 1962, to the present, touching on mento, ska, Nyabinghi, rocksteady, lover’s rock, dub, reggae and dancehall. The showcase will also highlight the influence of Jamaican music on genres such as hip hop, reggaeton, EDM and Afrobeats.

 

To execute the inaugural staging of Reggae Genealogy, Island SPACE has assembled an experienced team of experts in reggae music history, event production and business. The team includes Lloyd Stanbury – one of the founders of Reggae Month and of the first Jamaican all-reggae radio station, IRIE FM, and Calibe Thompson and David I. Muir – the former producers of The Taste the Islands Experience culinary festival, and co-founders of Island SPACE. Other team members include authors, documentarians, television and video producers, radio personalities and choreographers.

 

The gates open at 3 p.m. with showtime at 6 p.m. Pre-sold tickets are $20 or $25 at the gate. Afternoon attendees can enjoy restaurant and artisan vendors and tours of Island SPACE Caribbean Museum inside the Broward Mall. Find tickets, general, sponsorship, vendor and volunteer information at www.reggaegenealogy.org

 

Island Society for the Promotion of Artistic and Cultural Education (Island SPACE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of arts, culture, history, and educational initiatives that represent the Caribbean region, in South Florida and the broader diaspora. The public is invited to visit the Caribbean museum Thursdays through Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m. and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. General museum entry is $10 per adult and $5 per child. Visit www.islandspacefl.org to learn more.

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