Our Origins

Our members or their parents are all from Caribbean countries including Jamaica and Trinidad, and Haiti. The following are some of our thoughts and those of our spouses or close friends on the country of Haiti. It shows the diversity of our experiences. Even though we are majority Haitian, this conversation highligts our different perspectives.

American-Haitian
My views of Haiti were formed by my parents who left the country in 1965 because of Duvalier. There was never anything positive ever mentioned in association with Papa or Baby Doc in my house when I was growing up. In fact, my parents would talk about his destruction of the country’s infrastructure to suit his needs. In their view the country was a 100 times worse off with either Duvalier in charge.

My father was a new grad with a civil engineering degree in 1965 with a job to assist in the design of the airport expansion in Port Au Prince. The only thing he ever told us about that job was that he couldn’t stand the open corruption that was happening including people telling him to take building materials from the airport so that he could build a house because he was engaged. Thank God my family did not have immediate members that were picked up or disappeared because of Duvalier but my parents knew of many people who were not so lucky. When I was in FL a couple of years ago, one of my father’s classmates was visiting and told stories of being in jail and tortured. He said that he still has nightmares.

Though my parents hated what Duvalier was, they loved Haiti and instilled that in both my brother and I. I was born here but have my own love and stake in Haiti and what happens there because of my parents. So take my personal example that you can instill a love for Haiti in your children if you make a conscious effort.

Haiti via Brooklyn
My Haitian experience started in Brooklyn in 1970. My first grade teacher at P.S 73 changed my name from last name from Jean Pierre to John Peter. From grade 1 thru 5, I was known as Johnny and I loved being called Johnny, it was better than my real first name because it allowed me to fit in and not have to explain my background to those that lacked the sensitivity nor the knowledge to understand.

Unfortunately, I was physically assaulted several times in grade school by classmates and was called names such as “coconut” which was common for students from the Islands. In 1975, we moved to Flatbush and joined Gospel Crusade Church. This I met Gerry, Paul, and Pierre. They became my brothers, because we needed each other to survive. We did whatever it took to prove that Haitian brothers could fight and would not be bullied or punked by anybody.

By this time, my father’s English improved so he was able to fix my name on the school documents. From 1975 until the late and early 80’s I had to fight because I was Haitian. The name calling went from coconut to sometimes acceptable “Frenchie ” or when they really wanted to put me down a peg “Fucking Haitian.”

We lost several friends to the streets and one of our friends “Charlie” has been incarcerated since 1984 for murder. I can recall during one of several street fights, Pierre used his body as a human shield for me during a gun fight. All this was done for street credibility and our rights to be Haitian.

Joe was one of the first non Haitian friends to stand up and fight for me. We did all this nonsense, yet I did not like Haitian music and I never answered my parents in Creole. Matter of fact, I am embarrassed today to admit this; my parents embarrassed me whenever they spoke Creole in public.

SUNY Old Westbury was the first place that it was acceptable to be Haitian. There were campus leaders that were Haitian. Marlene and Valentina introduced me to the “Haitian Club” at Old Westbury. They were old school brothers and sisters that were “straight” Haitian (colloquialism for being proud) they spoke Creole in public and loved Haitian music and parties.

We even had Haitians that were members of Greek organizations. Eventually, Gary, Ness, Gerry and I were known as the “Haitians” on our Campus. Once, Gary became President of the Student Body we took over. Every function that happened on our campus, we got a piece of the action.

After Westbury, Watson became my roommate in the basement at Hubbard place, my parent’s house. I credit Watson for introducing me to Haitian literature, and he always kept me in the loop regarding day to day politics of Haiti.

My parent’s house became a central location for hangouts and parties before 82 Hoyt Street, downtown Brooklyn, Renel and Eddy’s apartment. I believed we exposed a lot of our non Haitian friends to our music, our language and our culture via parties and hangouts.

My mother and father are from a very small town outside of Cap-Haitian called “Grand-Bassin” This place has no electricity or power lines. There is no water piped into homes. There is virtually no medical care in this town. The closest hospital is 18 miles away. Yet he was very much in love with this place. My father was a very hard working Christian man that never forgot where he came from. My father did everything to help his family. He made annual trips to Haiti regardless of who was running the country. He was that guy who did not mind getting his hands dirty to help his family and friends build a home. He helped finance hundreds of children education from his home town. He helped countless of family members migrate into the US legally or illegal.

In 1986, my sister Lisa and I accompanied him to Haiti. We complained the whole time we were there. We felt like we entered a time machine. We were back in the early 1900, no running water, no electricity, witnessing the poverty in the faces of my uncles and aunts was disturbing. It turned me off to the idea of returning to Haiti. From there on I was more willing to give money to my father for his annual trips, however returning with him was totally out of the question.

Bernard my brother you touched a nerve within me in your previous email. Yes, you did offer to host a visit to Haiti and you did promise me that you would change my mind set on how I view Haiti. I did not take your offer because of my BS fears. Thank you for checking me and made me look deep inside. Gary once told me, I should not pass my fears down to my children. Therefore, my wife and I will be visit Haiti with our sons. I do not think I’m capable of being half the humanitarian my father was, however, I’m going to do more for my extended family and community in Haiti. I’m praying that will be the first step of instilling Haitian Pride into my boys.