Community leaders and residents converged on Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Alamo Park on May 1st to come together in support of “Our Jackson.”
Religious leaders, elected officials, community organizers, patients and residents came to Jackson to protest the 1,100 layoffs taking affect this week that will undoubtedly impact patient care and services. A variety of speakers shared personal stories of their experiences at Jackson and how the public hospital made a difference in their own lives and loved ones.
Thank you to everyone who came out to this important event that marks the start of a new community movement where the public is taking back OUR JACKSON. Today’s speakers included:
- Bishop Victor T. Curry, Senior Pastor of New Birth Baptist Church
- John Rivera, President of the Dade County Police Benevolent Association
- Rep. Barbara Watson
- Joe Garcia, Miami Attorney, former Obama appointee, former Chairman Miami-Dade Democratic Party, Congressional candidate
- Rep. Cynthia Stafford
- Dr. Phillis Ehrlich,wife of a former Jackson patient
- Marlene Bastien, activist for the Haitian American community, chair of the Florida Immigrant Coalition
- Calixco Garcia, President of the Community Technological Institute of Miami
- Jack Liberman, Community Activist, spokesman for Moveon.org
- Marie Flore Lindor-Latortue, Radio Host of Haitian American stations 1320 AM and 1700 AM
- Martin Gill, Community Activist, Gill was part of a landmark Florida court case that in 2010 ended Florida’s 33 year ban on gay adoption
- Hector Torres, President of the Senior Hispanic Coalition Corp
- Reverend Jonas George, Haitian American pastor of All Nations Church in North Miami Beach
- Pedro Aria, Jackson patient
- Marie Wimberly, Jackson patient
- Jose Javier Rodriguez, candidate for State Representative, District 112
- Commissioner Michelle Spence Jones
