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(MINEOLA, N.Y.) - Amidst Haiti’s ongoing humanitarian and political crisis, Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages (D – Lawrence) and a coalition of Haitian American community leaders convened at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building on Monday, Oct. 16 to announce an upcoming rally and march through North Valley Stream and Elmont in support of immediate enhanced aid for the Haitian people.
Embracing the message Haiti Ne Peut Plus Attendre (Haiti Cannot Wait Anymore), participants in the forthcoming Saturday, Oct. 21 march will demand the immediate deployment of increased emergency resources to end the gang warfare that continues to inflict widespread devastation and chaos upon the island nation.
“Due to the rising violence, disorder and the complete lack of the rule of law, the nation state has descended into a state of chaos, and we are asking the international community for your support, your awareness, and your intervention,” Legislator Solages said. “If we have a power vacuum and complete chaos in Haiti, that creates a very dangerous situation. It is a national security interest as Americans to make sure we have peace and order in Haiti.”
Starting at the intersection of Dutch Broadway and Corona Avenue in North Valley Stream and culminating at the Dutch Broadway Sports Complex Park in Elmont, the march and rally is scheduled to occur rain or shine from noon – 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21.
March organizer David Duchatelier, a co-founder of the not-for-profit Haiti Relief Mission, said international assistance is essential for quelling the gang violence that is ravaging the nation.
“I would like to give credit to President Biden – at the last United Nations speech, these four words were pronounced by him – ‘Haiti cannot wait anymore.’ Kids cannot go to school freely. People are sending money to their families down there, and they cannot get the money as they normally do. They have to figure out when it is calm so they can go and get the money,” Duchatelier said. “My organization has not been able to go to Haiti since 2019 due to the violence. We are asking everybody – let’s put our voices together and make the world hear us.”
Mimi Pierre Johnson, of the Elmont Cultural Center, said that Saturday’s rally, will be an important show of solidarity by the Haitian diaspora with friends and loved ones at home.
“We want to ring that bell for Haitians all over – we do care, and we do have the power to speak to our elected official who stands with us. We want to send that clear message – we are Haitians. We live here, we love living here, but we cannot forget about our families and friends in Haiti. They need to know that we love them and we have not forgotten about them – and that’s what Saturday is all about. There’s so much happening in this world – but don’t forget Haiti.”
Legislator Solages, Duchatelier and Johnson were joined at the press conference by radio host and broadcaster Ketner Stivens and constituents Natalie Mitchell and Jessy Trouillot.
PHOTO CREDITS – Office of Legislator Carrié Solages