Lauderdale Lakes Mayor Hazelle Rogers continues to receive accolades from her Diaspora nationals and civic leaders, as a recent recipient of Jamaica’s distinguished National Honour, the Order of Distinction, Rank of Commander Class.
Tuesday (Sept. 29, 2020), was declared Mayor Hazelle Rogers Day, in the City of Lauderhill honoring Mayor Rogers for her notable achievement from the Jamaican Government. This was presented in a Proclamation by Mayor Ken Thurston and the City Commissioners, initiated by Commissioner Denise Grant, at their Virtual Commission meeting. This acknowledgement is in recognition of Mayor Rogers” years of outstanding public service which began some 25 years ago.
Jamaica’s Consul General Oliver Mair was among the several invited leaders to pay tribute virtually to Mayor Rogers recognizing her many accomplishments leading to the Florida House of Representatives, advocating for community development with programmes addressing economic development and cultural diversity benefitting the Diaspora nationals. He praised her for her outstanding leadership for which he said, Jamaica was proud. Broward County Mayor, Dale Holness, another Jamaican native, and Global Jamaica Diaspora Council member for the Southern USA, Dr Allan Cunningham were also on hand saluting Mayor Rogers.
The formal presentation is scheduled for October 19th in Kingston when Mayor Rogers will be among the several honorees at the annual National Honours and Awards Ceremony at Kings House, in Kingston, hosted by the Governor-General, His Excellency Sir Patrick Allen.
Described as the matriarch of Caribbean politics, in the Florida community, Mayor Rogers, a Jamaican national, is the first person from the English-speaking Caribbean American Diaspora elected to office in the Southern USA beginning a political career in public service in Lauderdale Lakes in 1996.
With a distinguished and expansive career, Mayor Rogers was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2008, making her the first Jamaican and second person from the English-speaking Caribbean to be elected to the House in Florida’s capital city in Tallahassee. Among the many hats she wore, she has been described also as a stalwart in the advancement of Caribbean Diaspora initiatives initiating the Caribbean Heritage Day Celebrations at the Capitol which honored the many contributions of Caribbean-Americans to the development of the USA.
She has also been the recipient of several national and regional awards, among them the 2012 Jamaica Diaspora Honors “Changemaker” Award by the Consulate General of Jamaica, Miami, at the Gala and Awards Ceremony commemorating Jamaica’s 50th Anniversary as an independent nation. This was conferred on Jamaican individuals and organizations that have played a role in making meaningful changes effecting Jamaica, the Jamaican Diaspora and tphe wider community in the USA, and in some cases the broader Caribbean region. In 2004, she was inducted in the Broward County Women’s Hall of Fame.
A lover of sports, she has also been supportive and host of Jamaican netball teams competing in local and regional events here in South Florida. Crediting family as her anchor, she is married to Clifton Rogers who also shares in her love of community service. And they do enjoy a night of dancing.
