Women’s History Month will kick off on March 1, with an invitation from the Women’s History Coalition of Miami-Dade County inviting the community to its observance at noon at the grave site of Julia Tuttle at the Miami City Cemetery, 1800 NE Second Ave.

The coalition begins the month-long celebration of women and their contributions to Miami and Dade County with this tribute to Tuttle, the founder of Miami. Penny Lambeth, chairwoman of the Cemetery Restoration committee, will portray Julia Tuttle, who was born in Cleveland and was an entrepreneur and businesswoman. As the founder of Miami, she is known as the only woman to found a major U.S. city. She and Mary Brickell owned the land the city was built on.

The coalition has a multi-ethnic board of directors elected by its membership annually. Its primary purpose is to coordinate and promote Women’s History Month, which is observed nationally each March.

This year is the 25th anniversary of the "Women of Impact" Award, also known as the "Julia." A luncheon celebrating the 2013 honorees and a Photographic Exhibition of the Women of Impact 1989-2013, will be from 3 to 5:30 p.m. on March 3, at the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables, 50 Alhambra Plaza in Coral Gables. The theme is "Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics." Tickets are $50 per person and $45 for members of The Coalition. Reservations are due by Tuesday. Call 305-255-4944 or email Margaret Slama at margaretmslama@aol.com.

The honorees are, Scherley Busch, Milagros R. Fornell, Michelle Dunaj Lucking, Rhonda Omega Shirley, Margaret M. Slama, Dorothy M. Wallace, and Carol F. Williamson.

Also, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday The coalition and the Miami-Dade County Commission for Women will have a lobby display at the Stephen P. Clark Center, 111 NW First St. Lambeth will again do her portrayal of Julia Tuttle. The Women’s History Month exhibit will be on display in the lobby throughout March.

Jazz band is a finalist in national competition

Our hats are off to Mark Hart, Executive and Artistic Director of Miami’s Community Arts Program All-Star Jazz Ensemble.

Hart got the word Wednesday that the All-Star Jazz Band was named among the 15 finalists in the prestigious 18th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival. The jazz group was chosen from over 100 recordings submitted from bands across the United States and Canada. It is the only after-school jazz band chosen from throughout the competition’s Region Four, made up of Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia.

During the three-day Competition and Festival in New York City, May 10-12, the band will compete and participate in activities to include workshops and jam sessions. The three top placing bands will perform at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis Artistic Director of Jazz at the Center, as guest soloist.

Play highlights role of black churches

James Baldwin’s classic The Amen Corner, a three-act play addressing the themes of the role of a church in an African American family, and the effects of poverty born of racial prejudice on an African American community.

Directed by Teddy Harrell, Jr., the play stars Brandiss Seward, Janet Toni Mason, Sarah Gracel Anderson, Carolyn Johnson, Regina Hopkins Hodges, Larmar Hodges, Jeffery Cason Jr., André L. Gainey, Ajia Williams, Yvonne Strachan and Toddra Brunson-Solimon, and features Adrian Bell, Hasani Morey and Leondra Mitchell. The play is at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, 6161 NW 22nd Ave. in Liberty City.