44 percent: Black film in Miami, Larenz Tate, Victoria Rowell and Ananda Lewis

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of attending one of South Florida People of Color’s Awkward Dinners. This particular dinner centered on Caribbean heritage, as June is Caribbean Heritage Month, and featured a showing of Haitian-American artist Vickie Pierre’s latest exhibit Vickie Pierre: The Maiden is The Warrior, which features her Poupées in the Bush series of collages.

But it was her piece “I Birthed You a World with a tear in My Heart” that captured me, displaying a youthful innocence before the world has yet revealed itself to us for how harsh and unkind it can be. The piece, in some ways, was an allegory for the stories told during the dinner conversation, which focused on Caribbean heritage and eventually gave way to Immigration and Customs Enforcement patrols and cancellation of temporary protection status for many immigrants in the United States.

Some noted their parents came to America for what they perceived as more opportunity for their children, but those who were first- or second-generation immigrants felt the dream their parents were sold was a lie, as one woman put it. Others noted that there needs to be more care and attention to what is happening in their home countries, even as they make their way in the United States. But many longed for what they considered home: the ability to go back to the island that shaped them and their lineage and served as a vessel to learn about their heritage.

It begs the question: What is home when you’re in a country that consistently tells you you’re not wanted and your home country, or your parents’ land, is in such disarray that returning is not possible?

INSIDE THE 305:

This Haitian American funeral director makes Miami families feel seen

For two decades, Evan St. Fort’s funeral home has been a fixture for Haitian Americans in South Florida because of how he handles families with care, Minority Business reporter Michael Buther reports.

When Miramar native Evans St. Fort opened St. Fort’s Funeral Home in North Miami Beach in 2003, clients were skeptical of a funeral director still in his 20s. After sitting with him for a consultation, however, they quickly realized that St. Fort had far more experience than his youthful demeanor suggested, since St. Fort had spent his childhood watching his father manage a funeral home in Haiti.

“Clients would come and sit with me and look at me crazy because I was just 24 years old, but I knew what I was doing,” he said. “They just couldn’t believe that they were talking to someone so young.”

Black Film Festival spotlights Black storytelling with a made-in-Miami film

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kionne McGhee’s humble beginnings will be told through the film, “The Reject,” airing at the American Black Film Festival this week. McGhee’s film adds to the uptick in Black stories coming out of Miami.

Herb Coleman, Miami entrepreneur who served food and his community, dies at 62

Known for serving communities through his food, Herbert “Herb” Coleman died last month at 62. As Butler writes: Kendall entrepreneur Herbert “Herb” Coleman thrived in the food industry for more than 30 years because of his penchant for finding solutions and connecting with people on a personal level. He had various ventures in the business, from running Nathan’s Famous franchises to serving food in a mobile kitchen at the Olympics, before his death last month at age 62.

OUTSIDE THE 305:

Gang violence in Haiti has displaced nearly 1.3 million people. It’s a new record

Nearly 1.3 million Haitians have had to flee their homes, according to the United Nations International Organization for Migration. As Haiti correspondent Jacqueline Charles reported:

The surge is the highest number of people ever displaced by violence in Haiti, and represents a 24% increase since December, according to a recently published Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) report by IOM.

Former MTV VJ and talk show host Ananda Lewis dies at 52

Ananda Lewis, the beloved talk show host and MTV VJ, lost her battle with breast cancer this week. For those that grew up watching BET, we knew her as the thoughtful, kind host of Teen Summit, a series that centered the issues affecting Black youth and how to deal with them. She was a breath of fresh air at a time when we didn’t always feel heard.

HIGH CULTURE:

Larenz Tate, Nia Long, Victoria Rowell and more at ABFF

Black creators are taking center stage at the American Black Film Festival in Miami Beach this week, including the ever-fine Larenz Tate who will be in conversation with “Love Jones” co-star Nia Long. Actress, producer and famed soap star Victoria Rowell is also debuting two films at the festival. We’ve also made a list of some films to catch if you’re going.

Where does “The 44 Percent” name come from? Click here to find out how Miami history influenced the newsletter’s title.

This story was originally published June 12, 2025 at 4:27 PM.

Raisa Habersham

Miami Herald

Raisa Habersham is the race and culture reporter for the Miami Herald. She previously covered Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale for the Herald with a focus on housing and affordability. Habersham is a graduate of the University of Georgia. She joined the Herald in 2022.