Fun fact: Fort Lauderdale is not Miami.
Credit Jesse Scott
We need to have a little chat, Fort Lauderdale. If you live here, grew up here or otherwise call this city home, there is absolutely no reason to tell someone you're from Miami. And yet, somehow, this geographical identity crisis persists.
Within South Florida, claiming Miami when you're from Fort Lauderdale should be grounds for immediate side-eye. Within Florida, it's equally ridiculous. But even when traveling across the United States, the excuse that people won't recognize Fort Lauderdale just doesn’t hold up.
We're talking about a city with its own major international airport, beaches that generations know and love, a booming downtown, a major cruise port and a name that has appeared on vacation itineraries as the principal – not secondary – destination. This isn't some obscure hamlet requiring a three-hour geography lesson.
Fort Lauderdale is Fort Lauderdale... Miami is Miami... they're two different cities in two different counties, with two very different personalities. And frankly, we should give people enough credit to recognize that distinction.
What happens if someone doesn't know where Fort Lauderdale is? Here's a revolutionary concept... wait for it... let them ask.
"Oh, it's about 25 miles north of Miami." Geography lesson complete. You can even add that it's roughly 30 minutes or six hours away depending on whether I-95 has decided to ruin absolutely everyone's day.
And speaking from personal experience, having traveled extensively throughout Latin America, Canada, and even here in South Korea where I am typing this mini-rant, I've encountered plenty of people who know exactly where Fort Lauderdale is. Our international name recognition is doing perfectly fine without borrowing Miami's mailing address.
Sure, there may be specific personal circumstances where simplifying your location makes sense. But assuming the rest of the planet can't distinguish Fort Lauderdale from Miami is selling our city remarkably short.
And while we're at it, this extends to the rest of Broward County. Hollywood, Coral Springs, Davie, Plantation, Pompano Beach and our other municipalities have identities worth claiming, too. You shouldn't automatically have to tell someone you're from Fort Lauderdale either simply because it's the nearest recognizable name.
So, if someone doesn't know your hometown, congratulations. You've been handed an opportunity to introduce them to it.
And if you absolutely need a geographical umbrella, there's a perfectly good one encompassing all 31 municipalities... wait for it…
Broward County. We have beaches, culture, communities and plenty of reasons to wear that name proudly on our sleeves.
So, the next time someone asks where you're from, resist the Miami shortcut. Say Fort Lauderdale... say Hollywood... say Coral Springs... say Broward. And if they ask where that is, tell them. At least you'll be telling the truth.
