>>NO-ONE CAN TELL YOUR STORY BETTER THAN YOU CAN YOURSELF, AND IF WE DON'T TELL OUR OWN STORY, IT WON'T GET TOLD PROPERLY.

>>WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOLDEN GATES AND MACFARLANE.

>>THE ONLY THING I THINK THOSE OF US WHO ARE SITTING HERE CAN SORT OF HOPE FOR, THAT THIS LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE LIVE, WE'RE FIGHTING TO KEEP SOME OF THE CHARACTER OF THE HOUSES.

>>ALL OF US HERE, WE DON'T CONSIDER OURSELVES STRANGERS, NEVER DID, NEVER DID.

IT WAS ALWAYS A GOOD CONNECTION.

THAT GOOD STUFF.

♪MUSIC♪ >>SOMETIMES WE WONDER WHY WE'RE HOLDING THIS COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

AND I THINK IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH OUR FOREFATHERS AND OUR GRANDPARENTS, AND SO FORTH THAT WENT ON BEFORE.

>>THERE'S SOME POWERFUL WOMEN IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO ARE COLLECTIVELY AND INDIVIDUALLY, THEY'RE A FORCE TO BE REKONED WITH.

THEY'RE MORE THAN ROLE MODELS BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GET.

YOU KNOW, THEY'VE HAD CAREERS AND NOW THEY'RE SETTLED IN WITH THEIR FAMILIES.

AND, BUT STILL, IT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM TO GIVE BACK.

>>WE'RE ABOUT TO ENTER CORAL GABLES.

I'M TURNING RIGHT HERE ON GRANT AVENUE.

AND TO MY RIGHT IS THE GOLDEN GATES AND TO MY LEFT OVER HERE IS THE MACFARLANE HOMESTEAD.

THAT WAS NAMED FOR A LADY WHOSE NAME WAS, HER LAST NAME WAS MACFARLANE.

AND SHE WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS THE ONE WHO REALLY PUT CORAL GABLES ON THE MAP.

MERRICK, GEORGE MERRICK.

AND SO WHEN HE BOUGHT THAT LAND FROM HER, TO MAKE THIS INTO, TO EXTEND THE BLACK AREA OF CORAL GABLES, THEY CALLED IT THE MACFARLANE HOMESTEAD.

AND IT'S NOW ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER FOR HISTORIC PLACES AND IT WAS THE ONLY PLACE IN CORAL GABLES THAT WAS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

>>DIVERSITY OF THE CULTURES, I THINK IT'S WHAT DREW EVERYBODY HERE.

A LOT OF THEM WAS FROM GEORGIA.

SOME OF THEM WAS FROM CAROLINA, SOME OF THEM FROM THE BAHAMAS.

>>A LOT OF THE AREAS LOOKED LIKE PARTS OF THE BAHAMAS.

AND OF COURSE, THIS IS THE AREA WHERE THE BAHAMIANS SETTLED WHEN THEY FIRST CAME TO WORK FOR GEORGE MERRICK.

>>ALL OF THAT CORAL ROCK YOU SEE OUT THERE, IT WAS THE BAHAMIAN MEN, INCLUDING MY GRANDFATHER.

ALL OF THEM, THAT WAS THEIR TYPE OF WORK THAT THEY DID.

>>PEOPLE DOWN HERE KNOWING EACH OTHER, THE CLOSENESS OF THE FAMILY AND THE ASSOCIATION OF THE CHILDREN.

IT WAS JUST SOMETHING ABOUT THE BAHAMIAN.

THEY STUCK TOGETHER.

THEY DISCUSSED THINGS TOGETHER AND MOST OF THEM WAS FAMILY ANYWAY.

>>THE STRONG LADIES IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE A SENSE OF PRIDE.

THEY ARE STILL LIVING IN THE HOMES THAT THEIR PARENTS BUILT.

AND THEY WANT TO PRESERVE THAT LEGACY AND HOPE THAT THEIR CHILDREN WILL FOLLOW THROUGH IN THE SAME MANNER.

>>MY NAME IS LEONA HELLEN COOPER.

>>I AM EDWINA PRIME.

>>MY NAME IS FRANCINA BERRY.

>>MY NAME IS JUDITH WINTERGRIT, AFTER MY GRANDMOTHER, JONES-DAVIS.

>>MY NAME IS MOSEZELL AGUILAR.

>>MY NAME IS BEVERLY GIBSON.

>>MY NAME IS GEORGE, WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, ANTOINETTE, BLATCHE.

THAT'S MY FATHER'S NAME, PRICE.

>>MY NAME IS CONNIE CASON HAMM.

>>MY NAME IS LEONA LOUISE COOPER BAKER.

I LIVE IN THE GOLDEN GATES COMMUNITY WHICH IS A PART OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES.

♪PIANO♪ >>MY SIBLINGS AND I ATTENDED GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER HIGH SCHOOL.

>>I WENT TO GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER HIGH SCHOOL FROM 1ST THROUGH 12TH.

ONE SCHOOL.

>>GOOD THING ABOUT CARVER, TOO, YOUR NEXTDOOR NEIGHBOR, MISS JIMMY JONES, WAS MY MOM'S THIRD GRADE TEACHER.

>>SHE WAS MY THIRD GRADE TEACHER AND SHE WAS A MEAN TEACHER.

>>SHE WAS MY READING TEACHER IN 7TH GRADE.

AND ALL THE OTHER KIDS GOT TO CHANGE AND GO TO OTHER ELECTIVES.

I SPENT THE WHOLE 7TH GRADE AS THE READING ASSISTANT FOR MISS JIMMY JONES.

AND THEN WHEN I GREW UP, GUESS WHAT I GOT TO BE.

A READING TEACHER.

[LAUGHING] >>IT WAS EMBEDDED IN YOU.

>>SOME PEOPLE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT MOMMA, THAT SHE WAS FROM THE BAHAMAS, AND MY FATHER.

BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY FROM THE CAROLINAS AND FLORIDA.

SO, YOU KNOW?

>>YOUR MOM AND MY MOM WERE VERY FRIENDLY.

THEY USED TO RIDE THE BUS TOGETHER.

TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE HARD TIMES THAT THEY WERE HAVING AND THAT BLUE AND WHITE COLORED SPECIAL BUS.

THAT WAS A VERY SPECIAL BUS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>>THAT BLUE AND WHITE COLORED BUS USED TO BE CALLED THE SLAVE WAGON.

>>YEAH.

COLORED SPECIAL.

I REMEMBER THAT NAME.

>>I KNOW ALL ABOUT THAT.

I'M A PRODUCT OF HAVING TO SIT ON THE BACK OF THE BUS, AND ALL OTHER BAD TREATMENT THAT WE WERE GIVEN, TREATED AS SECOND CLASS CITIZENS, NOT FIRST CLASS.

>>AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THINK BACK, IT WAS, RACISM WAS A PART OF IT.

AND WE CAN'T JUST SKIRT OVER THAT AND NOT LOOK AT IT IN A VERY REALISTIC MANNER.

AND WE WERE TREATED DIFFERENTLY OVER HERE, WE WERE.

>>A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES ARE VERY HAPPY TO COME TO THE U.S.

I DIDN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF DEGREDATION IN MY COUNTRY.

I DIDN'T FEEL DIFFERENT AND I DIDN'T FEEL PUT UPON.

>>I TAUGHT SCHOOL FOR 32 YEARS IN DADE COUNTY.

I BEGAN TEACHING IN 1960.

I WORKED AT A SCHOOL CALLED RAINBOW PARK, WAS MY FIRST SCHOOL IN OPA-LOCKA, BECAUSE I HAD TO TRAVEL THAT FAR.

BECAUSE THOSE WERE THE DAYS OF SEGREGATION.

>>I SHALL NOT, I SHALL NOT BE MOVED.

I SHALL NOT, I SHALL NOT BE MOVED JUST LIKE A TREE, THAT'S PLANTED BY THE WATER.

I SHALL NOT BE MOVED.

>>SO I CALLED UP THE DR. CLARK BUT I DIDN'T TELL HIM I WAS BLACK.

SO, I GET THERE AND I SHOW UP WITH THIS BLACK FACE AND OF COURSE IT MADE HIM NERVOUS.

HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY BLACK PEOPLE IN THAT LABORATORY.

SO HE CALLS IN THIS GUY FROM THE RESEARCH DEPARTMENT.

SO THEY GOT THESE PEOPLE ASKING ME ALL THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THEY GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT I KNOW...SO I STARTED ASKING THEM QUESTIONS AND TRIPPING THEM UP.

AND SO THEN, THE INTERVIEW WAS OVER.

YOU KNOW?

YOU GOTTA HIRE THIS GIRL.

SO THEY HIRED ME.

I WAS THE FIRST BLACK PERSON TO WORK IN THE LABORATORY AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION IN MIAMI.

BACK IN THE DAY I GUESS THEY CALLED IT THE COLORED COMMUNITY HERE, WHATEVER.

YOU ALL WERE COLORED THEN.

YOU WEREN'T BLACK.

>>OH, BUT WE LOVED EACH OTHER.

>>THE COLORED FOLK HAD ON GRAND AVENUE, RIGHT HERE IN THE CORAL GABLES AREA.

YOU HAD A DRY CLEANERS.

YOU HAD TWO GROCERY STORES.

>>UH-HUH.

>>YOU HAD THE ROW GROCERY STORE.

YOU HAD THE CHINESE GROCERY STORE.

>>ALL OF THAT WAS TORN DOWN.

THE APARTMENTS WERE TORN DOWN.

THE HOUSES WERE TORN DOWN.

AND ALL OF THESE APARTMENTS OVER HERE WERE TORN DOWN AS WELL.

>>I LOOK AT IT TODAY AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW SOME PEOPLE SURVIVED.

BECAUSE WHAT I SEE, AND GROWING UP, TOO, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT.

YOU KNOW?

NEVER PAID A MORTGAGE.

AND MY GRANDDADDY DIDN'T BELIVE IN DEBT.

IF HE WANTED SOMETHING, WAIT UNTIL HE GOT HIS MONEY AND PAID FOR IT.

>>WHEN I FIRST CAME TO LIVE HERE, MY HUSBAND WAS VERY FRIENDLY WITH LEONA AND HER FAMILY.

AND THAT'S HOW IT ALL STARTED.

OUR WEDDING WAS AT ST. BARNABAS ANGLICAN CHURCH IN THE BAHAMAS.

AND IF YOU NOTICE, THE CAKE IS LEANING.

ON THE WAY TO THE HOUSE, THE DELIVERY TRUCK HAD AN ACCIDENT AND IT ALMOST KNOCKED THE CAKE OVER.

HIS MOTHER WAS A REGULAR DAYTIME WORKER.

AND HIS FATHER USED TO SWEEP THE STREETS IN CORAL GABLES.

IN THOSE DAYS THEY HAD STREET SWEEPERS.

AND HE RAISED HIS SON AND A NEPHEW AND SENT BOTH OF THEM TO COLLEGE ON THAT SALARY.

>>I'M FROM THE BAHAMAS.

I WAS BORN IN NASSAU, NEW PROVIDENCE ISLAND.

MY MOTHER WAS AN EPISCOPALIAN, WHAT WE CALL ANGLICAN.

AND MY FATHER WAS A BAPTIST.

I WAS RAISED TOTALLY CATHOLIC.

THEY NEVER TRIED TO CHANGE ME OR ANYTHING.

I WENT TO CATHOLIC CHURCH, CATHOLIC EVERYTHING, CATHOLIC NURSERY SCHOOL.

CATHOLIC EVERYTHING.

MY HUSBAND WAS LOVEABLE.

HE WAS SO KIND.

HE WAS VERY KIND.

HE WAS IN CHARGE OF THE ALTER BOYS AND THESE ALTER BOYS CAME TO MY HOUSE TO SAY TO MY MOTHER THAT THE PRIEST HAD SENT FOR ME BECAUSE HE WANTED ME TO JOIN THE CHIOR.

SO I GET DOWN THERE, GO TO THE PRIEST'S OFFICE AND IT'S LOCKED.

AND HE'S STANDING BY THE BAPTISMAL FOUNTAIN.

SO, MY HUSBAND GRABS ME AND GIVES ME THIS KISS.

OKAY?

NOW, HOW AM I GONNA GO BACK HOME AND TELL MY MOTHER THAT THIS GUY KISSED ME.

I MEAN I'M ALREADY HAVING TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I GOT THERE.

BECAUSE SHE'S EXCITED NOW, I'M GONNA JOIN THE CHIOR.

OH LORD HAVE MERCY.

>>SO I LIVED IN KEY WEST 3RD THROUGH 6TH GRADE, BUT EVERY OPPORTUNITY I GOT I WAS IN MIAMI BECAUSE I LIKE COCONUT GROVE.

I LIKE CORAL GABLES, AND I LIKE BEING WITH MY GRANDPARENTS.

MY GRANDMOTHER WAS ALWAYS BAKING SOMETHING GOOD.

OUR FRONT PORCH WAS A PLACE OF GATHERING.

MY GRANDMOTHER AND HER BROTHER AND SISTER SAT ON THAT PORCH EVERY SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH.

IN THIS AREA, PARTICULAR IN GOLDEN GATES, EVERYBODY LOOKED OUT FOR EVERYBODY.

A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS STILL TEACHING, I TOOK A LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM MY JOB.

AND A DISCUSSION ENSUED AT MY SCHOOL.

AND THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CALLED ME IN TO TELL ME ABOUT THIS DISCUSSION.

MY CO-WORKERS WANTED TO KNOW HOW I COULD AFFORD TO TAKE A LEAVE OF ABSENCE AND THEY COULDN'T.

AND SHE SAID, BECAUSE I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE PEOPLE CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.

AND IF I WAS HUNGRY, ALL I HAD TO DO WAS GO TO SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE AND SIT AT THE TABLE.

AND WHEN THEY FED THEIR FAMILY, THEY WOULD FEED ME.

AND THAT'S THE TRUTH.

>>I AM THE YOUNGEST CHILD AND I WAS BORN IN THE FIRST BEDROOM.

THAT'S MY BEDROOM NOW.

THAT'S WHERE I SLEEP.

AND MY MOTHER'S OTHER THREE CHILDREN WHO WAS LIVING IN THE HOME AT THE TIME, SENT THEM OUT TO THEIR GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE, OUR GRANDMOTHER.

WHICH WAS ON THE NEXT STREET.

AND SAID, "WHEN YOU COME BACK, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A SURPRISE."

SO I WAS BORN BY MIDWIFE.

MY FONDEST MEMORY IS BEING WITH MY FATHER.

AND TO JUST WALK AROUND THE HOME.

I WANTED TO BE LIKE HIM.

TO BE ABLE TO DO THINGS.

BUT, AS A GIRL, HE WOULDN'T ALLOW THAT.

HE WOULD CALL ME HIS BABY, TAKE ME TO KINDERGARTEN ON A BICYCLE.

>>THIS IS THE FAMILY HOME.

IT WAS BUILT BY MY GRANDFATHER AND MY GRANDMOTHER.

THEY MOVED OVER HERE DURING THE 1926 STORM.

THEY USED TO TELL US ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME WHEN THEY WENT DOWN TO KEY WEST.

AND THEY LOST THE ROOF OFF THE HOUSE IN 1926.

NEVER FOUND IT.

SO, THEY HAD TO PUT ANOTHER ROOF ON THE HOUSE.

ALL OF US WAS BORN IN THIS HOUSE.

AND YOU JUST GREW UP HERE.

FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL.

I THOUGHT WE HAD A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY.

I WAS GONNA GO TO COLLEGE TO BE A DOCTOR.

THEN MY MOMMA TOLD ME, "WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY, BABY.

YOU GONNA HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ELSE."

SO, I WENT TO VOCATIONAL SCHOOL, BECAME AN LPN.

AND I ENJOYED MY WORK.

>>ALL OF US WAS BORN IN THIS HOUSE IN THIS MIDDLE BEDROOM BY A MIDWIFE.

MY MOM HAD 10 LIVING.

BUT ALL TOTAL, WAS 13.

I ENJOYED DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, MOST OF ALL.

BECAUSE SHE USED TO HAVE THOSE TUBS, 10 TUBS.

SHE'D FILL IT UP WITH WATER AND LET US GO IN THERE AND COOL DOWN.

YOU KNOW?

IT'D BE SO HOT DURING THE SUMMER TIME.

AND WE USED TO HANG OUT IN THE YARD A LOT IN THE SUMMER TIME.

AND ON SATURDAYS WE HAD NO TV DURING THAT TIME.

SO WE USED TO PUT THE RADIO ON, GRAND OLE OPRY.

SHE LET US DRESS UP, PLAY DRESS UP IN HER CLOTHES.

AND WE USED TO BE IN THE KITCHEN WHEN SHE'S IN THERE BAKING.

>>RIGHT ACROSS IN FRONT OF ME HERE, NEXT TO THE METRO RAIL, THIS IS THE AREA WHERE THEY HAD MORE SHOTGUN HOUSES AND THE RAILROAD TRACK AND THAT'S WHERE I WAS BORN AND RAISED, YOU KNOW, OVER HERE ON THE RAILROAD TRACK.

IT WAS A ONE-BEDROOM HOUSE AND IT WAS WOODEN, SMALL.

IT WAS SHAPED LIKE THE LITTLE DOLL HOUSES THAT YOU SEE GIRLS PLAY DOLLY HOUSE WITH AND THEY LOOK SORT OF LIKE THE LITTLE MATCH BOXES.

BUT THOSE WERE WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE DURING THAT TIME.

AND I LIVED THERE WITH MY MOTHER, MY FATHER AND MY SIBLINGS.

AND DURING THE HOLIDAYS ESPECIALLY, THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE ALWAYS CAME BY AND WE WOULD SIT OUT AND EVERYBODY WOULD EAT.

SOME OF THE CORAL GABLES CITY OFFICALS AS WELL.

THEY WOULD COME OVER.

THE POLICE OFFICERS WOULD COME OVER.

BECAUSE MY MOM USED TO ALSO SELL BARBECUE RIBS.

THEY WOULD COME OVER AND BUY SANDWICHES AND EVERYTHING.

SO IT WAS A LOT OF NICE MEMORIES HERE.

>>I WAS BORN IN MY HOME ALONG WITH MY THREE BROTHERS.

IN FACT, MY BEDROOM IS WHERE MY MOM GAVE BIRTH TO US.

MY FONDEST MEMORIES OF LIVING IN MY HOME ARE MY CHILDHOOD.

JUST RUNNING IN AND OUT, SUMMER AFTERNOONS.

WE HAD A SWING, SCREEN DOOR THAT SWUNG OPEN AND GOING BACK AND FORTH FOR KOOL-AID.

AND MY BROTHER, ONE OF MY OLDER BROTHERS MAKING SANDWICHES FOR US AT A PICNIC TABLE.

JUST ENJOYING EACH OTHER.

MY DAD, HARD-WORKING.

HIS FAMILY WAS HIS PRIDE AND JOY.

SO THAT WHEN SOME OF HIS FAMILY FROM THE BAHAMAS WOULD COME OVER, YOU COULD TELL.

HE'D JUST BEAM WITH PRIDE THAT HE MADE A SUCCESS OF HIMSELF BY HAVING THIS FAMILY.

HE CAME OVER HERE AS A TEENAGER.

BUT MY MOM KEPT IT MOVING.

SHE WAS DEFINITELY THE ONE, THE GLUE.

THE ONE WHO KEPT US TOGETHER.

>>I WAS BORN ON THIS SAME SITE WHERE I STILL LIVE.

MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE FROM THE BAHAMAS.

MY FATHER AND MOTHER WERE FROM THE ISLAND OF ELEUTHERA.

OF COURSE, DIFFERENT SETTLEMENTS.

THERE WERE A LOT OF HARD TIMES GROWING UP BECAUSE WE WERE VERY POOR.

WE GREW UP VERY POOR.

MY FATHER DID DOMESTIC WORK AND MY MOTHER DID DOMESTIC WORK.

I HAD THE RARE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK OVER HERE, CARVER, FOR TWO-YEARS-AND-A-HALF WHERE I HAD ALWAYS GONE TO SCHOOL, FROM 1ST TO 12TH GRADE.

BUT I ONLY STAYED AT CARVER FOR TWO-YEARS-AND-A-HALF BECAUSE IN FEBRUARY, 1970, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE COLDEST DAYS IN THE YEAR, THAT'S WHEN WE WERE SENT TO THE OTHER SCHOOLS.

THAT WAS THE DAY OF INTEGRATION.

THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH WE LOST A LOT OF OUR BLACK CHILDREN WHO LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY HAD TO BE BUSSED IN.

BUT, AS A RESULT OF INTEGRATION, THEY WERE EXPOSED TO A LOT OF NEW THINGS, BEAUTIFUL BOOKS THAT WE NEVER GOT AT OUR SCHOOLS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITIES.

>>OH PREACHER, I SHALL NOT BE MOVED.

OH, PREACHER, I SHALL NOT BE MOVED JUST LIKE A TREE.

>>BUT MY QUESTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN, SHOULD WE HAVE DONE THAT?

SHOULD WE HAVE NOT, SHOULDN'T WE HAVE KEPT OUR CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY?

WE'VE HAD DOCTORS, LAWYERS, DENTISTS, EVERYTHING TO COME.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH AND WHAT OUR PARENTS WENT THROUGH, IT'S AMAZING HOW THEY MADE IT.

SO THERE WAS SOME GOOD AND SOME BAD.

CHURCHES IN COCONUT GROVE, AS IN ANY OTHER BLACK COMMUNITY, PLAYED A VERY VITAL PART OF OUR LIVES.

THAT'S WHERE WE WENT FOR REFUGE, CONSOLATION.

>>WHEN I CAME ALONG WE WERE COLORED BACK THEN.

YOU WERE EITHER A NEGRO OR COLORED.

WE DIDN'T GET BLACK UNTIL THE '70S AND I LIKE TO HAVE PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE GOT BLACK IN THE '70S AND THEN AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THE '80S.

BUT UP UNTIL THE '70S WE WERE COLORED.

AND SO, COLORED COULD NOT PLAY GOLF AT THE BILTMORE.

AND SO, I DECIDED TO HAVE A GOLF TORNAMENT DEDICATED TO THE MEN OF THIS CHURCH.

AND I WANTED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, THAT WE HAD A GROUP OF COLORED AND WHITE PEOPLE PLAYING GOLF ON THE GOLF COURSE.

>>WE WERE LUCKY, FORTUNATE TO HAVE A PRIEST WHO WAS WITH US FOR MANY YEARS, THEODORE R. GIBSON WHO WAS A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST.

HE WAS ALSO VERY FRIENDLY WITH ALL OF THE OTHER MINISTERS IN COCONUT GROVE.

THEY HAVE THE ORGANIZATION NOW CALLED "THE MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE" BUT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THAT IN ANOTHER FORM OR FASHION.

>>HALLELUJAH!

THINE TO GLORY.

HALLELUJAH!

AMEN.

HALLELUJAH THINE TO GLORY.

REVIVE US AGAIN.

>>MACEDONIA IS THE OLDEST HISTORICAL BLACK CHURCH IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.

THIS CHURCH STARTED IN 1895.

THE CHURCH HAS BEEN THE FOUNDATION OF THE COMMUNITY AND IT REFLECTS THE BELIEFS AND VALUES, AND ALSO THE MORALS OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MEMBERS.

>>THIS CHURCH WAS BUILT BY REVEREND FINLAYSON IN 1948.

AND THE WAY THEY BUILT THIS CHURCH WAS, THAT WHEN THE MEN OF THE CHURCH GOT OFF WORK IN THE EVENING, THEY WOULD COME AT NIGHT AND THEY WOULD CONSTRUCT THE CHURCH.

AND THE WOMEN ON THE CHURCH WOULD BE HOLDING THE LAMPS SO THEY COULD SEE HOW TO BUILD THE CHURCH.

>>AND MANY OF OUR CHURCH MEMBERS LIVED IN THAT AREA, IN GOLDEN GATES AND ALL AROUND.

THERE WERE ONLY ONE BLACK CHURCH IN THE MACFARLANE AREA AND THAT WAS THE ST. MARY'S.

>>THE ST. MARY'S FIRST MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH WAS ORGANIZED BY THREE DEACONS.

THIS IS THE OLDEST CHURCH IN CORAL GABLES.

IT'S THE ONLY AFRO-AMERICAN CHURCH IN CORAL GABLES.

THIS CHURCH HAS KEPT THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AS A WHOLE.

♪ORGAN AND BAND PLAYING♪ >>AND TOGETHER WE ARE FAMILY.

WE INVITE PEOPLE.

WE HAVE OPEN DOORS HERE.

ANY AND EVERYBODY, NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE CAN WALK THROUGH THOSE DOORS ON ANY SUNDAY AND THEY WILL BE WELCOMED.

>>HOLDING THIS COMMUNITY TOGETHER, IT MEANS A LOT TO ME.

BECAUSE NOW IN MY RETIREMENT DAYS I'M ABLE TO BE HERE AND OBSERVE THE THINGS THAT I DIDN'T BEFORE.

>>WELL, IT STARTED WITH WILLIAM COOPER WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, BEFORE HE PASSED.

AND HE WAS ALWAYS GOING TO CITY HALL.

>>IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TO PASS THIS HOUSE DOWN TO THE REST OF MY FAMILIES.

>>I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT SOMEBODY ELSE WILL TAKE THE BATON AND CARE IN THE SAME WAY.

SEE THAT, JUST NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT SOME OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY DIDN'T JUST POP UP.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAD TO GO TO CITY HALL AND ASK FOR THAT.

>>HOLDING THIS COMMUNITY TOGETHER MEANS A LOT TO ME.

IT'S JUST LIKE MY FAMILY.

YOU KNOW, HOLDING MY FAMILY, KEEPING MY FAMILY THE SAME WAY A PERSON WILL TRY TO WORK HARD TO KEEP THEIR FAMILY TOGETHER IS THE SAME WAY I WOULD WORK TO KEEP MY COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

>>LIFE IS SO DIFFERENT NOW.

>>YES, THAT'S RIGHT.

>>THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN OUR CULTURE, OUR AGE GROUP AND THE GENERATION THAT COMES AFTER US.

>>IT DOESN'T TAKE MONEY TO BE ACTIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

>>EXACTLY.

>>IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND EFFORT.

>>THESE KIDS TODAY, THEY JUST DON'T...I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEM.

THEY DON'T WANNA DO ANYTHING.

THEY WANT TO KEEP GOING.

THEY WANT TO KEEP MOVING.

>>WE NEED THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THEIR 30S AND THEIR 20S, LIKE LEIGH AND ALEXIS TO START DOING THEIR THING TOO.

>>THAT'S RIGHT.

>>I BELIEVE OUR GENERATION SHOULD CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE GREW UP.

I'VE LIVED IN THIS HOUSE MY ENTIRE LIFE.

MY MOM GREW UP ON THIS STREET.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO PRESERVE OUR HISTORY, BECAUSE GENTRIFICATION IS REAL AND THIS IS OUR STREET.

>>I HAVE TOLD MY SON, I SAID, "YOU SEE THIS HOUSE RIGHT HERE?

YOUR DADDY CAME HERE WHEN HE WAS 18 MONTHS OLD AND HAS LIVED THERE UNTIL HE DIED."

HE WAS LIKE, ALMOST 80 WHEN HE DIED.

I SAID, "DON'T LOSE THIS HOUSE."

"OH, NO, NO, NO.

I'M NOT GONNA LOSE THIS.

I'M GONNA HAVE IT FOREVER."

I SAID, "OKAY.

MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW UP ON THAT."

>>WE'RE A CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY AND MY NEIGHBORS THAT I GREW UP WITH ARE MY SAME AGE.

WE CALL OURSELVES THE GOLDEN GATES CREW.

AND WE'RE VERY CLOSE.

WE'VE BEEN CLOSE SINCE WE WERE LITTLE KIDS.

STILL TO THIS DAY.

>>THE FOLKS WHO LIVE IN THIS LITTLE AREA CALLED GOLDEN GATES AND MACFARLANE HAVE MADE A LOT OF DIFFERENCES ALSO.

AND I LOVE TO SAY THAT.

ESPECIALLY SOMETIMES WHEN WE GO OUT TO CITY HALL.

WE HAVE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE HAVE DONE SOME GOOD THINGS OVER HERE, TOO.

>>I WONDER, IS HISTORY A DISTANT MEMORY OF THE PAST?

♪MUSIC♪ >>THIS WAS OUR HOME.

AND THIS IS IT.

ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A HOME.

>>MY QUESTION IS, WILL THE COMMUNITY BE THE SAME IN 15 YEARS?

>>AND I HAVE ONE SON.

I'D LIKE TO SEE HIM HOLD ON TO IT.

I'D LIKE TO SEE HIM SEE THE VALUE IN IT.

♪MUSIC♪ >>ARE OUR VOICES REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE?

>>I THINK WE HAVE BEEN HEARD.

>>ARE WE LIVING GRACEFULLY?

>>I DON'T KNOW.

IF IT'S HOME, IT'S HOME.

YOU COME HOME.

♪MUSIC♪