Miami Kingpins: The Real Scarfaces Film Screening

A film screening and facilitated dialogue at Barry University examines the overlooked histories of Black Miami through documentary storytelling and community conversation.

Miami Kingpins: The Real Scarfaces Film Screening takes place Thursday, February 12 in the D. Inez Andreas Building at Barry University and is presented by South Florida People of Color in partnership with Barry University and the Miami-Dade branch of the NAACP. Held during Black History Month, the program centers on selected episodes from the documentary series Miami Kingpins: The Real Scarfaces, which explores the lives and legacies of Black Miami figures often excluded from dominant narratives of the 1980s and 1990s.

Rather than focusing on sensationalized crime stories, the documentary situates these personal histories within broader contexts of racial violence, economic exclusion and media representation. The evening uses film excerpts as a starting point for examining how structural inequities shaped underground economies and how these histories continue to influence housing, policing and cultural identity in Miami today.

The program includes a reception and mixer with individuals featured in the film, a visual tribute highlighting Black Miami in the 1980s and a guided community dialogue and Q&A co-facilitated by South Florida People of Color and student leaders. The event runs from 6 to 9:30 p.m. and is open to students, educators and community members interested in Black history, racial equity and Miami’s cultural legacy.