Emgage Florida familia empowers me to live authentically, protected and confident in my culture🌞

My name is Alejandra, and mi cultura stays with me. As a South Floridian, I’d have to admit that I am in good company. 

Emgage hired me a year ago, in a role that has supported my personal, professional, and life growth.  My role at Emgage Florida is to implement projects that unite diverse communities—including faith-based organizations, immigrant groups, and voting and civil rights advocates—by connecting them with Florida’s legislative process. 

My gratitude in helping create political power for the Muslim American diaspora is rooted in my heritage of Cuban American political activism. My father was a community organizer that denounced the Cuban government for violating the human rights of the Cuban people before the UN year after year for three decades. Miami, Florida has become my people’s Mecca. Waves of Cubans ascended on our American shores – first, the middle class and anticommunists; then the freedom fighters who built our Little Havana; followed by the Marielitos, stigmatized as poor Cubans who fled here for the American Dream and economic freedom; and for the last two decades, desperate exiles fleeing so many untold hardships. 

My life, I faithfully believe, has been crafted intentionally.  Completing my masters degree in Arabian Gulf studies, a specialization of broader Middle East studies after majoring similarly in undergrad, and studying abroad in Qatar taught me how to speak a new dialect born from the parallels of Spanish and Arabic. Islam’s beauty, diffused in its culture, preserved in practice, and brought to life by the Ummah, colored my paradigm; breathing in bukhoor, like incense in the Masses of my youth, fusing together like language. 

As time goes forward, so do our people and our progress. One year ago, when I started in my role with Emgage Florida, I was a supporting member of our annual gala. Now in 2025, I am proud to say I am leading the planning, promotion, and production of this year’s gala. 

Emgage Florida 2025 Gala brings in and celebrates all of us whose freedoms are tied together. With Eid Al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday that celebrates the end of the holy month of Ramadan, just around the corner, we are reminded of those who came before us and paved the way for us to lead. Muslims’ observance of Ramadan and Catholics’ observance of Lent both remind me of those who are not as privileged or as fortunate, which only further fuels my determination to continue fighting for freedom for all. Because until all of us are free, none of us are. 

P.S My point of pride is booking Jeremy McClellen, a personal favorite comedian of mine!

RSVP & buy tickets to our Gala in Fort Lauderdale, Saturday, April 19th: bit.ly/EmgageFLGala2025

Emgage is a family of institutions including a 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and PAC. Emgage provides different avenues for engagement and empowerment for the Muslim community and its allies.