In the News

Jazz in the Gardens is back following a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, and the event kicked off with a women’s empowerment luncheon Friday with five-time Grammy-award winner Yolanda Adams as the keynote speaker.

Several Miami Gardens government officials were in attendance for the luncheon at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, as well as Congresswomen Frederica Wilson and Val Demings.

Demings, whose district covers most of the western portion of Orlando, told CBS4 News it was important to her to attend the luncheon to help highlight the importance of women empowering themselves and one another.

“Today is a day of celebration and my colleague is correct, who is a pretty amazing woman herself! Women are here from all over to celebrate American history,” said U.S. Rep Demings, a Democrat who is running for Senate.

“This is such a blessing for this community and it’s a wonderful celebration to have all these women here, because you know women carry the world on their shoulders so for all of us to be back together and for Jazz in the Gardens to have a resurgence, I’m here to celebrate,” said Congresswoman Wilson.

The event was held in honor of Women’s History Month, and it’s a fitting celebration considering the music festival was made possible by a woman. Former Miami Gardens Mayor Shirley Gibson had a vision to bring a music festival to the city, and now it’s one of the largest music festivals in the world.