Dec 17, 2024 Story by: Editor
North Miami Beach Mayor Michael Joseph, standing stoically at the Julius Littman Performing Arts Theater, delivered his first public address as North Miami Beach’s newly elected mayor during Tuesday’s induction ceremony. The event featured performances by the North Miami Beach Senior High School band, the Fulford Elementary School orchestra, and a solo act by singer and musician Sir Diego Brazil.
“This wasn’t supposed to be me,” said Joseph, 43, reflecting on his journey as the son of Haitian immigrants. His father worked as a janitor, and his mother as a maid, while Joseph worked his way through undergraduate and law school.
“Not a bad American dream story. But the mayor? Being young and thinking about life goals, being mayor isn’t at the top of the list,” he told the audience, sharing his upbringing in Miami’s Little River neighborhood. “But God has a plan for me, like he has a plan for all of us. I never thought my name would be added to the list of such great pioneers and trailblazers in our community.”
Joseph’s historic victory over incumbent Evan Piper makes him the first Black mayor of North Miami Beach. Piper had secured a special election win in December 2023 to replace former mayor Anthony DeFillipo, who was ousted.
“It’s humbling, but I have a job to do as mayor outside of that,” Joseph told the Miami Herald, crediting pioneers such as U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, the late Shirley Gibson, and former Miami-Dade Commissioner Betty Ferguson for paving the way. “The community has trusted my judgment, my leadership style. They just want me to get the job done.”
Joseph, a civil rights attorney and St. Thomas University School of Law graduate, will oversee a city with a diverse population of 40% Black and 41% Hispanic residents, according to U.S. Census data. Approximately 8% of Miami-Dade County’s Haitian American population resides in North Miami Beach.
In recent years, Haitian Americans have gained representation on the city commission, breaking the previous dominance of a white voting bloc during the 2010s. With Joseph’s election, Haitian American officials now hold significant influence on the commission.
Joseph’s rise comes two years after a contentious period when he, along with commissioners McKenzie Fleurimond and Daniela Jean, boycotted meetings in protest of then-mayor DeFillipo’s alleged charter violations. DeFillipo, later arrested on voter fraud charges, was removed from office in May 2023 by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The boycott brought criticism and legal challenges, with Joseph being sued for missing 120 consecutive days of commission meetings. While temporarily removed from his post, he was reinstated by a judge.
Barbara Kramer, a former commissioner, remains critical of Joseph’s past actions. “For me, it’s always going to be a tough obstacle to get over. Maybe he’ll do a great job and that was the past,” Kramer said, adding that the boycott delayed critical city projects.
Despite the controversy, Joseph believes the voters’ trust in him remains strong. “If you’re honest with the community, they will always back you,” he said, emphasizing the importance of transparency in governance.
Outgoing mayor Evan Piper congratulated Joseph, expressing confidence in his leadership: “Your success is our city’s success, and I hope I can speak on behalf of the residents in expressing confidence that your leadership will bring meaningful progress to our community.”
The night was also historic for North Miami Beach as voters elected Lynn Su, the city’s first Asian-American commissioner. Su defeated former commissioner Paule Villard, who faced controversies over the city’s Publix gift card program, criticized for favoring Haitian neighborhoods while neglecting others, including the Orthodox Jewish community.
“There were people who actually said that I would never get elected because I am Asian… despite all the odds and all the doubters, the volunteers I have mentioned today stood by me,” Su said during her swearing-in ceremony.
Looking ahead, Joseph plans to address pressing issues such as affordable housing, economic revitalization, and septic-to-sewer conversion. His immediate focus during his first 100 days is building consensus among the commission and maintaining transparency with the community.
“I think that’s what they’re looking for,” Joseph said. “They want to make sure the city runs, the community stays safe, the trash is picked up, and the resources are being utilized to their best use.” Source: Yahoo News
