"CREATING A SPACE”: Black Men Win Together group, from left, Ed Ponder, Derrick Jones Sr, Ted Lucas, Derrick Jones Jr., Corey Brown and Anthony Durden. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSEPH CRAY

Miami – BlackMen Win Together in collaboration with the South Florida Black Prosperity Alliance hosted its inaugural Black Men Win Tailgate on Sunday at Ives Estate Park in Miami. The event drew nearly 1,000 diverse African American men from MiamiDade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, including seniors, young adults, veterans, business owners and community leaders.

The Black Men Win Tailgate was a dynamic platform for uniting, informing, and mobilizing attendees around pressing political, social, and economic issues impacting their communities.

The event featured a lively atmosphere with food trucks, merchandise vendors, musical performances and informative presentations.

Attendees engaged in educational programming, voter verification, registration, fact-checking of candidate statements and discussions on critical community issues.

Ed Ponder, co-founder of BlackMen Win Together, expressed enthusiasm for the event’s impact, stating, "We are creating a space where Black men can share knowledge, build community, and drive meaningful change.” Ted Lucas echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of collective empowerment: "Black futures are dependent upon us."

Eric Knowles, co-founder of the South Florida Black Prosperity Alliance, highlighted the event’s significance: "This is starting a legacy. It means a lot for a group of Black men to have a vision and for others to come on board to push and highlight that vision."

Organizations present included the 100 Black Men of South Florida, Alpha Phi Alpha Beta Beta Lambda Chapter, Phi Beta Sigma Theta Rho Sigma Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi Miami Alumni Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Sigma Alpha Chapter, the Jessie Trice Community Health Center, the Comprehensive

Health Center, NAACP Miami Chapter, Just Vote Period, Black Men Build, Nemo Uoowow, Kwameskorner, If and When Eats, Taco Negro, The 1 Minute Preacher, Black Men in Tech and FOI.

The event set a precedent for future efforts aimed at driving positive change and fostering a united front for Black men in South Florida For additional information contact Ed Ponder, 305-761-8010 or Anthony Robinson, 904-742-2332, or visit @Blackmenwintogether on Instagram.