(LE FLORIDIEN) — There is an elected official who is always seen advocating for Haitian causes and supporting initiatives and events within the Haitian community. At every function in the Haitian community, people clamor to speak with him and ask for assistance for a family member who needs assistance with rent, paying their mortgage, fighting eviction, or needs services that only Broward County can provide. Commissioner Dale V.C. Holness is the name that you will hear. He is called Jam-Ayitian, and even Boukman by Haitian Community leaders. Stories told about Commissioner Holness include traveling to Petion-Ville, Haiti, to speak at the funeral of the father of a Community leader, Paul Namphy, or sitting in the front pew at Haitian American churches to give flowers to mothers on Haitian Mother’s Day. When residents need access to county services, the name Commissioner Holness is brought up, as everyone is aware that if you call his office, you will get a quick response. The question is, who is Commissioner Holness and why is he beloved by so many in the Haitian community? Where did he come from? What is his affiliation with the Haitian Community?
Born Dale Vincent Clarke Holness, in Hanover, Jamaica, W.I., he migrated to the United States at the age of seventeen. Holness graduated from Plantation High School and then attended Broward College, where he served on the Student Government as a Freshman Senator. In 1983, he became a Realtor and started his real estate firm, All Broward Realty, in 1988. All Broward Realty became a powerhouse firm in Broward County, processing over 600 transactions per year, with over 80 agents working to provide homes to minorities.
In 2004, Holness was elected as Commissioner for the City of Lauderhill and subsequently re-elected, in 2008 where he served as Vice-Mayor in 2010.
In 2010, Holness was elected to County Commissioner for Broward County and then Broward County Mayor from 2019 – 2020. His district population is in excess of 200,000 people and covers over 8 municipalities.
What is Commissioner Holness’s connection to the Haitian community? “I saw a need, and I wanted to do everything in my power to help,” said Commissioner Holness. That fact is true when looking at his track record and his work within the Haitian Community. Commissioner Holness often has gone above and beyond to assist the Haitian community in their time of need both locally and abroad. One example was a resolution sponsored by Commissioner Holness in 2006, then Vice-Mayor of Lauderhill, when he passed a resolution requesting TPS for Haitians living in America. In both 2017 and 2021, Commissioner Holness returned with a similar TPS resolutions as a Broward County Commissioner. This year he urged President Biden to reinstate TPS for the 300,000 undocumented Haitians living in the United States. On May 22, 2021, President Biden’s Administration announced an extension of TPS, crediting the collective effort of community leaders, activists and elected officials who petitioned on behalf of the Haitian community.
In 2010 an earth-shattering earthquake struck Haiti. Commissioner Holness mobilized the Broward County to assist with relief efforts. Commissioner Holness organized planes loaded with water, medicine, and other necessities needed by the Haitian people. He also hosted a benefit concert titled “To Haiti with Love” where Haitian konpa bands, such as Tabou Combo, Zenglen, Tropicana, and Sweet Mickey, performed to raise funds for relief efforts. Funds went directly to support Haitians devasted by the earthquake.
On October 4, 2016, Hurricane Matthew struck Haiti as a Category 4 hurricane. The combined effects of wind, coastal flooding, and rain caused heavy flooding, landslides, and the destruction of a great deal of infrastructure, crops, and natural ecosystems. According to the World Bank Organization, 46 people were killed, more than 175,500 people sought refuge in shelters, and about 1.4 million people required immediate humanitarian assistance.
Commissioner Holness once again rolled up his sleeve to assist in relief efforts for Haiti. He raised funds, worked to organize flights to deliver items collected, and coordinated with companies in Broward County to provide medical supplies, water, and other non-perishable items.
Commissioner Holness assistance has not only been limited to the humanitarian efforts in Haiti, but he has also sponsored and supported a litany of Haitian causes. For example, as Vice-Mayor of Lauderhill, Commissioner Holness entered the Sister City Program and paired the City of Lauderhill with Petion-Ville, Haiti. In addition, on December 12, 2013, Commissioner Holness penned a letter to, then Congressman Hasting, seeking his assistance with the admittance of four Haitian youth soccer players, members of a Haitian soccer delegation, to participate in the Caribbean’s Americas Soccer Association (CASA) Youth Soccer Classic taking place in the City of Lauderhill. In 2016, Commissioner Holness hosted the Haitian Flag Day festival at Central Broward Regional Park, celebrating Haitian Heritage Month. Finally, in 2018, Commissioner Holness participated in the first inaugural flight of Spirit Airlines and Jet Blue from Fort Lauderdale, FL to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien, Haiti.
Commissioner Holness has visited Haiti several times while leading multiple business delegations to promote trade and business between Haiti and South Florida. He included Haiti as a participating organization at the Florida International Trade & Cultural Expo (FITCE), an annual world-renowned business conference that he is the architect and visionary for. FITCE allows for individuals to engage high level government leaders, international trade experts and delegations from around the world to participate in dialogues relating to international trade, foreign direct investment and culture.
Commissioner Holness is no stranger to the Haitian community. He is a fierce advocate and leads a relentless pursuit for equity and justice for Haitians. “I am prepared to move our community forward, with a focus on prosperity for all, and that includes my Haitian brothers and sisters,” says Commissioner Holness.