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Issues We Care About

We believe that the people most affected by a problem should be the ones deciding how to solve it. We need public policies that ensure everyone's needs are met, resources are distributed fairly, laws are just and equitable, and that we can respond to new challenges. At Catalyst Miami, we prioritize policies that our community identifies as important and that are critical to our people’s well-being.

Additionally, we know that enacting change in Miami-Dade will not be possible without simultaneously addressing Miami's long history of racial injustice. South Florida has been built on the exploitation and marginalization of Black and Indigenous people. This has decimated wealth in these populations; for example, the median liquid asset value for Black Miamians is $11 as compared to $10,750 for Whites. It's a matter of life and death: children in Miami's Black communities live 15 fewer years than those in communities just a few miles away. For these reasons, we place racial justice front and center in every aspect of our policy platform. 

Check out this brief video about how everyone wins when we learn our shared history and enact equitable policies. 

Through our open and intersectional coalition-building efforts, we bring together our program alumni, community organizations, and other residents to: communicate their needs and concerns; ensure proposed policies meet their community priorities; build grassroots leadership; and lay the groundwork for long-term, positive change.

Participatory Budgeting: Read how Miami-Dade residents are creating a county budget that's for the people, by the people.

Click here to view our collective 2024 state policy priorities in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

Click here to sign up for our email and text action alerts so you can make your values known in Tallahassee.

1. REDUCE ENERGY BILL BURDEN FOR MIAMI-DADE HOUSEHOLDS

Energy burden is defined as spending 6% or more on your income on your monthly electricity bill. Miami's low-income households have an energy burden that is 3x higher than their non-low-income counterparts (ACEEE, 2020). Energy efficiency programs are how we reduce energy burden, and are also the quickest, most cost-effective way to begin to address the climate crisis.

2. PREPARE & PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES FROM EXTREME HEAT & FLOODING

Miami-Dade County residents experience over 77 more days over 90°F than in 1970 (Climate Central, 2020). Scientists predict that by 2036, more than half the days each year will record temperatures over 90°F in Miami-Dade. Our outdoor workers, public transit riders, and households without affordable, reliable air conditioning are disproportionately exposed to the health harms of extreme heat. At the same time, sea-level rise contributes to flooding and stronger storms that impact our mobility, building quality, health and safety.

3. CHAMPION A JUST TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY

Climate justice means that our responses to the climate crisis must provide multiple benefits for everyone, starting with the people who have the fewest resources to cope or adapt to the hazards and stressors.. In Miami-Dade, low-wealth neighborhoods and historically disadvantaged groups (e.g., recent immigrants; pregnant people; people living with disabilities, chronic illness, or critical care needs) bear disproportionate burdens. We must take bold, swift action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address the climate crisis in a way that builds community-level resilience.

Primary Partners: Community Leadership on the Environment Advocacy and Resilience (CLEAR) program alumni, Miami Climate Alliance, The Miami Foundation, Florida International University, Florida Clinicians for Climate Action, Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF), South Florida Community Development Coalition, The Allapattah Collaborative CDC, Florida Rising, University of Miami Office of Civic & Community Engagement, University of Miami Climate Risk and Preparedness Research Group, WeCount!, TAPARI, The Nature Conservancy, Konscious Kontractors, CLEO Institute, People’s Economic and Environmental Resiliency (PEER) Group, and Earthjustice.

1. REDUCE HOUSING COST BURDEN FOR MIAMI-DADE HOUSEHOLDS

Half of Miami-Dade County households are cost-burdened by housing, meaning they pay over 30% of their income on shelter (MHFA, 2020). This crisis has been worsened by the coronavirus pandemic, as thousands of Miami-Dade County households face foreclosure and eviction. We believe that housing is a human right, and that creating housing stability will lead to improved economic stability in our region.

2. IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE MULTIPLE BENEFITS

It is important to preserve the cultural heritage and historical significance of Miami-Dade's vibrant communities. In preventing community displacement, we can also promote solutions that provide environmental and economic benefits.

Primary Partners: Housing Equity Advocacy & Leadership (HEAL) program alumni, Community Justice Project, Miami Workers Center, Community Reinvestment Alliance of South Florida, Miami Climate Alliance, Florida Housing Justice Alliance, Opa-Locka CDC, Konscious Kontractors, Allapattah CDC, SMASH, and Miami Homes for All

1. INVEST IN LOCAL INITIATIVES THAT BUILD COMMUNITY WEALTH

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, over half of Miami-Dade County households were considered in poverty or the working poor (United Way Miami, 2020). There exists a staggering racial wealth gap in our region, where the median net worth is $107K for White-Americans, $22K for Cuban-Americans, and $3,700 for American-born Blacks (OSU, 2019). It is important to build community wealth and address this disparity head on.

2. ELIMINATE HARMFUL IMPACTS OF FINES & FEES

The inability to pay fines and fees can lead to mounting debt, driver's license suspensions, and jail for our residents. Across the country, millions of Americans get trapped in the justice system simply because they can’t afford to pay fines and fees. We must reform this system to eliminate disproportionate punishment for those solely because they have limited finance.

3. SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS REVITALIZATION

The Beacon Council says it best, "Small businesses are the lifeblood of Miami-Dade County, representing a large portion of the local economy." When we support small local businesses, we are more likely to maintain our community identity, be environmentally friendly, create local jobs, and reinvest in our neighborhoods.

Primary Partners: Future Bound Miami, Beyond the Bars, Opa-Locka CDC

1. SAVE MILLIONS THROUGH JAIL DIVERSION PROGRAMS

Miami-Dade County's existing jail diversion programs save the County $6M annually (American Criminal Law Review, 2019). Non-profits like The Alternative Program, saved the County $15M in cost avoidance by presenting alternatives to incarceration. In addition, these programs reunite families, improving economic and social stability at a household level.

Primary Partners: League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade County, Beyond the Bars, Opa-Locka CDC, Community Justice Project, Dream Defenders, Divest/Invest Miami, WeCount!, Florida Rising, Engage Miami, Miami Workers Center, Florida Housing Justice Alliance, Justice for Miami, and SMASH