Visual: A dozen decorated small boats will ferry more than a hundred activists close to shore of Fisher Island. Activists will then swim to island with purple flags and beach umbrellas.

Miami, FL - An armada of decorated boats will carry hundreds of activists on Saturday, November 17 to the sheltered and until now thought to be off-limits beaches of Fisher Island-named the nation's most expensive zip code by Forbes and labeled "Fantasy Island" by the New York Times-to protest discriminatory and abusive treatment of the workers that clean, maintain, and protect the island. Go to OneMiamiNow.org for more information about the island.
 
Participants will meet at Jimbo's, the iconic smoked fish joint and boat dock on Virginia Key at noon. The first wave of boats will leave Jimbo's at 1:00 p.m.
 
In a letter to Joseph Kay, president of Fisher Island Holdings, LLC, the company that runs the island, SEIU notified the island of the guaranteed public access to the Fisher Island beach according to the Florida Constitution and Covenant 12 of the Second Substituted Declaration of Restrictive Covenants Governing Development of Fisher Island.  The covenant also states that the public shall have access to this beach by means of a "public easement pathway" leading "from the ferry boat landing" to the beach.  SEIU asked the island to allow the boats to dock at the Fisher Island Marina and to provide a public pathway to the beach.  If not allowed to dock, participants plan on SWIMMING FROM THE BOATS TO SHORE.
 

WHO:  More than a hundred community activists

WHAT:  Boat launch to take "private" Fisher Island beach public

WHEN:  Saturday, November 17, 12:30 p.m. EST:
First wave of boats will leave promptly at 1:00 p.m.

WHERE:  Jimbo's on Virginia Key to Fisher Island
Directions to Jimbo's: Take the Rickenbacker Causeway to Virginia Key. Take the first left after the light at Mast Academy, and follow the signs.

Note to editors: A media boat will be provided. Space on the boat is limited. To reserve a space, please email taquino@seiu11.org.

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