The move, made possible through a partnership with Related Urban Development, marks a pivotal chapter in the chamber's history. New Times spoke with Eric Knowles, the chamber's president, to explore this milestone and its meaning for the future.
Knowles, the chamber's president since 2014, picks up the phone in the middle of what seems to be a busy morning.
"Okay, I'm actually finishing up an email. Give me one second," he says before jumping into the details of his long-awaited achievement.
"What I'm excited about is our relationship with Related Urban," says Knowles, the former community relations and government affairs director for the Miami Dolphins. "The chamber will be moving into our own offices, something that we have not owned since we've been in business."
Prior to landing in Liberty City, the chamber operated out of borrowed or rented spaces for decades, such as its current office at Barry University, which reflects the same partialities it's working to dismantle. Despite this instability, the mission didn't waver.
For Knowles, securing a space signals a turning point.
"We won't have to be looking for space anytime in the very near future or distant future," he relishes, highlighting the sense of permanence and progress this breakthrough represents.
The deal with Related Urban Construction, a leader in affordable and workforce housing, gives the chamber a 3,500-square-foot office "in perpetuity."
Albert Milo, Jr., president of Related Urban, addressed the partnership that made this triumph possible at the chamber's annual holiday gala.
"It was always about rebuilding the community," Milo says, referencing Liberty City Rising, a multimillion-dollar effort to revitalize the area and raise living standards. "I'll never forget some of those early meetings where we decided to pursue this opportunity."
Milo adds that Related Urban's commitments also included granting Black subcontractors a chance to participate in the redevelopment of Liberty Square and Liberty Gardens.
The Liberty City office won't just house staff. It will serve as a hub for entrepreneurs.
"We will be building out an incubator, a business center for businesses in Liberty City, or those who want or need space," Knowles says. "We will be providing technical assistance and workshops throughout the space as well."
Miami-Dade Chamber President Eric Knowles shares the stage with Mayor Daniella Levine Cava during the 19th Annual Holiday Gala.
A Legacy — And a Future
The chamber's history makes the milestone all the more significant."Fifty years ago, the chamber was formed because of a lack of inclusion and opportunity for Black businesses, particularly doing business with the county and the school board," Knowles says.
Back then, the chamber helped Black entrepreneurs break into government contracting, one of the most reliable paths to economic growth. Today, the chamber's mission extends to women-owned and minority-owned businesses across Miami's multicultural landscape.
"We are a city that is not just Black and white. We're a very diverse city, and we have to be conscious of that," stresses Knowles, who identifies as a Bahamian raised in Miami. "You can be Black, you can be Haitian, you can be Jamaican, you could be Bahamian, you could be Black Cuban, and the list goes on."
As the chamber prepares to move into its new home in Liberty Square, Knowles can't help but look ahead with optimism. For him, it's not just about having an office — it's about what that office will mean for the community.
He looks forward to providing resources to those "who may want to start a business or have an idea, and we will be able to help them through that process of the iteration of an idea, to actually building out, helping them build out a business plan, and get them going," he says.
But funding these ambitious initiatives takes work. When discussing the importance of sponsorship and fundraising to the chamber's operations, Knowles doesn't mince words.
"That's how we keep our doors open. A big part of our funding is our gala that we do every year," he says. Dubbed the Little Black Dress and Pearls, the event is attended by more than 300 women.
Honoring Community Leaders
Held in December, the chamber's 19th-annual holiday gala was a fundraiser that also served as an opportunity to recognize key contributors to the Miami-Dade community. Dr. Willie Logan, president and CEO of Ten North Group, who received the H.T. Smith Lifetime Achievement Award, was among the honorees."H.T. Smith was a very prominent lawyer in our community, advocate in our community, a fighter in our community, who led the boycott when Nelson Mandela was snubbed," Knowles explains about the legendary figure who also attended the gala. "We've named [the award] after H.T. because of his tenacity, because of his love for our community."
The gala celebrated notable members of the community like Carole Ann Taylor, an entrepreneur and long-time supporter of the chamber, who received the Distinguished Service Award, Florida State Senator Oscar Braynon II with the Jason Jenkins Unsung Hero Award, Trina Harris with the David Fincher Young Innovator Award, and Yolanda Cash Jackson, Esq. with the Citizen of the Year Award.
Commissioner Oliver Gilbert III of District 1, Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners, was the honorary chair for the evening. Past honorary chairs have included Mayor Danielle Levine Cava, who was also in attendance that evening, and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.
"We've had some notable individuals who have supported us in our galas as honorary chairs," Knowles notes.
Cava celebrated the chamber's milestone with a message of gratitude and encouragement, highlighting the chamber's efforts in shaping Miami-Dade's economic and cultural landscape.
"Miami-Dade County, we are making it happen thanks to your advocacy, your persistence, and some good leadership," she said. "Thank you very, very much, everyone. Congratulations!"
Beyond the awards, the gala highlights the chamber's ability to unify Miami's diverse communities.
"The gala brings together the community," Knowles says.
Unanswered Questions
Though New Times sought additional context from Knowles and Related Urban to better understand the significance of this new office space, the chamber declined to address the questions, from why the group only now secured long-term office space after 50 years to why Liberty City was the ideal location for the new milestone. Related Urban had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.Recent Liberty City events, such as a deadly New Year's Eve shooting in the area, underscore the persistent struggles facing the community. These realities make the chamber's presence and planned business incubator all the more crucial.
