Although Julia Tuttle is credited with being the “mother of Miami,” Mary Brickell and her husband William moved to the area 20 years before Tuttle. When they arrived in 1871, there were only 12 white settlers between Palm Beach and Key Largo.

But a vibrant Native American population lived in the area. The two set out to live with the Native Americans, trading with them regularly and setting up a trading post next to their home on today’s Brickell Point. They would bring goods like deer hides and plumes to trade for gold, silver, food, and modern goods like sewing machines. And when a typhoid epidemic struck in 1873, Mary turned their home into a hospital where she treated settlers and Native Americans.

Most know that Mary was pivotal to the development of SoFlo, but something people rarely discuss is that she was also a lowkey champion of property ownership for minorities in South Florida. At a time when few developers saw blacks and Native Americans as potential customers, she provided property loans so they could become homeowners too.

After her death, the African American community penned a goodbye in the Miami Herald. “The death of Mrs. Mary Brickell though to be expected in the course of nature, is a distinct loss to this section of Florida and particularly to the colored people of Miami, whom she helped in every practicable way to become not only property holders, but better citizens. Her general query to them was not so much ‘What have you?’ but ‘How are you living?’” they wrote.

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In honor of women’s history month we’ve been taking a look at women who shaped Miami into the city we know today. Missed the earlier newsletters? Here’s what you need to know about Roxcy Bolton, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and Elizabeth Verrick.

Brace yourselves. The annual exodus of Downtown residents who hate Ultra has begun. If you can’t hit the road, here’s what you need to know to avoid the traffic apocalypse that accompanies the festival, which draws 40,000 people A DAY to the area. (Miami Herald)

So hot right now. North Beach, generally forgotten in the shadow of its neighbor to the south, is getting some major attention lately. Earlier this week local Mexican fave Taquiza announced it’s coming to the neighborhood, and you probably already heard that Wynwood Yard will open there later this year. But that’s nada compared to what developer Sandor Scher, who owns the iconic but neglected Ocean Terrace property, has in store for the neighborhood. (The Real Deal)

‘Ballin in the burbs. After years of failed proposals, David Beckham’s ownership group seems to be over the drama and hurdles of locating its Major League Soccer stadium in Overtown. The owners are seriously talking about taking their project elsewhere. On the list: the Hialeah racetrack and the edge of the Jackson hospital complex in Allapattah. (Miami Herald)

Finding the silver lining. Climate change and sea level rise are going to take a hit on most of our wallets. But one group sees an opportunity there: the companies who own data on how people’s property will be affected by rising seas. A growing number of property owners are willing to shell out a lot of cash for that information. Meanwhile, Florida and other states across the U.S. are actually trying to loosen building codes – you know, those things that require home builders to build things that can survive hurricanes. SMH. (Miami Herald, Bloomberg)

Cred. As cities across the U.S. prepare their own “March for our Lives” events tomorrow in response to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, the Washington Post shared the story of the school’s namesake. We told a bit of Marjory’s story in this newsletter last week, but we love to see this local hero – nicknamed the “Mother of the Everglades” for her conservation work – getting the cred she deserves nationwide.

Get ‘em young. Art-loving kids can now visit PAMM (the Pérez Art Museum Miami) for free.99, thanks to funding from the Knight Foundation. Who can get in on this? Any K-12 Miami-Dade County Public Schools student. Details here. (Miami Herald)

Dale. Immigration agents have been boarding Greyhound buses, demanding to see passengers’ papers, and hauling away those who can’t show proof of legal presence in the U.S. Videos of this happening in Florida have gone viral. The ACLU is over that. They wrote a letter to Greyhound’s CEO telling him to stop letting immigration authorities on board and reminding him about a little thing called the Fourth Amendment, the one that protects people from “unlawful searches and seizures.” (Miami New Times)

LET THE RHYTHM GET YOU THIS WEEKEND.

Because the Library of Congress just announced that it will be preserving the original edition of the iconic Miami Sound Machine song “Rhythm is Gonna Get You.” The song, the first with Latin influence that found mainstream popularity, was performed by local Cuban-born queen Gloria Estefan. It’s one of 25 songs being honored.

Thanks to reader Annette Fromm for tipping us off! Excuse us if you catch us dancing in our seats today. We may have listened to the song one or 12 times yesterday.

Have a great weekend – and may you be spared all the Ultra craziness. 🙏