A respected Jamaican-American attorney, humanitarian, and community leader is set to receive a rare and meaningful honor from the municipal government of Parkland, Florida, in early June. Kaysia Earley, whose decades-long career has spanned legal advocacy, nonprofit outreach, education mentorship, and community empowerment, will be formally recognized with a special Juneteenth Proclamation at Parkland’s City Hall on June 3. The official award will be presented by Parkland Mayor Richard Walker alongside the full Parkland City Commission, honoring Earley’s decades of work lifting up marginalized communities across both the United States and the Caribbean.
Born to a Jamaican father from Spanish Town, St. Catherine, Earley has never lost her deep connection to her Jamaican roots. She owns a residence in Trelawny, visits the island regularly to nurture family bonds, and has spent years spearheading grassroots humanitarian and mentorship programs for Jamaican communities. She has spoken at multiple Jamaican educational institutions, including William Knibb Memorial High School, and describes the country as her second home.
For 13 years, Earley has worked as a criminal defense attorney, and now operates her own legal practice, the Earley Law Firm. Her unique path to legal advocacy grew out of a life-altering personal experience during her senior year of college: when she was incarcerated and placed in solitary confinement after sharing discounted merchandise from her workplace with loved ones. That firsthand encounter with the U.S. criminal justice system gave her a rare, empathetic perspective that she now brings to every case. “Experiencing the criminal justice system first-hand gave me a unique perspective and a deep sense of empathy for those facing legal challenges…Today, I bring a rare perspective to my practice, having experienced the justice system from both sides, first as a defendant and now as a defender of justice,” Earley explained in a recent interview.
A graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Earley went on to earn her Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami. Beyond her private legal practice, she has built a decades-long legacy of pro bono service for low-income clients who cannot afford competent legal representation. In 2022, she ran for a judicial seat in Broward County, Florida, and has also built a public profile as a legal commentator, appearing on major national media outlets including CourtTV, Law & Crime, CBS, and NewsNation. She is also an award-winning author: her debut memoir *Houses Built by Faith* claimed the number one spot on Amazon’s bestseller list and won both the 2026 Christlit and Literary Titan Book Awards.
Earley is also the founder of Seeds of Manna, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to delivering emergency relief and long-term sustainable support to underserved communities impacted by natural disasters. When speaking to Observer Online recently, Earley called the upcoming proclamation a profound honor, noting that receiving the recognition during Juneteenth observances makes it even more meaningful.
Juneteenth marks the June 19, 1865 announcement of emancipation for enslaved African Americans in Texas, more than two years after the end of the U.S. Civil War, and is widely recognized as a celebration of Black freedom, resilience, and progress. “Being honoured during the city’s Juneteenth celebration made the recognition even more meaningful, considering Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that enslaved African Americans were free following the end of the Civil War. It’s a powerful reminder of resilience, freedom and progress. To receive this honour during such a significant observance is a blessing,” she said.
“This recognition reflects the countless hours of pro bono legal service I’ve provided to individuals who could not afford adequate legal representation, as well as the charitable work that I’ve undertaken through community outreach and non-profit efforts. I’m sincerely grateful to the mayor of Parkland and the city commission for this recognition. More importantly, it encourages me to continue serving others and being a blessing to those in need because a generous person always prospers,” Earley added. Currently, Earley resides in Broward County with her husband David and their four children.