Miami, FL – Marleine Bastien is the mother of the modern Haitian-American Community in South Florida. The Miami-Dade County Diaspora has grown politically primarily because of her civic engagement and voter education efforts. Many Haitians currently elected have credited Marleine Bastien as the silent mover behind their campaigns, and now she is a candidate for Miami-Dade County Commissioner District 2 and is prepared to bring her 40 years of extensive experience and service to the community to Miami-Dade County Hall.
At a very early age her parents taught her the importance of helping the less fortunate. She was just eight years old when she began tutoring literacy to other children and adults in her home village of Pont-Benoit in the Artibonite Department, Haiti. At 15, she started to volunteer at Albert Schweitzer’s Hospital in Deschapelles, Haiti during the summer. After graduating with her Master’s Degree in Social Work from FIU in 1987, she began working at Jackson Memorial Hospital as a medical social worker where she fought for greater awareness and support for children and families battling HIV/AIDS, sickle cell anemia and cancer. In 1994 and 2000 respectively, Marleine Bastien received the Miami-Dade County Volunteer of the Year Award and the Miami-Dade County Social Worker of the Year Award for her services to people from all works of life.
Over the past 40 years, Marleine Bastien has established a global reputation for tirelessly advocating for equity and social justice, inclusiveness, economic empowerment, comprehensive immigration reform and fairness, climate justice and education for all, particularly the youth. She has championed rights for women, children, families, workers, and the elderly worldwide. Her expertise on social justice issues has led her to have a guest appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show; testifying before the U.S. Congress, the Organization of American States (OAS), the U.N. Human Rights Forum in Geneva, and the Global Immigration Forum, which was held in the Philippines. As one of five rapporteurs chosen to represent the Americas, she presented reports on immigration to the United Nations at The World Forum.
As a candidate for Miami-Dade County Commissioner District 2, once elected, Bastien would be the first Haitian-American woman to serve on the County Board. Bastien has committed to continuing the work she has done for over 40 years. She will create policies that strengthen women, children, families, senior centers, wellness and social programs, economic opportunities for entrepreneurship and small businesses, to combat local challenges in healthcare, affordable housing, our infrastructure and transit system, education, gun violence, and job growth. She has the experience in providing critical resources and information over the decades and has proven that she is the best choice to ensure that families are able to send their kids to college, have housing, jobs, pay equity, and safe neighborhoods to succeed. “As Commissioner,” says Marleine, “I will continue to dedicate myself to fairness, transparency, and socio-economic justice for the greater common good.”
Campaign Communications Team
Marlein Bastien
Candidate for Miami-Dade County
Commissioner District 2
