Across South Florida, the women recognized as Legacy Miami’s Prominent and Influential Black Women in Business and Industry class of 2025 are leaning in, fired up, and moving forward with bold visions for the future of their businesses and organizations.
For some, that vision begins with entrepreneurship, where conviction is tested daily and success is never guaranteed. Kathia Joseph understands that reality intimately. As the owner of Casa Matilda Steakhouse in South Beach, she has built her business by trusting her instincts and resisting the pressure to follow anyone else’s blueprint.
“I want my legacy to be a reminder that a woman can be anything,” Joseph said. “A woman can build anything, business, brand, everything.” Her advice is just as direct. “Never give up and stick with your idea, don’t change, don’t follow people, believe in yourself and do what you love.”
Fashion designer Ruth Louissaint shares that same resolve, sustaining her career through discipline and a commitment to mastering both design and the business behind it.
Inside Miami’s long-standing Black service organizations, leadership means protecting cultural legacy in a time when history is increasingly challenged.
Anetra Poindexter speaks to that urgency. As president of the Miami Chapter of Jack and Jill of America and an educator, she operates where education meets cultural preservation.
“Right now, our focus is making sure our children understand their history and their place in it,” Poindexter said. “With so much misinformation in the world, protecting that legacy matters.”
Her leadership has emphasized visibility and community engagement. Recently, the chapter distributed approximately 80 pairs of shoes to local youth at the Little Haiti Cultural Arts Center, demonstrating service that extends well beyond membership boundaries.
“One of my goals has been increasing our visibility in Miami,” she explained. “I want people to see the work we do not just for our children, but for the broader community as well.”
The chapter reflects the diversity of Miami, with families representing the African diaspora and Latin America. “The mission of Jack and Jill is just as relevant today as it was when the organization was founded.”
That commitment to service defines The Links, Incorporated, where Teresa R. Brown and Sabrina Knight lead the Dade County Florida and Greater Miami chapters respectively. Their work spans youth mentorship, health education, the arts, civic engagement, and international outreach.
“Service is the heart of what we do,” Brown said. “I have the privilege of serving alongside other extraordinary and talented women in my chapter. My goal has been to ensure that our work reaches the community in meaningful ways, serving the underserved in the Black community and transforming our neighborhoods.”
Knight echoes this commitment to meaningful community service, meeting the needs of communities where they are and building programs that address their needs.
The historic Black sororities, members of the “Divine 9,”carry similar missions forward. When entrepreneur Alexis Brown of The Social Xchange, helped establish the first new Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated chapter chartered in Miami-Dade County in more than three decades, she extended the legacy of sisterhood and service.
Dr. Keietta Givens continues that tradition through Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, advancing education, health, and civic engagement as does Franze Marie Bullard, president of the Eta Nu Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, connecting a commitment to advocacy with responsibility to future generations.
Though their paths differ, these women are united by trust earned through action. Whether building businesses or stewarding institutions, they carry the responsibility of preserving mission, inspiring relevance, and creating opportunity across Miami’s Black community.
The challenges of this moment have clarified what matters: bold vision, sustained commitment, and leadership that create pathways for those who follow. The women of Legacy Miami’s Prominent and Influential Black Women in Business and Industry 2025 understand this.
Their work is active, visible, and rooted in the belief that what they build today must be strong enough to carry others forward tomorrow.
