News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. June 22, 2022: New York City Mayor Eric Adams today joined Arthur Piccolo, chairman of the Bowling Green Association and members of the Haitian community in raising the flag of Haiti at Bowling Green in downtown Manhattan during Caribbean American Heritage Month.
Adams, the city’s second black mayor and former borough president of Brooklyn, noted that “Brooklyn was the Port-au-Prince of America” with the largest Haitian population outside of the country.
“The resiliency goes back to the spirit of Toussaint, (François-Dominique Toussaint L’Ouverture), the great warrior and fighter, that ensured that he embodied the spirit and energy, we would rather live a lifetime in poverty than one day in slavery,” said the mayor. “And so, you want to be free and will continue to be free. The amazing benefit of having two excellent law – City Council people in Farah Louis, and which Farah is doing, both our new… old Council person and a new Council person, the energy is clear.”
“Let’s raise the flag, let’s raise the Haitian people who are here and abroad and always have our heart out, to a country that has been the spirit of resiliency and freedom and fighting on behalf of what’s right,” he added while noting that Councilwoman Joseph and Councilwoman Louis added $1.6 million into the city’s budget to make sure legal services are provide for immigrants, including Haitians to navigate the entire process.
The following CBOs will continue to receive funding to provide case management, legal, and language services — building upon the work they have been conducting since the recent influx of Haitian migrants began:
- Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York
- Caribbean Women’s Health Association
- Diaspora Community Services
- Flanbwayan Literacy Project
- Haitian Americans United for Progress (HAUP)
- Haitian American Community Coalition (HCC)
- Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees
- Life of Hope
Piccolo offered a historical insight on Haiti, noting that in 1791, the only successful revolution by enslaved people began in Haiti by Haitians – the only time in human history.
Piccolo also noted that America’s greatest immigrant and US founding father, Alexander Hamilton and other New Yorkers were strongly in support of Haitian independence but when Thomas Jefferson became president, he withdrew that support because he and other southern US presidents were concerned that they would inspire the enslaved Americans in southern states to do the same.
“There is no doubt that Haiti should be one of the most successful and impressive countries in the Caribbean,” said Piccolo. “And I look forward, even after all that you have had to put up as Haitian people, I look forward to the day we come here, when Haiti is the successful nation and an inspiration for the entire Caribbean. And if anyone doubts how true that is, all you have to do is look at a list of the impressive amount of Haitian Americans in this country over generations in every single endeavor, and look at the long list right now of elected officials of Haitian origin across the United States. It’s impressive.”
