South Florida activist group 1Miami is hosting a gathering this weekend in Hialeah and Little Haiti to bring Carnival Cruise Lines to the public's attention. They say Carnival is figuratively "sinking Miami."
While most associate the cruise line with family memories, bad sunburns, and tanning oil, 1Miami faults it for skirting U.S. labor and tax laws, and offering low wages and benefits.
A press release reads, "The carnavals will commence this weekend in Hialeah and Little Haiti. The goal is to bring Miami's communities together, not just for a good time, but to expose the company." What better way than to do it with a block party?
1Miami director of communications Jose Suarez said, "It's time the 90 percent make the one percent accountable."
Tracy Jackson, a 1Miami member who plans on attending the carnaval in Little Haiti, said, "Very few people would view Carnival Cruise Lines or its CEO, Micky Arison, in a negative light. Most people know him as the Miami Heat's owner who brought LeBron James. What they don't know is how little Carnival pays in taxes."
"We're supposedly one of the greatest countries in the world," said Suarez, "and with all the diversity and wealth in Miami, it's immoral not to pay their fair share."
Added Suarez, "I wouldn't call them a good neighbor."
In any case, you can decipher for yourself whether you agree or disagree with 1Miami at Little Haiti Park (6301 NE 2nd Avenue) Sunday, March 25 at 2:30p.m. The carnavals will be held this weekend and again on March 31 in Little Havana.
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