By Dessalines Ferdinand
LITTLE HAITI – Coming down to South Florida ahead of a televised national town hall hosted by NBC News outside the Pérez Art Museum on Monday, October 5, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden made a stop at Little Haiti Cultural Center to lay out his plan for Haitians in the U.S. during a 12-minute speech addressing members of the National Haitian American Elected Officials Network (NHAEON).
It was the former Vice President’s second trip to Florida this year, after he went to Tampa and Kissimmee on September 15. Mr. Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, arrived at Little Haiti Cultural Center around 2:45 p.m. where they were welcomed by Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, who then introduced them to the manager of the Center and the Caribbean Market Place, Ms. Sandy Dorsainvil.
This was a last minute restricted invitation to only members of South Florida‘s NHAEON branch. According to the new organization’s website, this Network is a non-partisan coalition of elected and appointed officials determined to improve relations between the United States of America and the Republic of Haiti.
Present at the meeting were: Miami-Dade Commissioner Jean Monestime (District 2), Florida State Representative (District 108) Dotie Joseph; Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime, Vice-Mayor Dr. Alix Desulme, Councilwoman Marie-Estimé Irvin and City Clerk Vanessa Joseph from the City of North Miami; Commissioners McKenzie Fleurimond, Michael Joseph, and Paule Villard from the City of North Miami Beach. Besides those nine Haitian-American elected officials, only three other special guests, were allowed to be part of the selective audience. They were Dr. Larry Pierre, Executive Director of Center for Haitian Studies (CHS), and Dr. Jean-Philippe Austin and his wife Maggie Austin. These are major Haitian-American donors to the Democratic Party. For the record, Jean-Philippe Austin is the first and only Haitian to host a fundraiser for a sitting president (Barack Obama in 2011) in his Coconut Grove home in Miami, raising over $1 million.
Ahead of the arrival of Mr. Biden, for security reasons, Secret Service agents took control of the Center. Access to the entire block of 59th Terrace between Northeast 2nd Ave and 3rd Avenue was completely closed.
Along 2nd Avenue northeast, hundreds of Biden supporters, holding Biden-Harris 2020 flags, banners and signs, stood to show support for the Democratic presidential candidate. Exuberant Carnival Street band Rara Lakay was also there, too.
Lawyer Karen Andre, a first-generation Haitian American born in New York and raised in Florida, who is a Senior advisor to Joe Biden’s Florida campaign, was also on site to assist with the event. Karine Jean-Pierre, another Haitian-American, the chief of staff to Democratic Vice-President Nominate Senator Kamala Harris, was part of the Biden entourage who witnessed the event. Le Floridien Newspaper reporter, Dessalines Ferdinand, was the only Haitian media personality invited to cover Biden’s address to the Haitian Community via the members of NHAEON at Little Haiti Cultural Center.
At first, the former vice-president and his wife enjoyed a pleasant dance performance offered by a local Haitian Dance Troupe composed of seven young females. In a short speech, Ms. Dorsainvil officially welcomed the distinguished guest-candidate and his crew to the Little Haiti neighborhood. Ms. Dorsainvil offered a brief description of the impact of the center in the City of Miami’s economic growth and more especially the attraction it represents for tourists, those who want to know more about Haitian culture, reminding guests that the place welcomes more than an estimated 100,000 visitors annually. She also specified that the place is here to preserve the Caribbean culture in South Florida and act as a cultural hub where the community can meet to create, dialogue, and collaborate. “We are thrilled that the Haitian Community is a priority for his team as they campaign throughout South Florida,” said Ms. Dorsainvil before introducing the former Vice President and his wife Dr. Jill Biden the distinguished Haitian-American elected officials present at the event.
BIDEN’s address to the Haitian Community
“This is not the time to lift it! This is not the time to end it! We have the same culture of backgrounds, the same people of faith. We believe in the same things, we honor families. Families first, and after that we help each other,” Biden said.
‘There is no quit in America! And there was clearly no quit in the Haitian Community! There is none. And I promise you there will be no quit on my part as your president, making sure the Haitian Community has an even shot, that’s back on its feet, and moves in the direction to be able to realize its incredible potential.
“If the turnout was like it was last time, the Haitian community itself can determine the outcome of this election.”
“I really mean it, look at the numbers. It’s real. So not only do you have an opportunity, I think you have an obligation. To see to it you take care of the folks you care so much about. Because I promise you, I give you my word as a Biden, I’ll be there, I’ll stand with you. And there’s so much we can do. Think about this, the Haitian community here, in Little Haiti, grows and prospers. The whole, of Miami-Dade prospers. Nobody loses! Everybody wins! It’s all about addition. Not like the administration talks about subtraction. It’s all about addition.
“By the way, everything the administration has done is to try to put a lid on voting. Everything! Making it sound like we can’t determine our own outcomes. We can! The American people are showing up. They’re voting in large numbers. It’s already begun, as you all now. And quite frankly, if we win Florida, you’ve won,” Biden said.
“So folks, Look, the American people, Floridians, folks in Miami-Dade, we’re looking to you. You can deliver an awful lot, you really can. But here is the commitment that Jill and I make to you and I mean it. If elected, we’ll be back. It’s not the last you’ll hear of me. I’ve never broken my word in anything I’ve said; the congress woman (ndlr: Frederica Wilson) can tell you that. Because look, when the community grows you set an example for other communities, other communities that are in trouble, that aren’t getting an even shot. All we can do, to make sure that you don’t go have the problem you had with your non-profit going under, because of the fact that you didn’t get the kind of help that was needed. It’s there. The Congress woman voted for all that assistance, it’s there. But it’s going to the big hitters; it’s not going to the ordinary hard working people.”
“Think about this. Wouldn’t it be an irony, an irony of all ironies, if on election eve, it turned out, that Haitians delivered the Coup-de-grace of this election,” concluded the Democratic presidential candidate.
During his address, Biden encouraged Haitian-American voters to register to vote, head out to the polls to vote and bring about 5 friends with them to vote as well.
Before leaving the Center, Mr. Biden and wife experienced another performance made by the local Haitian Dance Troupe. Amazed by the talent of the young female dancers, he directly addressed them and promised to come back to Miami before the November 3rd election.
According to a press release from the Biden-Harris team sent to LE FLORIDIEN, “Vice-President Biden’s commitment to Haitian-American is rooted in a fundamental belief in the unlimited potential of the Haitian Community,” said Biden for President Florida Senior Advisor Karen Andre.
“A Biden-Harris administration will review the Trump administration’s decision to terminate TPS for Haitians, reinstate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and propose a path to citizenship for the thousands of Haitians who have long called the United States home. When Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are elected in November, we will finally see leadership that treats Haitians with the dignity and the resources they deserve to have a fair shot – both in their home country and here in the United States,” the Senior adviser added.
Biden’s policy vision for Haitian-Americans goes over the domestic issues like the impact of the pandemic and the economy. Haitian-Americans in Florida are heavily represented in essential industries like health care, as well as the service industry.
“From health care to immigration, Biden’s policies reflect the campaign’s values and feedback from community members. Haitians are part of the fabric of America, and it’s our job to hear them and make sure that their priorities are reflected in our policies, which are also rooted in ensuring that Haitians are treated with dignity and have a fair shot at the American dream,” the Senior Advisor explained.
In 2016, President Donald Trump won Florida by less than 113,000 votes, capturing a coveted 29 Electoral College votes. Citing that Haitian-Americans are a critical voting bloc in Florida, with more than 300,500 people of Haitian descent registered to vote in the swing state, the Biden campaign team strongly believe that Haitian-American voters can make the difference the Democrat party needs to win the Sunshine state.
During a campaign visit in Little Haiti in September 2016 (the first candidate nominee of one of the big US political parties, President Donald Trump pledged to be the “greatest champion” of Haitian voters. However, since taking office, the president has sought to end TPS, ended the Haitian Family Reunification Program and, during the pandemic, deported Haitians who then tested positive for COVID-19 in Port-au-Prince.
‘Donald Trump has failed to keep his promises to the Haitian-Community. Instead, he disrespected Haitian and Haitian-Americans in the United States whether through his words or through his actions,’ Ms. Andre reminded.
Reinstate the Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program; Halt deportations for undocumented immigrants who have been living and working in the US during his first 100 days in office; Reverse the regulation that limits student visas for Haitians for two years; Engage the international community and work with the Haitian government to hold elections as soon as possible so that the democratic will of the Haitian people can be heard. These are among other stated priorities of a Biden-Harris administration for Haitians and Haitian-Americans, according to the press release.
Dessalines Ferdinand
LE FLORIDIEN
