The Miami-Dade Green Party was founded in 2000 during the election campaign of Ralph Nader as Green Party candidate for president of the United States. Our first meeting was at the Kendall Library where about 15 people came together to seek a way to support the Nader candidacy and begin to create a focal point of change in our community. A July 4th tabling event on Miami Beach marked our first official campaign activity. We began a campaign to open the national debates which culminated in a downtown rally at the Torch of Friendship. Our presence was felt around the county as we attended and promoted events to reach people with the Green message. The elections exposed the flaws in our electoral system and illustrated how difficult it is for new or different ideas to penetrate mainstream media.
We began this year with the daunting task of maintaining and growing a grassroots party without a national candidate. Ordinary citizens, come together with the clear drive to focus attention on important issues not covered at all by media nor dealt with by the mainstream corporate-sponsored parties: millions without healthcare, poverty wages, genetic manipulation of foods without notification, local corruption, and so on.
We are part of a nationwide effor to create a value-based, progressive "movement / party" as an alternative to the Democrats and Republicans, which are institutions that function primarily to preserve the status quo. We are affiliated with the Florida State Green Party (there are 25 locals in Florida now), and through them, the Green Party of the United States. All Green parties have the same "Ten Key Values". Membership is open to anyone who believes in and supports our values.
