Endorsement of Rochenel Marc for Homestead District 4 by Guest Blogger Lois Jones

THE POWER OF SIX...PLUS ONE

Yesterday I discovered a prize. More specifically, I discovered a political prize, a candidate for political office who has not only the basic skills to be a competent elected official, but a candidate with the tools to deliver the product. That person is Rochenel Marc a candidate for office in Homestead’s District 4.

What intrigued me about this young man is that he is perhaps one of the only persons running for office anywhere in Miami-Dade County who is so well prepared for office. He is the only candidate I can find who have the important required skill to to govern, a Master degree in Public Administration. But it does not stop there.

He received his Master of Public Administration degree from Barry University in July 2012, but his formal education began long before that:

Robert Morgan Vocational Institute Tech. Diploma, August 1995; Miami Dade College Associate in Science Human Services December 2003; Barry University B.L.S. and Specialize in Social Welfare , December 2009; Barry University Master of Public Administration, July 2012.

Rochenel’s skills include a background of conducting research in environments that demand cultural sensitivity and flexibility. He has done qualitative and quantitative research and is advanced in analytical and writing skills. He is also fluent in English, Creole, French and some Spanish.

My first response after hearing and reading about this unique young man was “Where have you been all my life?” My political life that is. This man is a rarity and we cannot ignore him ...we cannot let him get away from us. Rather, we need to embrace him and put him in office to join our other five members of the Homestead City Council, Jim Burgess, Steve Shelley, Judy Waldman, Patricia Fairclough-McCormick and Nazy Sierra who is expected to win her seat over Bateman’s drinking buddy, Maldonado.

A business owner, his professional experience includes business owner of Nord-Quest Security & School Training where he instructs students in preparing to become professional security officers. He also trains in administrative, payroll, Inventory and the hiring process as well Office Management, and Customer Services.

Rochenel’s volunteer work is too numerous to mention here. Where else can we find this massive amount of education and leadership skills in anyone running for office? Yet, here he is, right here in Homestead and a candidate for one of the most disadvantaged districts in our city, District 4. Discovering this gem of a candidate is important folks.

District 4, is variously referred to as the “African American District.” This district has always been at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to resources. This is a district that finds its people with no hope of escaping the ravages of poverty, children who walk around in a daze because they know that for them there is no hope for a meaningful future.

Now here they are being given the prize of the best candidate running for office where their choice until now has only been between a candidate who, as a sitting Council Member abandoned the district as he left Homestead for his native Alabama. The other is a “pastor” whose background includes a strange business relationship with the man who has owned Homestead for years,Wayne Rosen, and "Snappers" restaurant -- but that is another story.