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Who will replace Frederica Wilson in District 24? Meet the candidates at Little Haiti public forum

From left to right: Former Miami-Dade commissioner Jean Monestime, African Heritage Cultural Arts Center Managing Director Marshall L. Davis Sr., Te Mayonna Brown, Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones, Former Miami-Dade commissioner Oliver Gilbert, Miami Criminal Defense Attorney Roderick Darrell Vereen and Kendrick Meek Jr. gather for a group photo after participating in a town hall debate ahead of the U.S. House Florida District 24 race at Florida Memorial University on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Photo by Matias J. Ocner/mocner@miamiherald.com
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Miami Herald
From left to right: Former Miami-Dade commissioner Jean Monestime, African Heritage Cultural Arts Center Managing Director Marshall L. Davis Sr., Te Mayonna Brown, Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones, Former Miami-Dade commissioner Oliver Gilbert, Miami Criminal Defense Attorney Roderick Darrell Vereen and Kendrick Meek Jr. gather for a group photo after participating in a town hall debate ahead of the U.S. House Florida District 24 race at Florida Memorial University on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Residents in Florida Congressional District 24 will get a chance to hear from candidates running to fill the seat of outgoing Congresswoman Frederica Wilson at a forum being held in Little Haiti.

The forum, called “The Road to Congress: The Battle for Florida’s 24th District”, is in partnership with several South Florida media outlets: the Miami Herald, MIA Media Group, NBC6 and WLRN, and moderated by NBC6 Anchor Jawan Strader and Miami Herald Editorial Opinion Editor Amy Driscoll.

It will be held at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex on Wednesday, July 22, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“The Miami Herald believes informed communities make stronger decisions,” said Miami Herald Executive Editor Alex Mena. “We’re proud to partner in presenting this debate because providing voters with direct access to the candidates and their ideas is an important public service and central to our mission as a news organization.”

Ten Candidates are vying to replace Wilson, who announced her decision to not run for reelection in an exclusive interview with the Herald in May.

“I figured if I announced that I was retiring, what would the Legislature and the governor do? What would they say? Would District 24 be an easy target because Frederica is no longer there? I’m a strong candidate,” she said at the time and shortly after the state redrew congressional districts.

“With me not here, would that weaken the survival of District 24?”

Of the 10 candidates, eight confirmed their attendance at the forum: entrepreneur Te Mayonna Brown; longtime director of the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center Marshall Davis; outgoing Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert; outgoing Florida state Sen. Shevrin Jones; grandson of late Congresswoman Carrie Meek, Kendrick Meek Jr.; former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jean Monestime; physician Rudolph Moise and attorney Roderick Vereen.

The forum is free to attend and open to the public, but attendees can register to ensure they have a spot here.

The Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce, 100 Black Men of South Florida, Inc. Urban League of Greater Miami, Inc, Black-Owned Media Alliance, and National Pan-Hellenic Council of Miami-Dade are community partners of the forum.

IF YOU GO
WHAT: “The Road to Congress: The Battle for Florida’s 24th District”
WHEN: Wednesday, July 22, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
WHERE: 212-260 NE 59th Ter., Miami
COST: Free. Register here to reserve a seat. Click here to register.

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