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Change is due
For Miami resident Vivian Lemus, every dollar matters. As a single mother raising three children, she budgets for groceries, bills and other everyday expenses. On top of those costs, Lemus also pays Homeowners
Association fees
adding another significant expense to her family’s budget. Across Miami, the median HOA fee is about $617 a month—more than four times the national median of roughly $135. For homeowners like Lemus, the rising costs have raised questions about how their communities are managed and how much say residents should have.
HOA fees help cover expenses such as insurance, property taxes, management, maintenance and the upkeep of common areas. While House Bill 657 sought to increase homeowner oversight, it died in the Florida Senate last March. Association managers and legal experts say some costs are difficult to avoid, but greater transparency between associations and residents could help homeowners better understand where their money goes. For Lemus, change means having a stronger voice and greater accountability in the community she helps fund.
Second Serving
Most days, Alex can be found behind the grill of his vegan food truck, preparing orders and serving customers. But his journey to becoming a business owner wasn't always easy. After
receiving a felony conviction, Alex faced the challenges that often follow people long after their sentence ends, including closed doors during job applications and interviews. Despite his past, he knew he wanted a chance to move forward and build a different future.
Now, Alex is giving others the same opportunity he once needed. Every employee on his food truck has a felony conviction, but Alex says their past doesn't define who they are today. For his employees, the job is more than a paycheck—it is a chance to prove themselves and move forward. By giving people an opportunity to work, learn and rebuild, Alex is showing that sometimes a second chance can start with someone simply being willing to take a chance on you.
Pavlova Passion
For Iliana Reyes, what began as a simple birthday request from her daughter became something much bigger. After her daughter introduced her to pavlova and helped perfect the recipe, Reyes began making the dessert herself. In 2020,
while undergoing chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic, baking became a way to stay focused and earn some income while staying home. What started as a passion project eventually grew into her business, Oh My Pavlova.
For Reyes, baking became more than a job—it became a source of purpose during one of the hardest times in her life. Creating pavlovas gave her something positive to focus on and allowed her to bring joy to others while going through her own challenges. “It was a way for me to really get my mind off things,” Reyes said. “In a way, it was therapeutic.” Today, Oh My Pavlova represents how an unexpected change can lead to something meaningful, proving that even difficult chapters can inspire something beautiful.
