For more than two decades, anyone who attended a municipal meeting in Miami Lakes would see a tiny woman stand at the podium from which she’d challenge council members on their decisions about taxes, policy and adherence to the town charter.
That self-appointed advocate for Miami Lakers was Mirtha Mendez, who died Sept. 14. She was 78 years old.
On a night in August, 2023 when the council dedicated the chamber podium to her, Mendez said of her passion for town government, “My husband used to say to me, ‘Why do you waste your time?’
“I kept saying, ‘Because I have to sleep at night,” she said. “… I speak my piece. Sometimes I get my way, sometimes I don’t get my way. It’s OK.”
Though she had been ill for two years, she kept up with goings on at Town Hall, her daughter Denise Mendez said.
“You have no idea the amount of paperwork still on her desk,” Mendez said. “She had all the documents, marked up every agenda. ... Binders and binders at the house, full of Miami Lakes documents, dating from incorporation [in 2000].”
Mirtha Valea was born in Havana, Cuba and at age 12, arrived in America on a Pedro Pan flight, joining relatives in New Jersey, her daughter said.
She worked in accounting at U.S. Steel in New York City. At a New Year’s Eve party, she met Sergio Mendez, who was studying to become an electrical engineer. They married and moved to California. In addition to Denise, they had sons Sergio and Roberto.
In 1982 the family moved to Miami Lakes, where Mendez lived in the same home for 43 years.
She soon learned the rules for speaking at public meetings, and supported candidates’ campaigns for council and mayor, Mendez said.
“Looking back 20 years, every single meeting there was a presence in the room, whether it was a hot button issue, whether it was a run-of-the-mill meeting, this lady would be at every single one,” said former Councilman Luis Collazo, who proposed naming the podium for Mendez.
“She would be taking it in ... but more importantly she would be involved in our community,” Collazo said the night the podium was dedicated to Mendez.
“She would hold us accountable. She would make sure that whatever promises we made, whatever words we said, we continued to live by them.”
He said Mendez inspired others to participate at the meetings. They include Marilyn Ruano, who eventually won a seat on the council, and resident Claudia Luces.
“She was always so welcoming and informative and taught me that your activism starts at the local level, in your backyard and that’s where you make the greatest impact,” Ruano said.
Luces said about her friend, “She wanted to leave a legacy of civic involvement, that government is here to serve the people.”
Denise Mendez said she grew up listening to her mother discuss Miami Lakes politics.
“I loved it,” Mendez said. “It was beautiful and awesome to see her so passionate about something.”
She called her mother her “role model” who encouraged her pursuit of an engineering career.
Sergio Mendez died in 2020. In addition to her adult children, Mendez is survived by five grandchildren.
A public celebration of her life will be held in December, on a date to be announced.
In the photo: The Town of Miami Lakes dedicated a podium for resident Mirtha Mendez. It is used by members of the public when they address the council, and Mendez stood at it often. With Mendez for the ceremony on Aug. 8, 2023, from left: Lianet Mendez; Lucas Mendez; Roberto Mendez; Luna Mendez; Mirtha Mendez; Tony Pila, a close family friend; Sergio Mendez; Joules Reyes; Henry Reyes; Jaime Reyes, husband to Denise Mendez, at right. Not present: Sergio Mendez’s son Elijah Mendez. Courtesy photo.