Get ready to jazz up Mother's Day weekend in Miami-Dade. Commissioner Kionne McGhee is cranking up the volume with the return of Jazz in the Heights – this time, infused with Southern Soul. The event is hitting Zoo Miami on Saturday, May 11, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and it's free to the public, so pack your lawn chairs. For those itching to groove to some live tunes, registrations are open on their official website Miami-Dade County.

Jazz in the Heights isn't just about the music, though. It's a showcase, an amplifier for local small businesses in the Miami-Dade community. McGhee's consistent support for these businesses isn't news – it's been the Commissioner's tune since 2022. The initiative, according to details released by the Commissioner's office, has paid startup funds to over 100 businesses, provided technical assistance to hundreds, and dished out grants to dozens. From food trucks to jewelers, artists to audiovisual wizards – they all get their moment to shine at this shindig.

But the beat goes on beyond this event. Commissioner McGhee isn't shy about putting money where his heart is. He's a longtime backer of the Supporting Safer Communities program. With a partnership including The Carrie Meek Foundation, the initiative funneled $8.9 million into violence intervention to keep Miami-Dade safe. This isn't philanthropy – it's an investment in community tunes that everyone can dance to.

McGhee, who's got a track record of certifying over 300 small businesses with Miami-Dade County, has signed the checks to the tune of $15 million supporting these local enterprises. Meanwhile, next weekend's Jazz in the Heights is turning up the volume, with A-listers like TK Soul and Nellie "Tiger" Travis on the stage, and hosts TK Owens and James T making sure the party doesn't skip a beat.

For McGhee, the event holds more significance than mere business; it's personal. "Jazz in the Heights celebrates the vibrant cultural diversity of our community while simultaneously supporting and empowering local businesses," as stated by Miami-Dade County. This endeavor, which includes a substantial donation to assist Black-owned businesses in joining the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce, is his method of orchestrating an environment where every local entrepreneur has an opportunity to shine individually.