Ceremony Press Kit
On Thursday, August 1, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County District 3 Commissioner Keon Hardemon, and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs will host a renaming ceremony for the newly renamed “Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center” in honor of its longtime Managing Director, who has led an outstanding team of talented artists and dedicated educators since 1983.
“For 40 years, Marshall L. Davis, Sr. has been enriching lives through his work at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center in the heart of Liberty City,” stated Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “His work is a reminder that from its rich history and vibrant arts to its indomitable spirit of resilience and innovation, Black culture is a cornerstone of our community's identity. I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize Mr. Davis and his legacy. Together, we must continue to uplift and support Black voices, ensuring that the legacy of Black culture thrives for generations to come."
The event will take place at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center located at 6161 NW 22nd Avenue, Miami FL 33142. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m. The public should RSVP at www.miamidadearts.org or call (305) 638-6771 to attend the ceremony.
Managed by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Center provides quality arts education in dance, music, theater and visual arts through its afterschool program and summer conservatory. Center alumni can be found at the highest levels of the performing arts world, in business, and government, and most credit Davis’s impact and leadership in playing a transformational role in their lives. They include Robert Battle, former Artistic Director for Alvin Ailey Dance Co.; Tarell McCraney, writer of the Academy Award-winning film “Moonlight”; Bianca Brewton dancer with Janet Jackson and Beyonce; and Professor Lashawnda Batts at The Chadwick Bosman School of Performing Arts at Howard University.
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Keon Hardemon, District 3, led the effort to rename the Center located in the district. “He has played a quintessential role in the development of young talent for the past 40 years,” said Commissioner Keon Hardemon. “He has opened doors and invested his time and energy in those who have pursued their dreams in the arts. I am honored to have this facility on behalf of those whose lives he touched in Liberty City and beyond.”
Davis earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Florida Atlantic University. He moved up through the ranks, first as a Miami-Dade County Public School teacher, then as a Miami-Dade County employee, always serving with compassion and excellence. His work at the Center has earned accolades and numerous awards including being named a “Knight Arts Champion” by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in 2017 and receiving the inaugural Vinnette Carroll Carbonell Award for his work advancing diversity and inclusion in South Florida theater in 2022. This year Davis was named the “Arsht Education Champion” by the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and was recognized by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
For more information about the renaming ceremony visit the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs website at www.miamidadearts.org.
About the Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center
Part of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center was founded in 1975 to serve as the nesting ground for emerging talent in the performing and visual arts in the heart of Liberty City.
About Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs
The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council develop cultural excellence, diversity, access and participation throughout Miami-Dade County by strategically creating and promoting equitable opportunities for artists and cultural organizations, and our residents and visitors who are their audiences. Through staff, board and programmatic resources, the Department, the Council and the Trust promote, coordinate and support Miami-Dade County’s more than 1,000 not-for-profit cultural organizations as well as thousands of resident artists through grants, technical assistance, public information and interactive community planning. The Department also manages, programs and operates the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center, Joseph Caleb Auditorium, and Miami-Dade County Auditorium, all dedicated to presenting and supporting excellence in the arts for the entire community. The Department receives funding through the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, The Children’s Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, the State of Florida through the Florida Department of State, Florida Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Peacock Foundation, Inc., The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation, and the Taft Foundation. Other support and services are provided by TicketWeb for the Culture Shock Miami program, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the South Florida Cultural Consortium and the Tourist Development Council.
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It is the policy of Miami-Dade County to comply with all of the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request materials in accessible format, sign language interpreters, and/or any accommodation to participate in any Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs program or meeting, please contact
Francine Andersen at 305-375-4634 or culture@miamidade.gov at least five days in advance to initiate your request. TTY users may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service).