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Wrapping Up The 2019 Legislative Session, Maternal Mortality Rates & The Public Space Challenge

The Miami Foundation
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Courtesy
Miamians reimagine what easy mobility across the city looks like as part of this year's Public Space Challenge.

The 2019 legislative session has come to a close. Reporter Elizabeth Koh has been covering this year’s legislative session for the Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times. She joined Sundial to give a recap on the state’s budget, the sanctuary cities bill, and the guardian program.

Black women living in Florida suffer higher maternal mortality rates compared to their white counterparts, according to the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This year during the legislative session, Florida lawmakers were pushing for a bill (SB 758) that would have implemented a Maternal Mortality Prevention Task Force, meant to investigate maternal deaths in the state and come up with best practices to prevent them. The bill did not make it to the governor’s desk. Jamarah Amani, executive director of the Southern Birth Justice Network and one of the founding members of the Black Mamas Matter Network, joined Sundial to talk about the scope of the problem facing black mothers and possible solutions. 

This year, the Public Space Challenge is looking for idea submissions related to mobility in Miami-Dade County. The Miami Foundation is investing $250,000 in ideas focused on improving pedestrian walkways, cyclists lanes and public transportation. Miami resident Maria Font proposed creating better pedestrian access to Circle Park in Miami Springs and was an award recipient.  Font and The Miami Foundation’s Director of Public Affairs Dawn Shirreffs joined Sundial to discuss this year’s challenge.

Chris knew he wanted to work in public radio beginning in middle school, as WHYY played in his car rides to and from school in New Jersey. He’s freelanced for All Things Considered and was a desk associate for CBS Radio News in New York City. Most recently, he was producing for Capital Public Radio’s Insight booking guests, conducting research and leading special projects at Sacramento’s NPR affiliate.