MIAMI, FL — G. Eric Knowles released the following statement in response to the District 107 State Representative campaign:
“It is with much thought and heart felt decision that I am no longer campaigning to become district 107 State Representative. After spending just a couple of days in Tallahassee this past week, speaking with my team, and speaking with my family, I realize that there is more work to be done locally.
As the President of the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce and as Co-founder of the South Florida Black Prosperity Alliance, I have a responsibility to continue building our community. If there was ever a need for a voice to champion the black, brown and women owned businesses here in Miami Dade County and South Florida, the time is now.
The Chamber kicked off its Fiftieth Anniversary at the historic Lyric Theater and we had a conversation about why we were formed and where we are going in the next Fifty years.
As an elder statesman, my voice and my work is needed now locally more than ever. We are losing our communities at a rapid rate and there must be a flag planted in the sand that we will not allow developers to continue taking and making promises that are not kept, and not allowing us to participate in the largest renaissance Miami has ever seen.
In 1896, 162 Black men, mostly of Bahamian descent were recruited to, vote for the incorporation of the city of Miami. Of the 368 men who voted 1/3 were Black. Sadly, shortly after helping the City to incorporate the Black voters lost their civil rights due to existing public policy. Black codes, Jim Crow laws restricted the rights of Black people. We cannot allow developers to use us to continue making millions, billions of dollars on the backs of our people.
Promises made will be promises kept or their developments will not be built. We built this town and it is time to stand up against those who allow us to be left behind.
I stand here today to support our future Miami, a Miami that is inclusive of the Black community. No longer will we continue to only receive less than 2% of procurement in Miami-Dade County and in any municipality throughout the state of Florida.
As a member of the Coalition of Black Chambers throughout the state, I will take this fight all the way to Tallahassee.
Who and what we will become in the next fifty years will be born on the backs of our young people, while working alongside those of us who have paved the way for them to take the baton.
I will make a decision on who I will support and endorse in the next upcoming weeks and month.
I stand in support our Mayor Danielle Levine Cava to help ensure that she is able to continue the work that she has begun. Work that includes all residents of Miami Dade County, from Florida City to Miami Gardens and all municipalities including unincorporated Miami Dade County.
Locally I will sit with those who are running to ensure that they have the best interests of our community an inclusive community.
Lastly, I want to thank those who believe in me, those that I have seen every day that have encouraged me by their kind words, who believe in me, and those who have made a financial commitment to my candidacy.
The work that has to be done is local and I am here to build a better Miami Dade County for all of us. In addition, there is the personal side of Gordon Eric Knowles, I am a multifaceted man, a man who loves deeply, and a man who cares about family first, to be away from my family is part of this decision. The love I have for the Miami Dade Chamber is part of this decision; my acting career is part of this decision, being a yoga instructor is part of this decision. Being a gardener is part of this decision. Spending time with my grandson, and my daughter in South Africa, and my daughter in Washington DC is part of this decision. Making Miami a better place for our Black community is my final decision.
Like Levan Hernandez said after winning the World Series, ‘I love you Miami.’”
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