Our protests and testimonies at Miami's City Commission last year are paying off.  Yesterday saw the first public hearing of the ACLU/NAACP case in federal court challenging the redistricting that divided Coconut Grove between three City Commissioners.  

After many months of detailed, behind-the-scenes work, your One Grove efforts are starting to come to public view.  Detailed, precise and relentless, ACLU/NAACP attorneys let the words of Commissioners Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla and Reyes do all the talking.

And of course, you will recall that the Commissioners were talking to you.

Miami Herald reporter Joey Flechas wrote, 'Over the course of those [2021-22] hearings, Commissioner Joe Carollo said the original idea of drawing single-member districts was so that “there would be an African American sitting in this commission and there would be an Anglo,” and “that there were three Hispanic districts.” 

“Yes, we are gerrymandering to preserve those seats,” Commissioner Manolo Reyes said during one of those public meetings.

“Our goal here is to have an African American district, . . . a white district, . . . and three Hispanic districts,” said Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla in a meeting.'  (https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article273733575.html

Following yesterday's hearing, Magistrate Judge Lauren F Louis will prepare a report and recommendation, the attorneys will have ten days to reply to her report and a final ruling will be issued thereafter...early/mid May.

The ALCU/NAACP suit seeks to undo the redistricting maps that you opposed last year.  Should that happen (fingers crossed), new district maps will have to be drawn and we'll reassemble Coconut Grove's representation.

This suit is one of several parallel legal thrusts that have been moving forward out of public view.  As the others become public, we will alert you.  

To be clear, your vocal participation in last year's hearings, your financial contributions and your sharing your views with your neighbors made this progress possible.  Thank you.