Sensei Robert Duzoglou a 30-year Key Biscayne resident and founder of the RDCA Academy of Martial Arts. Sensei shares how a chance realtor's recommendation brought his family to the island decades ago, and takes us through his 55-year journey in the martial arts.

We dig into what really sets the Academy apart: the character development and core values, respect, accountability, and discipline that Sensei and his children, Derek and Morgan, instill in students of all ages. He also shares about his civic engagement in Key Biscayne, from chairing the Chamber of Commerce and sitting on the Educational Advisory Board to leading community service and disaster-relief efforts through the dojo.

Sensei also talks about "Life Quest: A Transformational Journey," the interactive book he co-authored with his daughter Morgan, and closes with his idea of a perfect weekend on the island, beach, family, good food, and feeding the peacocks at Crandon Park.

55 years in martial arts: kung fu, judo, jiu-jitsu & more
Crossing paths with Chuck Norris and Dan Inosanto
Building character: respect, accountability & discipline at the Academy
Civic engagement: Chamber of Commerce, education board & community service
Meeting Sensei Matthias and the German connection
"Life Quest" — the book co-written with daughter Morgan

#KeyBiscayne #MartialArts #KeyBiscayneStories #ChuckNorris #LifeQuest

Kathie Klarreich, founder of Exchange for Change, a nonprofit that teaches writing, leadership, and communication skills to incarcerated men and women across Florida.

Kathie's path here started far from the Key: as a freelance journalist covering Haiti through a coup, a devastating earthquake, and a decade of reporting for outlets like NBC, ABC, and TIME. That work eventually led her into a Homestead women's prison classroom in 2009 and to founding Exchange for Change in 2014, which today reaches roughly 700 students a year across state prisons, county jails, and juvenile facilities in Florida, run by a staff of just two and a half people and a corps of volunteer facilitators from FIU, University of Miami, Miami Dade College, and Florida Atlantic University.

We talk about how the program pairs incarcerated students with university students for an exchange of letters and ideas, how former students have gone on to teach classes themselves inside other facilities, the difference between jail and prison, the wellness and mindfulness programs that have grown out of the writing classes, and why Kathy believes giving people inside a voice — rather than telling their stories for them, is the whole point.

Topics covered:

How a career in Haitian journalism led to a nonprofit in Florida prisons
The origins of Exchange for change and its university exchange model
A typical day teaching inside Everglades and Homestead Correctional
Leadership councils, student-led classes, and expanding to new institutions
Wellness programming: mindfulness, meditation, and trauma toolkits
Getting incarcerated writers published
Jail vs. prison, explained

Key Biscayne Stories is a podcast where neighbors meet neighbors.

#KeyBiscayne #ExchangeForChange #PrisonEducation #Nonprofit #Journalism #KeyBiscayneStories

En este episodio de Key Biscayne Stories conocemos a Martha García, vecina de la isla desde hace 34 años. Marta cuenta cómo llegó a Miami desde Guayaquil, Ecuador, justo la noche del huracán Andrew en 1992, y cómo esa tormenta terminó marcando su historia con Key Biscayne.

Hoy Marta es Realtor y home stager, y además dirige dos emprendimientos propios: La Casa de Marta, su mueblería online, y Table Design by Martha, donde diseña y decora mesas para cumpleaños, bautizos, bodas pequeñas y fechas especiales como el Día del Padre, el 4 de julio y Thanksgiving.

Hablamos de su camino de Colombia a Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nueva York y finalmente Key Biscayne; de qué hace un home stager y por qué es clave para vender propiedades más rápido; y de sus planes para abrir un showroom en la isla.

Un episodio con mucha historia familiar, negocios y la vida de barrio en Key Biscayne.