Honored Beyond Words: Tiffany Madera Day in Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs Deputy Director Ashlee Thomas, Tiffany Madera, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava. Photo courtesy of the Office of the Mayor.
There are moments in an artist’s life when time pauses — when the years of creation, risk, and community-building suddenly stand still, reflected back with love and recognition. Receiving an official Proclamation from Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava declaring November 5th as Tiffany Madera Day is one of those moments.
As a Miami-born and based artist, this honor touches me deeply. Mayor Levine Cava — our county’s first woman Mayor, a social worker, attorney, and lifelong champion of artists and justice — embodies the kind of leadership that uplifts creativity as a cornerstone of community transformation. To be seen through her lens, and celebrated by the county that raised me, is profoundly humbling.
This Proclamation honors a lifetime devoted to using art as both sanctuary and social practice — from the early days at Arts at St. John’s, where Carol Hoffman nurtured my belief that art is ministry, to the evolution of my body of work that includes The Baladi Project, Shimmy Shift Pivot, Dancing my Mother’s Body and especially Havana Habibi.
Havana Habibi, my 2019 documentary, is a love letter to the diaspora — a cinematic exploration of identity, belonging, and resilience that bridges the Americas, North Africa, and beyond. It represents not only my artistic vision but the collective spirit of women who continue to dance, resist, and heal through movement.
This recognition is not mine alone. It belongs to my community, my collaborators, my mentors, and every artist daring to create despite the odds. I am filled with gratitude — for Miami, for Mayor Levine Cava, and for the chance to keep building bridges through beauty, truth, and transformation.
November 5th — Tiffany Madera Day — a day to dance, reflect, and give thanks.
Proclamation: Tiffany Madera Day
The Miami-Dade County Office of the Mayor and Board of County Commissioners proudly recognizes Tiffany Madera, born and raised in Miami, who has dedicated her life to the transformative power of art—working as a filmmaker, dancer, and cultural producer to uplift stories at the intersections of gender, diaspora, and identity.
Ms. Madera is a pioneering artist whose vision has been deeply shaped by her Cuban heritage and Miami’s vibrant multicultural landscape. She has worked tirelessly to use art not only as a form of personal expression but also as a tool for healing, resilience, and community engagement.
Her groundbreaking documentary Havana Habibi represents more than a decade of creative labor and cultural dialogue, bringing together ethnographic storytelling, dance, and cinema to explore the intimate realities of Cuban women as they navigate issues of violence, trauma, survival, and belonging.
Havana Habibi stands as a testament to Ms. Madera’s commitment to amplifying women’s voices across borders—uniting themes of spirituality, art, and geopolitics while offering audiences a rare and intimate look at Cuba through a lens of tenderness, respect, and aesthetic depth.
Through her extraordinary contributions to the cultural life of Miami-Dade County and beyond, Ms. Madera has elevated the role of art in bridging communities, sparking dialogue, and healing intergenerational wounds. She richly deserves recognition for her achievements as an artist, filmmaker, and visionary.
Therefore, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, together with Chairman Anthony Rodriguez and the Members of the Board of County Commissioners, hereby proclaim Saturday, October 11, 2025, as
Tiffany Madera Day
We call upon the good people of Miami-Dade County to join in celebrating this outstanding artist—honoring the cultural significance of her documentary film Havana Habibi and her lasting contributions to our County and to the global arts community.
Included in the slideshow, Celeste Landeros, Jean Blackwell Font, Vivian Marthell; photos courtesy of the Office of the Mayor.
While the Proclamation was contributed to the screening of Havana Habibi at Perez Art Museum Miami on October 11, 2025,
the presentation was made on November 5, 2025.
