In a corner of Allapattah, a colorful building with “Black Lives Matter” painted on its roof was a hub for cultural events and programming for nearly a decade. With no outside funding, Fabian Martinez ran Esquina de Abuela — “Grandma’s Corner” — at a property his Cuban grandmother bought in the 1980s after she arrived in Miami.
Over the years, Esquina became a center for community and underground art events. Visual artists from around the world graffitied the property and transformed the site into a living, breathing gallery. Rappers Future, Rick Ross and Kodak Black shot music videos there. But the business’s financial woes persisted in the background.
In March, Martinez was evicted from the site following years of legal battles, during which he struggled and ultimately failed to pay down loans on the property…