Travel
Civil rights activists say large Black crowds prompted spring break restrictions in Miami

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Miami Beach is attempting to scrap spring break, however it’s not yet clear whether spring break will adopt the suggestion.
After three consecutive years of spring break violence, Miami Beach officials are implementing months-long safety measures to curb the chaos, including parking restrictions for non-residents and shutting sidewalk cafes on busy weekends. The city warned visitors to expect curfews, beach bag searches, early beach closures, DUI checkpoints and arrests for drug possession and violence.
But business owners in the world-famous South Beach neighborhood now fear losing money during one among the busiest times of the 12 months, and civil rights activists say the restrictions are an overreaction to large Black crowds.
Many of the town’s restrictions are usually not recent, but in past years they were introduced as emergency measures during an unofficial holiday, somewhat than measures implemented in advance.
“The status quo and what we have seen over the last few years is simply unacceptable and intolerable,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner.
Meiner said despite the police presence, the group couldn’t be controlled. He said the town, which is positioned on a barrier island across the bay from Miami, can only hold so many individuals, and that capability often exceeds safety for each visitors and residents through the break.
Most spring break attractions focus on a 10-block stretch of Ocean Drive, known for its art deco hotels, restaurants and nightclubs.
David Wallack, owner of Mango’s Tropical Cafe, said Miami Beach has all the time thrived on celebration, and the limited access for tourists will turn the bustling, eclectic city right into a retirement community.
“I think we need to create something big, another big thing in March, because March fell off the cliff,” Wallack said.
Wallack and others have proposed holding a large music festival through the third week of spring break – when aimless and unruly crowds often reach their peak – with the hope that participants will disperse the loitering crowd.
Meiner said the town has spent tens of millions of dollars on concert events and other events in the past, which has done little to alleviate violence. He said businesses suffer when violent mobs gather along Ocean Drive force them to shut, and added that the people who find themselves the fundamental causes of the issues don’t spend money in the town anyway.
“They don’t stay in hotels,” Meiner said. “They don’t visit our businesses.”
Some civil rights activists, nonetheless, consider the restrictions are racially motivated.
South Beach became popular with black tourists about twenty years ago when organizers held Urban Beach Week over Memorial Day weekend. Many residents complained of violence and other crimes related to the event, which led to an increased police presence. However, the event’s continued popularity correlates with a rise in black tourism all year long.
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Stephen Hunter Johnson, an attorney and member of Miami-Dade’s Black Advisory Council, said city officials are reacting so harshly because most of the visitors are black.
“Everyone likes the idea that they are free from government interference,” Johnson said. “But surprisingly, if the government interferes with black people, everyone is OK with it.”
The mayor of Miami Beach rejects the notion that the town’s actions have anything to do with race.
“I have a moral obligation to keep people safe, and right now it’s not safe,” Meiner said.
In the Florida Panhandle, Panama City Beach, a longtime spring break destination, has seen an identical spike in violent crime, but Police Chief Eusebio Talamantez attributes it to people having fun with the outside, not actual college students on spring break.
“When you think about spring break, you might think about vacation, school break, maybe fistfights and keg stands,” Talamantez said. “It evolved into shootings, mass riots, rapes and murders.”
Violence in Panama City Beach got here to a head in 2015 when seven people were injured in a shooting at a house party. The city then banned alcohol consumption on the beach and suppressed prohibited events, amongst other things. Local businesses sued the town later that 12 months, claiming the brand new rules unfairly targeted events popular with black visitors, however the suit was dropped a number of months later.
Talamantez said the measures were somewhat effective, but a significant hurricane in late 2018 and COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 disrupted the town’s ability to administer crowds after pandemic restrictions were lifted, resulting in a resurgence violence.
However, renewed crackdowns in 2023 led to a 44% reduction in crime, and the town is introducing similar policies this 12 months. Talamantez said he doubts anything Miami Beach does will likely be more stringent than enforcement measures in Panama City Beach.
“We are simply trying to create an environment where it is said loud and clear, in big, bold letters, that we are a law and order municipality,” Talamantez said. “And law and order doesn’t disappear just because you’re on spring break.”
Travel
Are you looking for black luxury in full? Spice Island Beach Resort is a new standard

Janelle Hopkin knows that her father could be proud.
Sir Roiston Hopkin was a figure greater than life, who became a knight by the Queen of England, but egg scrambled eggs for breakfast were still daily, maintaining contact with people around the globe, in addition to his home island Grenada, West India, a small island north of Trinidad and Tobago and only a five -hour flight from New York.
It was Sir Hopkin who had a vision of constructing a wonderful luxurious resort along the Grenada Grandada Grandada Anse Beach, often known as Spice Island Beach Resort. It began in 1987, when he bought a neglected center from 20 rooms and worked from 12 months to 12 months to expand it to 64 luxury villas. The son of oldsters who had a motel, hospitality ran along with his blood.
In times, he got here across a guest or businessman who was surprised when a young black man was conducting such a great project, his youth or breed was never an obstacle. In Grenada, black entrepreneurship was as common because the nutmeg that grew on the trees across the island. Everyone who was surprised simply catching up.
“He traveled a lot and saw things,” he recalls. He at all times got here back from travel and had an idea. He desired to push the novel. When everyone said, “We can’t do it, it’s okay as it is.” He said, “What do you mean I can’t do it because I’m in Grenada?” He loved his country. He desired to encourage Grenada and affinity for Grenada in the hearts of his guests.
And so Sir Hopkin lived daily along with his dream, running along with his wife along with his wife and two daughters watching his every move – including his youngest, Janelle, who asked to learn business and deserved to scrub the kitchen in the kitchen to profitability. Ultimately, Spice Island Beach Resort is growing and fame, winning a five -time rating AAA and accepts guests corresponding to Prince Harry.
Before her father got sick and died in 2020, Hopkin accepted the fact that at some point he could manage her full-time family business-but her father explained that he trusted her vision to transfer her to a higher level.

Sir Hopkin was right. Now, having the title of president and managing director, Janelle Hopkin boldly pushed to administer the well -oiled machine Spice Island Beach Resort. In addition to 64 luxury villas, the middle offers a combination of built -in pools, patio and beach balconies, in addition to a delicious full -day dining room and drinks with a non -standard menu prepared by the chef, which may be served by the bed or beach.
Thanks to the best rated SPA, a complete fitness center with yoga classes, a swimming pool and two restaurants, Hopkin claims that Spice Island Beach Resort is designed in order that all the pieces that guests need in one place.

“But I had to push forward and ignore the noise. If you love what you do, you can’t just do the same every day – you have to think about the bigger one.”
And think she did it. Just in time for the fiftieth anniversary of the anniversary of Independence Grenada, Hopkin also renewed the parts of the beach deck in which hotel guests spilled, enjoyed the weekly Sunday grill buffet and listened to live music Steelpan, bringing a modern atmosphere.
She also intended to convey a donation to varsities, employ locally and trained new generations of Grenadian to prosper in the hotel industry, which might increasingly dominate the company brands coming to the Caribbean Islands to submit their claims.
“I’m going to speak (students) and let them know, study tourism and hospitality does not give coffee and cleaning. You can get so high in your career,” says Hopkin.
“I honestly believe in employing local employees from all levels. You go to many resorts in the Caribbean, and many senior management is not local” – he explains. “Many of my teams grew up here. Many of them are women. They started as receptionists … It takes much more time, much more training. But the same in itself turns to the island.”

While Spice Island is the property of Black, its clientele comes from everywhere in the world to experience luxurious accommodation, and a fast crowd scan in a winter week shows a diverse mixture of guests, including about 30 years, but mainly older European couples on vacation from cold, relaxing in private cabins.
But Hopkin also met many black American tourists visiting Spice, moving the inspiring history of her family and the black beginnings of the middle. Recently, she fell on a couple from Chicago, who needed to experience Spice Island for herself.
Such stories confirm Janelle Hopkin that he not only maintains his father’s heritage alive through Spice Island Beach Resort, but expands him to achieve more people willing to offer.
Now her heritage is also based on the leadership of black women in the Caribbean, which showed that they’ve what they have to be bosses, leaders, innovators and others. As the mother of the young son and executive director, at all times on the go, Hopkin climbs in many mountains at the identical time-but like her father, who marked out a new territory with grace and whose portrait is one in every of the primary things that may greet guests in the lobby of the resort on the beach of Spice Island-Hopkin learns their very own lessons concerning the principles of success and applying them in real time:
(Tagstotransate) grenada
Travel
From the plantation to black heritage: like Shadel Nyack Compton, he transformed Estate Belmont Grenada to the destination for a visit

When Shadel Compton Nyack left her native country Grenada at Howard University a many years ago, her life plan was quite clearly touched – graduation in HBCu, go to law school and continues his profession as a lawyer.
But life has a fun way to shake the best -developed plans.
She grew up on a farm named Belmont Estate it was dark past-Earlier he served as a profitable plantation on the island of Grenada-as long as its ancestors Indo-Grenadan didn’t buy it. Despite their positive intention, they might allow the terrain to fall into ruins through old age. Compton Nyack saw the opportunity.
“I had a passion and I knew that I wanted to keep this business that has been so important in Grenada for many decades. And this ensured economic stability that provided jobs. “
Compton Nyack saw areas that when produced chocolate and other products and thought that they might be grown again for tourist purposes. She began to transform the property into a university environment, which trained local residents of the production process for crops, together with the activities of the points of business and tourism of the Earth.
Visitors to Belmont Estate can then visit a delicious fragrant production room, wherein the paste is transformed into chocolate bars, trying the final product and buying gifts for the home.
In addition to the chocolate trip, guests can try goat cheese produced on the farm and eat lunch on the table farm.
The wealthy history and current transformation of the Earth Grenadan is something that Compton Nyack wants more African -American travelers to enjoy.
“I am glad that African Americans spend their dollars in the Caribbean, recognizing our history and culture, as well as for many areas in which we have similarities … and simply develop a greater sense of pride,” reflects Compton Nyack.

Black leadership in business is a common thread that goes beyond the borders of the Black Diaspora. This one Shadel Compton Nyack Hopes inspires latest generations of entrepreneurs, especially black people, especially women, derive hope from tourist industries, which sometimes seem exploiting.
“They come here and see that we are a black country, that we have black leadership, that there are black in business,” he says. “So many … local entrepreneurs, especially here in Grenada. I think the dynamics here in Grenada is different than on many other islands. And African Americans appreciate it. “
For anyone who wants to go to the unknown, Compton Nyack offers this encouragement:
“I’m saying, go for it. You know when you’ve got this inspiration, this vision and this passion – you have to have it first – for it. Enjoy the process. It needs to be fun. It should make you are feeling glad. And if possible, ensure your project, what you are promoting makes a difference in the lives of others.
For me it’s the biggest joy – that I develop people here. We support the community. We try to help people maintain the environment higher. So all this stuff provide you with a great sense of goal and satisfaction, and you’ll be able to change your world. “
(Tagstranslat) grenada
Travel
This black yoga studio is the perfect travel escape in Grenada

Hidden on the hills of the Grenada island, in the community of St. George’s, sits yoga Spice Harmony, a black yoga studio that seems to escape from the world. Founded by Dr. Kecia Brooks-Smith-LoweHer husband Ferron C. Lowe ESQ.and their daughter, Malaika Brooks-Smith-LoweSpice Harmony Yoga is positioned on the third floor of the Brooks-Lowe-Smith family home. With a fruit and vegetable garden in the yard and medical practice, Dr. Brooks-Smith-Lowe on the second floor, in this house, purpose, passion and repair.
Visitors recognize Harmony Spice as a comfortable space with purple with yoga mats, bands and pillows. It has all the vital elements of a typical studio with unpretentious sense and stands out from one other space on the island as the only non-hotel yoga studio in Grenada.
The story of Spice Harmony actually began in Montclair, New Jersey, in the 90s, when Dr. Brooks-Smith-Lowee made a medical residence-a stressful and demanding phase becoming a physician. Her husband, Ferron, from Grenada, went to local walks and discovered yoga as a strategy to de -stress, after which brought his family, including Malaika. Soon, the whole family was trained and licensed, in 2011, all three members of the Brooks-Smith-Low family officially launched Spice Harmony yoga on a gorgeous island.

Malaika says that although people often see yoga as a hobby or fitness trend, Harmony Spice serves a deeper goal in the community by changing the possibilities.
“People often feel that yoga is not for them,” he explains. “For any reason: they are too old. They are not flexible. It’s a man. They have a medical problem. And yoga therapy taught me that you can meet someone anywhere. “
The studio offers private classes, with non -standard experience for couples in honey months or holidays, in addition to classes for kids, seniors, future pregnant moms and others.
“Great Yoga Wall” Spice Harmony is also a special feature that leaves guests suspended in the air, with ropes attached to wall hooks, which make them feel weightless. It helps with flexibility and customary problems.
Malaika, who is also a trained doula and mother for a six -year -old boy, notes that a lot of her clients also use yoga for medical and therapeutic reasons.
“Some of my parents, my patients had impacts, paralysis, all kinds of things. And there are so many aspects of this practice that go beyond physical. Breath, mindfulness that we still need, especially when our body is not, you know what it was once or passed through something traumatic. So for me the opportunity to have this space and offer something so high quality, which our people deserve. “

To support this effort, he is working on raising funds for a brand new project called The Wild Seed Sanctuary-Trzy and a half Akra of a social enterprise designed to create a comprehensive, intergenerational yoga space, social events and healing.
Wild seeds will gather all guests and residents in Grenada with the “Pay-What-You-Can” model, creating black coworking and yoga space, which means that you can create organic connections.

The youngest Brooks-Smith-Lowee received numerous support and enthusiasm for the project and hopes that he’ll replace it by the end of the 12 months.
The presence of Spice Harmony in Grenada is in the landscape of many black firms, and it is one among the Brooke-Smith-Lowe malaika, from which it attracts strength.
“Many people move to Grenada. And this is great, especially since there are more – they are not only white people who move here and call themselves expatt. We also have younger black and brown people who are trying to get out of the USA and Great Britain … I think it is still important that we have companies that we also really run in Grenada, that we also use it. “

(Tagstotransate) grenada
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