12 June 18–24, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES June 18–24, 2026 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES BEST ºf MIAMI ® 2026 BEST ACTIVIST Betty Osceola instagram.com/bettyosceola Ever since she roamed barefoot in the wet- lands of Big Cypress as a child, Miccosukee Tribe member Betty Osceola has spent her days fighting to protect her tribe’s land and heritage. Over the past year, however, that ad- vocacy has taken on a slightly different focus. Since the highly controversial Alligator Alca- traz immigration detention center opened last summer in the middle of the Everglades, the 58-year-old has become one of its loudest crit- ics, arguing that it threatens fragile wetlands and continues a long history of harm to Indig- enous land, among other issues. Osceola, who lives just a few miles from the sprawling tent city, has organized weekly interfaith vigils outside the detention center and joined round-the-clock community efforts to moni- tor the property. Despite her tireless work, she says she doesn’t see herself as a leader. In her own words, “I’m just doing what needs to be done.” BEST COMMUNITY ORGANIZER Mel De Miami instagram.com/meldemiami Some people may encounter Mel De Miami on a dance floor, a stage or a social media feed bursting with unmistakable Miami sass and class. You might catch her strolling the King Mango Strut, singing at a local showcase with friends, or appearing in a delightfully chon- galicious skit — but behind the sequins, songs and celebrations is one of Miami’s most dedi- cated advocates for young people. Mel has spent years fighting for youth experiencing homelessness and navigating the child wel- fare system. A board member of Florida Youth SHINE and recipient of Florida’s Children’s First Outstanding Youth Advocate Award, she has transformed her own lived experience with homelessness into a mission of service. She also serves on Florida’s statewide youth homelessness action board, and works as a peer navigator for a transitional housing pro- gram helping young people find stability and support. While Miami has no shortage of per- sonalities, Mel De Miami stands apart as the fiercest advocate for our youth, earning her recognition as the best community organizer committed to improving lives via opportunity. BEST LOCAL BOY GONE BAD James Fishback fishback2026.com South Florida has produced its share of contro- versial characters — from Proud Boys to SoundCloud rappers and deeply corrupt politi- cians. Then, there’s James Fishback. He was born in Davie and attended high school in Bro- ward County. Now, he’s campaigning to be Florida’s next governor, and he’s gone far be- yond the usual dog-whistling tactics associated with far-right Republican candidates. The 31-year-old has been called the “Groyper candi- date” online for courting Gen-Z men and align- ing himself with figures such as white nationalist streamer Nick Fuentes. He’s faced repeated criticism for racist remarks about his opponent, Byron Donalds, whom he has called a “slave to donors” and a “token Black” in Con- gress, declaring he wants to turn Florida into a “Section 8 ghetto.” Fishback has also proposed a 50 percent “hoe tax” on OnlyFans creators and faced sexual misconduct allegations in- volving a 17-year-old student from a debate club he ran when he was 27. BEST LOCAL BOY MADE GOOD Attack Peter instagram.com/attackpeter Imagine being a kid from Kendall and one day waking up to see your artwork printed on 60 million cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer (PBR). Peter Santa-Maria, known to the world as At- tack Peter, has been drawing kaiju monsters for years and even had his interpretation of Godzilla licensed by Toho Studios, the Japa- nese company that owns the rights to the fa- mous monster. In 2025, when Godzilla was set to celebrate its 70th birthday, PBR ap- proached Santa-Maria with a dream collabo- ration. He drew Godzilla, along with three of his monster friends — Mothra, Me- chagodzilla and King Ghidorah — to be printed on cans and distributed nationwide. The Attack Peter-designed cans are still cir- culating, so you might be lucky enough to find all four designs. If any Kendall boys and girls should run into Santa-Maria himself at their local gas station or Publix, be sure to have your Godzilla PBR at the ready for im- promptu autographing. BEST LOCAL GIRL GONE BAD Sheila Cherfilus- McCormick instagram.com/sheilacherfilusmccormick They say if you’ve got it, flaunt it — but not if “it” is a $109,000 yellow diamond ring you al- legedly purchased using stolen Federal Emer- gency Management Agency (FEMA) funds. In November 2025, a federal grand jury in Miami indicted former Democratic U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick on charges that she stole millions in federal disaster-relief funds and then funneled the money into her congressional campaign. The feds also al- leged that the South Florida Democrat used the funds to buy a 3.14-carat yellow diamond ring from a jewelry store headquartered in New York City. Internet sleuths quickly no- ticed that what appears to be the same ring was prominently featured in the congress- woman’s official U.S. House portrait. On April 21, Cherfilus-McCormick resigned from the House of Representatives, less than an hour before its Ethics Committee was slated to dis- cuss what sanctions to impose on her for vio- lating a laundry list of House rules and ethical standards. BEST LOCAL GIRL MADE GOOD Aimee Carrero instagram.com/aimeecarrero Miamians who grew up in Kendall in the aughts can proudly say, ““I knew her when” as it pertains to actress Aimee Carrero. After years in the biz, the Miami-native-turned-Los Angeles-resident is seeing the fruits of her la- bor — and so is the world. The starlet recently wrapped production in Hawaii on an upcom- ing Netflix movie with Jason Momoa and Andy Samberg titled “Protecting Jared.” It was also announced this year that she was cast along- side John Cena and Kate McKinnon in another Netflix project, “One Attempt Remaining.” Her 2025 movie with Rainn Wilson and Lil Rey Howery, “Code 3,” re- cently landed on Hulu, and fans can also catch her as Elena Benavides on AppleTV’s “Your Friends and Neigh- bors,” now in its second sea- son. Carrero’s supporting role to Jon Hamm’s lead al- lows the Dominican actress to show off her Latinidad with plenty of scenes involving her speaking in her native tongue. The 37-year-old actress is making all the girlies from the 305 extra proud to be a Miami girl. BEST HERALD REPORTER Denise Hruby instagram.com/denisehruby Denise Hruby is from Austria, but she has a pulse on South Florida’s environment like few others. Since joining the Miami Herald in 2024, she’s covered some of the region’s most pressing issues. Hruby focuses on the climate and biodiversity crises, reporting on every- thing from wildlife behavior to sinking sky- scrapers and hurricanes. In an era where misinformation is widespread and climate change can feel overwhelming, her work makes understanding complex environmen- tal issues more accessible. Her stories not only inform readers about environmental cri- ses, but also show how deeply connected ev- eryday Miami life is to them. BEST METEOROLOGIST Brandon Orr instagram.com/brandonorrweather South Florida’s weather is not for the faint of heart – or the faint of forecasting. Everything from tropical storms to king tides and the kind of heat that wilts your afternoon ambitions by noon requires a meteorologist who actually knows the terrain. Brandon Orr, certified broadcast meteorologist at WPLG Local 10 News, has been that person since joining the station in 2018. Orr has been on our screens even more since the station went independent last year, and his augmented-reality weather reports make analyzing anything from brush fires to hurricane-speed winds that much more visually interesting. A Penn State-trained forecaster, Orr has built a following not just for his accuracy but for his ability to explain com- plex weather systems in terms that make sense to the average South Floridian. BEST TV NEWS REPORTER Miriam Tapia, NBC6 and Telemundo 51 instagram.com/miriamitapia South Florida moves fast, y’all. One minute, it’s a celebrity sighting on the beach, the next it’s breaking news, a neighborhood festival, a can’t- miss restaurant opening — or maybe all of the aforementioned all under one roof. Phew! Mir- iam Tapia somehow keeps pace with all of it while making viewers feel like they’re catch- ing up with a bestie who loves this community 1,000 percent. The NBC6 and Telemundo 51 re- porter was born in Nicaragua, raised in Miami and gradu- ated from Florida Interna- tional University, giving her a hyper-local understanding of the region she covers daily. Tapia shines brightest when spotlighting the people, events and cultural moments that make South Florida tick, bouncing from entertainment stories to wellness trends to community happenings with an enviable en- ergy. She’s polished without sounding robotic and upbeat without sounding annoyingly re- hearsed. Whether interviewing local business owners or posting behind-the-scenes mo- ments with her French bulldog Arya on Insta- gram, Tapia brings warmth and personality to every single moment. She’s cheered on so many folks in her career. Well, Miriam, we’re all cheering for you. BEST PODCAST "The Moment" with Jorge & Paola Ramos instagram.com/themomentramospod What happens when one of the most legend- ary journalists in the Spanish-language world teams up with his own daughter – an ac- claimed author and MSNBC contributor – to make sense of a political moment that seems to shift by the hour? You get “The Moment,” the father-daughter podcast from Jorge and Paola Ramos that’s become essential listening since launching in September 2025. A pro- duction of Radio Ambulante Studios and iHeart’s My Cultura Network, the weekly show brings a uniquely multigenerational Latino perspective to everyday headlines, with guests ranging from politicians to activ- ists, artists and thinkers. The show recently hosted an event at Adrienne Arsht with likely Democratic presidential candidate and Cali- fornia governor Gavin Newsom, which went off without a hitch. For Miami, a city where more than 70 percent of the population is Netflix project, “One Attempt Remaining.” and Lil Rey Howery, “Code 3,” re- cently landed on Hulu, and fans lows the Dominican actress to while making viewers feel like they’re catch- ing up with a bestie who loves this community 1,000 percent. The NBC6 and Telemundo 51 re- porter was born in Nicaragua, raised in Miami and gradu- ated from Florida Interna- tional University, giving her a hyper-local understanding of the region she covers daily. Tapia shines brightest when spotlighting the people, events and cultural moments that make Arts & EntertAinment
