In a historical win, Jamaican-American Denise Grant took the 2024 General Election on November 5 with 16,141 votes compared to Lawrence “Jabbow” Martin’s 9,657 votes. That is a margin of 62.57% to 37.43%. She is now officially the Mayor-Elect of Lauderhill, Florida.
Uncovering Florida reached out to the city clerk’s office and got a comment from the city’s public relations department. We discovered that Lauderhill is often playfully referred to as “Jamaica Hill” due to its large population of “Jamaican residents and Jamaican owned businesses”. In addition, we uncovered that the city’s official “colors are yellow and green – like the colors of Jamaica.”
Yet, until now, a Jamaican woman–or a black woman of any race–had never held the title of mayor in this city, which was established on June 20, 1959. Through the city clerk’s office, Uncovering Florida learned that Grant is actually the first black woman to be elected as mayor in the city of Lauderhill.
Grant’s mission is “to advocate for lower property taxes, safer and cleaner neighborhoods, revitalization and sustainability of small businesses, infrastructure improvements, and wellness and empowerment programs for our children and seniors”. She says that she is “committed to a healthy and thriving Lauderhill”.
On her official Facebook page, Grant expressed that she is “truly honored to be your Mayor-Elect”. She also stated, “Together, we’ve shown that Lauderhill stands united for a brighter future. This is just the beginning. Let’s keep pushing forward—One Voice, One Lauderhill!”
In a second post, Grant invited anyone who might be interested to join her to celebrate this “historic moment” at the Swearing In Ceremony on November 19 in Lauderhill City Hall at 12:00 p.m.
Commissioners John T. Hodgson, Melissa P. Dunn, S. “Ray” Martin, and Richard Campbell will be sworn in alongside Mayor Denise Grant. For more information, the official website for the city of Lauderhill encourages citizens to reach out to the city clerk’s office at 954-730-3010.
Article by Ema Tibbetts