The concerns raised by the opposing view that dual nationality is a form of conflicting allegiance have been a lingering irritant to relations between the Haitian politicians and the Haitian Diaspora. For too long, we were led to believe that all birthright Haitian nationals who stayed in Haiti to endure the political vicissitudes of the last three decades did so out of blind patriotism. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the most vocal restrictionists, those most passionate in their denunciation of double nationality as an antithesis to the patriotic principle of uncompromising allegiance are the first to make use of cheaper technology, communication and travel to shuttle between the great metropolis of North America for all their basic needs, including banking, shopping, investing and schooling for their kids. They are essentially enjoying the less taxing lifestyle of a languishing economy while spending, investing and enjoying the glitters of flourishing ...operating in small villages in Haiti.
Up to the last minute CIS' Irwine Clare was still awaiting a response to a formal request sent weeks ago to Guyana's Consul General to New York, Bretnold Evans and a subsequent follow-up sent to the President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo; and the country's Home Affairs Minister, Gail Texeira. Clare, who flew to Guyana on Wednesday night in hopes that the approval would have been secured at the last minute, voiced disappointment but said he's optimistic that the team will be able to present the forums in the future, given the numerous queries and requests he has received from nationals there for such seminars.
Just as dance forms originating from Saint-Domingue made their way into southern culture, religion also left its indelible marks. It is well documented that the Vodou religion in New Orleans began to blossom around 1800 with Sanite Dede, a free woman of color who arrived from Saint-Domingue. The Saint-Domingan Vodou priestess was replaced in 1820 by New Orleans's native Marie Laveau, who became legendary. Haitians were for the most part Catholic; their presence in the various U.S. cities where they settled gave rise to the establishment of a number of biracial congregations. In Baltimore, in 1829, four colored Saint-Domingan women--Elizabeth Lange, Marie Magdelene Baas, Marie Rose Boegue, and Marie Therese Duchemin--established the Oblate Sisters of Providence, the world's first Black religious community, and founded the School for Colored Girls.
"My first thought of Miami was `this is a big city,'" the 17-year-old told The Miami Times. "It was such a beautiful place, but I experienced culture shock once I was here." "Education is more advanced in Haiti and you have to be disciplined," he said. "That played a great part in my success in high school." "I am getting a great opportunity I wouldn't have in Haiti," he said. "I plan to make the best of it."
Through informed presentations on immigration and the need for economic social and political on empowerment, Irwine and his partner, Attorney-at-law Winston Tucker, have established themselves as major community advocates on immigration reform and issues germane to the Caribbean community. In fact since 1995 Irwine and his organization have assisted in excess of 150,000 Caribbean nationals in becoming citizens of the United States. They single handedly led the lobbying effort for an amnesty for undocumented immigrants, collecting thousands of petitions at local events and even taking their call to the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn.
"[Bush]'s proposal soared like a rocket and ended like a squid," [Colin Moore] said. "It's not an immigration reform but a temporary status to immigrants coming in, but what about those living here already?" he asked. Moore wanted to know what would happen to immigrants in the fifth year after applying for permanent residency, when in fact it takes 10 years for legal permanent status to be effected. "It's not an amnesty, but most thought it was," [Joan Foy] said. "However, it's better than nothing and it opens the issue for discussion where there was none. There has been no discussion on immigration since 1996 with the Antiterrorism and Death Penalty Act when many were caught by surprise and residents who were affected faced deportation.
Pierre Toussaint, considered the first American Black saint, is also of Saint-Domingan origin. He was born in 1778 of Haitian slaves in Saint-Domingue, and was owned by a well-educated French family, the Bérards, who brought him to New York with them in 1797 when they fled the slave uprising. While living with the family as a domestic slave, Toussaint learned to read and write and also learned how to be a hairstylist. It is said that he developed a devoted clientele among the city's social elite and was allowed to keep his earnings. Mrs. Bérard freed Toussaint before she died in 1807. Upon Mrs. Bérard's death, Toussaint married a woman from Haiti and, since they had no children of their own, they took in orphans, refugees, and other unfortunate people. In fact, he co-founded with Elizabeth Seton one of the first orphanages in New York City, and helped with fundraising for the city's first cathedral.
