These Miami leaders left a legacy of generosity and kindness. They can inspire us all | Opinion
Leave a legacy
Life comes at you fast, but death can come even faster. Sadly, the ranks of Greater Miami’s community stalwarts have suffered heavy losses in recent years, many of them unexpected.
In the summer of 2022, we lost Jason Jenkins, a legendary Miami Dolphins executive who revolutionized philanthropy in sports. Jenkins grew last weekend’s record-breaking Dolphins Cancer Challenge, now chaired by his wife, Liz, into an event so successful another NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles, used it as a template for their annual Eagles Autism Challenge. One of the first calls they made when planning their event was to Jenkins and the Dolphins team, who immediately lent a helping hand.
Less than two years later, we lost two more behemoths of community building: Dr. Enid Pinkney and Merrett Stierheim. Pinkney unearthed, preserved and shared rich stories of Black Miamians who played such a vital role in settling and incorporating our hometown. Stierheim was one of the most decorated and impactful government officials in Miami history, serving our county, city and school board in times of growth and strife, leaving a lasting and positive legacy on all.
Most recently, we lost the gentle giant of Coral Gables, Mark Trowbridge, who was quite literally everything to everyone. He was never too busy, too tired or too sick to assist a friend or business in need. Just last year, while battling illness and extreme fatigue, he emceed a luncheon for CityYear Miami’s Champions of Mentorship, his trademark wit somehow unaffected.
While our biologically-constrained earthly existences must come and go, legacies live on. Generosity of spirit bears fruit for generations, provided the tree is watered. Pause your busy life to do something for “the 305” that carries forward the tradition of togetherness that makes this meltiest of melting pots such a special place to live. I know Jason, Enid, Merrett, Mark and countless others will be smiling on you from above.
Marcus Bach Armas,
Miami
Safety monitors
Protecting the rights and safety of our most vulnerable citizens — seniors and people with disabilities residing in nursing homes and assisted living facilities — should be a priority for all of us. That’s why AARP Florida strongly supports legislation allowing residents to install an electronic monitoring device in their rooms at their own expense. Far too often, concerns about abuse, neglect or mistreatment arise in long-term care settings, yet without clear evidence, families are unaware and law enforcement faces challenges in proving or disproving allegations.
A simple, cost-effective solution is to give residents the right to install electronic monitoring devices. This would deter potential abuse, protect caregivers from false accusations, provide families peace of mind and would be a critical tool for law enforcement to investigate incidents fairly and accurately. If a resident or their family wants this added layer of security, they should have the right to make that decision.
This legislation is about accountability, safety and ensuring that every person in long-term care is treated with dignity and respect. We urge lawmakers to support this common-sense measure.
Zayne Smith,
senior director of advocacy,
AARP Florida,
Tampa Bay
How’d that happen?
Re: the Feb. 25 story, “Gov. DeSantis to create a Florida Doge to audit universities and local governments.” DeSantis has been governor since 2019 (though it seems like decades).
How is this government-alleged bloating happening under his watch?
Irony is officially dead.
Monica Harvey,
Miami Shores
Rocket science
A quick and easy win for Elon Musk’s DOGE would be to cut the budget for NASA’s Deep Exploration program, which focuses on traveling from the moon to Mars. What is the real value of this effort, when the 2025 NASA budget request for this program was $7.44 billion and increases annually — to an estimated $8 billion-plus by 2029?
Makes me wonder why Musk has not attacked this area, which has little impact on citizens’ daily lives, while he slashes and burns programs that harm the most needy. Maybe the richest man in the world should self-fund his pet projects and be the first traveler to Mars.
Dennis Brandt,
Miami
No landslide
Gov. Ron Desantis often mentions that he was elected with stronger support than any previous governor. He and Floridians who parrot his claim, as if it’s some unfathomable achievement, would do well to remember who he ran against: Charlie Crist.
Crist was a Republican who lost so bad he became an independent. As an independent, he lost so bad he became a Democrat. And as a Democrat, he lost badly, too. A cardboard cutout of Mickey Mouse would have gotten more votes. Therefore, DeSantis has no reason to get carried away with all the chest-thumping.
Ryan P. Gallagher,
Saint Cloud
American values?
In the Feb. 24 Miami Herald, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Marleine Bastien stated that ending TPS for Haitians “undermines the values of compassion and fairness that this country stands for.” Unfortunately, it seems fairness and compassion were never values of this country.
For example, the seizure of Native American children in the late 1800s for “re-education” to erase their history and culture; the 1902 Chinese immigrant ban and requirement of Chinese residents to register; our unwillingness to admit more than 900 passengers of the St. Louis, the ocean liner carrying Jewish refugees in 1939, many of whom perished in German concentration camps; and the 1942 Executive Order authorizing removing people of Japanese descent from their homes and placing them in internment camps. This year, President Trump issued an Executive Order erasing transgender people, who have always lived among us.
Our legacy seems to be one of violence and hatred, as expressed by today’s executive branch of government.
Irene Pilinger,
North Miami Beach
Our best interest
Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine and killed thousand of civilians and destroyed buildings and cities in a war that happened because the Biden administration was weak, just as the Obama administration was weak regarding Crimea. The Trump administration is trying to end the war and at the same time trying to get some economic advantage from that country.
Russia is a nuclear power friendly to China, our major enemy. We would be wise to keep Russia close.
Julian Darío Miyares,
Miami
Home insurance
Re: the Feb. 24 story, “State study found Florida insurers sent billions to affiliates while crying poor.” Why does fraud seemingly only occur in Florida? What do other states do to prevent it? Apparently, Gov. DeSantis has decided to crack down on it, but what measures is he taking? Will they be effective?
Insurance companies’ practice of artificially raising rates after shifting reserve funds to different subsidiaries should be illegal.
How do they get past state and federal auditors and regulators? Are the regulators being paid off?
How are rates impacted by the risk of hurricane damage? Could this be reduced by increased building standards? Why should buildings with new hurricane-proof construction pay the same rates as old buildings, constructed to lower standards?
The largest cost in my modern, well-built condo building by far is structural insurance — and it has risen the fastest.
Cornelius Bond,
Miami
Rubio’s beliefs
As a U.S. senator, Marco Rubio never had a problem shedding his beliefs, so why would he be different as secretary of state?
After all, Rubio is now working for the “con man” (his description of Donald Trump in their 2016 debate).
Doug Kostowski,
Kendall
Blind spot
Last November, too many voters were seemingly focused on the price of bacon and eggs.
Apparently, they missed considering the price of democracy.
Ossie Hanauer,
Miami