Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to enter into the Record and say the remarks that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), were he here, would be delivering. He is at the White House today. I would like to give his remarks. Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us today is House Concurrent Resolution 35, a concurrent resolution congratulating the State of Qatar and its citizens for their commitment to democratic ideals and women's suffrage on the occasion of Qatar's historic elections of a central municipal council on March 8, 1999. The gentleman from New York is the primary sponsor of this measure and wanted to particularly thank the cochairs of the Congressional Women's Caucus, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly), for their support for these elections and their cosponsorship of this resolution. Qatar is a strong ally of the United States in the Persian Gulf and is moving toward the 21st century under the leadership of His Highness, Sheikh Hamad, the Emir of Qatar. That leadership includes expanding the civic contribution to Qatar's governance. Our colleagues will agree that the United States highly values democracy and women's rights. So we were more than pleased to learn of the successful municipal elections that Qatar had conducted in which women, as well as men, were granted the right to vote and run as candidates. House Concurrent Resolution 35 applauds the Emir of Qatar for his leadership and commends the citizens of Qatar for participating in this important civic function. Clearly, this election demonstrates the strength and diversity of the State of Qatar's commitment to democratic expression. House Concurrent Resolution 35 also reaffirms that the United States is strongly committed to encouraging the suffrage of women, of democratic ideals, and peaceful development throughout the Middle East. We therefore were pleased to learn that the Qatari Government is in the process of drafting a constitution. This document, once adopted, will cause the creation of a Qatari parliament. Mr. Speaker, in discussions with Qatari officials, they informed us that the State of Qatar considers the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as their structural model. Congress therefore looks forward to these developments and to maintaining and strengthening its relationship with Qatar. House Concurrent Resolution 35 celebrates an important milestone in the development of Qatar, and I urge our colleagues to join me in extending our congratulations to all its citizens by lending their support to this important resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 35) congratulating the State of Qatar and its citizens for their commitment to democratic ideals and women's suffrage on the occasion of Qatar's historic elections of a central municipal council on March 8, 1999, as amended.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this measure.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 110) congratulating the Government and the people of the Republic of El Salvador on successfully completing free and democratic elections on March 7, 1999.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 110.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to read the statement of the chairman of the Committee on International Relations regarding this bill. ``The chairman of our Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly), introduced this resolution congratulating the Salvadoran people on their most recent free elections. I am pleased to see such a positive, bipartisan expression of support for El Salvador. On March 23, the Senate agreed to a similar measure, Senate Resolution 73, which enjoyed strong bipartisan support. ``It is fitting that we should congratulate the president-elect of this country, Guillermo Flores, and vice president-elect Carlos Quintanilla on their electoral victory. The Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front and its candidates, who secured 29 percent of the vote, were also present. The transformation of the FMLN into a political party competing for power in open democratic elections is one of El Salvador's key achievements. ``It is equally fitting, Mr. Speaker, that we should recognize outgoing President Armando Calderon Sol. President Calderon Sol's quiet leadership has continued El Salvador's successful implementation of the 1992 peace agreement. Faced with the trials of Hurricane Mitch and an economic downturn, he has ably led El Salvador in binding the wounds of more than a decade of civil conflict. Moreover, President Calderon Sol will certainly be remembered for his achievements in privatizing state- owned enterprises, including the historic privatization of El Salvador's pension system. ``I urge my colleagues,'' the gentleman from New York says, ``to unanimously support H. Res. 110.'' Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution before us, H.R. 1143. As we look at the reports issued by the World Health Organization, which document, as we have heard, that one-fifth of the world's population lives in extreme poverty and that poverty is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, the problem of how to help poor families appears so immense and widespread that it seems impossible to manage. This, Mr. Speaker, is where microcredit comes in. It is a new vision for ending world poverty and it provides access to credit for the world's poor to convert their ideas into thriving small businesses. People like Salomie Chung and Elisa Crespo from my hometown of south Florida, who with the assistance of Kathleen Gordon of Working Capital Florida and Gail Neumann of Results-Miami no longer need to worry about survival and basic existence because they are now successful entrepreneurs. These are just a few domestic examples, but microcredit is now at work in some form in over 40 countries. Overall, the rate of repayment of the more established programs ranges from 95 to 99 percent. Foreign assistance used under the microcredit program is loaned and paid back with interest and is then recycled and used for new loans, thus, reaching even more of the world's poor. Microcredit is an economically viable program which furthers U.S. development goals and humanitarian purposes, but it needs our unequivocal support to continue its mission and to build on its success. That is the objective, Mr. Speaker, of the bill before us, House Resolution 1143. It expands upon previous legislation and ensures that at least one-half of overall resources allocated for microcredit within USAID are to be directed to programs serving the poorest of the poor with loans under $300. This could mean that tens of thousands more of the poorest will have the opportunity to empower themselves out of the state of poverty that they are currently in. The bill before us helps to guarantee the survival of programs which are endangered by crises beyond the control of the programs and of the borrowers. It calls for further action and initiative to be explored to help enhance the development of microcredit institutions. As H.R. 1143 states, the development of microenterprise is a vital factor in the stable growth of developing countries and in the development of free, open and equitable international economic systems. It is, therefore, in the best interest of the U.S. and of the United States Congress to support its growth and its expansion. By supporting H.R. 1143 and microcredit in general, we are investing in the human spirit and the desire of the world's poor to use their creativity, their talents and their skills to control their own destiny. For the future welfare of the men, women and children worldwide who suffer the pain inflicted by poverty, I ask my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 1143.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, a writer in one of our hometown newspapers once said that ``Miami is two parallel universes of life on water and life on land.'' She was describing Stiltsville, a community of structures located approximately 1 mile south of Key Biscayne, Florida, part of the Congressional district that I am proud to represent. It is difficult to describe in words the picturesque and peaceful view that the homes supported by stilts looming above the water makes against the Florida skyline. Stiltsville began in the 1940s with the Quarterdeck Club, a beautiful locale featured in Life magazine for its unique architecture and location on the northernmost extreme of pristine Biscayne National Park. By 1960, at least 25 structures existed which represented distinctive architectural facades with brightly colored wood frame buildings resting on steel foundations. Stiltsville served for many years as the backdrop for many television shows, movies, books, and advertisements, including the long-running television show ``Miami Vice.'' It has been a favorite of movie makers, of boaters, and tourists alike because of its unique features and its frame against the Miami skyline. Unfortunately, due to the hurricanes that often plague our south Florida shores, only seven of the original 25 structures remain intact today. Stiltsville homes are privately owned and represent no cost at all to the Florida taxpayers. These seven remaining structures have now been equipped with especially engineered features which have been adapted to meet the rigors of a hurricane-prone area. The remaining seven homes provide not only aesthetic beauty for the landscape but a haven for fish and other sea life that inhabit the area. For boaters and fishermen, Stiltsville is often used as a navigational guide and as a shelter for many during storms. For Floridians, Stiltsville symbolizes the Miami of yesterday and the Miami of today. In fact, Florida governors since Governor Leroy Collins have spent time at Stiltsville. Many of our local civic and charity groups have used these homes, including the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Miami Chamber of Commerce, and the Rotary Club, just to name a few. For many of our cities across our Nation, there are local historical sites that give our cities character and that make them unique. For south Florida, Stiltsville is one of those places that gives our community flavor and keeps us linked to the history of our great State. It is unfortunate, however, that in spite of the historical and cultural symbolism that Stiltsville holds for all of Florida, it is looking at the possibility of being demolished by the National Park Service. Its current lease with Biscayne National Park expires on July 1 of this year, and a recent petition for national historic designation was denied even though Stiltsville is regularly a part of the South Florida Historical Association Tours. The Dade Heritage Trust, which is Miami-Dade County's largest historic preservation society, has worked for almost 30 years to preserve landmarks that enrich the texture of our city's present and future, and the benchmark used by the Dade Heritage Trust for judging structures to be historic is 50 years. Yet an exception has been made for Stiltsville because the members know that the colorful origins of the community itself dating back to the 1930s and 1940s make it a wonderful component of Miami history. Even the State Historic Preservation Officer of Florida has supported a National Register nomination for Stiltsville. According to noted historian Arva Moore Parks, Stiltsville is a very fragile piece of history worthy of salvage. And certainly many of us in south Florida share that sentiment. In our district, with the help of dozens of local organizations, such as Save Old Stiltsville, the Florida Department of State, the University of Miami, and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, we have begun an effort to ensure that Stiltsville will remain a part of Miami's history and that future generations will be able to enjoy the beauty that Stiltsville adds to Biscayne Bay. Together, we hope to make this dream a very real part of south Florida and our State and our country for years and generations to come.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, this Saturday, April 17, South Florida will once again become the center of opportunity as the second annual Volunteer Miami fair commences. At Miami-Dade Community College's Wolfson Campus, hundreds of South Floridians will gather to demonstrate their commitment to their communities and their willingness to serve. At Volunteer Miami we will learn ways in which to utilize our talents and skills and focus our energy on promoting positive, effective change for South Florida. Martin Luther King stated, ``Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.'' In my district, the rewards reaped by volunteerism has been immeasurable. I thank Dr. Eduardo Padron, David Lawrence and Valerie Taylor for making this service extravaganza possible, and I thank the hundreds of dedicated volunteers who know that, by sharing a little of their time, they can truly make a difference. I hope that my congressional colleagues will be inspired to organize similar volunteer fairs in their districts to unleash the power behind volunteerism.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to Miami- Dade Community College's Medical Center and to the Florida Student Nurse Association which will celebrate Nurse Day on April 12, 1999. The Medical Center Campus of my alma-mater, Miami-Dade Community College, graduates about 350-400 nursing students each year and adequately prepares them for a successful outcome on their examination for their Registered Nurse license. In addition, the college graduates the highest number of Associates degrees in Allied Health of any other college or university in the entire Nation. The Nursing profession attempts to assist persons, families and the community to attain the best health status possible. The nursing program offered at Miami-Dade Community College empowers its participants with invaluable knowledge and experience in order to effectively promote good health and serve the infirm of the South Florida community. I congratulate MDCC's Medical Center for the outstanding accomplishments the nursing program has achieved in our community and I wish the faculty, staff, and all of its graduates perpetual success.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about a wonderful program which is transforming the lives of millions of poor families around the world. I am referring to microcredit lending. Microcredit involves giving small, low-interest, start-up loans to poor but hard-working, aspiring entrepreneurs so that they can start their thriving small businesses known as microenterprises. It is a program which has demonstrated the potential to help the poorest family emerge from poverty and, by extension, to help create a more inclusive global economy. Results in Miami under the leadership of Gail Newman, Kathleen Gordon, and many other volunteers has helped dozens become entrepreneurs. Microcredit works locally and it can work globally, as well. It is not a handout. It is an opportunity, an investment, an exercise in responsibility and accountability. In developing countries, the rate of repayment to these established programs range from 95 to 99 percent. Foreign assistance used under the microcredit program is loaned and paid back with interest and is recycled and used for new loans, thus reaching an even greater percentage of the world's poor. Microcredit is empowerment. It is a tool which builds upon the human spirit. It is the U.S. helping others to help themselves. Microcredit is action in support of our humanitarian instincts and objectives. I support this program, and when the bill comes to the floor, H.R. 1143, I ask that my colleagues give their strong support. I know that results in Miami works, and it works internationally, as well.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I wish to share with my colleagues the tragic circumstances of a constituent, Shannon Melendi, a 19 year-old sophomore at Emory University in Atlanta. Almost 5 years ago to the day, on March 26, 1994, Shannon disappeared on a Saturday afternoon from the Softball Country Club where she worked as a scorekeeper, during games. Shannon took a work break from which she never returned and no one has seen her since that day. The prime suspect, a part-time umpire at the park, was previously convicted of kidnapping and taking indecent liberties with a child and served only 2 years of a 4-year prison sentence. This was his third sexual offense. Perhaps if this man had served his full prison sentence, Shannon would not have disappeared. Or, perhaps if he had received a harsher sentence, due to the fact that it was his third sexual offense and committed against a child, Shannon would still be here today. Mr. Speaker, when sexual crimes are committed, we need to ensure that these criminals spend many years incarcerated so that women and children are safe from sexual predators who prey upon them. I urge my colleagues to work together to enact legislation that will keep people who have committed sexual crimes off our streets so that what happened to Shannon will never have to happen again. Shannon's father, Luis, summed it up the best when he said, ``What happened to us cannot be changed, but because of what happened to us, changes can be made.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, today it is a distinct honor to recognize Dr. Horacio Aguirre, an outstanding journalist, good family man and contributing member to our South Florida community, for his many years of dedication and vision in the area of journalism. As an acknowledgement of his endeavors, the Miami International Press Club will present Dr. Aguirre with its 1999 Good News Award on April 15th. The Cuban patriot Jose Marti once said: ``Talent is a gift that brings with it an obligation to serve the world, and not ourselves, for it is not of our making''. Dr. Aguirre has taken those prophetic words to heart, for his entire life has been dedicated to protecting and advancing the entire spectrum of journalism with his feverish talent and love for the field. From his early years as the editorial writer at El Panama America newspaper in Panama, to his experience as a founding editor with one of the longest running dailies, Diario Las Americas; Dr. Aguirre has always been a champion for all journalistic causes. His achievements have been such that other nations such as Panama, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Spain have all bestowed awards upon him. Dr. Aguirre has also been very active with the Inter-American Press Association, where he has held the posts of Secretary, Chairman, First Vice-President and President. Mr. Speaker, in an era where journalistic rights have come under increasing attacks from dictatorial governments, Dr. Horacio Aguirre is worthy of recognition because he is and continues to be a defender of journalists' rights to report. He has contributed immensely to the hemispheric discussion on this most important of issues. Dr. Horacio Aguirre offers to all of the Americas what the brilliant Ruben Dario gave to his native country, Nicaragua: ``I offer unto you the steel upon which I forged my efforts, the coffer of harmony that guards my treasure, the crown of diamonds the idol that I adore.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I wish to share with my colleagues the tragic circumstances of a constituent, Shannon Melendi, a nineteen- year-old sophomore at Emory University. Five years ago on March 26th, Shannon disappeared from a park where she worked. No one has seen Shannon since that day. The prime suspect, a part-time umpire, was previously convicted of kidnaping and sexually abusing a child, but served only two years of his sentence. This was his third sexual offense. Perhaps if this man had served his full prison sentence, Shannon would not have disappeared. Or, perhaps if he had received a harsher sentence, due to the fact that it was his third sexual offense committed against a child, Shannon would still be here today. When sexual crimes are committed, we need to ensure that these criminals serve their full sentences so that we can be safe from sexual predators. Shannon's father summed it up best when he said, ``What happened to us cannot be changed, but because of what happened to us, changes can be made.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for bringing up that game, and perhaps our colleagues would be interested in knowing that in fact every Cuban-born baseball player now playing on our American teams have said, ``We will not go to Cuba. We do not think that this is the correct signal.'' Because they have been there. They know the first person to politicize this national pastime of both the U.S. and the Cuban people is Fidel Castro himself. In fact, many of these players had been banned from playing baseball because Castro did not want them to participate in that sport. He feared for their defection. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the chairman and the engine in our Committee on International Relations and proud sponsor of this resolution.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 99) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the human rights situation in Cuba, as amended.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 99.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 99, a resolution detailing the systematic violations of human rights by the Castro regime; a resolution rendering our unwavering support to the dissidence and internal opposition in Cuba; a resolution that restates the U.S. commitment to freedom, to democracy in Cuba; a resolution which calls for further U.S. and international resolve against the oppression and subjugation of the Cuban people. As the U.S. delegation begins its work in Geneva for the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, Mr. Speaker, it is imperative that they be empowered by the passage of this resolution, which is a bipartisan effort and a bipartisan message that the United States Congress cannot be silent on this issue and will not tolerate the abuses inflicted by the Castro regime against its own citizens. This message we hope will be heard and received by the international community as a call to action against the deplorable human rights situation in Cuba. There is never a wrong time to condemn abuses inflicted upon our fellow human beings. It is always correct to speak out against injustice. There is never a wrong time to underscore the plight of hundreds of thousands of political prisoners or to underscore widespread cases of torture, of executions, of disappearance, of intimidation, of persecution, of forced exile throughout the four decades that Cuba has been under the brutal totalitarian dictatorship. It is not only our moral obligation but the duty of the United States as a global leader and a vanguard of democracy. My dear colleagues, the Castro regime has not changed. Let us not allow ourselves to be fooled by the facade created by the regime and its apologists. As Juan Tellez Rodriguez, independent Cuban journalist for the Freedom Agency, said earlier this year, ``The government in Havana continues to close itself off to the world. It insists on its closed, oppressive political system. It does not even open up to its own people who suffer and die slowly.'' Indeed, it seeks to silence the independent voices on the island because it realizes the power of the human spirit, of what individuals can accomplish when they are able to exercise their natural rights. He goes on to say the Castro regime understands all too well the meaning of President Ronald Reagan's words when he said, ``No arsenal and no weapon in the arsenals of the world are so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.'' So the Castro regime continues to use any method, any strategy, any action to stifle freedom of expression in an attempt to undermine the Cuban people's struggle for liberty and democracy in their island nation. One of the most recent examples illustrating the repressive nature of the Castro dictatorship is the imprisonment, the trial and the sentencing of Cuba's best known dissidents, and they appear for our colleagues in the posters right in front of the well. Marta Beatriz Roque Cabello, Felix Bonne Carcases, Rene Gomez Manzano and Vladimiro Roca Antunez. These four brave Cubans were arrested in 1997 after petitioning the regime for immediate reforms and publishing a pamphlet entitled ``The Homeland Belongs to Us All,'' whereby they describe their hopes for a free and democratic Cuba. These four pictured above us languished in Castro's jails for more than 600 days without any charges filed against them, surviving inhumane treatment for almost 2 years, preparing to begin a hunger strike on March 16 if they were not brought to trial. So the Castro regime initiated the facade of a trial on March 1 amid a roundup and detention of dissidents. Last week, the regime sentenced Marta Beatriz, Felix, Rene and Vladimiro to varying prison terms merely for exercising their rights and for seeking to secure the rights for their fellow countrymen. As we consider this House Resolution 99, I would like my colleagues to think about these four brave men and women. I would like for us to ponder upon the words written by Marta Beatriz Roque in a letter dated February 7 of this year and smuggled out of her prison cell. In it, she said, ``I remain in my belief that the homeland belongs to all of us. Sufficient time has passed and there have been enough postponements. The time for liberty in this small prison will not wait. My brothers, I believe that we should not fear the shadows because their presence means that a light shines from a place not far away. Our struggle for our Nation's democratization already has been marked by this imprisonment. We have endured and passed the difficult test that will make us more persistent in our demands. ``I will be convinced of our cause's justice to my last breath. Even if we are sent to our deaths,'' she writes, ``we already have made a mark in life and we always will be a symbol to all of the world of repression, despite the laughable defamation to which we have been subjected to by this regime.'' From her jail cell, Marta Beatriz Roque closes her letter to her fellow dissidents by saying, ``May God permit us to be together forever in the struggle.'' With the sentencing of these four dissidents, Marta Beatriz, Felix, Rene and Vladimiro, the Castro regime thought that it would intimidate the internal opposition into silence and submission. Assuming it could stifle the struggle for freedom and muzzle self expression of the people, the regime believed that it would be able to continue manipulating public opinion in its favor in order to generate greater commercial ventures with foreign investors and governments that would help prolong its hold on power. Perhaps others could turn a blind eye to the words of Marta Beatriz and other dissidents; to the articles by independent journalists which document the human rights abuses and the violations of civil liberties. The U.S. Congress, however, could not and must not. The Cuban people need our unconditional support now more than ever. They need to know that the U.S. is unwavering in our commitment to a free and democratic Cuba; that we will not weaken our resolve amidst international pressure; that a superpower and global leader, as is the United States, will defend the rights of the oppressed against the oppressor. Let us be the light that Marta Beatriz spoke of in her letter. Let us render our unequivocal support to her and to the fellow dissidents sentenced recently by the Castro regime merely for exercising their rights. My dear colleagues, I ask that we protect the sanctity of the basic rights endowed upon all human beings; to support the Cuban people in their struggle to live free as individuals and as citizens, and I ask for a vote in favor of this resolution today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss). (Mr. GOSS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Scarborough).

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, last year Miami-Dade County established a wonderful tradition when it implemented Volunteer Miami. This annual volunteer fair, made possible by Dr. Eduardo Padron, David Lawrence, Valerie Taylor and hundreds of dedicated volunteers from Greater Miami's nonprofit community and government service organizations, has awarded students and families the opportunity to truly make a difference. Saturday, April 17, will kick off this year's Volunteer Miami-Dade Community Colleges' Wolfson Campus, where representatives from various organizations will be on hand to provide valuable information on how members of our community can lend their abilities and spare time for the benefit of all of south Florida. Volunteering is a definitive way in which to promote a powerful force that enriches an individual and allows all of us to positively impact an entire community. By raising awareness on volunteerism and forming strong partnerships between deserving agencies and a corps of volunteers, positive change can and will be effected to make south Florida a better place in which to live and work. I congratulate my alma mater, Miami-Dade Community College, for making Volunteer Miami a success.