Less than a week after Donald Trump invited Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to American allies, Putin had Aleksei Navalny, his strongest political adversary, murdered in a Siberian prison.

The recent Rock the Block event held on Wilton Drive was a remarkable activation of our designated Arts and Entertainment district. HarmonyWaves’ event showcased the power of combining international LGBTQ artists with our exceptional local talent. It was a world-class event that exemplified why “Life is Just Better Here” in Wilton Manors!

Don and I are incredibly humbled and honored to receive the Justin Flippen Community Trailblazer Award from Human Rights Campaign. Justin was a friend and mentor, so it makes this honor even more special.

In April 1949, the world reeled from unspeakable horrors. An estimated 85 million people suffered agonizing deaths in WWII: 45 million soldiers were smeared across battlefields; 25 million people starved to death; and 11 million Jews, gays and other minorities drew their last breath in Hitler’s maniacal death camps.