Kylee Andrade is a Senior pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a certification in National Security Studies at Florida International University. She belongs to the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) aspiring to commission as a Second Lieutenant Officer in the Military Intelligence Branch of the Army. Kylee’s passions include camping, traveling, playing sports, watching criminal documentaries, and volunteering. Ever since she was five years old, her dream had been to work for the intelligence community as an FBI Special Agent as growing up in South America had truly opened her eyes to the fatalities of violence and crime corrupting her neighborhood streets in her hometown Ecuador. Therefore, she is compelled to work for the federal government agencies after serving 8 years in the Army to ensure the overall protection of not only her community but her country as a whole by combating global issues such as human trafficking, transnational crime, terrorism, and public corruption. Lastly, she hopes to create an impact in the lives of those she meets with her extroverted and fun-loving personality to inspire kindness and compassion in the world.
Miami Encounter as Text
“My Encounter with Miami” by Kylee Andrade of FIU in Miami on August 31st– November 3oth (last semester).
Photograph taken and edited by Kylee Andrade/ CC by 4.0.
Before enrolling in this class last semester, I had no idea what to expect from Miami. Personally, I only saw Miami as a tourist location that only offered South Beach and nightclubs which truly underestimated the real and shocking value that the city of Miami holds. As our class journeyed throughout Miami, I learned of Miami’s true and hidden beauty… of its breath-taking art museums, multicultural restaurants, authentic places of worship, historical sites, and nature preserves that all make Miami an extraordinary place to not only visit but learn from as the grand city provides a special narrative of its complicated yet rich history.
Photographs taken and edited by Kylee Andrade/ CC by 4.0.
As I mentioned, Miami is filled with great culture, diverse ecosystems, and rich history. Nevertheless, which part of Miami’s history truly shocked me to learn last semester about? Which part of Miami’s past historic events made me question my morality and how ethical the original establishment of Miami really was? Did such knowledge change my perception of this marvelous city, or did it open my perspective of Miami and the darkness as well as the beauty it holds? Without a doubt, learning about the origin of Miami-Dade County and the horrifying history behind our county’s name was a frustrating experience for me. The story?… During the Indian Wars, the U.S. Federal government sent reinforcements to defeat the Seminoles in 1835. The commander in charge of such troops was Major Francis Langhorne Dade who arrogantly led his troops to an ambush as he underestimated the potent force of the Seminoles which resulted in a regretful massacre. After learning such history… why did we give Major Dade the honor to bestow his last name to be the name of one of Miami’s prominent counties? Why reward his blood-stained legacy?
Photographs above taken and edited by Kylee Andrade/ CC by 4.0. Photograph on the bottom taken and edited by Rafael Vasquez/ CC by 4.0
Yet, another shocking fact was discovering the history of inequality and racial struggle that the black community faced during an era filled with oppression and discrimination that our class learned last semester upon venturing Overtown. It was a brutal experience to learn that despite the cultural, economic, and industrial value that the black community brought to Miami, black individuals were still segregated and treated with nothing but disdain. Learning about the separation of black communities from the construction of I-95 and I-395 was one of the most shocking and disturbing realities I learned as I could not fathom how the city would conveniently allow black communities to be displaced. Learning about how the establishment of such expressways not only shattered black communities but also separated them from their vital centers such as churches and schools which were now less accessible because of the protruding roads was truly despairing. Nevertheless, Overtown flourished from racial inequality as a culturally rich and thriving neighborhood holding many historically precious buildings and individuals with open and warm hearts.
Photograph taken and edited by Professor John Bailly/CC by 4.0
Truly, I was lucky enough to have experienced Miami in such a short period of time. Nevertheless, I still wonder what more have I not seen or experienced of Miami? What more beautiful wonders can this city surprise me with? What other history or cultures will I learn about and how are such projected in Miami’s architecture, food, culture, and design? How does such affect or relate to my life? These are the questions that I expect to answer throughout the rest of the Spring Semester in Miami in Miami. Truly, I expect to continue falling in love with the experiences and memories that Miami’s hidden gems will provide for this upcoming term.
Everglades as Text
“Finding inner-peace through nature” by Kylee Andrade of FIU at Everglades National Park on January 11th, 2023.
Photograph taken and edited by Kylee Andrade/ CC by 4.0.
The American writer Angie Weiland Crosby once said, “Nature is the purest portal to inner peace”. This quote beautifully resembles my experience in the Everglades as not only did we learn about the significance of preservation and conservation, but we experienced moments of healing and well-being through the hike itself. As I mentioned, the Everglades trip was an extremely educational trip where we didn’t just learn the history and geographical features of the Everglades but also the sense of emergency that our planet is currently in as we have polluted, contaminated, poisoned, and corrupted the air, land, and ocean we live in. Truly, I’ve never been more worried about the state of our planet as the Everglade’s Rangers spoke to us about the dangers and extinction that we ourselves have brought to Earth with our human activities causing deforestation, climate change, habitat loss, air pollution, endangerment of wildlife, oceanic pollution, and so much more. Nevertheless, I want this reflection to truly focus on one major moment that transformed not only my day but my mindset for the rest of my life.
Photograph taken and edited by Professor John Bailly/CC by 4.0
Moving to the U.S. proved to be a challenging experience for me. It meant leaving my childhood, my memories, my family, my friends, my traditions, and my culture. It meant assimilating to a new culture, food, and customs, adopting a new language, and a different mindset. I remember how quickly stressed and anxious I became as I became desperate to go back home which caused a lot of physical and emotional distress. Thus, I received professional help from therapists and doctors as the stress caused my digestive and immune systems to suffer. Moreover, it doesn’t help that in American culture everything is about the competition to be the best student, performer, athlete, or professional to achieve the “American Dream”. We were taught in our schools to work until we drop so we live can live the “dream life” and have a good profession with great money as the world was an extremely unforgiving and competitive place. As a result, I assimilated into the culture which worsened my anxiety as I became extremely overwhelmed with the pressure to attempt perfection in school and work without many breaks in order to never fail at achieving the “American Dream”. Truly, this is the cause of the restless noise in my head…the worry…the anxiety…the distractions… the fear of failure. Nothing in the world, even the countless therapy sessions I received, was as effective to silence that noise as the moment of silence we took in our slough slog. When the Rangers said that our worries, thoughts, and emotions can be cleared in just a moment of silence, I was extremely skeptical. Nevertheless, I was going to try it… I would have tried anything to erase the noise for just a minute… and when we chose our place of “meditation” amidst the bald trees, the Spanish moss, and the freshwater river, I didn’t know that the noise would finally pause and simply highlight the present moment I was currently living in. During that moment of silence, all my focus was on every detail the trees had, every broken branch, every shade of color the tree barks ha… I thought about how blue and clear the sky looked, how bright and golden the sun looked, and how it hit my face with warmth and heat… I even thought about how cool the water felt at the tip of my toes and the way it cooled my lower body from the sun. As I mentioned, this experience transformed my life as it not only silenced my mental noise and how effective deep breathing can be to silence my daily stress and anxiety, but it also changed my mindset of the planet as I finally witnessed all the beauty and marveling features of Earth which truly prompted my need to research more about conservation and the ways I can be part in the salvation of our planet.
Photograph taken and edited by Kylee Andrade/ CC by 4.0.
Overall, the Everglades was an enchanting trip with the beautiful cypress trees, the slough slogging hike, freshwater swamps, marshes, and alligators. Truly, my perception of the Everglades changed so much as I thought the Everglades was a small swampy park with alligators and muddy terrain. However, after this trip, my mindset has completely transformed as I got to witness the hidden beauty that Everglades holds such as the Cypress Dome, bromeliads, Great Blue Herons, the deer feeding station, Anhinga trail, and the great Hole-In-The-Donut Restoration Project Area. Not only did our class get to marvel at the beauty of the Everglade’s ecosystem and wildlife, but we also got a moment to conduct inner healing.
Coconut Grove as Text
“A city filled with awe” by Kylee Andrade of FIU at Coconut Grove on November 16th, 2022.
Photograph taken and edited by Kylee Andrade/ CC by 4.0.
There is no such place as Coconut Grove as amongst its busy streets and congested roads, there is beauty in the nature surrounding historical houses, endearing churches, legendary cemeteries, and iconic buildings that contribute to the overall significance Coconut Grove serves in the city of Miami. Even though the restaurants and shops are breathtaking, the sites filled with the most awe are those that may have been walked past by millions of individuals who did not understand the major value that such sites carried in developing the city of Miami and their historical significance. Although every location we visited from Coconut Grove was beautiful and charming, the site that most impacted me was the Bahamian Cemetery.
Photograph taken and edited by Kylee Andrade/ CC by 4.0.
As previously mentioned, the Bahamian Cemetery was more than just a field filled with tombstones and departed souls. On the contrary! The Bahamian Cemetery was grounds of live storytelling as it was filled with tombstones of different individuals who added, in their own way, to the history of Miami and its development. Specifically, the tombstones of war veterans took me back a bit and made me truly ponder about the experience of men who were drafted to go to war back in that era. Truly, this part of the journey to Coconut Grove impacted me significantly as I envisioned what the young boys’ lives must have been like… how much they had to endure during the war,,, the atrocities they must have seen… the near-to-0death experiences they must have suffered… the post-traumatic disorders they battled with after the war… the separation from their families and loved ones… the loss of their own “brothers” during battle… how desperate and sorrowful their parents must have felt upon learning their sons’ deaths… how broken the wives must have felt when receiving the news… the rupture of families after their deaths… of sons growing up without their fathers. I truly imagined how emotional it was for them to witness the worst and best of humanity during the war. Truly, it is shocking to believe that I felt so many emotions with just the simple sight of veterans’ tombstones. Personally, I didn’t only connect to the stories of such soldiers because I’m in the Army myself but because of how significant these individuals were in not only protecting our country but the future of our generations. As I mentioned, this was the most emotional aspect of the trip as it allowed me to reflect on others and what their lives must have been like, and all that they potentially did throughout their lives leading up to their deaths. Being able to view life through a different set of lenses is so crucial as it allows you to understand different people and how their backgrounds influenced their journeys throughout their lives. Thus, the Bahamian cemetery accomplished that for me. The cemetery not only allowed me to reflect on the lives of those who were dead but it enabled my understanding of how their actions influenced the course of our history and the development of Miami.
Photograph taken and edited by Kylee Andrade/ CC by 4.0.
Overall, experiencing Coconut Grove was a phenomenal experience as we had the honor to visit a cemetery filled with so much history and life as well as churches with religious awakening and historic beauty, legendary houses/buildings, and flamboyant theaters. Truly, this experience was unique in the manner that it awakened my senses to the real historical and social significance that Miami’s hidden landmarks hold such as the Bahamian cemetery as it opened my eyes to the many ways individuals, such as war veterans, contributed to the development of not only the U.S. but Miami.
Coral Gables as Text
“Recognizing our past” by Kylee Andrade of FIU at Coral Gables on February 8th, 2023.
Photograph taken and edited by Kylee Andrade/ CC by 4.0.
One must truly applaud the beauty of Coral Gables, the tropical vegetation surrounding historical landmarks… the elegancy surrounding the buildings… the Spanish-inspired architecture reflected upon culturally-rich buildings and houses… the ever-surrounding busy yet calm and tranquil nature of the streets and neighborhoods… the Mediterranean Revival inspired designs, parks, and structures… the coral rock, tropical flowers, and palm trees that all synchronize beautifully with each other to create a city of visual charm and history. However, I want this text to serve as a reflection for the appraisal and appreciation that the Bahamians did not receive when building Coral Gables…
Photograph taken and edited by Kylee Andrade/ CC by 4.0.
As learned through many previous classes, the Bahamians built the majority of Miami throughout a time of heavy segregation. They were among the first settlers in Miami and helped build some of Miami’s most historical landmarks such as Vizcaya, Coconut Grove, and Coral Gables. Moreover, they were the first to establish the first oldest-black communities and homes built with the establishment of E.W.F Stirrup’s and Mariah Brown’s homes along Coconut Grove. Despite their cultural and historical significance in Miami, they were treated inhumanely as segregation and racism still plagued the nation. However, I hadn’t known this prior to the class… I hadn’t known that the Bahamians that founded Miami’s major cities were only used, abused, and neglected… ignorantly, I just naturally imagined that Florida and Miami’s history of the establishment had nothing to do with segregation… this allowed me to happily live in historical fiction until learning about Miami’s controversial history with discrimination, displacement of black communities, segregation, and cruel treatments of black people… this was quite shocking… Learning that George Merrick wanted to “clean out” Coral gables of the Bahamians after they helped built the city because black communities were considered “slums” was truly heartbreaking for me. How did our city’s history of racism and ill-treatment go so far unnoticed and not taught about in classes? Why was this the first time I ever heard about the displacement of black communities, churches, and schools in the history of Miami? Truly, this made me furious as there is a NEED to recognize the black communities, such as the Bahamians, who built the cities to which we give little to no credit to… I believe in the significance of education and teaching others about history to be aware and remember the groups of minorities that helped build not only our cities but our country, as well as to warn our future generations to never repeat the same mistakes we had made in our past. Ultimately, we must do better in acknowledging the cultural and historical value that black communities contributed to our nation and honoring their long and deserved legacy.
Photograph taken and edited by Professor John Bailly/CC by 4.0
Overall, experiencing Coral Gables was more than a journey through the beautiful streets of Miracle Mile, the Baltimore Hotel, or the Congregation Church… but rather this experience was filled with rich history about the unrecognized and valued work of the Bahamians who not only built Coral Gables at a time of inhumane treatment and segregation but who also built Miami as a whole despite being unappreciated and uncredited for. Ultimately, I want this reflection to praise and recognize the work, sacrifice, and labor that the Bahamians heavily poured in generating the beautiful cities of Miami so that their history remains forever engrained in the minds of those who read this text.
Norton as Text
“Breaking our chains” by Kylee Andrade of FIU at Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach on February 22nd, 2023.
Photograph taken and edited by Kylee Andrade/ CC by 4.0.
The great philosopher Jean-Jacques Rosseau once said, “Man is born free yet everywhere he is in chains”. This quote echoed in my brain throughout our journey to the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach as it allowed me to understand the fundamental idea that man seeks freedom and self-autonomy everywhere in his life. Whether it be setting a daily routine…making life-changing decisions… or making small everyday decisions about what to wear that day, man always seeks freedom and control of his/her own life. Nevertheless, we are bred in a system that takes away a lot of our control and autonomy as it restricts our freedom and our ability to think independently as every single thought and action is fed to our brains with media and social pressure. It’s as if we live in a matrix teaching us how to live and function at such a young age with the establishment of a flawed school system forcing us into a mundane routine, eliminating our sense of self, creativity, and thought by punishing us if we stray our thoughts away from standardized books or tests. Thus, this text is going to reflect on the concept of art serving as a channel of freedom and escape for the artists and the audience who fall victim to the matrix.
Photographs taken and edited by Kylee Andrade/ CC by 4.0.
As previously mentioned, art is a channel that encourages imagination, self-thought, and creativity. Therefore, the art I have chosen in this text beautifully demonstrates the concept of art freeing the mind and breaking away from that which restricts creativity and vision. For instance, the art piece of the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus takes an original concept of religion’s portrayal of the Virgin Mary (as reflected by the left painting) and transforms it into a new representation as demonstrated in the right picture with the Virgin Mary sitting above clouds in the heavens with beautiful pastel colors, gestures filled with emotion, detailed body movements, and life-like features which more powerfully connects with the audience. Truly, these pieces are so compelling because the artist takes an original element of religion and visualizes such in a different context that breaks away from a 2D understanding of the Virgin Mary with a new form where she is depicted with movement, emotion, color, and 3D-like human features which allows the audience to kindle a far more profound connection with religion and its teachings. Similarly, the artwork shown below the religious pieces also demonstrates the life… the movement… the creativity… the imagination… and the freedom that art evokes for the audience witnessing an artist’s original thought and visualization of the world around him/her.
Photograph taken and edited by Kylee Andrade/ CC by 4.0.
Overall, art allows humanity to escape from the system we have been subjected to ever since we were young. This text explores the idea of the “matrix” serving as chains that restrict us from our own personal freedom and self-autonomy. Therefore, this is the same reason why art is vital in our society to keep us from losing our creativity and independent thought as well as regain our awareness of our ability to take control when we feel as if we are trapped in a cycle. Art is a saving grace that gives us a supernatural ability to break the chains of the social contract we were born in and escape the system with our authentic thought and artistic creations.
Miami in Miami 