Real estate campaign contributions to the Haitian American candidates in the race as of August 5, 2022.

MIAMI — With housing being a priority in the Miami-Dade County Commission District 2 race, some community advocates have said it is important to pick a candidate experienced in fighting displacement from big development. Among them is Santra Denis, founder of Avanse Ansanm, an organization that aims to increase Haitian Americans’ political engagement.

“People need to be able to review campaign financing and make a decision,” Denis said, “based on ‘Is this a candidate that is supported heavily by community champions and community members’ or ‘Is this a candidate that is getting support elsewhere, and what implications does that have for our community?’”

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Ashley Miznazi is a Report for America corps member covering the Haitian community in the South Florida/Miami area for The Haitian Times. Her work will heavily feature photography, video and other multimedia storytelling. Previously, Ashley was a multimedia fellow at The Texas Tribune, where she reported on DACA, Afghan resettlement and the foster care system.