In Broward County, home to one of the nation’s largest Jamaican communities, local Jamaican leaders on Friday implored South Floridians to continue to help the Caribbean country and others affected by Hurricane Melissa.
“This is personal, and this is our moment to stand together,” said Broward County Commissioner Hazelle Rogers, who was born in Jamaica and organized the news conference to urge the public to continue to support relief efforts.
“Broward County is not just responding. We are leading,” she told the media.
The latest death toll from Hurricane Melissa reached at least 19 in Jamaica and 31 in Haiti.
At the press conference in Lauderhill, the community leaders announced numerous county undertakings. They include: Port Everglades waiving port tariffs for emergency and humanitarian relief efforts; food aid flying out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airport; and an opportunity for county employees to directly contribute to nonprofits from their paychecks.
"The phrase, '[we likkle] but wi tallawah' is a Jamaican proverb that means to me 'we are small, but we are strong, mighty, and not to be underestimated," Rogers said.
Numbering more than 250,000, Florida is home to the largest Jamaican population in the U.S., most of whom are concentrated in South Florida. Only New York has more Jamaicans, Census Bureau data show.
READ MORE: 'The damage is shocking': Jamaicans in Lauderhill respond — and agonize — after Melissa
Broward County Schools Superintendent Howard Hepburn highlighted several drives held at the county's school administration offices. Hepburn, who is Jamaican, said he spent many childhood summers in Jamaica and was there two weeks ago.
" I know it's not time to reflect, it's time to act," Hepburn said.
Airlift
A Miami-Dade-based educational nonprofit also announced it will airlift aid to Jamaica in early November.
Rajeev Brown, representing national STEM education program Flying Classroom, said he is partnering with pilot Barrington Irving to send a commercial jet full of supplies to Jamaica on Nov. 10.
In 2007, Irving was the youngest person at the time to embark on a solo flight across the world. He was also the first Black and Jamaican man to do so. Brown said he and Irving have not forgot about their hometown in South Florida — and want to support the island they are both from.
" We've got supplies. We've got goods. We just need to get them there now," Brown said.
Oliver Mair, Consul General of Jamaica for the Southern U.S., said his government has planes in place for the massive relief effort.
“ We have planes on the ground from yesterday, we have planes arriving, and we have been far more coordinated than we were in Hurricane Beryl,” Mair said, referring to the 2024 hurricane.
Mair had three recommendations for prospective donors: volunteer, donate supplies and give cash to nonprofits for immediate and flexible aid.
To support Broward County's relief efforts, go to jamaicacgmiami.org or browardschools.com/supportJamaica.
You can also read more about relief efforts across South Florida in WLRN's coverage here.
