BELLE GLADE, Fla. — More than a dozen Belle Glade residents came to the Belle Glade Library to share their stories during a Let's Hear It community meetup, covering topics from housing and affordability to local resources and upcoming events.
WATCH BELOW: Belle Glade residents share stories of community at Let's Hear It event
Much of the conversation centered around affordability and housing.
Some residents came seeking solutions.
"Why can't we help the homeless people?" said local activist Delories Butts said.
Others shared the many reasons why they love where they live.
"I love it. I don't like it. I love it." Veronica Bain, a Belle Glade resident said.
Let's Hear It
WPTV connects with the community in Belle Glade
Residents also highlighted resources available in the community.
"We have an ambassadorship program where we take 3 students from every school and we mentor them all year long. We hold them civicly responsible for attending school board meetings, commission meetings, and knowing what's going on in their communities," said Lavita Holmes, executive director of Glades Lives Matter.
Holmes also described the broader mission behind community engagement.
"I would say it's a voice for the people that reside in the Glades community," Holmes said.
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Upcoming events were also on the agenda, including a historic local celebration.
"It's the first Juneteenth pageant in the county's history. We have 8 contestants right now, grades kindergarten through 5th," Codi Snead said.
The Let's Hear It events are focused on getting down to the real stories that make communities tick.
RELATED: Check out more "Let's Hear It" coverage
We want to be your voice and help you find solutions.
While we hold our monthly Let's Hear It meet-ups, we know many are not able to attend, but we still want to hear from you and start taking action to get you answers. You can e-mail us at LetsHearIt@wptv.com.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
