The Struggle for LGBTQ Rights: Building Our Future, Honoring Our Past

An LGBTQ Panel Discussion

Join us for a discussion about how LGBTQ rights contribute to a stronger, sustainable community as a panel of diverse local leaders share their stories regarding LGBTQ history. Presented in partnership with the Miami-Dade County LGBTQ Advisory Board. Ages 13 yrs.+

About the Panel

Opening Remarks - Lucia Baez-Geller, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Board Member

Lucia was elected straight from the classroom in 2020. As a Miami-Dade County Public Schools Board Member, Lucia Baez-Geller has made student achievement, mental health, family involvement, and increasing teacher recruitment and retention her main policy priorities. Prior to her election in 2020, she proudly taught English and Language Arts to her students at Miami Beach Senior High School for 15 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and Secondary Education from Spring Hill College, a Master’s degree in English Education from Nova Southeastern University, and an Education Specialist’s degree in Teaching and Learning from Florida International University.

Panelist - Cindy Brown, Community Activist

Cindy’s public service work began in 1992 when she helped organize the Miami AIDS Walk and the White Party for Care Resource/Health Crisis Network, where she eventually became assistant director for development. She worked also as a program officer for the United Foundation for AIDS; managing director of the Miami Light Project; Miami Beach Pride director for the first 3 years, executive director of the MDGLCC Foundation/LGBT Visitor Center; executive director of the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, and she currently is with Jewish Community Services running the Lambda Living Program for LGBT Seniors.

For many years she has run her own consulting firm for non-profits, Cenergy LLC. Her volunteer connections to the non-profit community have been numerous and ongoing. She has served on the boards of SAVE, SAVE Dade, The Dade Human Rights Foundation, the Gay & Lesbian Foundation of South Florida, the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival and was one of the founders of The Aqua Foundation for Women). She has also served as the Vice Chair of the LGBT Advisory Committee for the City of Miami Beach and the Vice-Chair of the Mayors Elder Affairs Committee for Miami-Dade County. She currently is on the board of the Haitian American Community Development Corporation, Miami Girls Rock Camp and A Wider Bridge.

Panelist - Jasmine McKenzie, Community Activist

Jasmine was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She is a Black transgender woman who is committed to changing the community by making sure other Black transgender and nonbinary people have a safe and amazing future and fighting for equity for her community. She serves as the founder and executive director of The McKenzie Project, Inc which is a black trans-led organization based in Miami- Dade and Broward County, with a focus on black transgender and nonbinary individuals. On August 15th McKenzie partnered with Transsocial where they were able to open two drop-in resources centers in both Miami-Dade and Broward County. In 2021 Jasmine was awarded the “Changemaker Award” by the National LGBTQ Task force gala. Ms. McKenzie is also a passionate and active member of the South Florida Ballroom community and serves as the Mother of The Iconic and Legendary House of Ebony and is the Co-Chair for 2021 Trans Pride Fort Lauderdale. In 2016 she established her own business, Color N Raw which is a black LGBTQ+ photography and modeling studio located in Dania Beach, Florida and is patronized by the Ballroom and Black South Florida community. Jasmine and her allies are also planning the 2022 Trans Games, an indoor/outdoor sporting event for transgender and nobinary people from through the United States to come together under one roof to compete against one another.

Panelist - Laura Rosado (she/her/ella), Cultural Worker, The Alliance for LGBTQ Youth

Laura is a bisexual Caribbean cultural worker at The Alliance for LGBTQ Youth who serves as the 2022 Youth Fellow heading the annual youth-led social justice program, ChangeMakers Leadership Institute. Laura works with Alliance ChangeMakers youth leaders in developing their knowledge of essential social justice concepts and leading a queer-youth centered campaign in the South Florida community. She knows that one of the most powerful steps we can take to manifesting a freer future is investing in the agency and leadership of our youth. Laura has worked with local grassroots and abolitionist organizations that center youth leadership development and restorative justice since 2019. She has learned from disciplined Miami organizers of the strategies and politics that can help empower our young people to advocate for themselves and play an important part in working towards our collective liberation.

Panelist - Alex Fernandez, Vice Mayor, City of Miami Beach

Alex J. Fernandez is a first-generation American born to Cuban exiles who came to the United States seeking a better life and freedom from oppression. Since an early age, his parents instilled in him the importance of giving back to the community and the responsibility to serve others - especially those most vulnerable.

Alex is passionate about public service and brings two decades of government and legislative experience. Prior to being elected to the City of Miami Beach Commission, Alex developed a long record of civic engagement. As a commissioner serving fulltime, Alex has made being a true advocate for Miami Beach residents his hallmark. He crafts, reads and votes on legislation with lenses expressly focused on improving the community’s quality of life. 

As the liaison to the City’s LGBTQIA+ Advisory Committee, Alex was instrumental in having one of Miami Beach’s iconic lifeguard stands painted in the colors of the Progress Pride Flag. Most recently, Alex sponsored legislation opposing the Miami-Dade County School Board’s decision to not recognize LGBTQ History Month. His legislation empowers PTAs and Student Bodies by providing them a LGBTQ History Month that they may adopt as their own.

Moderated by Pauline Green, Esq. (she/her), Executive Director at The Alliance for LGBTQ Youth

Pauline is a Black and Filipino queer woman who proudly serves as Executive Director at The Alliance for LGBTQ Youth.

Pauline knows that LGBTQ youth are innately powerful and hold the potential to transform our society and our world into one of true liberation. She knows that queer and trans youth are brilliant and whole and are the experts of their own lives and experiences. She is committed to amplifying the voices of LGBTQ youth and protecting their human and civil rights.

Pauline is a licensed attorney. She has dedicated her career to working with and for young people who face systemic oppression and marginalization, with a specific focus on Black and Brown youth and LGBTQ youth. She is a former middle-school teacher and previously served as an AmeriCorps member in education in post-Katrina New Orleans. Prior to joining The Alliance, Pauline was the Director of Community Initiatives at Miami Homes for All (formerly Miami Coalition for the Homeless) where she led the development of Miami-Dade County’s youth homelessness initiative and co-authored the county’s comprehensive plan to prevent and end youth homelessness. She serves on several non-profit and community boards committed to advancing equity and justice, including the Miami-Dade County LGBTQ Advisory Board, Black Girls Matter Miami, Engage Miami, Miami-Dade Homeless Trust Continuum-of-Care, and the Miami Foundation’s Community Advisory Board.

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