Moving Miami Forward: The players that are leading the way to a brighter future for the city

Throughout history, the most significant changes have been accomplished by the banding together of communities. During those moments, we can count on there being figures that stand out because of their leadership skills and natural charisma. In partnership with Brightline Trains, INDULGE got to know a few of Miami’s power players that influence the city’s culture, be it through public service, entertainment, technology, education, or transportation. While each one contributes to their respective industries in their own way, there’s one thing on which they all agree: the has got it going on. And it’s only getting better.

Mayor Francis Suarez

Named to the 2019 TIME 100 Next List, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has an eye toward the city’s future as a hub for both technology-based entrepreneurship and climate adaptability. As chair of the environmental committee for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Suarez is on the frontlines of environmental policy across the nation. Locally, he’s created the Miami Forever Bond, a resiliency bond that counts affordable housing a top priority. “We have to make sure we have a Miami that’s not just here forever, but is also here for everyone,” says Suarez.

What exciting things are on the horizon for Miami?

Miami is so diverse and it’s growing incredibly. We continue to have these global events like the Super Bowl, the launch of the Inter Miami soccer team and Formula One. Next year, we also have the College Football National Championships and we just announced the World Baseball Classic. The sky is the limit for this city.

What’s your go-to restaurant for a dinner out with the family?

My wife Gloria and I live in Coconut Grove with our two children, Andrew, 6, and Gloriana, 2. We love going to Bellini at Mr. C — it’s incredible what’s going on in that area. We also enjoy Strada in the Grove and Tigertail + Mary. I just became vegan — it’s something I’ve been doing for the last six months. There’s a great place that serves healthy dishes downtown called Manna Life Food that I order from often.

As a now-vegan mayor, how are you leading a healthy lifestyle movement in the community?

We’ve worked with organizations like DeliverLean on a healthy city campaign. During Hurricane Irma, through the city’s emergency procedures, we procured meals through DeliverLean to feed thousands of elderly people. I want to build on that to make sure our first responders in natural disasters are eating healthy and that the homeless and those below the poverty line in the city are getting nutritious food. We are working on programs that will be announced later this year to help increase the city’s nutrition profile.

Updated statement by Mayor Francis Suarez on April 8, 2020: As everybody knows, I’ve been personally affected by COVID 19. At a personal level, I was blessed to have a mild case. The most difficult part of it was to be apart from my family. But it was also a call to action for me. Being only the second confirmed case in our county meant that I had to do something about it. At the beginning it was by doing a chronicle of my case, to clarify some myths surrounding the virus. Then, as someone who came through the illness, I have a responsibility to help others. That’s why I became the first person in Florida to donate my plasma, so it can be used in patients with severe cases. But besides what I can do as a human being, I have a responsibility as a Mayor of the biggest city in Miami Dade County. I need to keep residents safe. That’s why we were one of the first cities to order a shelter in place, to order a curfew, to cancel big events such as Ultra music festival –even facing criticism from other elected leaders-, and to work on our services to test people for COVID 19 (by providing at home tests and testing sites). There are other things that I cannot control, but I will do everything in my power to address difficult issues such as the risk that having an airport that receives 50 million people every year poses for us at his moment. That’s why I asked the President to suspend flights incoming into Miami International Airport from hotspot destinations domestic and international.

Emilio Estefan

World-renowned music, television and film producer, Emilio Estefan has shaped the careers of superstars like Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and Ricky Martin — not to mention his powerhouse wife Gloria. Over the span of a 40-year career, Estefan’s racked up honors including a Presidential Medal of Freedom, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and countless Grammy Awards. Today, his daughter Emily is also a rising star musician. He and Gloria have further solidified their place in Miami culture as local restaurateurs and hoteliers.

Where do you go for live music in Miami today?

I’m so proud of the Performance Series that we produce in the Miami Design District’s Palm Court in the spring and fall. It’s a weekly series that’s free and open to the public. We’ve had incredible artists perform like The Wailers, Il Volo, Gloria Gaynor, Arturo Sandoval, Jon Secada and my daughter Emily.

What are your go-to spots for shopping and art in the Design District?

There are great stores like Tom Ford, Bvlgari and Gucci. After shopping, you have to stop at Estefan Kitchen for lunch or dinner and our famous mojitos. We also have live music on the weekends. For art, Gary Nader’s gallery in nearby Wynwood features amazing pieces you won’t see anywhere else in the world.

What’s a travel destination you return to time and time again?

Gloria and I love heading north to Vero Beach, where we have a second home. We go with the family. Costa d’ Este is an award-winning beach resort that we opened in Vero. It’s quiet, relaxing and only a three-hour drive from Miami.

Updated statement by Emilio Estefan on April 8, 2020: Even in these times of uncertainty, I believe that we will grow from this experience and that our world will be a better place for having gone through this. I continue to wake up each morning with a positive outlook for what our future holds, and I’m grateful that my family and friends are healthy and safe.

Melissa Medina

Named a 2019 Power Leader in Technology by the South Florida Business Journal, Melissa Medina is shaping Miami’s future as a global tech hub through her role as president of eMerge Americas. Known as the premier technology event of the Americas, the conference will be held November 4-5 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. “My personal mission is to empower women, empower entrepreneurs and empower youth in our community,” says Medina. “eMerge Americas has allowed me to impact each of these groups.”

What’s your favorite app that we might not know about?

I used the app Withlocals on my last trip to Europe with my kids and it was great. The app matches you with a local tour guide and they customize experiences for you based on what your interests are. It’s pretty neat and all of the local tour guides we were matched with were wonderful.

What’s your favorite Florida destination for a weekend getaway?

Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo is a quick one-hour drive from our house. My family and I spend time in the water, take in the ocean breeze and most importantly, disconnect and spend a lot of quality time together.

What’s your top travel hack?

As a mom of five, it’s very important to travel as light as possible. I discovered the Away brand carry-on luggage and it changed my life! Now, we travel everywhere with our carry-ons. If we’re going somewhere that requires thick clothing, like ski gear, I ship that in advance.

What do you love about Miami in the springtime?

I love that the weather allows you to be outside more than ever. I enjoy going to parks with my kids, playing tennis, boating, going to my sons’ soccer and lacrosse games, and family meals in outdoor restaurants, such as Glass & Vine in Coconut Grove

Updated statement by Melissa Medina on April 8, 2020: Around the world, coronavirus has affected people both personally and professionally. It has changed our daily lives and has forced many of us to have to make some very difficult decisions. As a community, we now face a new set of challenges to recover from the impact of this global pandemic. However, now is the time to pivot, not pause. In times of such uncertainty, my hope is that we will band together and emerge more resilient than ever before.

Carla Hill

“I believe Miami has lived in the cultural 21st century for quite some time,” says Carla Hill. As an education veteran of over 15 years, Hill is the director of inclusion and community engagement at the elite Ransom Everglades School, where she leads their diversity and equity initiatives. “As a community we’ve adopted each other’s traditions in such a way that we see a morning cafecito and a lunchtime sprinkling of Haitian pikliz on our rice and peas, for instance, as a Miami norm,” says Hill. “We have so many unique stories that make up our city.”

What’s your favorite family-friendly restaurant in Miami?

Jamrock Cuisine in West Kendall has the best Jamaican-style Sunday breakfast. My husband Marlon was born in Jamaica and he says that their Sunday breakfast reminds him of cherished childhood meals with his grandmother in Kingston. I love their hominy corn porridge. It’s deliciously sweet and creamy with subtle Caribbean spice notes of nutmeg and cinnamon.

What’s a travel destination you return to time and time again?

I make my way to my family’s home country of Trinidad and Tobago at least once a year no matter what and I love going for the famous Carnival celebration. I’ll arrive in time to experience about five days of nonstop fetes before the official two-day-long parade of costumed bands. I’m surrounded by everything I love — soca music and family. Most importantly, the parade is my way of honoring my ancestors and participating in the legacy of this passed down living ritual of freedom.

What’s your ideal Miami stay cation?

Almost every Fourth of July my cousins, who reside in the Atlanta and DC areas, have met us in Miami for a long weekend at the W Miami on Brickell Avenue. After spending a day by the pool, we join the masses of people downtown to watch the fireworks. Directly after the fireworks end, we make a mad dash to Calle Ocho and order what seems like pounds of ice cream at Azucar Ice Cream Company..

Updated statement by Carla Hill on April 8, 2020: The work of community engagement is one that traditionally requires face-to-face meetings, lots of hand shaking and Miami-style greetings that incorporate kisses on the cheek. Just as I was establishing a list of lunches and meetings that would keep me busy well past my usual work day, the world came to a halt.

Like everyone else, I’m challenged to think about how to do this very personal kind of work from in front of a computer screen. Luckily, I’m staying in touch with organizations like the National Association of Independent Schools that’s offering great webinars and virtual meetings about community engagement and new recruitment efforts within independent schools. I have great colleagues in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion space who I’ve connected with to examine and share what will work best in our diversity work.

The positive of this situation: I see my husband Marlon everyday rather than at the end of a too long day for both of us. I’ve started to examine the notion of being “busy.” I remember telling my college girlfriends, “I can do lunch in two months,” because of all of the appointments that clouded my calendar. Once we’re out of the danger of this virus, I hope my calendar is filled with friends and laughter - meetings that will fill my soul.

Patrick Goddard

As president of Brightline Trains, Patrick Goddard is changing the way we get around in South Florida. The high-speed rail already connects Miami to Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach with plans for expansion to Orlando, Boca Raton, Aventura and PortMiami. “From the daily pleasures of having dinner in a different city to connecting businesses to new markets, I believe the future of South Florida will continue to move in the direction of a car-free lifestyle,” says Goddard.

What’s your ideal Brightline train hopping itinerary?

So many of our weekend guests from Miami enjoy taking Brightline to Restoration Hardware in downtown West Palm Beach for brunch. After trying it myself, it’s easy to know why. Anytime you’re in Palm Beach, you can’t forget about the Breakers. I am in awe of the beauty and history within that property every time I visit. It’s also great for Fort Lauderdale to have a Wharf locale now and I enjoy taking the train there on the weekends for a casual bite that’s just a short stroll from the station.

What’s your most memorable experience traveling by train before joining Brightline?

My father is English so growing up in Ireland, we used to take the Car Ferry from Rosslare in Ireland to Holyhead in Wales, visit with my aunt for lunch and continue by car to Liverpool, where my grandparents lived. My three brothers and I all looked forward to loading up on the included complimentary English breakfast. They didn’t know what was coming for them!

What do you love about South Florida in the springtime?

Brightline doesn’t go to the Keys, but I really enjoy taking the family down to Islamorada and being on the water. The Miami Heat season is usually pretty exciting and now with Inter Miami FC kicking off their inaugural season, there is really no shortage of things to do.

Updated statement by Patrick Goddard on April 8, 2020: South Florida is full of innovators and trend setters who will spearhead the resurgence of our local economy. We’re all standing together by standing apart and that shared responsibility has led to tough but temporary decisions. Brighter days are ahead and our region will come back stronger.

Fashion Assistants: Samantha Torres and Daniela Alfonso.

Makeup and Grooming: Osvaldo Perez. Hair and Grooming: Steven Schmidt for Danny Jelaca Salon.

This story was originally published April 8, 2020 at 7:04 AM.