‘YOU JUST HAVE TO LISTEN’
- Yulia Strokova
- Jun 27
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 30
After making an unforgettable mark on Miami in 2024, TEDxOvertown returns on August 2, 2025, to once again lift up the voices shaping our legacy and collective future. This year’s edition, 360 Perspectives, invites speakers and audiences alike to explore what progress truly means—through the lens of innovation, resilience, and cultural preservation.
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Nicole Crooks is Catalyst Miami’s Community Engagement Manager for Overtown and founder of Indigo Butterfly Effect, driving transformative change through initiatives like Share Our America and "A Walk through Our Neighborhoods"
When Joshua Jomarron, a Miami native, returned to his home city after studying political science for six years in Washington, D.C., he was struck by the drastic transformation it had undergone in his absence.
"Once I hit Miami, I was like, Wow, Miami has changed completely since I left. This is not the same place I remembered, and I needed to find a way to adapt without losing who I am in the social impact space," Joshua shared.
Joshua's journey in nonprofit work began in high school when he co-founded Key to Knowledge, an organization that provides school supplies to children in developing nations. Now, as president of the organization and Board chair of the Social Impact Movement, his focus has shifted to addressing changes within Miami's culture and community.
“Everyone was just working to make a name for themselves, but now it’s like, I have to start a cool tech company to be something big. Before, you could own a store, and build a business, and still make a name for yourself. I feel like we're losing that kind of recognition in Miami,” Joshua explained.
“I’ve seen so many people leaving, and I feel like the entire culture of Miami is declining. I’m not saying evolution is bad, but how do we evolve without forgetting? We’re slowly pushing people out, and they’re taking their culture somewhere else instead of building on it.”
From left to right: Stephanie Van Vark, Desiree Faulkner, Stichiz Casseus, Nicole Crooks, Joshua Jomarron, Anya Freeman, Adriana Delor, and Dr. Edward G. Robinson — a powerful lineup from TEDxOvertown 2024, where each speaker brought bold ideas on preserving Miami’s culture while embracing the future.
Motivated to spark conversations and drive positive change, Joshua founded TEDxOvertown in 2024. This independently organized TED event brought together local speakers, scholars, and community members to explore Miami’s past, present, and future.
“Pushing the legacy and making people aware of the culture is really important,” Joshua reflects. “The only way you can build properly is if you know what happened in the past. We don’t want to make the same mistakes, and we don’t want to lose traditions because then we lose who we are.”
The event’s theme, Legacy and Progress, reflected both Joshua’s personal ethos and the broader narrative of Overtown, Miami’s historically Black neighborhood, often called the "Harlem of the South."
Situated just outside downtown Miami, Overtown was once a vibrant hub for Black life, commerce, and entertainment. World-renowned musicians such as Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Nat King Cole frequently performed in Overtown’s clubs and theaters but were barred from staying in Miami Beach due to racial segregation. Venues like the Knight Beat Club at the Lord Calvert Hotel, the Harlem Square Club, and the Lyric Theater made Second Avenue live up to its "Little Broadway" nickname.
However, this cultural vibrancy was shattered in the 1960s when the government decided to build a highway directly through the heart of Overtown — many families were forcefully displaced.
Photo by Rezia Hayes
Today, Overtown faces new challenges brought on by climate change and rising sea levels. As one of the few neighborhoods in Miami situated above sea level, it has become increasingly attractive to developers seeking higher ground less prone to flooding. As a result, long-time residents are being pushed out by skyrocketing living costs. To ensure that the history of Overtown is not forgotten amid this rapid transformation, numerous community organizations are coming together to preserve what remains of this once-thriving Black neighborhood.
“Overtown is really good at advocating for itself, balancing development while staying true to its roots,” Joshua noted. “The attitude of Overtown’s residents is basically, Build whatever you want — we’re not going anywhere, so you’re going to have to build for us.”
With its rich cultural history and resilience against gentrification pressures, Overtown provided the ideal setting to discuss maintaining collective identity while embracing growth. A diverse lineup of speakers shared innovative ideas on preserving Miami’s culture while embracing progress. Attendees explored how education can empower future generations, how technology can align with local values, and how cultural preservation can be a cornerstone for sustainable development.
Photo by Rezia Hayes
TEDxOvertown demonstrated the transformative power of listening. On this note, Joshua reflected on the importance of engaging communities in decision-making processes, whether in nonprofit work or urban development:
“You can't just impose what you think they need; you have to listen. That was really inspiring to me. Progress requires an understanding of the past — of legacy. By truly listening to the community, you can identify what’s needed and wanted, allowing you to create a business model that not only succeeds but drives real impact.”
Following the success of the inaugural TEDxOvertown, Joshua hopes the ideas shared will spark a chain reaction in Miami and beyond:
“People will begin to understand what Miami, and particularly Overtown, has to offer. It’s not just about what’s happening here at home — it’s about spreading those ideas everywhere. I will help as many people as possible for the rest of my life because I know that once you help someone, they’ll be motivated to help the next person.”
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