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Congratulations to everyone today for uh our awardees.

And thank you to my colleagues for uh for being here.

So before we start off, I want to acknowledge that March is women's we celebrate women's history month and certainly uh the contributions that women have made to the city of Miami Beach and to our nation.

And uh of course, my wife is sitting in the crowd, so I'll acknowledge Shannon as well.

Um, and actually we're gonna start with a very special woman today.

Uh we're gonna start with uh Michelle Sack up.

And thank you, Alex Fernandez.

I'll turn it over to you.

And by the way, some of this uh I uh the order I pick is uh partly due to scheduling issues, and uh so I I try to do it that way.

Today you see Michelle brought a lot of her friends who need to get back home to their family, so uh we're gonna start it up.

And thank you, uh, Commissioner Fernandez.

And thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

And it really is such an honor to start off this meeting as you well mentioned, Women's History Month.

Uh, and recognizing someone whose work truly reflects the very best of Miami Beach, uh community's creativity, our Miami Beach's compassion, our sense of community.

And that's exactly what Michelle Saka has built.

It's something very special.

And through Miami Food Yenta, she has helped shine a light on the vibrant culture culinary scene here at Miami Beach, uplifting both local restaurants, entrepreneurs, the chefs of our community, while also connecting thousands of people through through through food to our culture, to our hospitality in our community.

But it has to be said that Michelle's impact goes so much more beyond uh QC and restaurants and food and hospitality.

She is a devoted mother, a passionate advocate, someone who has turned a her personal experience into meaningful action.

She is an agent of change as a mother of children with special needs.

She has worked tirelessly as her mission to support neurodiversion families and ensure that children facing medical challenges are treated with dignity, are treated with compassion and are treated with the care that they deserve.

Her partnership, her very beautiful partnership with Nicholas Children's Hospital, uh has been an effort to create sensory support bags for hospitalized children.

It's just one of the examples of how she transforms her empathy, her care, her love, her mission into real solutions and real change for children and families in our community.

Michelle, your work is a reminder to our community that everyone, everyone can do extraordinary things with our talents, with our passions, and most importantly, with kindness, with drive and with heart.

And because of that, on behalf of our mayor, on behalf of our city commission, but most importantly, on behalf of this community that loves you, it's our honor to declare today, March 4th, 2026, as Michelle Saga Day in the city of Miami Beach.

And you have a fan club.

If you want to come, if you want to say anything, if your fan club wants to join you, because I know you have a big following, not just locally, but around the world.

And Mr.

Mayor, I've seen her following when you go to the restaurants.

Uh people go up to her to you and they know you.

Always asking for a selfie.

It's incredible.

It really is incredible.

Welcome.

Thank you so much for this opportunity and this honor.

This is really so meaningful.

Uh it's I'm so lucky that you know, 19 years ago, my husband was like, hey, you want to marry me and move to Miami Beach?

Yeah, this has been a great city to live in.

Um thank God my husband's family has been here for over 70 years.

Uh so very proud Miami Beach citizens.

So thank you.

Um I just want to say um, you know, I've been blessed with the opportunity of being in a situation that's difficult with two profoundly disabled children, and being able to find the light in it, the silver lining, and to be able to take my experiences of living in the hospital at Nicholas Children's Hospital for 10 weeks at a time, even and taking that and turning my experiences into something good that can help somebody else.

And I think that's what life is all about is using our life experiences to help the next people.

So I just want to say thank you so much.

This is the coolest thing in the entire world.

Um, yes, the national and international followers uh will be celebrating, and we'll make sure to have a special on every uh March 4th going forward at all the local restaurants.

I love it.

And I want to thank Robin Jacobs uh who brought light to the incredible and inspirational job that you do and Robin sitting in the in the audience and your own right, you're being recognized as well during women's history month uh in our city's experience, and it's great to see the following of amazing women in our community who are here to support you who are doing great things every single day.

Michelle, congratulations.

Thank you so much.

I did I just want to add, um, yes, it is women's uh month uh recognition month, and I like to say women supporting women.

Again, I would not be here without my girlfriend Robin.

I really appreciate it, and for all my girlfriends who are here.

I love you guys so much, and thank you for taking time during the witching hour to escape from your children and families and be here for this special honor.

So thank you guys.