As I See It: Amazing Things are Happening in Collier City District 5 

By David Miller 

Well, what happened?  

Since 2021, there has been a lot of construction work being done on the streets of Collier City, a predominantly African American subdivision in the City of Pompano Beach. Thirty years! Long anticipated infrastructure has been taking place on NW 27th avenue, and now we finally see some results from the General Obligation Bond at Ronald E. McNair Park for the 2023-2024 year. The Pompano Public Arts Committee installed our signature Pompano fish at the center at former District 5 Commissioner Cyndy Floyd’s request. Floyd was also honored as an influencer along with 13 of our coaches at “Honoring the Pompano Cowboys Coaches” at the Collier City Trailblazers Exhibit 2023. This Black History Month event was a great event that also highlighted the bright blue field. Last year, the city’s ribbon-cutting for our newly renovated, state-of-the art park was a great function in 2023 as well. 

My name is David Miller, a Pompano artist spreading Afrofuturism. I currently serve on the Pompano Beach Public Arts Committee. I suggest more art be placed at this center because the fish is not enough. We are currently installing a mural on the main building at McNair Park. The decision-making process for the artwork was hard as we tried to focus on pro-athletes that grew up in Pompano Beach. Then we decided to show diversity by adding more ladies. When complete, this mural will be a reflection of athletes and people who played for, coached or made it to the professional level from Collier City. 

This mural was created by Steven Teller, priced at $15,000 upon completion. Teller’s original design disrupted the community due to the athletes chosen. Unfortunately, we had to remove Barry Krausse and replace him with legend James Jones, a strong recommendation by Mr. Van Warren Coach Peanut. After outreach to a tense community, we made an agreement. I stood out with the muralist while he painted the first Collier City legend, Johnny Jones. I’m hoping he comes back to finish this monumental piece before the holidays. 

During this process, community leaders Phyllis Smith and Ron Thurston were upset that they weren’t consulted and wanted to provide input. Because of this there is currently a hold on the completion of the mural. It was said “we have to constantly remind the City of Pompano that they should do more community outreach so you know what we want.” The community knows who the greatest, directly from Collier City are, so a revised list was added with Latoya Jordan suggested by Karen Moreland Alford. It was said that aggressive threats were made to the artist that I don’t agree with, but I had to take the side with the community when they expressed “we have to always see and live with it, so the residents should have input on what’s being placed in their front yard.”  

Personally, I really didn’t like the color at first and I wanted faces without the helmet. I actually had to explain to the artist that this mural is not an opportunity for diversity and inclusion, this one is for the African American hoods, like the ones in Miami, Tallahassee, Gainesville and Jacksonville. This location is specifically a statewide reflection of what Black people from Collier City have produced. High level athletics, stellar level science trips and art programs have been signature for decades in northwest Pompano. 

I shared the struggles I faced with creating mural art. I then was able to culturally educate the artist Steven Teller about a book called the “Miseducation of the Negro” by Carter G. Woodson. This book depicts how every time a Black person has a noteworthy achievement, a white person inserts themselves in the middle of the success, leaving a psychological effect. Again, this piece is not for any random person from the neighborhood who was pretty good, or for a coach who still speaks on the good ol’ days. This mural is for people who set the standard on the court, on the track and on the football field and then excel beyond it while being from Pompano Beach using the McNair Park in Collier City. The committee agreed on (James Jones, Latoya Jordan, Iris Davis, Coach Tommy Hunter, Lamar Jackson, Shayla Sanders, Tyrone Carter and Johnny Jones) to be the official names of the athletes for the McNair Center mural.  

With cultural education invigorating our African American student athletes, they are educated at a high level and I’m confident that they can work for NASA. Apollo Park is like our rocket ship, then Ronald McNair Center is the astronaut. The future is bright as long as we invest in our future, we can blast off to the moon.  

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