Field Trips

Calle Ocho & Little Havana
To say that Miami and Cuba are intertwined is just the beginning of a long conversation about the city’s relationship to its neighbor just 90 miles south. Half a million people arrived in Miami from Cuba in the 15 years after the Cuban revolution (1953-59), and this influx of Cubans to the city of Miami is in large part responsible for Miami’s population boom. The ensuing demographic shift--from a predominantly white to a predominantly Latinx city--has shaped the city’s culture for the past six decades. This morning trip to Little Havana, a neighborhood long known for being a hub for Cuban exiles, will feature an opportunity to visit some of Calle Ocho’s legendary venues on a walking tour of the neighborhood, and partake in Cuban coffee and conversation with local arts and culture makers.

Little Haiti
Little Haiti (formerly Lemon City and Little River, it didn’t receive its current designation until 2016) is a cultural and residential nexus for the over 125,000 Miami residents of Haitian descent. It is also one of the most swiftly gentrifying areas in the country, due to its prime location on a ridge the highest point above sea level in Miami, and an undercurrent of multiple marginalization of the Haitian people (as Black folks, as immigrants, and as non-English speakers). For a slight additional cost that will go directly to supporting people in this community, join a walking tour of the neighborhood, and learn about how Little Haiti has been preserving its heritage in the face of encroaching development. Explore venues like Little Haiti Cultural Center, and Liberi Mapou, the largest Creole bookstore outside of Haiti, and join a studio conversation with renowned Haitian visual artist Edouard Duval-Carrié. The excursion will culminate with an interactive Haitian dance demonstration and a tasting of authentic Creole cuisine just in time for lunch.

Wynwood
If you’re looking for an Art Basel experience in the middle of summer in Miami, look no further than Wynwood. But go beneath the surface, and you’ll see a complicated history of gentrification that has produced one of the city’s most sought after (and hardest to afford) neighborhoods for artists, residents, and developers alike. Over the years, the neighborhood has had many identities, but its most recent transition -- from a racially diverse, lower middle class community into a booming site for new galleries, condominiums, and restaurants -- was perhaps the most radical shift. Join Alan Ket, renowned Miami-based artist, creative director, photographer, and author for a tour of Wynwood Walls, a curated outdoor exhibit of pieces created by muralists in the center of the district. The tour will culminate at the Miami Light Project’s Light Box Theatre, a Wynwood staple since 2008, led by Miami Host Committee Co-Chair, Beth Boone, who will discuss the evolution of the neighborhood and the theatre  over coffee and refreshments. .

Miami Beach
Roughly 100 years ago, Miami Beach was artificially created on a sandbar off the coast of Miami proper. Thus began its history of dredging glamor out of sand. Soak up some sun and visit the Beach with us on Wednesday morning for a history and architecture tour, featuring some of Miami Beach’s famous art deco designs (and led by colleagues from the Miami Design Preservation League), followed by an opportunity to engage with local poets and artists via a salon at the boutique Betsy Hotel, which supports local artists and engages visiting writers through its Writers Room studio program. If you’re feeling adventurous, step out of the Betsy and end the morning with a quick walk in the surf.