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Miami civic advocate Patricia Garcia has turned neighborhood trash-picking walks into a broader push for accessible sidewalks and responsive government.

Why it matters: Her work shows how one resident armed with persistence and social media skills can help bring change.

Catch up quick: The 27-year-old Little Havana resident — who works as a product manager and teaches at Miami Dade College — began her litter-picking walks in 2024 after returning from a Fulbright scholarship to the United Kingdom.

• "I was seeing my own neighborhood with fresh eyes, and the contrast was stark," she said.
• On her Instagram and TikTok, she documents everything from illegal dumping to nonexistent sidewalks that force pedestrians to walk on the street — and then reaches out to Public Works and city leaders to seek a fix.

Axios spoke with Garcia about her mission.

This conversation has been edited for clarity.

What are the main focuses of your civic advocacy?

• "My background is in engineering, and the one lesson I carry everywhere is that when you design for the most vulnerable population, you design for everyone."
• "That principle is the heart of my work, which is really about equitable infrastructure in communities that deserve the same investment as everywhere else."
• "Often that's sidewalks, crossings, drainage and access, but it can be anything that shapes how safe, healthy and dignified it is to live in a place."

What have been your biggest accomplishments?

• "The one I point to most is that sustained documented advocacy has helped fund sidewalk projects and create accessible pathways across my Little Havana neighborhood and the Medical District."
• "I try to be a voice for the places I spend time in, too, like the University of Miami medical campus and the River Landing plaza."
• "It's a rewarding, and sometimes sad, feeling to pull up a Google Maps image from five, 10 or 20 years ago and know I'm playing a small role in making my city's infrastructure more equitable, because for so long it just wasn't."
• "But the most heartwarming part is when people reach out to tell me what it has meant to them."

What have been your biggest challenges?

• "The biggest challenge is the mindset I run into constantly — the 'it's always been this way' and 'that's just the way Miami is' resignation that so many people carry. That acceptance is harder to move than any single pothole or missing sidewalk.

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💙 Become an Axios Miami member today and help our newsroom keep delivering journalism built for your community.

Thanks for reading — and for supporting local news.

House of Horror Haunted Carnival has a new home in Tropical Park.

Why it matters: Believe it or not, it's already spooky season. The Halloween carnival is one of several fall events happening this month.

Driving the news: The Haunted Carnival, which was previously held at Miami International Mall, will open Sept. 24 in Tropical Park with five new haunted houses, including a "haunted dark roller coaster," along with a "not-so-scary" family zone.

• Tickets start at $40 for adults, $20 for those under 6.
• Runs through Nov. 1.

😱 For the hardcore Halloween fans: The Horrorland, an 18-acre "world of horror" at Jungle Island, opened on Sept. 10 and runs on select nights through Nov. 1.

• The immersive event will have six new haunted houses, four scare zones, a live show, themed bars and a nightly Monster Parade.
• Tickets start at $40.
• It is not recommended for children under 13.
  

At least two lawsuits have been filed in connection to the Sept. 6 cargo plane crash at Miami International Airport that killed five people. (Miami Herald)

• A man injured in the crash and the widow of one of the men killed filed separate suits against Amazon, 21 Air and the pilots of the plane.

Ball & Chain is joining the Candlelight Concerts trend, hosting intimate concerts covering songs by José José, Bad Bunny, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. (Fever)

Open-air nightclub and lounge AIRE will replace Boho Miami on Sept. 24. (Instagram)

Florida has shouldered nearly $12 billion in tariff costs from President Trump's trade actions since the start of 2025, the eighth-highest state.

Why it matters: Tariffs can raise prices at the register as businesses shift added costs to consumers.

By the numbers: The state's estimated tariff tab amounts to about $1,279 per household, according to National Taxpayers Union Foundation data.

• Nationwide, states and territories have absorbed an estimated $342 billion in tariffs.

Zoom in: Food and beverages are the biggest drivers of Florida's tariff costs at $2 billion.

• That's followed by cars and trucks at $1 billion, the metal industry at $534 million and clothes and shoes at $499 million.

Yes, but: The Supreme Court struck down Trump's sweeping emergency-power tariffs in February, and importers are now seeking refunds for billions of dollars in duties already paid.

• The data reflect tariffs collected through June 2026, including some costs that could ultimately be refunded, even as the administration explores alternative tariff approaches.

The fine print: Axios analyzed state tariff estimates from Trade Partnership Worldwide, compiled by the National Taxpayers Union Foundation.

• Per-household equivalents use Census Bureau American Community Survey data.

The bottom line: Trump's tariffs are international. For Florida's manufacturers and households, their economic impact is local.

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💃 Martin and Sommer hope you had a great weekend.

Thanks to Jeff Weiner for editing