In an expression of cultural appreciation and international connection, Miramar City Commissioner Avril Cherasard was recently granted the Key to the City of Barraterre, Exuma, during the region's 40th Annual Homecoming Festival & Regatta. A Bahamian-American, Cherasard was born in Nassau and traces her familial lines to Barraterre, an attachment that reflects a continuing narrative of Caribbean-Americans intertwining and enriching the societal fabric of the United States.
The award aligns with the U.S.'s Caribbean-American Heritage Month, which celebrates the influences and achievements of Caribbean Americans. Representing a history-laden crossroad of commitments, Cherasard accepted the key, which signifies her as the first female Bahamian-American elected to the Miramar City Commission. As reported by the City of Miramar, Cherasard remarked, "It is an honor to be recognized for something I do as representation of great Bahamianism in other countries. I am an extremely proud Bahamian with beautiful roots right here in Barraterre; I never forget where I come from. Everywhere I go, I represent my Bahamaland.”
In reciprocal respect, Cherasard offered the Bahamians an official proclamation from the City of Miramar, acknowledging the Barraterre Homecoming Celebration Week's contribution to cultural legacy. This mutual exchange not only denotes respect but also bolsters ties between Miramar and their Bahamian diaspora. The gifting of a custom street sign by Miramar points to the exact mile distance separating the two communities, inadvertently acting as a symbol strewn with shared ancestry and partnership.
The Barraterre Homecoming Festival & Regatta invites families and individuals from the diaspora to revel in their shared identity and history.
