I was the first Black member of The Bath Club. Today, I'm proud to be its owner.
Since 1926, The Bath Club has been one of Miami Beach's most iconic institutions, welcoming figures who helped shape American history. Its members included the Vanderbilts, William Boeing, and Presidents Herbert Hoover and John F. Kennedy.
But when I first joined, I was shocked to learn I was the club’s first Black member.
Now, I've made it a priority not only to modernize, but to transform it into something that better reflects the America we aspire to be. Today, The Bath Club is a thriving and diverse community that brings together people from different backgrounds, faiths, professions, and perspectives, much like Miami Beach itself.
In many ways, its evolution mirrors the story of our country: progress built on opportunity, inclusion, and the belief that barriers are meant to be broken.
Only in America can someone go from being the first person allowed through the door to becoming the steward responsible for opening it wider for everyone else.