* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] I AM DOING GREAT. HELLO. [CALL TO ORDER] WELL, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING IN FOR OUR PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS. GREAT TO SEE, UH, EVERYBODY, ESPECIALLY SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN SELFLESSLY TO OUR COMMUNITY AND WE, UH, I FEEL LIKE IT'S THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS, IS TO RECOGNIZE, TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF YOU. SO, SO THANK YOU. WE'LL GET STARTED, [PA 2 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING SAZON CUBANO OF NORTH BEACH AS AN EXCEPTIONAL WORLD CUP RESTAURANT HOST FOR OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SPIRIT DURING THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP.] UH, WITH PA2. PA2 IS A PROCLAMATION, SASONKUANO, EXCEPTIONAL WORLD CUP RESTAURANT HOST. COME ON UP. WELL, I'LL, UH, I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU THE FORUM IN A MINUTE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SET THE SCENE AND YOU CAN DO IT AS WELL. BUT FIRST OF ALL, 39 DAYS IN OUR CITY WAS TRANSFORMED BY FIFA WORLD CUP. INCREDIBLE. OUR BUSINESSES, OUR RESIDENTS, UH, WE JUST HAD AN EVENT DEDICATING A SOCCER FIELD AND, UH, I JUST, I MISS IT. I WISH I COULD COME BACK. YEAH, THAT'S TRUE. BUT SOMETHING TO BEHOLD THAT WE ALL WITNESSED WAS THE BANDSHELL, THE CROWDS. I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING SOMETIMES FIVE, 6,000 PEOPLE, BUT OF COURSE, UH, MANOLO WHO'S GONNA BE, WE ALSO ARE GONNA RECOGNIZE, BUT CEZANNE CUBANO, THE, THE IMPACT THAT YOU HAD AND YOUR RESTAURANTS HAD CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED. FIRST OF ALL, THE CROWDS DEALING WITH IT AND, AND JUST EVERYONE HAVING A GREAT TIME. I ACTUALLY WALKED INTO YOUR RESTAURANT A COUPLE TIMES. UH, GREAT CUBAN FOOD AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT MADE, IT MA - YOU MADE OUR CITY SHINE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THOUGH THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS - I THINK YOU GUYS DID IT BECAUSE THIS, THIS TIME THAT YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB. I MEAN, NOT THE, THE, THE OTHER TIME YOU GUYS DID IT, BUT WHEN WE HAD, UM, I REMEMBER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS TOO MANY PEOPLE AND WE HAD PEOPLE CR- CROWING, UH, IN THE ROOF. WE HAD A, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT WAS MUCH DIFFERENT. IT WAS, UH, YOU GUYS GREAT DID A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA SAY OR - NO, NO. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOVE BEING PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AND I HAVE MY BUSINESSES HERE. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 25 YEARS, SO I'M VERY, VERY PROUD TO BE IN MIAMI BEACH. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. WELL, IT'S BEEN GREAT. NOW EVEN WHEN FIFA'S OVER, I, I DROVE BY A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE LAST WEEK AND YOU, YOU, YOUR RESTAURANT LOOKS PACKED. YES, YES. WE'RE DOING VERY WELL. THANK YOU. GREAT. CAN YOU SAY YOUR, YOUR NAME TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF? YOUR NAME. GEORGE IGLESIAS. NICE TO MEET YOU. COMMISSIONER BHATT. SO GEORGE, I MET YOU YEARS AGO WHEN I MOVED UP TO NORTH BEACH AND I WAS HAVING DINNER AT GEORGE'S AND, UM, IT REMAINS ONE OF MY FAMILY'S STAPLES. MY AUNT IN NEW YORK RAVES ABOUT IT AND THERE'S NO LACK OF GOOD ITALIAN FOOD IN NEW YORK. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER A COMPLAINT. HOWEVER, THE VENTANITA AT SAZON IS TOO POPULAR NOW. YES. I, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WAS ALWAYS A HIDDEN GEM BECAUSE THE FOOD WAS ALWAYS SPECTACULAR AND THE COFFEE WAS EXCEPTIONAL AND NOW EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT BECAUSE YOU'VE MADE IT BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU. AND BETWEEN THAT AND THE OTHER, OTHER RESTAURANT THAT I MENTIONED AND BURGERS AND SHAKES, I MEAN, IN A CITY WHERE OPE- OPERATING A HOSPITALITY BUSINESS IS REALLY CHALLENGING, YOU HAVE FOUND A WAY TO MAKE REALLY GOOD FOOD AT REALLY REASONABLE PRICES FOR THE REAL PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND THE TOURISTS WHO ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND YOU. SO MY BELLY AND I, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE WE'RE A FAMILY OPERATED RESTAURANT, SO WE, WE WORK HARD FOR THAT. SO FOR YOU TO TELL ME THAT IS VERY NICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M GONNA READ THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF THE PROCLAMATION THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU. BUT ONE THING THAT'S INTERESTING EARLIER, IT SAYS 55 EMPLOYEES THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR RESTAURANT. THAT'S INCREDIBLE. I DON'T THINK WE ALWAYS PERC - UH, HAVE THAT PERCEPTION THAT YOU'RE PASSING A RESTAURANT AND YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FEEDING AND HOUSING LITERALLY, UH, DOZENS OF FAMILIES. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH AN INSTRUMENTAL PART OF MIAMI BEACH. UH, UNDER THE STEADFAST GUIDANCE OF OWNER AND REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE IGLESIAS, SAZON CUBANO HAS DEMONSTRATED EXEMPLARY HOSPITALITY, EMBODYING THE VALUES OF MIAMI BEACH AND STRENGTHENING THE IDENTITY OF NORTH BEACH AS A WELCOMING, DIVERSE, AND LIVELY COMMUNITY. NOW THEREFORE, DO WE AS MAYOR AND THE COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HAIR PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 4TH, 2026 AS SAZON CUBANO DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. LOOK AT THIS CAMERA. THREE, TWO, ONE. ALL RIGHT. WE CAN CALL IT PA1. [PA 1 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MANOLO OF NORTH BEACH AS AN EXCEPTIONAL WORLD CUP RESTAURANT HOST FOR OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SPIRIT DURING THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP.] PA1 IS PROCLAMATION, PROCLAMATION, MANOLO EXCEPTIONAL WORLD CUP RESTAURANT [00:05:01] HOST. IF YOU WANNA COME ON UP. HI. WELL, THANK YOU. SO I WON'T GIVE THE INTRODUCTION WHERE I SET IT UP, BUT IT'S INTERESTING FOR ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T KNOW. SO YOU HAVE YOUR RESTAURANT ON ONE CORNER AND THE SAZON CUBANO ON THE OTHER - YES. CORNER. AND, UM, CERTAINLY YOU WERE A BIG FOCUS WITH ALL THE ARGENTINIAN FANS THAT WERE COMING TO OUR CITY. AND WHAT WAS REALLY INCREDIBLE TO ME, FIRST OF ALL, THERE WAS A LINE THAT WAS GOING LITERALLY AROUND THE CORNER TO GET INTO YOUR RESTAURANT. BUT SO MANY PEOPLE TOLD ME THAT THEY ACTUALLY CAME TO MIAMI BEACH FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD TO CELEBRATE THE WORLD CUP IN MIAMI BEACH BECAUSE THEY HEARD THERE WAS GREAT FOOD, GREAT SHOWING AT THE BAND SHOW AND THEY WANTED TO BE PART OF IT. ISN'T THAT INCREDIBLE THAT YOU WERE A PART OF WHAT BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER? YES, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. YES. OUR INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT, IT WAS FLOODING WITH MESSAGES FROM PEOPLE ALL OVER THE USA AND ALL OVER ARGENTINA, LIKE BEGGING US TO SAVE TABLES FOR THEM. AND YEAH, AND THEY HEARD - WHAT DID YOU ANSWER? YEAH. IT WAS CRAZY. I WOULD PAY WHATEVER. UM, YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T CHARGING, UH, UH, LIKE A EXTRA OR FEE. YEAH. UM, SO IT WAS JUST ON A, UM, FIRST COME, FIRST SURVEY BASIS. UH-HUH. AND SO PEOPLE COME AT LIKE AT, I DON'T KNOW, 5:00 AM IN THE MORNING TO MAKE LINE. WOW. TO STAY IN THE LINE. AND YEAH. IT WAS KIND OF CRAZY. THAT'S INCREDIBLE. AND STAY IN THE RESTAURANT THE ENTIRE DAY TILL THE MATCH STARTED, UNTIL THE GAME STARTED. SO YEAH. YEAH, THEY WERE COMING HOURS IN ADVANCE TO, YOU KNOW, TO GRAB A TABLE AND, AND BE ABLE TO WATCH THE GAME IN THERE. IN THERE. SO I CA - I CAME IN DURING THE WORLD CUP MULTIPLE TIMES INTO, INTO, UH, MANOLO AND ALL I SAW WERE ARGENTINIAN JERSEYS. SO IF YOU WORE A DIFFERENT JERSEY, WERE YOU ALLOWED IN? OH, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. YES. THERE WAS ACTUALLY ALSO MANY LIKE PEOPLE FROM COLOMBIA, FROM PERU, THEY WERE WEARING ARGENTINIAN JERSEYS TOO, YOU KNOW, AT A CERTAIN POINT. BUT IT, YEAH, IT'S MOSTLY ARGENTINIANS THAT, YEAH, WE, WE CAN BE PRETTY INTENSE. WELL, I'M, I'M OBVIOUSLY HIGHLIGHTING, UH, A 39-DAY PERIOD, BUT IT'S REALLY ALL YEAR ROUND WHERE, UH, MANOLO IS, IS A VERY POPULAR DESTINATION AND REALLY MAKES THAT SORT OF INTERSECTION OF MIAMI BEACH AND NORTH BEACH SO SPECIAL. SO, SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS. OH, NO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DID YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING, ANYTHING ELSE? NOTHING. WE, WE ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, SO PROUD OF BEING HERE. UM, WE WISH, YOU KNOW, OUR FATHER WHO WAS ACTUALLY THE FOUNDER - WOW. OF THE RESTAURANT COULD BE HERE. UM, YEAH. WE REALLY WISH IT'S JUST THE THREE OF US NOW, UM, ALONG WITH, YOU KNOW, HER HUSBAND WHO'S BACK THERE. UM, BUT IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF HIM. WOW. BASICALLY. YEAH. WELL, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. HE'D BE PROUD. IT WAS HIS, HIS WORK. YEAH. WELL, I'LL READ THE LAST PARAGRAPH AND A HALF OF THE PROCLAMATION, UM, CELEBRATING, UH, THE HERITAGE OF THE ICONIC CORNER OF 73RD AND COLLINS, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS LITTLE BUENOS AIRES. MANOLO'S WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE, AMPLE GATHERING SPACE. IT IS A LARGE, LARGE RESTAURANT. YOU FIT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THERE. AND SPIRITED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOSTERED UNITY AND CULTURAL CELEBRATION THROUGHOUT THE TOURNAMENT, ENRICHING THE VI - THE VIBRANCY AND NEIGHBORED CHARACTER OF NORTH BEACH. AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST DURING THE 39 DAYS OF FIFA WORLD CUP. IT'S, IT'S LITERALLY 365. NOW THEREFORE, DO WE AS THE MAYOR AND THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 4TH, 2026 AS MANOLO RESTAURANT DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH. THANK YOU. OKAY, LOOK AT THIS CAMERA. THREE, TWO, ONE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. [00:10:15] PA3. [PA 3 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO THE SISTER CITIES COMMITTEE FOR RECEIVING THE SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL 70TH ANNIVERSARY HOMECOMING AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN ARTS AND CULTURE.] PA3, CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, SISTER CITIES HOMECOMING AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN ARTS AND CULTURE. COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ. THANK YOU. SO SISTER CITIES BEGAN AS A FORMAL INITIATIVE BACK IN 1956 WHEN PRESIDENT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER ENVISIONED PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN US CITIES AND FOREIGN COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE PEACE AND CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING. AND THE SISTER CITIES COMMITTEE IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART, AND I AM SO PROUD OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE SISTER CITY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF SISTER CITIES. YOU WORK SO HARD, AND IT SHOWS. YOU JUST RECEIVED A RECOGNITION FROM ALL THE SISTER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND I'M GONNA QUICKLY READ, UH, WHAT THIS SAYS, AND I HONOR ALL OF YOU. THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH PROUDLY RECOGNIZES AND EXTENDS ITS HEARTFELT APPRECIATION TO THE MIAMI BEACH SISTER CITIES COMMITTEE ON RECEIVING THE SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL 70TH ANNIVERSARY HOMECOMING AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN ARTS AND CULTURE. AND THIS WAS IN JULY OF THIS YEAR. YOU ALL SHOULD BE SO VERY PROUD. THIS HONOR REFLECTS THE SPIRIT OF MIAMI BEACH, THE PAST, THE PRESENT, THE FUTURE, AND THROUGH THE THOUGHTFUL LEADERSHIP EVENTS AND, UH, RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU FORMED WITH THE DIFFERENT SISTER CITIES. I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD. UM, THIS ALSO EXTENDS TO HEATHER SHAW FOR HER LEADERSHIP WITH THE SISTER CITIES COMMITTEE. UM, IT'S A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT. I ADMIRE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AND WE'LL GO DOWN AND TAKE A PICTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MONICO AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE SISTER CITIES PROGRAM. AND ON BEHALF OF MY COMMITTEE AND THE FRIENDS OF SISTER CITIES, WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THIS HONOR. AND IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT AND WE ARE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THREE, TWO, ONE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IT'S CALLED [PA 5 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT MISSION (GEM) FOR HUMANITARIAN AID AND DISASTER RELIEF IN RESPONSE TO THE VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES.] PA5. PA5 IS PROCLAMATION GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT MISSION: DISASTER RESPONSE TO VENEZUELA E- EARTHQUAKES. COME ON UP. WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND THEN I'LL SAY A FEW WORDS AND THEN I'LL, I'LL - SURE. MY NAME IS ANDRE SACIONA. I'M PART OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT MISSION. AND MICHAEL? MICHAEL KESTEY. I'M, UH, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT MISSION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY, BUT THANK YOU. THIS, IF, IF... I, I WAS FORTUNATE TO COME DOWN AND, AND, UH, THERE WAS A GREAT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A PRESS CONFERENCE OR WHATEVER IN JUNE WHEN, UH, YOU WERE DOING THE PHENOMENAL WORK ABOUT PREPARING, UH, DISASTER RELIEF AND FOOD FOR, UH, VENEZUELA. BUT YOU DO IT IN, IN SO MANY DIFFERENT EVENTS TO SEE FIRSTHAND THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S, THAT'S DONE, THE TRUCKLOADS OF, OF MATERIALS THAT ARE SENT. UM, I THINK EVERYONE WHO LIVES IN SOUTH FLORIDA SHOULD REALLY BE PROUD. AND THERE'S SO MANY, SO MANY WHO VOLUNTEER TO DO THIS WORK. UM, I THINK I EVEN CALLED YOU UP ONCE AND YOU WERE LIKE, I'M, I'M NOT BUSY LOADING TRUCKS. UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERY PERSON SHOULD SEE. UM, OBVIOUSLY MOST PEOPLE ARE BUSY AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET DOWN THERE, BUT, UM, BUT WE, WE AS A COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER WHEN PEOPLE NEED IT THE MOST AND, AND GEM IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF IT. SO THANK YOU. ONE OF THE COOL THINGS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, MICHAEL CAPONI, THE FOUNDER, UM, THAT SPEARHEADS THIS WHOLE ENTIRE MISSION, [00:15:01] THE MAJORITY OF HIS CAREER IS RIGHT HERE IN MIAMI BEACH. AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO SEE HOW HE HAS EVOLVED INTO CREATING THIS FOUNDATION THAT IS REALLY, UM, NOW AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S RECOGNIZED AROUND THE WORLD FOR ALL THE LOVE AND WORK THAT WE DO AS, UH, BEING FIRST BOOTS ON THE GROUND. SO ON BEHALF OF GEM AND THE WHOLE ENTIRE TEAM AND, AND MICHAEL CAPONI, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THE LOVE AND AFFECTION THAT WE SEE, UH, PLEASE COME UP ANOTHER, ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE GEM TEAM THAT WE SEE IMMEDIATELY WHEN THERE'S A DISASTER FROM THE MIAMI-DADE COMMUNITY THAT STEPS UP, LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE EARTHQUAKE IN VENEZUELA. I MEAN, IN DORAL WHERE THE WAREHOUSE IS LOCATED, THERE ARE MILES OF CARS THAT WERE LINED UP, PEOPLE FROM ALL, ALL CITIES IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMING OVER TO, TO BRING IN AID. UM, SO IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO SEE. MICHAEL, YOU WANNA SAY SOME WORDS? YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE ALISTAIR. ALISTAIR'S, UH, UH, RUNS COMMUNITY RELATIONS HERE. IF YOU DON'T KNOW HIM, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN LIVING, I GUESS YOU'RE LIVING UNDER A ROCK OR SOMETHING BECAUSE HE GETS AROUND, HE DOES THE JOB. I SEE EVERYWHERE. YEAH. I SEE HIM EVERYWHERE. SO, SO VERY BRIEFLY, AND, AND NOT TO GET TOO MUCH INTO THIS, AND I'LL BE VERY BRIEF, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, TO DATE, WE'VE DONE 395 MISSIONS AROUND THE WORLD. YOU NAME A, A DISASTER, WE'VE BEEN THERE. OVER 800 MILLION. WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO A BILLION DOLLARS IN AID PROVIDED AS OF DATE. AND WE'VE ONLY BEEN DOING THIS FOR 12 YEARS. 12 YEARS AND WE'VE BEEN... WE'RE ACTUALLY LED IN VENEZUELA TWICE AS MUCH AS EVERY OTHER ORGANIZATION COMBINED, INCLUDING THE UNITED NATIONS. AND IN VENEZUELA, WE DID SUCH A GOOD JOB FROM THE START. THE STATE DEPARTMENT MADE US THEIR OFFICIAL PARTNER. THIS YEAR.THIS YEAR. AND NOW, BECAUSE OF THIS GUY'S HELP, WE'RE ALSO NOW IN PERU HELPING OUT COLUMBIA AND OTHERS THAT DO THAT. I COULD GO, YOU KNOW, IT'S... YEAH, THANK YOU. 587 MILLION MEALS SERVED. I MEAN, I, THE, THE LIST TO JUST BLOW YOU AWAY. BUT WHAT PEOPLE ASK A LOT, AND IT'LL JUST TAKE ANOTHER MINUTE, IS WHAT MAKES GEM DIFFERENT? YOU SAY, "WELL, WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT?" THREE THINGS. WE'RE FIRST BOOTS ON THE GROUND. HOW? WE PREPARE, WE'RE READY, WE STAGE, AND WE'RE THERE FIRST ON THE GROUND. SECOND IS WE DON'T ASK FOR PERMISSION. WE'RE HUMANITARIANS. WE SHOW UP. UNFORTUNATELY, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, THEY HAVE TO ASK FOR PERMISSION. WE JUST GO. WE SHOW UP, THE FIRE CHIEFS, WHOEVER IT IS, ARE LIKE, "COME ON IN, HELP US OUT." SO FIRST ON THE GROUND. SECOND IS OUR COST OF OPERATIONS. EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE BUSINESS, 18 TO 24% OF EVERY DOLLAR THAT YOU DONATE GOES TO THEIR ADMINISTRATION. GEM, THE HIGHEST AMOUNT WE'VE EVER SPENT ON A MISSION WAS 3.7%. 3.7% BECAUSE MICHAEL CAPONI'S MODEL IS TURN, TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN IN, IN DOING THIS. WE GOT BOARD MEMBERS LIKE ANDRES THAT WATCH THAT AND HELP OUT. AND THE THIRD THING IS, WE'RE THERE FOR THE LONG HAUL. I WON'T GO INTO, TO WHAT WE'RE THERE FOR THE INITIAL HOUSING, THE SUPPLIES, THE SUPPORT. WE ACTUALLY GO OUT AND SUPPORT AND GET JOBS FOR THESE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN DISPLACED. THAT'S HOW LONG WE'RE THERE. AND HELP THEM REBUILD. WE REBUILD THEIR HOUSES. WE BUILD... IN CALIFORNIA, WE EXPECT TO BE THERE AFTER THESE FIRES FOR ANOTHER FOUR OR FIVE YEARS. WE'LL PROBABLY BE IN VENEZUELA IN THE NEXT, FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS. WE'RE STILL THERE IN UKRAINE. YEAH, AND WE'RE IN UKRAINE. WE'RE... EV- EVERY... THERE'S ONLY BEEN ONE MISSION THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY LEFT, THAT WAS THE CAROLINAS, BECAUSE THEY SAID, "WE DON'T NEED YOU ANYMORE, SO YOU'RE OUT OF HERE." AND THE LAST THING, WHICH IS THE FOURTH, AND I SAID THREE, FOURTH, IS THE VOLUNTEERS. AS YOU MENTIONED, YOU WERE THERE, YOU SAW. AND ACTUALLY, THE MAYOR GOT AND STARTED PACKING BOXES WITH US AND WHATNOT. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, MAYOR, WHAT YOU DID FOR US, NOT ONLY THIS, RECOGNITION, WHAT YOU TOLD THE COMMUNITY WHAT WE DO, AND WE GOT VOLUNTEERS FROM MIAMI BEACH COMING IN FROM ALL. AND THAT WAS WONDERFUL. SO WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THE HONOR. ALISTAIR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE WELCOME. YES. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR, FOR THIS RECOGNITION. AND I'M HOPING THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A VERY, VERY LONG RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GEM AND THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO PREPAREDNESS, BECAUSE MICHAEL HERE HAS MENTIONED EVERYTHING WE DO INTERNATIONALLY, AND SOMEBODY WOULD ASK, "WHAT DO WE DO LOCALLY?" WE ALWAYS HAVE FLOODING, AND SOUTH FLORIDA IS VERY PRONE TO HURRICANES, AND I'M HOPING THAT WHEN WE DO OUR HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS DISTRIBUTIONS, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY. SO YOU'RE GONNA BE SEEING A LOT OF ME, A LOT MORE OF ME THAN YOU ALREADY ARE, AND I'M HOPING TO WORK TOGETHER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND BY THE WAY, LOCALLY... I FORGOT TO SAY THIS. EVERYBODY, ANYBODY REMEMBER SURFSIDE? WHO WAS THERE FIRST ON THE GROUND PROVIDING THE AID IN SURFSIDE? WHO STAYED ON BOARD? WHO GOT RAISED MONEY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE CHILDREN THAT WERE LEFT? WRITING CHECKS. MICHAEL WAS THERE RI... I WAS THERE NEXT TO MICHAEL. MICHAEL WAS THERE WRITING CHECKS TO THE FRIENDS RIGHT THERE. FOR HOUSING, FOR FAMILIES, FOR, FOR FOOD, ANYTHING THEY NEEDED. WE ACTUALLY SUPPORTED PEOPLE, GAVE THEM MONEY FOR A DOWN PAYMENT OF A NEW HOUSE, AND DIDN'T EXPECT THEM TO PAY IT BACK. YEP. YEAH. THANK YOU. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AND, UH, I THINK IT'S, UH, WITHOUT SAYING, YOU HAVE OUR SUPPORT. UH, THAT'S THE LEAST WE CAN DO. SO THANKS FOR, UH, ALL THE HARD WORK. I'LL JUST READ A LITTLE BIT OF THE PROCLAMATION. THERE'S A LOT TO SAY, AND WE COULD, [00:20:01] COULD HAVE SAID A LOT MORE THAN THIS EVEN, BUT THROUGH ITS 2026 HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS EVENT, GEM CONVENED GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND REGIONAL PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, TO ADVANCE REGIONAL PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS AND STRENGTHEN EMERGENCY RESPONSE COORDINATION. WHEREAS THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COMMISSIONER, UH, THE CITY COMMISSIONER OF THE CITY OF MIAM BEACH PROUDLY RECOGNIZES GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT MISSION FOR ITS OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT TO HUMANITARIAN SERVICE, LEADERSHIP AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE, AND DEDICATION TO BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS THAT STRENGTHEN THE RESILIENCE OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND BEYOND. AND BOY, YOU'VE DONE THAT. NOW THEREFORE, DO WE AS MAYOR AND THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 4TH, 2026 AS GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT MISSION DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH. NO. ALL RIGHT. CAMERA. THREE, TWO, ONE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. PA4. [PA 4 PROCLAMATION PRESENTED TO THE ADVANTAGED YACHT CHARTERS ON THEIR 20-YEAR ANNIVERSARY.] PA4 IS PROCLAMATION ADVANTAGE YACHT CHARTER'S 20-YEAR ANNIVERSARY. COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ. THANK YOU. IT REALLY BRINGS ME SUCH JOY TO RECOGNIZE, UM, THIS ORGANIZATION. THEY WORK HARD, AND OF COURSE, THEY'RE A BUSINESS IN MIAMI BEACH, BUT THEY CARE. I GET CALLS, UM, AND ANTONIO, NOT AS MUCH FROM YOU, YOU CAN CALL ANYTIME, BUT FROM JESSICA ON THINGS THAT ARE HELPFUL, THAT IMPROVE THE CITY, AND TO HAVE A BUSINESS THAT IS NOT JUST CARING ABOUT THEMSELVES, BUT IS ALSO CARING ABOUT THE CITY THAT THEY'RE WORKING IN. IT'S REALLY TOUCHING. I'M GONNA READ, UH, PROCLAMATION TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THE ADVANTAGE ON YOUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IN 2006, JESSICA LONDONO, ALONGSIDE CO-FOUNDERS ANTONIO MALDONADO AND NANCY JANEZ ESTABLISHED THE ADVANTAGE YACHT CHARTERS AND SALES, AND GUIDED IT FROM A STARTUP TO ONE OF THE SOUTHEAST'S MOST DESIRABLE LUXURY YACHT CHARTER COMPANIES. AND THROUGH ITS LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH MIAMI BEACH MARINA, THE ADVANTAGE HAS WELCOMED VISITORS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE AND SHOWCASED MIAMI BEACH AS A PREMIER WATERFRONT DESTINATION SERVING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GUESTS ACROSS ITS FLEET OF MORE THAN 15 YACHTS. THE ADVANTAGE HAS GENERATED TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, SUPPORTING LOCAL CAPTAINS, STEWARDESS, DOCK ATTENDANTS, YACHT OWNERS, MAINTENANCE WORKERS, RESTAURANTS, CATERERS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES INTEGRAL TO THE MARINE INDUSTRY. CO-FOUNDER JESSICA LONDONO HAS STRENGTHENED THE ADVANTAGE LONG-STANDING COMMITMENT TO MIAMI BEACH THROUGH HER SERVICE ON SEVERAL CITY OF MIAMI BEACH BOARDS, INCLUDING SISTER CITIES, ANIMAL WELFARE, HUMAN RIGHTS, THE PRODUCTION INDUSTRY COUNCIL, AND THE MARINE AUTHORITY BOARD, AND THROUGH HER CONTINUED VOLUNTEER WORK AND FOSTER CARE EFFORTS WITH MIAMI-DADE ANIMAL SERVICES. WHAT BEGAN AS A DREAM HAS BECOME A LASTING TESTAMENT TO MIAMI BEACH'S VIBRANT WATERFRONT COMMUNITY, WHERE THE ADVANTAGE CONTINUES TO BUILD OPPORTUNITIES, STRENGTHEN LOCAL INDUSTRY, AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY'S HIS- HISTORY AND FUTURE. SO NOW, THEREFORE, DO WE, AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 4TH, 2026 AS THE ADVANTAGE 20TH ANNIVERSARY DAY, THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH. STEVE, SAY A FEW WORDS BEFORE OUR PHOTO. I MEAN, IT'S HARD TO FOLLOW UP WITH JIM, BUT THANK YOU. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH, I AGREE. UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY, UM, WE STARTED THIS IN, AS A, AS A THING TO DO AS A JOB, PER SE, BUT THE ONE THING THAT WE WANNA THANK MIAMI BEACH IS WHEN I FIRST THOUGH ABOUT BOATING, I FIGURED IT WAS FOR SOMETHING OF THE RICH AND THE POWERFUL AND THOSE THAT MOVE MIAMI IN, IN A HIGHER SCALE. BUT AS WE STARTED THIS JOURNEY, WE REALIZED THAT WHAT WE'VE DONE IS THE COLLABORATION WITHIN THE RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH. WE PROVIDED JOBS [00:25:01] FOR THE, WHETHER IT WAS THE, THE BOTTOM, UH, OR THE WASHERS OR THE CAPTAINS OR THE MATES. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT MOVED INTO MIAMI BEACH, WERE LOOKING FOR A JOB, AND WE WOULD BRING THEM IN. I THINK WE HAVE MANY EMPLOYEES SO FAR? I MEAN, WE'VE HAD HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE MANY YEARS. AND THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT MOVE INTO MIAMI BEACH AND ARE LOOKING FOR A HOME. THEY COME IN AS STRANGERS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY BECOME PART OF OUR FAMILY. AND, AND THIS IS WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO RECOGNIZE. MIAMI BEACH IS BASICALLY A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT MOVE FROM DIFFERENT PLACES, CITIES, COUNTRIES, STATES, AND WHEN THEY COME HERE, IT BECOMES A HOME. SO FOR THAT, THANK YOU GUYS FOR WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE FOR US, AND THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION. WE APPRECIATE IT. YES, THANK YOU. I CAN'T STAY... I MEAN, I'M SO HAPPY TO LIVE IN MIAMI BEACH. I'M SO HAPPY TO WORK. I'M SO HAPPY TO PLAY IN MIAMI BEACH. I MEAN, I REALLY DON'T CROSS THAT BRIDGE, SO... AND MY FRIENDS KNOW IT. I'M NOT GOING OVER THE OTHER SIDE. SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR ME, AND I WILL GIVE ANOTHER 20 YEARS BACK TO THE CITY. WOW. SO THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. WHAT, WHAT GREAT SPOKES, UH, PEOPLE FOR MIAMI BEACH. AND THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT. I, I, I HEAR IT FROM LITERALLY EVERY DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP THAT THEY FEEL SO WELCOME HERE, SO INCLUDED, SO COMFORTABLE, SO SAFE. UH, WHAT MAKES, WHAT MAKES OUR CITY SO SPECIAL. CAN WE GET BRITTANY'S PROFESSIONAL? OKAY. THESE CAMERAS. THREE, TWO, ONE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SHE'S BRINGING A SUIT. BRITTANY'S. SHE'S BRITTANY. SHE'S SO FUNNY. SHE'S ALL MESSED UP. BRITTANY SPEARS. YOU'LL SEE HER TOO. SHE'S A HAPPY GIRL. THEY HAVE A PICTURE. THEY HAVE A PICTURE. PA7. [PA 7 PROCLAMATION OF RECOGNITION AWARDED TO JAKE WOLLNER OF MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER.] PA7 IS PROCLAMATION OF RECOGNITION. JAKE WOLLNER OF MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER. JAKE, COME ON UP. SO JAKE, I'M GONNA TEE THIS UP. AND THEN I, THEN YOU'RE GONNA TELL US THE, THE REAL, THE REAL STORY. BUT I GOT A CALL FROM GINO SANTORIO, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF MOUNT SINAI. AND I, I SPEAK TO HIM OCCASIONALLY, BUT NEVER TO HONOR SOMEONE. AND HE SAID THIS IS SO INCREDIBLE, UM, WHAT HE TOLD ME THAT YOU DID READING THAT CT SCAN. I GUESS THE SECOND CAREER FOR YOU ALSO, UH, I UNDERSTAND. BUT I WANT YOU TO SAY IT, BUT YOU DID SOMETHING THAT, UH, SHOWED A LOT OF EMPATHY. OBVIOUSLY, UH, SHARP, UH, VERY, A GOOD ASTUTE SHARPNESS AND LITERALLY SAVED SOMEONE'S LIFE. BUT WHY DON'T YOU TELL US WHAT HAPPENED? UM, PATIENT CAME IN, UH, VERY IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING ON A MONDAY. UH, WAS SENT TO MY CT SCANNER WITH THE PRESUMPTION, UH, THAT WE HAD A KIDNEY STONE, UH, POSSIBLE BOWEL OBSTRUCTION GOING ON. AND, UM, IN THE, UH, FIRST FEW MOMENTS OF THE SCAN, UM, I'M VERY ACUTE IN IDENTIFYING PATHOLOGY, WHICH IN CT, WE'RE USUALLY THE FIRST, UH, TO LAY OUR EYES ON WHY YOU ARE IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM. UM, AND I WAS ABLE TO SEE VERY CLEARLY WITH MY EYES, UM, WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THIS PATIENT AND SORT OF SET OFF ALL THE ALARM BELLS, UH, WITHIN THE EMERGENCY ROOM. UH - AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING? UH, PATIENT WAS HAVING AN AORTIC DISSECTION WHERE THE, UH, INNER LAYER OF, UH, YOUR AORTA STARTS SEPARATING, UH, ON THE INSIDE. UH, AND IF IT IS NOT RESOLVED QUICKLY, IT, IT TURNS INTO SOMETHING VERY LIFE-THREATENING. AND IN THIS PATIENT'S CASE, UM, IT ABSOLUTELY WAS, UM, LIFE THREATENING. WOW. IT WOULD, IT THE PATIENT WOULD HAVE BEEN GONE [00:30:01] WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS. WOW. SO YOU THEN, UH, IMMEDIATELY ALERTED THE PHYSICIANS ON - I RAN OUT OF THE EMERGENCY ROOM. IT WAS, IT PROBABLY ON, IF, IF YOU SAW ME ON VIDEO, IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE A, A COMEDY SHOW. UM, HOW QUICKLY I, UH, RAN OUT OF THE ROOM. BUT, UH, YES, I RAN OUT OF THE ROOM AND SORT OF, UH, STARTED SCREAMING AND YELLING AT EVERYBODY. AND, UM, SORT OF WE, WE PUT EVERYTHING INTO GEAR AND DID WHAT WE DO AT MOUNT SINAI AND WHEN, UH, IT'S JUST TAKING, TAKING CARE OF A PATIENT. WOW. DOING WHAT WE DO. UM, THE, UH, PROUD, PROUD MOMENT THAT I CAN SAY NOW IS, IS, IS, UH, IN THAT MOMENT WHEN THE PATIENT WAS, UM, NOT, UH, REALLY HAVING ANY HOPE, UM, I OPENED UP MY SHIRT AND SHOW HIM JUST THE TOP. I ALSO HAVE HAD THE SAME SURGERY THAT THIS PATIENT HAD TO GO THROUGH. MINE WAS ELECTIVE. UH, HIS WAS EMERGENT. UM, AND ONE QUESTION, UH, THAT I'M ASKED, UH, SOMEWHAT FREQUENTLY WHEN I TALK ABOUT THIS STORY IS THE OUTCOME FOR THIS PATIENT. AND, UH, WELL, THIS IS MY FRIEND WALTER. WOW. WOW. I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT. ALL OF, UH - I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. I DIDN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN SHOW UP TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM. SO THERE'S NO REASON TO HONOR ME, BUT I'M HAPPY TO STAND NEXT TO JAKE WHO REALLY DOES DESERVE THIS. UM, BUT, UM, YEAH. UM, I'M, UH, I'M, I'M GLAD I HAD A, HAD A PANIC BUTTON THAT NIGHT, UH, BECAUSE HE WOULDN'T BE STANDING HERE IF IT WASN'T, UH - WOW. HOW LONG AGO WAS THIS? THIS WAS, UH, MAY, SECOND WEEKEND OF MAY. AROUND MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. YEAH. SO YOU, ARE YOU FRIENDS NOW? ARE YOU - YES, AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE. YEAH. OH YEAH. HOW COULD YOU NOT BE FRIENDS WITH A PERSON WHO SAVED YOUR LIFE? THIS IS GREAT. YOU KNOW, THIS REMINDS ME OF, YOU KNOW, THE ORGANIZATIONAL GIFT OF LIFE WHERE THEY, UH, BONE MARROW, THEY ACTUALLY DONORS AND THEY BRING TOGETHER THE, THE GI - THE DONOR AND THE RECIPIENT. AND THIS, THIS REMINDS ME OF THAT. IT'S SO SPECIAL. WOW. THAT'S GREAT. WHAT WAS YOUR, HOW LONG YOU BEEN AT MOUNT SINAI? WHAT WAS YOUR PRIOR CAREER? UH, I'VE ALWAYS WORKED IN RESTAURANTS, UH, RESTAURANTS AND KITCHENS. WOW. AND I HAD A CT SCAN MYSELF AND, UH, SORT OF STARTED ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND BEGAN A JOURNEY OF, UM, A WHOLE NEW, UM, UH, WHOLE NEW JOURNEY ON, IN EDUCATING MYSELF. AND, UM, UM, I'M A PRODUCT OF COLUMBUS, OHIO. UM, AND, UH, BEEN AT MOUNT SINAI FOR ABOUT THREE, THREE YEARS. UM, BUT LIVING IN THIS CITY, LIVING IN THIS, UH, PART OF THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN, WAS A GOAL, UH, FROM 2016. UM, SO I'M KINDA REAL HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO BOTH LIVE HERE, WORK HERE, UH, HAVE FRIENDS HERE. UM, UH, BUT LIVING HERE IS, IS SORT OF SURREAL. AND I WAS JUST KNOCKING HIM ON THE SHOULDER. I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, 2016 WHEN I WAS HAVING THAT SLURPEE ON US ONE OUTSIDE OF 7-ELEVEN, THINKING ABOUT MOVING HERE. WOW. AND HERE I AM IN THE CITY CHAMBERS. SO THIS IS KIND OF, UH, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS A LITTLE MIND BOGGLING FOR ME. WELL, YOU DESERVE IT. AND WALTER, I ASSUME YOU'RE PRETTY HAPPY THAT, UH, JAKE LEFT THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS. THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT TO BE GRATEFUL FOR. A SERIES OF COINCIDENCES. THIS IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ONE, BUT I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE, I WAS LUCKY TO GO TO MOUNT SINAI, UH, GREAT HOSPITAL WITH A PARTICULARLY GREAT, UH, CARDIAC, UH, SURGEON DEPARTMENT. UH, I WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, I WAS LUCKY THAT THE AMBULANCE ARRIVED IN TIME. I MEAN, ALL THOSE THINGS WOULD'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE. AND SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S NICE TO STILL BE HERE. AMAZING. THANK YOU BOTH. THANK YOU. WELL, PLEASE DON'T, DON'T GO AWAY YET. I'M GONNA COME DOWN FOR A PICTURE IN A MOMENT. UH, THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIA BEACH PROUDLY HONOR JAMES WALLNER. DO YOU LIKE JAMES OR JAKE? I GO BY JAKE. HONOR JAKE WALLNER FOR HIS EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE TO PATIENTS, FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITY, AND FOR THE PROFOUND IMPACT OF YOUR ACTIONS ON A NIGHT WHEN YOUR SKILL AND HUMANITY HELPED SAVE A LIFE. AND WE GOT TO SEE THAT, THAT, UH, WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING RIGHT HERE. NOW, THEREFORE, DO WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 4TH, 2026 AS JAKE WALLNER DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH. YEAH. [00:35:05] ALL RIGHT. LOOK AT THIS CAMERA, PLEASE. THREE, TWO, ONE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WALTER, YOU WANNA COME IN FOR ONE OR NO? AGAIN, I FEEL WEIRD ME. DO YOU WANNA COME IN FOR THE PICTURE TOO? SURE. PRESENTING MOUNT SINAI. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. I GUESS WE SHOULD THANK THE DOCTORS ALSO. YES. ABSOLUTELY. ALL RIGHT. AND THIS CAMERA, THREE, TWO, ONE. OKAY, THANK YOU. [PA 8 PROCLAMATION PRESENTED IN HONOR OF CELIA CRUZ AND HER LEGACY.] PA8. PA8 IS PROCLAMATION CELIA CRUZ DAY IN MIAMI BEACH. COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ AND, AND MATEA SALINAS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO AS WE, UH, RECENTLY WRAPPED UP, UH, HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, UH, WE WANTED TO PRESENT, UH, TWO AWARDS. ONE, UH, THE COUNTY ASKED US TO PRESENT ON THEIR BEHALF. UH, UH, COMMISSIONER LOPEZ IS BUSY. AND, UM, THE OTHER ONE, I'LL SAY ONE QUICK STORY. UM, IN MY 20S, I WENT ON A TRIP, AND I TOLD YOU EARLIER, ON A TRIP TO NEW YORK WITH, UH, MY COUSIN, AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO ONE EVENING, AND THEN WE SAW, UH, THAT AT THE BLUE NOTE, CELIA CRUZ AND TITO PUENTE WERE HAVING A CONCERT AT THE BLUE NOTE. WE BOUGHT THE TICKETS. WE WENT. WE LOVED IT. AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER, WE WENT RUNNING DOWN TO THEIR DRESSING ROOMS. I HAVE PICTURES WITH BOTH OF THEM AND ALL OF US TOGETHER, AND IT WAS MAGICAL. LATER ON BECOMING A COMMISSIONER, I, WELL, WAS, I PARTICIPATED IN THE STREET CO-NAMING OF CELIA CRUZ WAY. AND IT IS, UM, SO NICE, UH, WITH MY COLLEAGUE TO PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION, UH, TO CELIA CRUZ. SO I'M GONNA READ SOME OF THIS PROCLAMATION, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE CONNECTION THAT CELIA HAD WITH MIAMI BEACH. SO SELIA CRUZ, SHE'S A LEGENDARY QUEEN OF SALSA, IS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL LATIN ARTISTS OF ALL TIME AND AN ENDURING SYMBOL OF A CUBAN CULTURE WORLDWIDE. AND IN MIAMI BEACH, WE HOLD A, THEY, MIAMI BEACH HOLDS A DISTINCT PLACE IN HER HISTORY, SERVING AS THE SITE OF HER FINAL PERFORMANCE AND LAST PUBLIC APPEARANCE IN MARCH 2003 AT THE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER DURING CELIA CRUZ AZUKA. AND WHEREAS THIS MOMENT ESTABLISHED A LASTING BOND BETWEEN CELIA CRUZ AND THE CITY, INSPIRING CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE BASS MUSEUM AND THE WOLFSONIAN TO HIGHLIGHT HER LEGACY THROUGH EXHIBITIONS THAT UNDERSCORED HER ARTISTIC IMPACT. AND WHEREAS MI- MIAMI BEACH HAS LONG EMBRACED ITS CONNECTION TO CELIA CRUZ, CELEBRATING HER LEGACY THROUGH PUBLIC ART CULTURE PROGRAMMING AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT HIGHLIGHT HER EN- ENDURING INFLUENCE ON LATIN MUSIC AND THE CUBAN DIASPORA. AND IN RECOGNITION OF HER DEEP CONNECTION TO OUR COMMUNITY, IN 2022, THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH CO-DESIGNATED A PORTION OF MERIDIAN AVENUE AS CELIA CRUZ WAY, ENSURING THAT HER PRESENCE AND INFLUENCE REMAIN WOVEN INTO THE FABIC, FABRIC OF MIAMI BEACH. AND MIAMI BEACH CONTINUES TO HONOR AND UPLIFT CELIA CRUZ'S EXTRAORDINARY LEGACY, STANDING AS THE CITY THAT PRESERVES HER MEMORY AND CELEBRATES HER LASTING INFLUENCE ON MUSIC, CULTURE, AND THE CUBAN DIASPORA. NOW THEREFORE, DO WE, AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 4TH, 2026 AS CELIA CRUZ DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS OMER PARDILLO, FORMER MANAGER OF CELIA CRUZ. UH, MR. MAYA, THANK YOU. NICE SEEING YOU AGAIN. YOU TOO. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE GRACE TREAT THAT, THAT'S HOLDING HERE IN MIAMI BEACH ON CELIA'S NAME AND LEGACY. UH, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, RICK DOBICO, GREAT TO SEE YOU HERE. LONG TIME. UH, CELIA HAS ROOTS WITH MIAMI BEACH SINCE THE 50S. UM, PLACES SHE PERFORM A LOT, GREAT TIMES, AND SHE WAS ALWAYS HERE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND, AND FOR HAPPINESS, WHICH THAT'S WHAT SHE BROUGHT WITH HER MUSIC. AND GREAT COMPANY WITH, UM, MELINA MODOVER WHO HAS A FESTIVAL HERE IN MIAMI BEACH, LOCAL AND UPCOMING. UH, A GREAT SONGWRITER, CHRISTINA FERNANDEZ, WHO BROUGHT THIS TO, TO THE COMMISSION. SO THANK YOU BOTH AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. THANK YOU. [00:40:42] ME? EVERYBODY'S CAMERA. THREE, TWO, ONE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. [PA 6 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MIAMI BEACH’S OFFICE OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR ITS EVENT PRODUCTION AND COVERAGE DURING THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP.] PA SIX. PA6 IS PROCLAMATION TO THE MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT FOR COVERAGE DURING THE WORLD CUP. COME ON UP. I'M GONNA BRING EVERYONE UP. PLEASE. LISA, IS THIS THE 18 PIOS? SO I'LL TEE IT UP. SO I REMEMBER IT WAS JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHERE WE WERE RECOGNIZING OUR MARKETING TEAM FOR THE GREAT WORK DURING, UH, THE SPRING BREAK. AND, UH, YEAH, WE WANT EVERYONE FROM COMMUNICATIONS TO COME ON DOWN, BUT I'LL, I'LL START. INCLUDING THAT PHOTOGRAPHER. AND YEAH, THAT'S THE PROBLEM. YOU HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE KEEP WORKING. THAT'S THE PROBLEM. WE NEED TO KEEP THIS MEETING GOING. WE'RE GONNA PUT IT ON WIDE. IF YOU, IF YOU WANT, I'LL TAKE SOME PICTURES, SO... BUT I, I, I'M GONNA READ ONE PARAGRAPH OF THIS PROJECT. USUALLY I DO THE PARAGRAPH, UH, LAST, BUT IT JUST SHOWS THE AMOUNT OF WORK AND EFFORT AND CREATIVITY THAT WENT INTO WHAT WE EXPERIENCED DURING, UH, FIFA WORLD CUP. THE OFFICE OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS DELIVERED COMPREHENSIVE WORLD CUP COVERAGE BY BUILDING AND MAINTAINING THE CITY'S OFFICIAL WORLD CUP WEBSITE, SECURING ALL REQUIRED LICENSING, PRODUCING GRAPHICS, ISSUING PRESS RELEASES, SUPPORTING PRESS CONFERENCES, GENERATING PHOTO AND VIDEO RECAPS THAT REACHED AUDIENCES ACROSS MIAMI BEACH AND LITERALLY AROUND THE WORLD. AND THAT'S NOT EVEN MENTIONING THE INFLATABLE BALLS, UH, THAT WERE AROUND OUR CITY THAT CAPTIVATED ANYONE, EVERYONE. THE INTERACTIVE MAP THAT, THAT, UM... SO IT JUST, IT GOES, IT GOES ON AND ON. SO CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WHEN, WHEN WE HONORED, UH, MANOLO AND SUSAN, SUSANO CABANO, THE PEOPLE WERE COMING HERE FROM AROUND THE WORLD. I MEAN, WE SAW THE TARTAN ARMY AND THE NORWAY AND ALL THAT, BUT THERE WERE LITERALLY PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT NECESSARILY, UH, PART OF A WHOLE GROUP, BUT THEY WANTED TO BE HERE IN MIAMI BEACH TO EXPERIENCE WHAT WE WERE OFFERING. AND OBVIOUSLY YOUR ROLE IN THAT IS, IS, CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED BECAUSE THAT'S, HOW DID THEY LEARN ABOUT IT THROUGH, THROUGH OUR MARKETING? SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. I'M SO PROUD OF THE TEAM. YOU KNOW, THEY WORKED, UH, 39 DAYS, UH, NONSTOP, UH, STREAMING THOSE, TRYING TO GET 48 INFLATABLE BALLS TO STAY INFLATED, UH, DURING RAINSTORMS AND DURING THE HEAT. SO SHOUT OUT AND, YOU KNOW, THE WEBSITE, ALL OF THE GRAPHICS, THE THOUSANDS OF, OF PHOTOS AND ALL THE INCREDIBLE MEDIA AND COVERAGE WE GOT. I MEAN, I'M, I'M REALLY JUST SO LUCKY TO HAVE THIS TEAM BY MY SIDE. WELL, WE'RE LUCKY TOO. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, HEATHER, FOR TAKING PHOTOS. . ALL RIGHT, LOOK AT THIS CAMERA, PLEASE. THREE, TWO, ONE. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY, LOOK AT THIS CAMERA. THREE, TWO, ONE. THREEAL CAMERAS. THANK YOU TO, [00:45:01] UH, ALL THE PARTICIPANTS. UH, AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE OBVIOUSLY HONORED EIGHT, EIGHT BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS TODAY, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY MORE THAT MAKE OUR CITY AND, AND OUR REGION SO SPECIAL. SO IT'S REALLY A SHOUT OUT TO EVERYONE WHO, UH, WHO BRINGS THAT, THAT LOVE AND JOY AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKES OUR CITY REALLY THE ENVY OF THE WORLD. I'M HEARING IT FROM PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. THEY'RE, THEY KNOW THAT MIAMI BEACH, SOUTH FLORIDA IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE, SPECIAL PLACE, SO THANK YOU ALL. GOD BLESS YOU ALL, AND SEE YOU SOON. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.