The Story and Strength of Bonita Jones Peabody: A Miami Leader Built on Justice, Care, and Community
When people talk about Miami-Dade County, they often speak about its diversity, culture, and strong community values. But few people carry these values as deeply as Bonita Jones Peabody. Her life, her legal work, and her long service to Miami-Dade show a story built on fairness, real experience, and love for the people who live here.
Today, many people still ask why she ran for Florida’s 11th Circuit Court and why her name stood out in the community. The answer is simple: she has lived the life of someone who understands justice from every angle.
A Miami Story That Starts at Home
To understand who Bonita Jones Peabody is, you have to start with her roots. She was born and raised in Miami, and so was her mother, Emma Gary Jones. Bonita often says this shaped the way she sees people in Miami-Dade County. She knows the culture. She knows the struggles. And she knows the strength of this community because she grew up inside it.
Bonita tells people that voters deserve a judge who not only knows the law but understands the people. When she talks about Miami’s diversity, she speaks with real love. She believes a judge should listen, understand, and respect every person who comes into the courtroom. This idea guided her entire career, and it guides her today.
Her mother’s story also shaped her life. Emma was once bullied because she was cross-eyed, but she still rose above it and graduated as salutatorian. She taught kids in the community, pushed for dignity, and lived with honor. That strength stayed with Bonita, who later honored her mother on what would have been her 100th birthday.
A Life Built on Justice, Mercy, and Real Experience
One thing that makes Bonita Jones Peabody different from many other legal figures is her clear way of explaining justice. She says justice means people are accountable for their actions. But mercy means understanding how to help restore a person so they can return as a productive member of society. She believes both ideas matter in a courtroom.
Her journey toward becoming a judge did not begin in a perfect moment. It started when she worked as an assistant public defender. She saw something in court that made her realize how important it is for judges to come from different cultures and experiences. That moment pushed her to learn as much law as she could. She decided that one day she would serve the people from the bench — and she meant it.
Her legal career became wide and powerful. She practiced almost every area of law except maritime. She worked in criminal law, civil law, tax law, probate, juvenile law, mortgage foreclosure, landlord/tenant cases, and more. She also spent time in private practice, worked as a supervising attorney, and even served as Assistant General Counsel for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. There, she helped judges understand complex issues and make decisions that changed people’s lives.
If that isn’t enough, she also worked in media. She was a managing editor at The Miami Times and hosted a radio program called Community Roundtable. In every role, she focused on helping the community.
A Career Filled With Service and Community Work
Community service has always been a part of Bonita Jones Peabody’s life — long before she became a supervising attorney or ran for judge. She often tells a story from when she was 12 years old. Kids in her neighborhood didn’t have a park. There was an abandoned dairy farm nearby, and she went straight to a commissioner to ask that it become a community park. Today, that land is MLK Park. It shows the kind of person she has always been.
Over the years, she stayed active in many groups. She became the parliamentarian for the Brownsville Civic Neighborhood Association, served on the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust, and founded E.M.M.A. (Education Means More Access) to help teen mothers. She also served as a moderator at the Church of the Open Door. All of this came from her desire to lift others, not just herself.
And of course, her long service at the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office stands out. For almost 20 years, she represented people who needed a strong voice. She later became a training attorney and then a senior supervising attorney. Many younger attorneys learned from her, and some even became the people who pushed her to chase her dream of becoming a judge.
A Journey Filled With Challenges and Strength
But life didn’t make things easy for Bonita Jones Peabody. When she first thought about running for judge, she had to pause her plans. Her daughter almost died during childbirth, and Bonita stepped in to support her. Soon after, her husband suffered a serious stroke that left him unable to move or speak for two years. Bonita spent hours every day at the hospital, caring for him while still working full-time as an attorney.
Even after her husband passed away, she needed time to heal. Some people even told her she was “too old” to become a judge. But she didn’t let that stop her. One day, an attorney she mentored took her to lunch and asked if she still had that dream. When she said yes, he offered to be her campaign manager. That moment helped her stand up again and chase her goal.
A Campaign Built on Fairness and Community Support
Running for judge in a large place like Miami-Dade County is not easy. But Bonita Jones Peabody walked into the campaign with energy, honesty, and a heart focused on fairness. She met people from every culture and neighborhood. She loved talking to them. She said the experience was exciting and humbling because it let her see parts of Miami-Dade she never knew existed.
Many community members supported her. One of the strongest events was hosted by Ayala Law PA at their Miami office. The founder, Eduardo A. Maura, welcomed everyone and spoke about justice, integrity, and honesty — values Bonita has lived her whole life. People shared stories, enjoyed food, asked questions, and held campaign brochures proudly. Supporters believed she would bring fairness, dignity, and real understanding to the bench.
Even though she did not win the race, the support she received showed how deeply the community respected her work. She ran against Jason Bloch, a former judge, in the August 20, 2024 election. The results were:
- Jason Bloch: 62% (157,872 votes)
- Bonita Jones Peabody: 38% (96,758 votes)
Her campaign raised $101,379, while Bloch raised $185,174. Many people still felt proud of her strong showing because running a nonpartisan, countywide campaign is a huge challenge.
Her Work Still Continues, Even After the Election
One important thing to understand is that Bonita Jones Peabody never stops serving her community, even outside of elections. Her long work at the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office still helps many people. She supervises attorneys, trains younger lawyers, and offers guidance based on her 30+ years of experience.
She remains active in community groups such as:
- Virginia Key Beach Park Trust
- Brownsville Civic Neighborhood Association
- Education Means More Access (E.M.M.A.)
- Church of the Open Door
These roles keep her close to the people she cares about. Whether she is helping teen mothers, supporting local history, or improving neighborhood spaces, she never stops working for fairness and dignity.
Her early story of helping create MLK Park at age 12 shows that her community work has lasted a lifetime. It is rare to see someone who has given so many years to serving others, not for attention, but because she truly cares.
Why Her Story Still Matters Today
When people ask why the story of Bonita Jones Peabody matters, the answer is simple. Her life is a clear example of what leadership looks like when it is built on service, not power. She showed Miami-Dade County what justice, mercy, accountability, and fairness look like when they are lived every day — not just spoken about.
She faced real-life challenges. She cared for her daughter and her husband during the hardest moments. She worked full-time while spending long hours at a hospital. She rebuilt her life after loss. And she still came back to serve others with strength and grace.
This is why so many people respect her. She understands the justice system, but she also understands people. She brings legal skill, lived experience, and a caring heart — something every community needs.
A Lasting Legacy of Service and Hope
Even though Bonita Jones Peabody did not win the 2024 election, her story continues to inspire many people across Miami-Dade County. Her journey shows that leadership is not only measured by titles or election results. It is measured by how you help others, how you stand in difficult times, and how you treat people with respect.
Her work with young lawyers, her service in the public defender’s office, her time on community boards, and her decades of lifting up neighborhoods all remain part of her legacy. Her campaign message — “Elevating Excellence, Ensuring Equity” — is more than a slogan. It is the story of her life.
People often say Miami-Dade needs leaders who understand its diverse communities. Bonita Jones Peabody is one of those leaders. Her love for this county, her deep legal experience, and her lifelong commitment to fairness make her a powerful example for anyone who wants to make a difference.
In a world where justice can feel distant, her story brings it close to home — simple, fair, human, and full of heart.
