Springfield’s Haitian community spreads culture, cuisine facts

On Tuesday, Scripps News spoke with professionals who work with the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, where rumors targeting Haitian immigrants have been rife since former President Donald Trump was impeached. false allegations During the debate against Vice President Kamala Harris in early September.

“It’s a very intense process for us,” said Rose-Thamar Joseph, Director of Operations at the Haiti Community Assistance and Support Center in Springfield. “Since we’re here to help the community, we need to look at the community from every angle: mentally, physically and financially.”

Joseph said the rumours came as a shock and were an attack on the dignity of the city’s Haitian community.

“Our goal is to serve people with respect,” Joseph said. “And what we’re going to do is – we have some projects in mind so that we can help the Haitian people here regain their self-confidence and become more resilient, so that we can build a stronger Haitian community in Springfield.”

Bringing rumors together with reality

“It was shocking. But it’s still shocking. To hear people continue to talk about these rumors — there’s no definitive evidence to say ‘this is what happened,'” said Dolores Numa, an operations assistant at the center.

Numa said the community is working to dispel rumors by sharing facts about Haitian culture, especially its food.

“We’re giving examples of what Haitians eat,” Numa said. “If you look on social media, a lot of Haitians are sharing what we eat in the country. And if you have any ideas about local businesses, Haitian businesses that have restaurants here, go there and try it. Let us know what you think of our food.”

“We work for the community and we have to be strong. If we are not strong, the community will not be strong,” Numa said.

You can watch the full interview with Joseph and Numa in the video above.