‘No gift card; no rent paid ‘at the Miami event

MIAMI – Pencils, candy, a toothbrush for a child and a coloring book were not what Latarcia Brown had in mind when she lined up for hours at Diddy’s event on Tuesday.

The grandmother, who lives with her parents in Miami, Overtown, said she started early at the gift event because she heard they would distribute help.

The gift bag, she said, was a disappointment.

“No gift card; no rent paid … The lady told me if you have a gift bag, you have to go, ”said Brown.

Brown failed to reach Sean “Diddy” Combs when he arrived at the House of Wings, a counter-serving restaurant at 1039 NW 3rd Ave., Overtown. There was chaos, she said.

Social distancing came out the window when the New York-born rapper began handing out $ 50 bills to the crowd. He was not wearing a face mask. He wore a face shield and gloves.

Diddy’s visit to the historic district has made headlines nationwide after an announcement that the Sean Combs Foundation in California is covering the cost of a month’s rent for 175 families in Miami.

Michael Gardner of the Headliner Market Group and Miami-Dade Commissioner Keon Hardemon praised both of Diddy’s generosity. Most of the people who were there were very grateful.

His foundation has awarded a Teens Exercising Extraordinary Success grant, a nonprofit organization that has a program to help families during the pandemic.

Brown, who said she and her family were in dire need of help during the pandemic, received a response to her complaint from the House of Wings, where she received a gift card Wednesday.