During his time @MDCollege, His Excellency @GitanasNauseda, President of the Republic of Lithuania, and First Lady Diana Nausėdienė had a moving visit at the Freedom Tower and heard directly from Max Alvarez about his experience as a victim of communism and his journey from Cuba to freedom in the United States. The Freedom Tower preserves the voices and experiences of those who lived this history so future generations can understand the human cost of oppression and the enduring value of liberty. Thank you, President Nausėda and First Lady Nausėdienė for intimately experiencing this important part of Miami’s history with us.

A privilege to welcome His Excellency @GitanasNauseda, President of Lithuania, to @MDCollege. Lithuania’s history is a powerful testament to the enduring pursuit of liberty and the responsibility to preserve freedom across generations, a story that resonates deeply in Miami. Proud to convene this global dialogue with the Embassy of Lithuania and @WorldAffairsMIA, expertly moderated by Aaron Rosen.

Great to welcome Florida Commissioner of Education @HenmackIII to today’s @CouncilofPresidents meeting. Across Florida’s Great 28, we are focused on accelerating student success, strengthening workforce readiness and preparing the talent that drives Florida’s economy. It is this shared commitment to students, talent and opportunity that keeps Florida #1 in the nation for higher education and workforce education.

At @MDCollege, we are focused on preparing students for high-skill, high-wage careers that create real economic mobility. Through programs like Tesla START, we are creating a national model for how colleges and industry can work together to prepare the workforce of the future. Great to host the Lithia Motors team at our Automotive Technology Lab and share how we are continuing to build strong industry partnerships that connect students with the skills, technologies and careers employers need.

My I AM MDC story started as a student-athlete at Kendall Campus. Today, that same promise of opportunity continues for a new generation. Proud to celebrate with our students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners at Kendall, and grateful to @MDCPS’ @SMSHCobras Alumni Association for a $25,000 gift establishing the Kevin M. Cabrera Endowed Scholarship Fund for graduates attending MDC. That is the power of MDC: opening doors, investing in talent, and creating opportunity for the next generation.

Miami’s future is increasingly connected to the world as the gateway of the Americas! Today’s Miami–Ras Al Khaimah Executive Roundtable brought together leaders from two dynamic global communities to explore opportunities for deeper collaboration across education, technology, innovation, workforce development and investment. For @MDCollege, these global relationships are about creating innovative opportunities for our students and connecting Miami’s talent to an increasingly interconnected economy. Thank you to the @downtownMIA, @RosadoForMiami JP Global Advisors and the delegation from Ras Al Khaimah for an important conversation about what we can build together.

It was a pleasure to welcome U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman to Miami Dade College for a conversation with our students about his book, Israel on Trial: Examining the History, the Evidence, and the Law. Judge Altman shared his perspective on complex questions through the lens of evidence, history and law, and encourages students to ask difficult questions and develop the critical-thinking skills to reach informed conclusions of their own. Thank you, Judge Altman, for spending time with our students and bringing an important conversation to MDC.

Wishing my friends and everyone celebrating Yom Kippur a meaningful day of reflection, surrounded by family and loved ones. May this sacred time bring peace and renewal.

Strong communities are built when we listen to one another and stay focused on the issues shaping people’s everyday lives. Thank you, @ErikaDonalds, for a thoughtful conversation on education, mental health, workforce and Florida’s promise! These issues are deeply connected to the strength and well-being of our families and communities.

This morning, our @MDCollege family and community came together for our annual Pink Walk, a day that carries a deeply personal meaning for me. My own journey with breast cancer taught me just how powerful early detection can be. That is why my message today is simple: get your yearly screenings. Don't wait because you feel fine, because life is busy, or because it's easier not to know. Early detection can make all the difference. Thank you to Andrea Ivory and The Women's Breast & Heart Initiative for organizing, and to @constancejonestv for getting the crowd ready to go! To every survivor who walked with us today, I see you, and I stand with you. And to those currently facing breast cancer, know that you do not walk this road alone. Your MDC community is with you. Thank you to everyone who joined us this morning.

It was a pleasure to participate in @CamacolMiami's @OAS_official program and engage in a meaningful dialogue with Albert R. Ramdin, Secretary General of OAS. Our conversation highlighted the important role education, international collaboration, and strong institutions play in expanding opportunity, developing talent, and strengthening prosperity throughout our hemisphere. At @MDCollege, our reach has always extended beyond Miami. As Democracy’s College, we are committed to preparing talent and building the partnerships that connect our community to opportunities across the Americas. Thank you to CAMACOL for convening leaders committed to a stronger, more connected, and prosperous hemisphere.

Miami’s next generation of entrepreneurs took center stage at the MDC IDEA Center for the @eMergeAmericas eMpower Pitch Competition. Twelve founders pitched their ideas live, competing for micro-grants and the opportunity to fast-track into the 2027 eMerge Global Startup Accelerator. @MDCollege, we are committed to strengthening Miami’s talent and innovation ecosystem by connecting bold ideas with the people, resources and opportunities that can move them forward. Thank you to my friend @melmedina, one of Miami’s leading voices in technology and innovation, and the entire @eMergeAmericas team for their partnership and continued work to strengthen our region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Congratulations to all 12 founders who stepped up and pitched. The future is being built right here in Miami.

Always great to have our partners @MDCPS and Superintdent @MiamiSupt @MDCollege!

The MDC spirit was on full display in Doral today. 💙 Our annual @mdcwest I AM MDC Day parade brought students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community together to celebrate 66 years of @mdcollege transforming lives and expanding opportunity. For generations, MDC has been where talent finds opportunity and where Miami’s future takes shape. Thank you to the @vaccfoundation for its generous $15,000 scholarship contribution, an investment in the talent and potential of our students. Grateful to @doralpd for leading our parade and to Mayor @christifraga for your leadership and continued partnership with MDC. 66 years. Generations of opportunity. One extraordinary MDC community. I AM MDC. 💙

It was great to welcome our new @MDCPS Superintendent, @MiamiSupt, to the @MiamiChamber Board of Directors meeting alongside Juan Carlos Liscano of @AmericanAir and @AlfredSanchez, President and CEO of the Chamber.

Today, @MDCollege launched the AI Elite Talent Hub, connecting our students directly with the employers, mentors, and opportunities shaping the AI economy. More than 4,000 MDC students have already gained AI skills through an ecosystem strengthened by partnerships with Intel, Google, Microsoft, IBM and OpenAI. AI Elite builds on that foundation, creating a direct bridge between talent and opportunity. Technology will continue to evolve. The greatest competitive advantage Miami can build is a deep, adaptable workforce ready to lead through change. That is the work we are doing at MDC, and our students will be at the center of what comes next. @WorksMiami @AntonioDelgad9

The Supreme Twins Foundation has become an important partner to @MDCollege, helping us expand opportunity for students and individuals with diverse learning needs. This partnership reflects something I believe deeply: when education, philanthropy, and community come together around a shared purpose, we open doors and change lives. At MDC, that is the work we are committed to every day, and none of it happens without our incredible team, whose dedication and heart make partnerships like this one possible. Thank you to the Supreme Twins Foundation for all you do for South Florida families and for this meaningful recognition. I am grateful to have been honored alongside Miami-Dade Tax Collector @darielfernandez and the legendary @DonFranciscoTV, and even more grateful for the work that continues to bring us together!

Twenty-five years ago, our nation experienced a day that changed us forever. On September 11, 2001, 2,977 lives were lost. Families were forever changed, and in the face of unimaginable tragedy, our nation witnessed extraordinary courage as first responders and ordinary citizens ran toward danger to save others. Today, we come together as one @MDCollege community to remember, reflect, and honor. For many of us, September 11 is a day we lived through and remember with extraordinary clarity. For many of our students, it is history they have come to know through the stories of those who were there. At MDC, we embrace the responsibility of ensuring we educate our students about the events of that day and its significance for our Nation’s history. Remembering is not only about looking back. It is about ensuring each new generation understands what was lost, the courage and sacrifice we witnessed, and the values our nation came together to defend. We were honored to be joined today by two MDC alumni whose lives reflect that spirit of service: School Board Member and MDC Trustee Roberto Alonso and Miami Beach Firefighter Cory Brown. Thank you both for your leadership and continued commitment to our community. Today, we remember the lives lost. We honor the heroes who answered the call. We hold their families and loved ones close. And we carry forward a legacy of courage, service, unity, and freedom. We will never forget. 🇺🇸

Capital can move. Companies can move. Technology will continue to change. But if we build the deepest, most adaptable talent base in the country, Miami will not simply have a moment. We will have built an enduring competitive advantage. That was at the heart of my conversation with Jorge Gonzalez, Vice Chairman & CEO of @CityNationalFL City National Bank, at Invest Miami, alongside leaders including JC Liscano of @AmericanAir and Jaret Davis of Greenberg Traurig about the forces shaping South Florida’s economy and how we sustain our momentum. Talent is the true infrastructure of a thriving economy. At @MDCollege, we are leading that work at scale, building the talent pipeline across the industries driving our region’s economy, from healthcare and aviation to technology, cybersecurity and the skilled trades. We are connecting education directly to opportunity so Miami’s growth creates careers, strengthens families and expands economic mobility across our community. Miami is the gateway to the Western Hemisphere and an increasingly important center of global commerce. Building the talent to power that position for generations is how we turn today’s momentum into enduring prosperity.

Today, we celebrate I AM MDC where it all began. 💙 In 1960, Dade County Junior College opened its doors at what is now North Campus with a powerful idea: higher education should be within reach for every person in our community ready to pursue it. That commitment to access and opportunity helped shape @MDCollege into the transformative institution it is today, opening doors, changing lives, and creating pathways to prosperity for generations of @MiamiDadeCounty families. Grateful to @EdFedCU, DTorr Construction, @LEGO_CC, and the @CityofMiaGarden for investing in our students and the opportunities ahead. A special shout-out to two proud MDC alumni whose careers of service embody that legacy: @CityofMiami Chief of Police @ChiefEdwinLopez, it was wonderful to have you back at North Campus with our Basic Law Enforcement and Fire Academy class. Your career is a powerful example for our cadets of where dedication and public service can lead. Thank you for taking the time to invest in the next generation of first responders. City of Miami Gardens Vice Mayor @RLStephens3_, a North Campus alum, who also began his professional career at MDC. From where MDC began to where we are going next, North Campus reminds us that when we expand opportunity, the impact reaches far beyond our classrooms. It strengthens families, our workforce, and our entire community. The power of I AM MDC. 💙