Miami’s super powers
This is the Dec. 21, 2021 edition of the Opportunity Miami newsletter, which we send every Tuesday. Click here to subscribe to get our weekly updates in your inbox.
This month marked the anniversary of the now-famous “How can I help?” tweet — a response by City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez to a query from Founders Fund principal and Varda co-founder Delian Asparouhov, who suggested moving Silicon Valley to Miami.
It was a galvanizing moment in the great COVID migration, as people thought anew about where to call home. And amid this reshuffling, Miami topped the list; South Florida’s tech industry had the greatest percent growth in the nation, and Greater Miami had the biggest year-over-year percentage increase of workers overall, according to recent data from LinkedIn.
The influx has prompted questions about Greater Miami’s future. Just last week, The Miami Herald’s Rob Wile quoted Silicon Valley reporter Eric Newcomer, who wondered if Miami will ultimately see a techlash from locals, “or if people are happy to have new wealthy neighbors with strong opinions about how the city they live in should be run.”
Time will tell, of course. But one thing is clear: for Miami, from one important perspective, none of this is new.
Since its birth, Miami’s been shaped by waves of people coming here and putting their own stamp on the city. Over the course of Miami’s short history, people have arrived from the Bahamas, Eastern Europe, Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, New York City, Brazil, Jamaica, Venezuela — and the list goes on.
Again and again, Miami’s been shaped and reshaped by fresh eyes and new ideas. And it’s been to the city’s great benefit — building up countless areas, including Miami’s art and cultural life, educational institutions, neighborhoods, food scene, startup and business community, among many others.
But I found a young city where influence was decentralized, initiative rewarded, and each of us had the opportunity to bend the arc of the city’s future in ways that mattered to us.
“From its very beginning Miami has been a land of opportunity, and a land to start over again,” Dr. Paul George, resident historian at HistoryMiami Museum told me. “This latest wave follows a pattern that has defined Miami from its earliest days.”
To me, three particular qualities distinguish Miami:
- A welcoming spirit;
- an open mind;
- and a culture that rewards grit and initiative.
When I moved here 20 years ago this month from Boston, I didn’t know a single person — and I thought I’d be here for a year or two before moving on. But I found a young city where influence was decentralized, initiative rewarded, and each of us had the opportunity to bend the arc of the city’s future in ways that mattered to us.
There’s no doubt we still have much to address in Miami, but I hope these are qualities and values we keep for years to come.
I was recently reminded of this as we recorded our latest Opportunity Miami podcast. The discussion included Softbank’s Shu Nyatta, who grew up in Kenya; Lightship Capital’s Brian Brackeen, originally from Philadelphia; The Plug co-founder Sherrell Dorsey, from Seattle; and Black Ambition CEO Felecia Hatcher, who grew up in Delray Beach and whose mother moved here from Jamaica. Each is invested in the life and future of Miami.
In the same vein, last week we published an essay by aire ventures’s Leigh-Ann Buchanan, who launched and recently released a survey assessing equity and inclusion within South Florida’s innovation ecosystem. Leigh-Ann came to Miami from Vancouver.
The point is this: A key differentiator for Miami is that we’re home to many perspectives, lived experiences and personal histories from so many places. This is a huge asset. That’s true now, and will be in the future.
I was asked recently about advice to new arrivals. My response: keep looking around the corner.
We won’t send a newsletter next week, due to the holiday break; you’ll find the next issue of this newsletter in your inbox on Tuesday, Jan. 4. Until then, you can always find us on our website, check out our podcast on YouTube and Spotify, and follow on our social channels at @opportunitymia. And we can always be reached at next@opportunity.miami.
But, one more thing. I was asked recently about advice to new arrivals. My response: keep looking around the corner.
I’ve often heard Miami described as a small town, where everyone knows everyone. Don’t believe it. If you keep running into the same people, look around. I promise you’ll find something — and someone — new. That is, in the spirit of the holidays, Miami’s great gift to us all
Hope to see you in the New Year,
Matt Haggman
Opportunity Miami
@matthaggman
Photo (top) by Ariel Tutillo on Unsplash. Opportunity Miami is powered by the Miami-Dade Beacon Council.
