“We’re in a really bad place right now in the rental market… and we have to act fast… We are losing our communities. We are losing our people”
Councilwoman Linda Julien is a Miami Gardens resident and homeowner, she serves as the city's first Haitian American council member. Councilwoman Julien earned a bachelor's degree in Public Administration from Florida International University and a Master's in Public Administration from Florida Atlantic University. For the last ten years, she has worked throughout Miami Dade County, focusing on real estate, economic development, procurement, and workforce development. Councilwoman Julien serves on the Board of the Opa-locka Community Development Corporation, an organization dedicated to transforming under-resourced communities by improving access to health, education, employment and homeownership.
During the Oral History Interview, Councilwoman Julien recalls her experience of feeling “brushed aside or even laughed” at as a child when asking social services for help in her community. The disappointment she felt from being ignored by her community leaders empowered the Councilwoman to get more involved in her community and do more research about local government/legislature. When asked if she inherited any investment knowledge or financial literacy from her parents, Councilwoman Linda Julien sighs, saying, “I learned it from my struggles.”
“I started to do research on who I can call, where I can go, what services are offered, who helps with the stuff, is there even anyone who helps with the stuff.”
In this episode, we discuss the state of the Miami housing crisis, how local governments can affect the housing market, and the importance of financial literacy. We discuss how unattainable, yet important financial literacy courses are for rising adults, and how this affects our futures. A report from the National Association of Realtors found that 16% of non-homeowners believed they would have difficulty qualifying for a mortgage due to a lack of financial knowledge. Lastly, we go into discussion about the issue and effects of gentrification in lower-income areas on the dismantling of certain communities/cultures and the accessibility to housing.
Altogether, Councilwoman Linda Julien’s work encompasses ensuring the prosperity of communities, safeguarding the future growth of residents, and advocating for homeownership and the success of local businesses. This is why teaching financial literacy should become a topic of focus amongst community leaders and young people to inform and prepare the next generation of adults and homeowners. Below we include a few resources that may be useful for the younger generations, and we urge our audience to become involved:
Organizations or help:
Click here to read Fred Christian, Advocacy for a community's future.