Introductions - Tell us about yourself and your work!

[Corinna Moebius]

Tell us about yourself, your work, and how you want to connect and collaborate with others. How can we help you realize your goals for making Miami-Dade a better place?

[Lynn Mitchell]

Hello - I'm Lynn Mitchell and am the Executive Director of The Wellness Community - Greater Miami. We are a community based non profit that provides psycho social oncology support and education to people battling cancer. We also provide support for care-givers and families. All of our services are FREE of charge and we're working on providing support for many of our underserved communities in Miami-Dade.

If you or someone you know is in need of support, please contact us at 305-668-5900 or visit our website at www.twcmiami.org.

[Samia Taoulost]

Hi, my name is Samia Taoulost. I recently graduated from Miami Dade College Wolfson campus and will be transferring to Saint-thomas university in the coming fall. For the past two years, I have been involved in school as well as national organizations that battle for different causes; from the invisible children in North Uganda and world poverty to health and immigration issues within the US. I am planning on continuing the same work at STU. Currently, I am interning at Imagine Miami which is an organization that stands for what I believe is an essencial key to social and economic development. Imagine Miami promotes understanding between diverse groups of people, creativity, and a feeling of belonging to a caring community. It is the kind of place where no one will feel awkward or misunderstood. So, through this "civic network" , I am hoping that members of our community will share their ideas, experiences or difficultiesin order to give or receive support. This network can and will be a haven for people who care about others and their community.

[Leighton Regis]

hi Samia my name is Leighton Regis, i currently attend St Thomas university. I hope to work alongside with you to bring the voice of Imagine Miami to STU. I have been at STU for one year and i have done alot thus far and i can't wait till August to continue working for the betterment of Miami. You will surely see me around campus so have a great summer!...

Lei

[Corinna Moebius]

Hi everyone -- I'm Corinna Moebius and I'm director of Imagine Miami (the creator of this Ning). IM is an initiative of the Human Services Coalition, a local nonprofit that builds the capacity of individuals, families, organizations and communities around access to financial benefits, healthcare, advocacy skills, etc.

Personally, I care very much about human and civil rights as well as our environment. I support efforts to address the racism that exists here in Miami-Dade, where diversity is actually one of our strongest assets. I also have a special interest in preserving/sustaining cultural heritage. I'm concerned about the loss of cultural traditions that's happening now with the "McDonaldization" of the world.

It's happening in neighborhoods across the U.S., too: places lose their identity and start to look like any other place -- maybe you could say they've lost some of their soul. And I've also been reading about the impact of culture/place loss on the creativity of kids, more and more who are being raised with video games instead of learning how to truly play and imagine. We need imagination! And when we learn our cultural traditions we learn something deep about ourselves.

I care very much about Miami-Dade, not just the residents but the place itself. And I hope in my own small way I can make a difference here.

[Laurie Scop]

Corinna,
As I have always told you, you are more Miami then Miami can imagine... xoxo.

[Laurie Scop]

Hi everyone- I am Laurie Scop, a consultant, psychology student, artist, advocate, and activist. As a native of Miami, I have lived in seven different neighborhoods in Miami-Dade county. I am a self-described "truth-teller" and lover of all things "humane". I utilize my various "hats" to address areas of health and safety, arts and culture, education, and representation of disadvantaged populations on a local, state, and national level. I start with the individual.

Within Imagine Miami's "civic network" I hope to connect to a supportive community of dynamic individuals who choose to actively participate in life... those who demonstrate an attitude of optimism, gratitude, and resilience, spark meaningful dialog, share innovative and creative ideas to solving problems, offer and exchange resources, and develop purposeful initiatives.

[Kim Marcille]

Hi, my name is Kim Marcille, and I'm Chief Amplifier at Possibilities Amplified, Inc.! My company helps individuals, businesses and communities discover new possibilities for themselves and amplify those possibilities into reality. My current project here in Miami is with the Knight Center of Digital Excellence (KCoDE). The goal of the Center is to use broadband technology to connect, enable and transform communities. You can find out more about here: http://www.knightcenter.info. If you have ideas about how broadband technology can enable your project or serve the citizens of Miami-Dade County, please let me know! You can reach me at 305-439-9326, or [e-mail].

[Caitlin MacLaren]

I'm Caitlin MacLaren, the Communications Coordinator at the Human Services Coalition. My goal is to communicate what it is non-profits such as HSC do to the media and public. I believe more people would get involved in their communities if they were aware of the many ways there are to do so.

[Dale Penn]

Hello. I'm a board member with Miami Beach Arts Trust. We are a non-profit group of arts advocates who support arts organizations and artists in a number of ways. We publish MiamiARTzine.com, the area's only non profit, bi-weekly, online ezine with original editorial content and photography. Subscriptions are free, just visit the site and subscribe. Over 40,000 unique visitors read MiamiARTzine.com each month. We also act as fiscal agents for new non profit organizations.

We are actively interviewing new board member prospects with skills in accounting, public relations, journalism, photography, graphic design and organizational development and/or a strong passion for arts advocacy in South Florida. If you are interested in learning more, please contact [e-mail].

[Andrea Baker]

My name is Andrea Baker. As coordinator of the South Florida Community Development Coalition (SFCDC), I work to help our members advocate and educate for strong communities in Miami-Dade. SFCDC's members are nonprofits, lenders, businesses, and individuals who use affordable housing and economic development strategies to build strong and equitable communities.

As a resident of Miami-Dade, and specifically the Shenandoah/Coral Way area, I love to find activities that are fun, low cost, and that get people involved with their neighborhoods and with each other!