[upbeat music] and i got to tell yall, this place is one of the most unique cities in the u. S. Because its almost 70 latino. Dale and it also has one of the highest percentages of latinowned businesses of any u. S. City. Being here is like being in a latinx city in the middle of the u. S. , and cubans were the first latinos to arrive and imprint their culture here. And since then, latinos from All Over The World have made miami their home. In fact, if you were to buy a latin compass, the needle would point to miami. And i have tons of history here, too, yall. My show ghetto klown was done here at the Jackie Gleason theater. I even shot my directorial debut, critical thinking, right here. I spend so much time in miami, they think im the fifth golden girl. And miamis got unpredictable weather, different cultures, opposing political views, and maybe most importantly, dueling espresso recipes. Speaking of which, im going to meet a few locals for some cafecito in a little bit, and were going to get so caffeinated. Yo, lets go miami, everywhere you look, you see latin faces. Latinos make up the majority of the population, and thats because people fleeing political and Economic Hardship have come to see miami as a refuge. This means there are a ton of Latinx Immigrant Stories here, and believe me, they arent all the same. Because let me tell you, this city is as varied in culture and politics as it is in accents. Im meeting up with marvin tapia, aka mr. Miami, right here in Little Havana, just to get a deeper understanding of what makes this cuban enclave so special. Hola, mr. Miami. John, como estas . Hows it going . Though marvin is colombiano, hes spent most of his life here in miami, surrounded by cubanos, dominicanos, salvadorenos hey, you name it. Miami is so unique. But Little Havana is like miamis ellis island. His love for the Latin Community and the nonprofit work he does preserving Little Havana has earned him the respect of the locals and, of course, his nickname, mr. Miami. So many people have come here to launch their opportunity for their families, looking for a home, and a lot of people found it. And they found it here. They found sanctuary. And it started with the cubans. From his stronghold in the wild Sierra Maestra mountains, Cubas Fidel Castro emerged triumphant after two years of Guerilla Warfare against the batista regime. Since the Cuban Revolution of 1959, cubans have been flocking to miami any way they could boats, planes, and rafts. It began in 1959, swelled to a flood within three years, and continues as a trickle even now. But today, what started out as a cuban stronghold has now expanded to include all latin americans. Here in Little Havana, you really see, like, a huge, perfect melting pot of people that just coexist beautifully. Yeah. A lot of people sometimes say that latinos, were very, like, nationalist. But were not. Were not. Were not. We love each others cultures so much. Especially here in Little Havana. We have nicaraguenses, salvadorians, we have hondurenos, mexicans, all types. And thats why Little Havana is so dear to my heart. Its a very magical, magical place. Because a lot of people can come here and never have to really learn english. Spanish. Yeah. Is the main language of miami, and especially in Little Havana. But you kind of secondthink sometimes. Youre like, am i still in the u. S. . Its so important that the people here have kept that identity. Let me show you. Let me show you what Little Havana is all about. All right. The main street, calle ocho. Were smack dab in the heart of miami. In all senses. In all senses. This is the heart of miami. This is the main strip right here. This is the main strip, also known as tamiami trail, calle ocho. Every city in miami has a different animal designated to represent it. And here in Little Havana, we have los gallos. Oh, the chickens. Los gallos, right. We have los gallos. Now, why the chicken and the rooster . Is that because latin people always love their chickens . Because i saw chickens around the corner. I was about to say. So yeah, we brought that telltale sign of our culture. Gallinas everywhere. Yeah, yeah. We had them in queens, we had them in the bronx. Either theyre in your soup. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Or theyre in the street. Yeah, yeah. So theyre everywhere. The city felt that the gallos would be a perfect symbol to represent Little Havana. Thats so cool. Yo, check it. Little havana is filled with crazy amounts of latinx everything, but the best part is the people. Theyre so full of personality and spirit, and undeniably latino. All right, so francisco here, good friend of mine. Very good. Eat a peanut, be happy. No peanut, no happy people. Roasted peanuts. This is what he does. [speaking spanish] so one of the last places i wanted to show you thats important, indicative, of this Little Havana neighborhood, is domino park. Right. The famous domino park. I mean, ive heard about it all the way up to new york. Its a membership. Oh, wow. So you have to be 55 years and older. You have to be a miami resident. You have to be 55 . Thats right. If you have any domino skills, or you think you do, this is where you come. To be tested. To be tested, thats right. And these are old pros, right . These are old pros. These people came from cuba. [speaking spanish] this is their pastime. And we built the city built this place yeah. Soto recognize it. Its incredible, isnt it, man . Enough talking. You ready to play . Yeah, im ready to play. Im ready to play. [speaking spanish] [speaking spanish] have a seat. So heres what we do. Were going to throw some bones. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now we grab 10. Dont look dont look. Dont look. So dominoes yeah, its a pastime in many latinx cultures, especially for the older generation. Yeah, i know, i get it. Thats me, yeah. And also, its just fun as hell. Thats included. Were getting serious here. Yeah. Its starting to get tense. So do you have a one . Do i have a one . Thats what im talking about. Don willy. Si. Ah. Hey no, no. I aint done. I aint done yet. Lets go. Lets go, lets go. You only got one left. Oh hey, don willy don willy oh, man. Don willy don willy catch you on the bside, don willy. [speaking spanish] youre the bomb. Little havana truly feels special, because everywhere i turn is so colorful and filled with energy, it really reminds me of my hood, hanging with my friends, playing dominoes, and being surrounded by community. Miami cubans have mastered the art of staying true to their roots and traditions, especially when it comes to their cafecito. You know, id heard great things about this small, familyowned cuban coffee shop just down the street from domino park. So guess what . Im meeting ernesto, juliette, and yudith to find out what makes cuban coffee so damn good. Hello, hello. Hola, hola. Hi. Hola. Welcome to la colada gourmet. Beautiful place you got here. Oh, thank you. Since we were in cuba, we always wanted to have our own business, but there, it was impossible to have your own private business. Right. So this was the cubanamerican dream, to own your own place. We came here only nine years ago. Yeah, yeah. And wehere we go. Yeah. We came here to miami. Thats like, the Perfect Place to settle. Because its one of the biggest latin neighborhoods in the whole country. Thats amazing, yeah. When i come to miami, i feel like im in a latin country. The warmth, the familiarity. Mmhmm. Yeah. Immigration, especially from latin countries, has become so politicized, but for the people uprooting their lives, its a bittersweet decision that involves leaving your country, your culture, and everyone you love behind, in search of a better future. And that decision takes guts, something miami cubans have in abundance. What makes cuban people so cool and special . So cool. What is the the thing, that thing . Coffee, i feel like its really important. We drink coffee, oof in the morning, afternoon, after lunch, at nighttime. Coffee, coffee, coffee. So youre hyper people. Exactly. Were hyper people. You get that personality in there, mixed with the coffee. Youre just yeah. Its a punch. All of our beans are 100 arabica coffee. What makes us different is that we roast our own beans here, fresh, inhouse. Its really important. The freshness, the smooth finish. We do a dark roast. That nutty flavor, dark chocolate. See, thats what i like. Youre not going to get that fruity. Youre such a connoisseur because thats exactly what i love about a good cup of coffee. Youre going to love our coffee then. I think so. Before the Cuban Revolution, sharing ideas Over Cafecito was a point of National Pride and unity. As coffee became scarce in cuba, immigrants brought that tradition to miami, where Coffee Houses now remain at the center of the community. Most popular ones, do you want to hear them . Yeah, yeah, yeah. Please. We have cafe con leche. Thats like very traditional to drink in the morning. We have cortadito, cafe bombon. And then we also do colada. And what is a colada . Colada. Ok. This was mostly invented here in miami in the 60s. These little cafecitos is because youre supposed to share them with people. Its so thoughtful. Its about sharing little moments with people, and thats what i feel like our latin and cuban culture is mostly about. This is colada. Really nice dark roast espresso. And you have two spoonfuls of sugar. Gracias. Thank you. Thats a latin thing too. The sweet coffee. Exactly. Right . Its very cuban. Cin cin. Cin cin. Mmm. Oh, that is delicious. What do you think . Oh, yeah. Theres no bitterness. Its smooth, its rich. Youre right. It has a tiny little bit of chocolatey flavor to it. Latin people love community, and weve come up with all these little rituals to get connected, to talk, to share those moments. Its to meet people. Yeah, yeah. We really live for that moment, for that connection. Exactly. When i was little, i remember, like, my friends or Family Members coming to my home. And the first thing you offer someone is coffee. Do you want a little cafecito . Yeah. Otherwise its considered impolite, you know . Not coming to your house again. [laughter] oh, thats delicious. Oh, wow. Uhhuh. So cafe con leche. Mmm oh, thats nice coffee. All right, so heres something youll easily get addicted to. Cuban pastries. You know that this is one of my favorite. Uhhuh. Desserts in the whole entire planet. Really . Smells good. Mmm. Thats amazing. I love it. Yeah . Welcome to the house of cuban coffee, my friend. Oh, thank you. Thank you for having me. Thank you. Im indulging. So good. Its bomb. Its bomb. Oh, thank you. So how did you guys start this incredible place . Well, when we came here, they didnt know that much english. Now theyre theyre pretty fluent. They defend themselves. Theyre ready to go out into the world. But in the beginning, i served as a translator. I feel like that was my first job. Documents, school, anything that they needed, phone calls. Its like a bunch of processes when you immigrate. Right, so all of a sudden, youre like a lawyer, the accountant. Exactly. Im learning law and how old are you about this time, like 12, 13. And then we started the business when i was 14. So when we started, i was, like, a big part of the whole budgeting thing, the concept of the store, getting the licenses to start the business. Right. So it was a lot for me. It took a lot. It wasnt like other kids who got to go out on the weekends. I was here doing the store, doing the bar. Yeah, to me, youre so fascinating. Because i, too, am i mean, im a lot older. But i am a child of immigrants, and im an immigrant myself. And i felt we went through the same experience. Yeah, such huge responsibilities. You become the parent. You become an adult faster than all the kids around you. And it does give you a sense of importance. What does success mean, what does the future mean . Yeah, it makes me appreciate more what ive done, and the success that we have now, because i saw the beginning. Yeah, yeah, you were there. Its a huge change from where we are now. This business, this is our life. For this reason, this work. Because she is a very strong woman. And my daughter is really strong woman too. And the girls, with me, is a good team. Yeah. Good, good, good. Were a team. We are very lucky, because we have her. We had a big, huge opportunity to bring her to the new life. I mean, youve had great success, so youre doing something right. Its working. Were very womanoriented. Even at my house, like, were all women. Hes the only man. Hes a little bit he has a little of a disadvantage. Its really, really complicated. It seems like youre handling it well. Seems like youre navigating it in a cool way. If my family is happy, my friend, i am happy, too. This family, and millions of immigrant families like them, are a shining example of what it means to come here and create a whole new life while also honoring the countries they came from. Im starting to realize that this is what miami is all about. water splashing hey, dad. Hum. Whats the ocean like . Are there animals living underwater . Is the ocean warm . Yeah, it can be very warm. You were made to remember some days forever. We were made to help you find the best way there. Music playing upstairs well be here. So you can be there. Everything from vitamin a to vitamin zs delivered in 1 hour. psst psst ahhhh. With flonase, allergies dont have to be scary. Spray Flonase Sensimist daily for nondrowsy, long lasting relief in a scentfree, gentle mist. psst psst flonase. All good. vo businesses nationwide are switching to Verizon Business internet. woman its a perfect fit for my small business. vo verizon has Business Internet solutions nationwide. man for our notsosmall business too. vo get internet that keeps your business ready for anything. From verizon. [upbeat music] from verizon. Miami is a fantastic brew of latin cultures, and with that comes a range of political views. But heres the thing were in no way singleminded when it comes to the ballot box. Politics in this state have most recently, though, leaned conservative. As in, voted for trump, we dont like socialists type conservative. But miamidade county, as it turns out, is unpredictable when it comes to choosing candidates. So im here at doce provisions to meet up with an old friend. Hey. [speaking spanish] so good to see you. To discuss where she sees miami going politically, and whether or not that will ever change. How are you doing . So good to see you. Good. Carmen pelaez is an awardwinning writer, actor, and filmmaker, and a badass activist whos campaigned for various Democratic Candidates over the years, and her recent play, the cuban vote, explored the Miami Political Scene and the pitfalls that come with it. When it comes to miami politics, no one has their finger on the pulse quite like carmen. Miami is the shore where the people of every failed government of latin america land. Right, right. So well said. And we keep getting them. Nicaraguenses and the colombians and the brazilians. Like, you know what government is currently failing in latin america from the accent you hear on the street in miami. And usually whats helping the failure of our countries in latin america, sometimes. Exactly. Is the u. S. And i love this country. But also, this country makes a lot of mistakes. No, no, no, they bet on the wrong horse every single time. And its its mortifying, right . Name a latin american country, and the chances are pretty good that the u. S. Government intervened there at some point in order to secure their political and economic goals. For decades, the u. S. Helped fight dirty wars throughout latin america, destabilizing economies and causing mass migrations. Chileans came here escaping a dictator we supported in 1973. Guatemala in 1954. El salvador in 79. The list goes on and on. Those events often determine an immigrants politics, for better or for worse. I dont want to take us of our accountability. How many times are we going to get fooled . Right, right. Because every country in latin america, for the most part, bounces between extreme right and extreme left. Yeah, yeah. Of the many remains of colonization that we fight in latin america i agree. Colonization has not gone away. It still is so everpresent. We like the strongman. We like yeah. We gravitate towards power because power is safety. If we cooperate with power, then were going to be ok. We feel safe. I mean, its a false comfort. But yeah, yeah. It shatters everything. Yeah, yeah. And its, you know something that i tell my extreme rightwing cuban acquaintances, like, im against dictatorship on the right, and on the left. Right. You know, to me, authoritarianism the minute i start to see that seed, im going to speak out against it. It doesnt matter if youre a democrat or a republican. If youre going to be a dictator, nobody were not for that. Right. But these people are coming from countries where their government was corrupt, completely unaccountable to anybody. Took away freedom of speech, oftentimes through propaganda and paranoia. They get here. They dont know what democracy is. Theyve never lived it. Right, right, right. The government, also republican governments, said, youre powerless. You want to get your country back . Stick with us. Well give you a seat at the table. And they did. Since then, republicans have had our number. [upbeat music] wow. Mmm. Oh, thats nice. That mahimahi is so tender. Mmm. Oh, wow. So tell me about the vote here in florida, in miami. Because youre an expert. Its much more diverse than people think it is. Meaning . Within the cuban community, within the nicaraguan within every community that we have here in miami, its not just divided by older and younger. Conservatives and liberals bounce back and forth between generations, and between waves of getting here. Like, a lot of my grandparents friends, which are lifelong republicans, voted for obama, much to my surprise. Wow, thats so wild. After the year 2000, support for democratic president ial candidates in miami steadily increased. But in 2020, that support took