I was just playing around on my computer and Googling random things, when I came across this article in the Haiti Press Network about North Miami from November 21, 2011, entitled Haiti-USA: North Miami, une ville d’Haïtiens dirigée par un Haïtien, which begins:
Haïti-USA:North Miami, une ville d’Haïtiens dirigée par un Haïtien
Lundi, 21 Novembre 2011 23:25 JJ/HPN Trait D’union – Miami
Dans le sud de la Floride, North Miami est le nouveau lieu de prédilection des Haïtiens après Little Haiti. Les premiers immigrants avaient un quartier, la nouvelle génération d’immigrants tient toute une ville, dirigée d’ailleurs par un compatriote, le maire André Pierre.
Of course, I don’t read French or Haitian Creole, but Google has a wonderful tool – Google Translate, which easily translated the article from French to English, as follows:
Haiti-USA: North Miami, a city of Haitians headed by a Haitian
Monday, November 21, 2011 11:25 p.m. DD / HPN Trait D’union – Miami
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MauvaisTrès wellIn southern Florida, North Miami is the new favorite place after Little Haiti Haitians. The first immigrants were a neighborhood, the new generation of immigrants into a city, also led by a fellow Mayor Andre Pierre.A North Miami, it is not uncommon to hear Haitian music, including the compass, burst into a store or a convenience store near a gas pump. “We should not be surprised, it is among Haitians here,” said Lucie Tondreau proudly, one of the community leaders living and working in the city.Situated between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, North Miami has become in a few years one of the largest concentrations Haitian Florida with the city’s Little Haiti.This is one of the few cities in the U.S. where a Haitian did not hesitate to speak in Creole when entering a fast food or a store. It will be understood by employees, Haitian or American.”If an American does not understand, he will refer the customer to a fellow Haitian,” says Ms. Tondreau during a visit to the municipality for two years led by Andre Pierre.The Haitian-American lawyer is the head of a Board of five people, including three Haitians two Americans.
“Haitians have power here in the majority in the Council. When they want to do something, it is easier for them to vote. This demonstrates the importance of the Haitian community to have the most representatives in the various possible government here, “remarked Mrs. Tondreau who runs a consulting firm for immigration issues.
Many Haitian professionals have taken up residence in North Miami, the fifth largest city of the Miami-Dade County. This is what happens as many important events of the Haitian community. This is also where several compatriots take their business.
Community leaders as Marleine Bastien of Fanm Ayisyen Miyami Association (FANM) however deplore the fact that the historic district of Little Haiti is increasingly abandoned in favor of the big city. What the current mayor of North Miami answered, “it is because they are more advantageous to us, they go where the grass is softer.”
North Miami has 60 000 people (which is considered an important city in the U.S.) with almost 50% of Haitians. The remaining percentage is split between Black Americans, Hispanics and whites. Pierre André is the second black mayor to be elected Haitian and after Joe Celestin (2001-2005).
Apart from the two mayors and councilors Haiti (Marie Steril Erlande and John Marcellus), other key positions of the municipal administration are held by compatriots Marc Elias (police chief) and Claude Lumane (Deputy City Manager ).
The streets are named the names of the heroes of the Haitian Independence (Boulevard Jean-Jacques Dessalines, for example). “The name of singer Wyclef Jean to appear soon Citizen Hall of Fame,” said Mayor Peter said this decision despite the reluctance of some members of the white community who ask “who are the Haitians for streets and buildings bear their names in the U.S.. ”
“I tell them why they do not pose the same question when streets, parks take the names of heroes from other countries,” says André Pierre, sure that his decision will with the support of his fellow Council … . FOLLOW ….
The translation isn’t perfect, but you get the idea.
I just thought it was interesting that North Miami mayor Andre Pierre, who obviously commissioned this article, is claiming the City of North Miami for “his own people.” I thought the non-Haitian residents of North Miami would be interested, too. Although the article states that North Miami is “almost 50% of Haitians,” an entry in Haitian American-Wikipedia states that the population of North Miami claiming Haitian ancestry is actually 33%. That’s a far cry from “50% of Haitians.”
The most telling statement made in this article, however, is: “Haitians have power here in the majority in the Council. When they want to do something, it is easier for them to vote. This demonstrates the importance of the Haitian community to have the most representatives in the various possible government here.”
I wonder how the remaining non-Haitian residents, which make up 66% of the population in North Miami, feel knowing that one third of the population of their city has hijacked 100% of the power and the resources of a government for which they are paying AT LEAST two thirds of the taxes. Probably much, much more than that. I’m just saying.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
“I wonder how the remaining non-Haitian residents, which make up 66% of the population in North Miami, feel…”
Obviously, not strongly enough to come out and vote. Here in NMB, mostly thanks to you, we have woken up and been able to (at least temporarily) slow down the progression of corruption and imbalance in government; and with your excellent investigative work on (our) Pierre, I have a good feeling about the upcoming election in May. Now that South Florida has a Little Haiti AND a North Miami, maybe our elected officials will finally stop trying to compete with these areas and aim for something different. The Haitian niche has been filled, twice. Now let us try to find our own identity: A truly multicultural community with the best location in Miami-Dade County, the only water-front developable land on the entire Biscayne Boulevard corridor and more potential than any city east of I-95.
We have the potential to be a really great city. Also, there is room for everyone – Haitians, Hispanics, whites, blacks – as long as we all work together for the good of the city and as long as no one ethnic group tries to take over the entire government or city. That’s exactly what happened in North Miami. I will do whatever I can to make sure it doesn’t happen here, but we need to make sure that EVERYONE gets out and votes!