Miami has a rhythm all its own. We’re turning up the volume.
When this city shines, the whole world watches. From Wynwood walls to Biscayne shores, from Little Havana coffee shops to Overtown community centers, we’re celebrating the people who make Miami pulse with possibility.
MEET OUR CHANGEMAKERS
Miami runs on neighbors who move to the beat of generosity, creativity, and grit. These are the changemakers shaping the city’s soul, proving every day that when Miami rises, the world feels it.
Malcolm Sims
Applied AI & Data Analytics
Ian Rodríguez Galán
Political Science
Sarahi Lovo
Homestead
Drew Raph-Lundeen
Hialeah
Madisson Orozco
Criminal Justice major
Alejandro Fayad
Economics
Darmonique Rivers
Nursing
Diego Guiu
Psychology Pre-Med Track
Where Miami’s Heroes Take the Stage
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MIAMI
1 Sonnet Boom: Love Poems for Miami
2 Elevate Miami Awards
3 Love Song to Miami
4 Find The Good
With: o, Miami & SWWIM (Supporting Women Writers in Miami)
Sonnet Boom is a citywide poetry celebration inviting Miamians of all ages to share short love poems to the place we call home – celebrating belonging, joy, resilience, and hope.
Submissions are now closed.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who sent in a love poem to Miami. The response has been extraordinary.
Winning poems will be showcased across the city – on buildings, bridges, and screens – and finalists will take the stage for a live public reading during National Poetry Month 2026. Follow along as we announce finalists and winners and bring these poems to life across Miami.
With: The UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI’S Frost School of Music & GUITARS OVER GUNS
A citywide celebration inviting Miami musicians and creators to write and perform an original “love song” to the city, with the winning performance debuting at a high-profile gathering in 2026. So get writing and turn your love of place into an anthem for Miami!
Launching: March 2026.
The Elevate Miami Awards are rocket fuel for good already in motion. Each year, three local nonprofits receive $25,000 unrestricted grants to help scale their impact and strengthen the fabric of our city.
Chosen through a community-driven nomination process, the awards shine a light on the neighbors, creators, and community builders who are transforming Miami from the ground up — and offer them visibility through both traditional and social media.
In partnership with Miami Dade College’s Changemaking Initiative, Elevate Cities is engaging MDC students as the inaugural Elevate Miami Impact Fellows — a first-of-its-kind cohort helping design and lead the selection process.
These students will play a vital role in identifying Miami’s top changemakers while gaining hands-on experience in civic leadership and community building.
With the Miami Foundation, MDC and Radical Partners as founding partners and The Miami Herald amplifying their stories, the award winners will be announced live on stage at loanDepot / Marlins Park during Give Miami Day — creating a citywide moment of pride, belonging, and celebration.
With: Win It Entertainment / Find the Cash
A citywide scavenger hunt that celebrates the power of community good. Win It Entertainment will host five cash drop events across Miami in partnership with local nonprofits. Each drop includes a real $500 prize for the first participant to arrive and a matching $1,000 Elevate donation to the featured nonprofit. Get involved using @findthecashmia. Get hunting and let’s capture Miami’s imagination!
Launching: December 2025.
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Supported by Leaders Who Know That Real Change Starts at Home
MIAMI ADVISORS
Stewards and connectors anchored in each city’s unique story and lived reality.
Tony Cho
CEO & Founder, Future of Cities
Rebecca Fishman Lipsey
President & CEO, The Miami Foundation
Joan GodOy
CEO, Radical Partners
Sandra Louk LaFleur
Director, Changemaker Education & Social Innovation Miami Dade College
Sean McManus
Co-Founder, M+D Advisors
Jared Meyers
Co-Founder Florida For Good | Chair & Co-Founder, AndCo Hospitality Group
The best gift you can give your city? More of you.
Explore ways to celebrate Miami with us.
Whether you’re a changemaker, partner, or engaged neighbor, there’s a place for you here. This is Miami’s moment. And you’re part of the story.
Changemakers
Already building something beautiful in your community? Let’s amplify what you do and connect you with people excited to build your vision.
Civic Leaders
Looking to partner with grassroots changemakers? Bridge policy and community action with us to make Miami a model for what cities can become.
Believers: Ambassadors, Partners, and Supporters
Love this amazing city? Want to build this movement with us? Become a partner, ambassador, or sponsor, and join our network of people and organizations elevating Miami together.
Who’s Throwing This Party Called Elevate Cities?
Meet the people turning civic engagement into celebration and making good irresistible.
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