Key2MIA is a Miami-based cultural tourism company designed to take visitors beyond the beach and into the neighborhoods, histories, and communities that shape the city. Founded by Keymia Sharpe, the company creates immersive, story-driven experiences that center Black history, local culture, and the diverse influences that define South Florida.
At its core, Key2MIA addresses a clear imbalance in Miami’s tourism economy. While millions of visitors come to the region each year, most activity remains concentrated in Miami Beach and a handful of commercial areas. This leaves historically significant neighborhoods, such as Overtown and communities across South Dade, largely excluded from the economic benefits of tourism.
Key2MIA works to shift that dynamic by designing experiences that bring visitors into these communities in a way that is intentional, respectful, and rooted in local context. Its tours highlight not only the history of these places, but also their present-day culture, businesses, and ongoing challenges.
The Key2MIA Origin Story
After moving to Miami from North Carolina, Keymia Sharpe found herself constantly being asked the same questions by visiting friends and family: where to eat, where to stay, and what to do. Over time, those conversations started to shift into something more intentional.
What stood out to her was that many visitors were experiencing only a small part of the city. The beaches and major attractions were easy to access, but the deeper cultural layers of Miami, particularly in historically Black neighborhoods like Overtown, were often overlooked or misunderstood.
At the same time, Keymia was developing her own connection to the city. Through exploring different neighborhoods, cultural events, and local businesses, she began to see Miami as a place shaped by multiple histories and communities, not just a destination.
In 2019, she turned that insight into a business. Key2MIA was created to help people experience Miami in a more grounded way, not just as visitors, but as participants in the stories, spaces, and communities that define it.
What began as informal recommendations evolved into curated tours, built through relationships with local historians, artists, chefs, and community members. That approach continues to shape the business today, with each experience designed to reflect the voices and realities of the communities it engages.
How Key2MIA Is Making A Positive Impact
By bringing visitors into neighborhoods like Overtown and South Dade, the company directs spending toward local businesses, cultural institutions, and community partners that are often left out of traditional tourism flows. This creates more direct economic benefits while supporting small, locally owned enterprises.
The tours also play a role in preserving and sharing cultural narratives. Through research and collaboration with local historians, Key2MIA highlights stories that are frequently overlooked, including the role of Black communities in shaping Miami’s history.
At the same time, the experiences are designed to engage visitors more thoughtfully. Tours often include conversations around development, displacement, and the changing nature of these neighborhoods, helping visitors better understand the context of the places they are exploring.
Why the UnTours Foundation Invested in Key2MIA
Through the Meaningful Travel Fund, a joint initiative between Tourism Cares and the UnTours Foundation, this investment supports small, locally owned tourism businesses that are working to create more meaningful, community-rooted travel experiences. The fund builds on the Reset Tourism Fund by providing flexible capital and support to businesses that are helping shift tourism toward models that benefit local communities and preserve cultural heritage.
Key2MIA reflects this approach in practice.
The business is addressing a clear imbalance in Miami’s tourism landscape by creating experiences that extend beyond the city’s most visited areas. In doing so, it helps direct tourism activity and spending into neighborhoods like Overtown and South Dade, supporting local businesses and cultural institutions that are often overlooked.
Key2MIA also offers a more grounded way to experience the city, one that centers local voices, history, and context. This aligns closely with the goals of the Meaningful Travel Fund, which focuses on supporting businesses that create deeper connections between travelers and the places they visit.
Through this investment, the UnTours Foundation and Tourism Cares are supporting the continued growth of a business that is helping make tourism in Miami more inclusive, locally rooted, and reflective of the communities that shape it.
How You Can Support Key2MIA
Key2MIA is helping people experience Miami in a more meaningful way by connecting visitors to its history, culture, and communities. By booking a tour, you support a business that directs tourism spending into local neighborhoods and works closely with community partners. You can also help by sharing their work, recommending their experiences, and choosing travel options that go beyond the typical highlights of the city.
