Miami Gardens teams with Flo Rida collecting donations for majority minority communities hit by Hurricane Ian

Miami Gardens, Florida – A fresh initiative is under work in Miami Gardens to assist comparable areas in southwest Florida.

Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, rapper Flo Rida and the City of Miami Gardens teamed together in the hopes of loading a trailer with supplies and sending it to hard-hit towns in Lee County.

“Strong Arm, Flo Rida, they got us a nice trailer,” said Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert. “We’re going to fill this thing up, we’re going to send it over.”

“As far as myself and my team, we definitely feel the hurt, we feel the pain, and we’re gonna react out of love and anything we can possibly do, we going to help,” added Flo Rida.

Vice Mayor Reggie Leon of Miami Gardens said the city made the decision to participate in the effort after learning about the destruction in majority-minority areas like Harlem Heights and Dunbar, close to Fort Myers.

“Well especially as the largest African-American city in the State of Florida, we want to make sure we’re able to show that support to other sister cities that look just like us,” Leon said.

Jacquelyn McMiller, the assistant secretary of the Lee County NAACP, and Leon managed the aid effort.

“It’s going to be a tremendous help,” she said. “I got phone calls from so many people saying no one hears us, no one knows about us, and no one is even trying to give us any help.”

According to McMiller, there are inequalities in help distribution following Hurricane Ian that are reminiscent of those that have been observed in other natural disasters, with a disproportionate amount of aid going to whiter, wealthier communities.

“Many of the black and brown communities, they are the last to get, even power back on,” said McMiller.

From 1 to 5 p.m., donations will still be taken to fill the trailer at Carol City Park.