Eileen Higgins sworn in as Miami mayor, making history as first woman and first Democrat in decades
Miami Mayor-elect Eileen Higgins made history on Thursday when she was sworn in, becoming the first female ever to lead the city and the first Democrat to do so in nearly 30 years.
The ceremony kicked off Thursday afternoon at Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus Auditorium, which was packed full of community leaders and residents who waited on end to watch history unfold.
After taking the oath of office, Higgins approached the podium and began with a story to set up the theme for her vision on how she wants to lead the city. She spoke of a young boy named "Andrew" who she asked what he thinks a mayor does. His answer: "Help people live their lives."
"Andrew is only eight years old and he defined this job better than anybody's oath of office ever could," Higgins said.
Following that story, she then continued with an anecdote about how in her 40s, she was asked to write her own obituary for a corporate exercise. At that moment, she came to the realization of her purpose in public service.
"That is why I am here: To serve, to show up every day and make your lives better," Higgins said.
Higgins went on to discuss how even though a government "cannot love," it can "act lovingly and we will act lovingly by listening to what the people of this city ask for."
"My job is to deliver on your choices," she said. "To match a vision with determination. A city defined by what we say but what we do."
Higgins' ambitions for the Magic City
On the campaign trail and onstage, Higgins said she has a plan for Miami.
She said people who have been hoping to repair or do work on their homes will not have to wait years for a permit anymore.
She said she also believes the city of Miami made a mistake signing an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) known as 287(g). She said she believes Miami should have sued the state of Florida like the city of South Miami did.
For now, Higgins said she wants to limit the impact of the cooperation with ICE.
She also ran heavily on affordable housing. She said she promised to build more affordable housing, and the solution already exists in the city of Miami.
"We need to look deeply at what is happening on city-owned land and that will also be a top priority with me," she said during her campaign. "And the people that live in the city of Miami need to know that not only will I serve all of them as mayor, but I will speak respectfully about them, about their families, about their contributions to our beautiful cultural fabric here."
Back in the auditorium, Higgins said that though these goals sound ambitious, delivering them depends on public servants who are ready to deliver upon those promises.
"You deserve leaders who work as hard as you do, who know that no matter what title beholds, we are all public servants and we are all in this together," she said.
Higgins closed her inauguration speech with a message to those who didn't vote for her.
"It's pretty simple: I am here to serve everyone," she said. "Every person who calls this city home will find a voice at the end of the line, ready to help."
Higgins continued, saying that everyone "deserves a city that works for them," regardless of their background.
"The diversity of our city is our strength," she said. "And our opportunity is boundless when we come together, when we share this city with one another, when we respect and care for one another and when we give every person's dreams room to soar."
In her final words, she circled back to Andrew and her obituary exercise, saying that she hopes to live up to the expectations the eight-year-old set up for her: "A Miami made better because I served with purpose, because I served with you."
Higgins ushers in a new era for Miami politics
And it's the end of an era in Miami politics.
Not only is Higgins being sworn in, but Rolando Escalona was sworn in as Miami city commissioner on Wednesday, succeeding longtime commissioner Joe Carollo.
Carollo had been in politics for nearly 50 years.