BOSTON ― The general consensus at the Boston gathering Tuesday of hundreds of Massachusetts residents, many of Haitian descent, is that the Republican nominees for president and vice president have messed with the wrong people.
"We will make sure he is not elected," said Jean-Claude Sanon, a Mattapan resident and one of the masters of ceremonies participating in the rally of support for the Massachusetts Haitian community. “We are deeply concerned with the effects of this fearmongering. It must stop.”
Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, who is of Haitian descent, said 300,000 Haitian American citizens are registered to vote in Florida along with thousands of others registered in other states including Georgia, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey.
“We need to ensure they all vote,” Louijeune said.
Many Haitian migrants are already naturalized American citizens.
According to the conservative Center for Immigration Studies, nearly 70% of Haitian-born population in the United States are naturalized citizens who are eligible to register to vote, compared with less than half the foreign-born population overall.
The statistic was highlighted by speakers who urged everyone to check their citizenship status, the status of their friends and relatives, and to urge all who are eligible to register and to vote.
The rally was called to express solidarity for local residents and those in similar communities across the nation, particularly in Springfield, Ohio. Thousands of Haitian immigrants in recent years have settled in Springfield, a city that had a population of under 60,000 in the 2020 census. Most of the immigrants are in the country legally and have been drawn to Springfield by job opportunities.
Their presence has drawn some backlash, which culminated in unsubstantiated claims, amplified by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, about Haitians abducting and eating pets in Springfield.
Those attending the rally in Boston were clear in their messaging. The words had been scrawled on handmade signs, commercially printed on boards and were amplified through the sound system by speaker after speaker: The lies being told about Haitian migrants in Ohio must stop.
“These lies are deeply rooted in racism,” said Heather Yountz, of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute.
Haitians, Yountz said, are here due to circumstances beyond their control — the turmoil in their homeland — but most have entered legally, either through petitions made by family members already residing in the United States, through the federal immigration parole system or with temporary protected status.
“We are here to stand up to cruelty, hatred and race-based violence,” Yountz said. “When a resident is attacked in Springfield, we feel it in Boston; when they are injured, the whole nation bleeds.”
The signs read: "Big Fat Liar," "Lying is a Sin," "We are the first Black Republic" and "Proud to be pro-immigrant."
The rally brought together city and state officials, union leaders and community advocates.
“These racist, xenophobic, baseless smears have no place in our multicultural society,” said Elizabeth Sweet of the Massachusetts Immigrant Refugee Advocacy Coalition. As she addressed the crowd, she discussed the contributions of Haitians to American life — the writers, musicians, artists, scientists and chefs who contribute to American culture and achievement.
Sweet praised the Haitians working in health care, education and social services, and those who own local restaurants, stores and businesses.
“We need to choose love every day,” Sweet said.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Haitian community members in Boston rally in solidarity with Springfield, Ohio
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