November 11, 2024 • 47 mins
Growing up Haitian in America during the late 70s and early 80s was a journey filled with resilience, cultural challenges, and eventual acceptance. Sherl and Emile, our insightful guests, share their personal stories of navigating their Haitian heritage amidst a predominantly American landscape. From the teasing faced in New York schools to the unique dynamics of being one of the few Haitian families in Crown Heights and Flatbush, their experiences reflect the complexities of cultural identity and adaptation. These narratives invite listeners to explore the strength and adaptability required to thrive in environments often filled with stereotypes and misconceptions.
The episode extends its focus to the broader Caribbean community, highlighting the varied experiences of other Caribbean immigrants and their descendants. Through the lens of Grenadian and Trinidadian stories, we examine the shifting cultural dynamics and the journey towards greater inclusivity and pride in one's heritage. Our conversation sheds light on the once Jamaican-dominated identity, now evolving into a celebration of diverse Caribbean cultures, and underscores the importance of education in fostering understanding and acceptance among young people today. Despite past hardships, the discussion reveals an enduring spirit of unity and resilience within these communities.
Finally, we delve into the significant contributions of Haitian immigrants, particularly in New York. The entrepreneurial spirit is exemplified by initiatives like the dollar cab service, while the strong support systems within Haitian families showcase the communal bonds that help individuals navigate new lives. We discuss the responsibilities of leaders and public figures in combating stereotypes and misinformation, stressing the need for active voices against derogatory narratives. Ultimately, the episode is a testament to the pride, perseverance, and community strength that define the Haitian immigrant journey, resonating with anyone interested in cultural identity and community unity.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome.
Welcome to the your OpinionDoesn't Matter podcast.
I am one of the hosts, MrLamont, and I'm here with no
strangers to the podcast.
Here To my left, Sherry Berry,how are you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:15):
It's all well.
Thank you, hi guys.
How are you?
Hello, hello, hello.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Hi, nice, nice, nice, and her left none other.
I think we're going by BlackJesus today, aren't we?
Yes, yes, yes, nice, and herleft None other.
I think we're going by BlackJesus today, are we?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Mr Sterling, how are you doing, bro?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
I'm great, I can't complain.
I'm happy to be here and readyto rock.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Right, right, right, right.
And hey, we got somebody who'shere who inspired me to start,
you know, recording live.
She said Ma, get out of thatZoom meeting crap.
She said when are you going torecord in person?
None other than Shirley.
How are you doing?
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Hey, I'm well.
How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Everything's good On my right.
This gentleman, I knew himsince, who knows, since
everybody was wearing AJs andBenetai and Run DMC and all that
good stuff.
Man, good friend of mine, emil,how are you doing?
I'm doing good man.
(01:16):
I'm doing good man, how youdoing.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
I'm doing good.
I'm doing good.
Thanks for the invitation.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Yes yes, yes, anytime , man, I was trying to get you
on a long time ago.
He's going to be a guest again.
He's going to tell us aboutfinance.
I heard a little snippet of itTalking about, you know, gold
and espionage and all that othergood stuff.
Right, right, right, right,okay.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Our aim today for our viewers is for us to take a
trip through the Caribbean andhighlight certain islands so you
could get a better view of whatit's like, you know, growing up
from their perspective.
So today we're going to startwith the lovely island of Haiti,
which is shared with theDominican Republic, and we're
going to get the views andinsights so us, our audience,
could get a better view of whatlife is really like, especially
(01:56):
leading up to now, from theearly late 70s, early 80s.
So I'm going to start withasking my guests, which is Cher
and Emil, which are both fromHaiti I want you to give the
viewers an idea of what it waslike growing up in the late 70s,
early 80s.
What was the household like?
Speaker 4 (02:15):
Well, I was born here .
Okay, yeah, I was born in NewYork, but I did grow up in a
Haitian household.
Both my parents are Haitian, mymom's Haitian.
My dad is Haitian householdBoth my parents are Haitian, my
mom's Haitian.
My dad is Haitian.
Growing up Haitian was well, itwasn't a problem until you got
to school.
Yes, right, so there's the.
So I'm talking early 80s, soyou have the language barrier.
(02:40):
Yes, then at the time, it was awhole lot was going on in my
time.
It was the coming off the boatthen, um, then the slangs like
hbo stands for haitian body odor.
Yes, yes yes, then it was theaids we bought it in here.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
I was gonna going to get into that, yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
Then, or for me more so.
For me then it was kind of likea look, because Haitian parents
tend to with the girls with thetwo ribbons on the side of the
hair, and I had no hair.
So if you had like two ribbonson both sides but this much hair
coming out, it was kind of likewow, you try to disassociate
yourself.
(03:24):
So you would say, but I wouldsay I was from.
I was first, I would say I wasfrom canada.
Then canada was like no, youcan't, but how?
And then you always had thatone nagging friend no, you're
not from canada.
They knew you were haitian, youknow what I'm saying.
But then it was like all right,I'm from france, but france.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
They spoke french and I didn't French.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
So it was rough with the kids because kids tease and
it wasn't more so the Caribbeankids.
It was mostly the Americanchildren because Caribbeans have
more a little bit of empathy,because some of them were like
what they call just comes.
They came from the Caribbean sothey took a little adjusting
too, but they didn't have thelanguage barrier some had, but I
(04:04):
didn't have a language barrierbecause I was born here, so it
was more so harder for the kidsthat did have the language
barrier.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
So that was Emil, how do you feel?
Speaker 5 (04:14):
So my perspective is completely different, okay,
interesting.
So I grew, so my family and I wegrew up in I was raised in
Crown Heights, okay.
Then my mom and my aunt boughta house in Flatbush, Okay, right
there on East 35th and offSnyder Avenue, right, and that
(04:39):
block had just like one or twoor three little houses in it and
nothing but buildings on thatblock, right, and it's nothing
but american kids.
Okay, and there was one haitianfamily amongst the like the 15,
20 boys on the block.
There was a lot of rambunctiousyoung kids on the block, but
(04:59):
they were all american kids andit was this one haitian family
and to this day, he's like oneof my best friends.
So when we moved there, like,like you said, there was all of
that contention, right, haitianbody odor, the jokes, right, and
(05:19):
kids were you know.
Kids were like you know,especially boys.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Boys are just, we're, just, we're just vicious, right
, ruthless yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:27):
And you know the snapping and the ranking.
And if you didn't have it, ifyou didn't know how to snap and,
just you know, take them downwith it.
It was over for you, right.
So when they found out that wewere Haitian, right, it was this
like oh shit, you're Haitian,oh my God, oh shit, you know.
Like.
And the jokes started comingand we were like oh so when we
(05:47):
found out, yeah, and we were all, basically we're just exactly
the same as them.
So they were like god, he shit.
Yeah, for real, like we never.
You know, like what is going onand I never really understood
it, right until you hear all ofthe jokes and I'm like yeah,
we're not like that yes, right,right and, but you know, for
some odd reason we were seendifferent than the other haitian
(06:12):
family that's lived in thebuilding.
They like juxtaposed us to them.
Why, right, um, the father ofmy, my buddy, he was like a
tyrant, like super protective ofhis kids.
Right, it was.
There's one sister and two boysand the mom straight up nuclear
family.
Okay, right, just no dog and um, but they dressed.
(06:36):
They dressed them as if theywere like they just got there
yesterday.
You know, like they just come,like I mean, dress them just
like that right.
It was just weird for my mom andI my mom dressed myself and my
brother and my cousin like, likeslightly americanized.
That's why they didn't sort ofkind of like extract like the
(06:59):
difference you don't haveaccents, none of that.
But and I felt bad because I'mlike, why are they making jokes
about them like that, right, Ididn't like it and I.
But they were haitian too, butthey were also making up, like
other nationalities, that theyweren't yes and it bothered me,
even when I was like I was like12 or 13 and it bothered me and,
(07:22):
um, from there I kind of likewere upset with them because
they were like yo, we said wehaitian, and we managed it, but
y'all lying right.
And then, you know, as timewent on, I got because I saw the
dress code differences and Iunderstood okay, it was like
almost like a kinship,understanding like, oh, I know
(07:43):
why they're on, y'all like that,okay, okay.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
You know.
So yeah, but you're kind oflike, on point, different
vehicles, the two of you.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
Yeah, it was just weird, like my mom, you know,
she was like she kind of likethis.
It was like she Americanized us.
We were American kids, right,we were the first generation
Generation, so they assimilatedus faster into that, the
Catholic school, the whole.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
You know we love that Catholic school Great point the
Christian Haitians and theCatholic Haitians totally
different To be Christian in theCaribbean community.
We're talking no pants, youlook blah.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
I mean you mean you wear skirts to go to school,
wear skirts, long skirts, longskirts below your knees.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
You look yeah kind of like what's those people in the
um, amish, amish, oh wow, yeah,that look.
But the catholications, theywere a little more, they wore
they wore jewelry.
We couldn't wear jewelry.
I didn't have my ears pierced,I was 16, so so you just had the
look.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I understand so it was a difference.
Yeah, definitely.
So it seemed like back then,haitians were scapegoated.
Where do you feel thedisconnection came from?
Was it something more like thelanguage barrier that made
people feel disconnected?
Speaker 4 (09:01):
See, I don't know if it was a thing like in the 60s.
Well, you know what.
There it was, because my momsaid when she first came, so my
mom was came and she didn'tspeak any english so she got a
lot of the insults.
Going to high school here shewent to john j high school
herself.
I really don't, I really it'sjust.
(09:22):
I don.
I really don't know.
I should have done my research.
What do you think, Emil?
Speaker 5 (09:27):
I think it was the migration.
The migration it was a largeWest Indian.
Every decade there's a seriesof migration of a certain ethnic
group that comes to New YorkCity specifically, right, and
when we moved to Flatbush, whichis huge caribbean enclave, you
can assimilate and not known andnot be known.
(09:48):
If you're panamanian, you don'tknow.
If they were pan, uh, um uh,trinidadian, bayesian, you
really can't tell.
And because new york city issuch a massive melting pot, my
parents came, my mother becausethey came from the.
They were here from the 60s.
My mom and dad came from like1960, something 61, 62, so they
(10:10):
were already here like by themid-60s, working right.
But the thing is, a largeinflux of west indians came into
the country between the late70s and the 80s and they were
told listen, if you want youknow, if you have family that
tells you how to get here, whatto do to assimilate, how to get
your card, go to flatbush, right.
(10:31):
Hispanics will go to harlem,like up, like a, like spanish
harlem, right, you have um.
Asians will go to chinatown,like.
Each ethnic group will havetheir enclave and they'll build
inside of it which, as far asFlatbush is concerned, it's a
massive melting pot of likealmost 30 different Caribbean
(10:52):
countries people, but I thinkthe migration of west indians,
with just two flatbush, inparticular um was, and obviously
haitians, like you have newkirk avenue, which is known as
little haiti of course, like yousee it on the train right, yeah
, it's called little haiti sothere's your answer.
So the migration and influx of acertain ethnic groups into a
(11:15):
certain pocket of that borough,migration and influx of a
certain ethnic groups into acertain pocket of that borough
is is the reasoning why you havethe kind of you know kind of
influx of nonsense that you have.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Yeah, well, I want to let you know Haitians was the
only, wasn't the only one thatwent through that.
There was also people from.
I was born in Trinidad, but myfamily's from Grenada, and at
the time Grenadians, was alsohiding in a plain sight too.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
You think we were hiding?
Speaker 3 (11:43):
From my perspective, I think they were hiding in a
plain sight, because I went toschool for a bunch of Grenadians
and I had no idea there wasGrenada until later on in life.
Okay, I think, because at thattime nobody really.
There was a few famous islands.
Number one was jamaica.
Trinidad, I feel, was given apass in guyana and everything
(12:03):
else to me was correct me if I'mwrong was like really odd to
people like like barbados, stvincent, grenada anguilla, yeah,
so I remember, I remembertalking about grenada in school
and it would come up and peoplebe like what's that?
and I think that that that'swhat caused people people to
take a step back and they woulddo the same thing.
I had Grenada, somebody thatwas from Trinidad.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
So where were you from for a little bit?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Oh well, I was born in Trinidad, so I thought I was
Trinidadian all the way, andlater on in life I realized that
my ancestors is from Grenada.
No, but where did you tell?
Speaker 4 (12:39):
your um oh no no, no, I was.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
I was a proud trinidadian.
Oh yeah, it was a proudtrinidadian because to me,
trinidadian jamaica, they got ashield.
It was good.
Or you trinidadian, you jamaica, you guy in these, or y'all
good, okay yeah what was yourexperience?
Speaker 4 (12:50):
I was good you was good.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
I came here young, so I came here at six, okay, so I
went through, you know,elementary, the whole bit.
So I didn't have I had onefight, and that was just at the
time.
You know, now you're lookingback, I'm in my 40s now, so you
look back and you're like, okay,well, yeah, that was also.
But back then it was like a bigdeal and I remember they made
(13:13):
fun of me because I had a, youknow, I had an accent okay so
that was you know the accentthing got it and you know they
were teasing and teasing and mytemperament got to me and I
actually hurt the person reallybad.
I got suspended but um, it wasjust more of a defense mechanism
.
It was just like you don't knowme, you don't know anything
(13:35):
about me.
You know what I mean.
So it was just like you don'tknow me, you don't know anything
about me, you know what I mean.
So it was like you know, makingfun because you know, instead of
saying where you were sayinglike you know, but you know, in
my household that's normal,that's how we speak, so it's
like what's your problem?
You know what I mean.
I think with West Indian on awhole, wherever you're from
(13:57):
Spanish West Indian, whereveryou're just always fighting to
just be who you are, and youalways have to.
I was always a proud Grenadian.
It is what it is.
This is where I'm from.
What they always used to say isthat we're from Granada,
granada.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Granada, Grenada.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
And I'm like no, it's Grenada, and they're're like no
grenada.
But you know, knowledge ispower so once you start to
educate, or you let them know,then it's there.
So look at us now right youknow grenada's all over right
right, you know, I think now,like when we was growing up,
still you know you're going toeastern parkway and stuff like
that, and this was Labor Daytime, time to throw your flags
(14:39):
up and things like that as theyears go by, if you guys notice
the flags has come more 82?
Speaker 5 (14:46):
More.
This is where I'm from.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
It wasn't like that when.
I was a teenager, everybodywanted to be Jamaican.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Yes, everybody.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Right.
Even Americans wanted to be.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Jamaican.
Yes, everybody dressed likethat cloths, shirts.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
I know there was an ever wear like it was a linen
suit.
Jamaican you're not, clearly,you're not Jamaican, like you
know from Kingston, so then thatwas a thing too everybody was
Jamaican, and everybody's fromKingston Right right.
So then that was a thing tooEverybody was Jamaican.
And then it was the wholeTravel Fox thing.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
It was just an era and Clucks and Clucks.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
They were a more popular island at the time I
think everybody just wanted tobe in that.
You had the fun and you hadthis and everybody wanted to
listen to reggae music, so youcouldn't listen to soca, because
that was like what?
Yes, yes, that was a big thing,that was like a big thing you
could go to a party and listento soca music, because it was
(15:52):
like now.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
You know they listen to what krom krom so now it's
like you know you can go andthey listen to what Kumpa Kumpa.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Kumpa.
So now it's like you know youcan go and you can listen to
everything, right?
I think everybody now is makinglike this is where I'm from,
this is my culture, this is whatit is and it's more accepted
which is a great thing, right,right?
Speaker 5 (16:09):
But you really had to fight through that I think it's
also youthful ignorance, right.
In the 1970s and 80s kidscouldn't tell you where Texas
was on the map.
You think they know exactlywhere the Caribbean islands are
located.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
Right right.
Half these people are marriedto Caribbean people now.
Speaker 5 (16:30):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
And have a.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
Haitian best friend in the background.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Yeah, but why were the kids so brutal?
Kids are brutal man.
They was real brutal man.
It was different, it was crazyseeing how the young Haitian
kids was getting treated.
It was terrible, it washorrible.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
It changed for me.
For some reason, it changed forme when I got to junior high
school.
I don't know why, but that'sthe time.
So we talking 86, 87.
It was so much like my parentsare Asian.
You know what I?
Speaker 2 (17:02):
mean, it's a proud thing, I'm a corporate.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
I make fun.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Right, you make fun too, me too.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
I'm a corporate.
So I can speak on that, but itwas just like you know it was
like what are they saying?
Speaker 2 (17:18):
or when you got in a car, you know, when you know
they had a smell, you know.
Or the body odor wasn't like oh, they definitely they hate shit
, right, you know, I did itgrowing up and it's like you
know, now that you're olderyou're like damn you, really you
did that but it was like athing we went.
I went to james madison.
I grew up on Flatbush, you knowyou come in off of Flatbush and
(17:42):
I had my neighbor yeah, I stillremember him.
They were Haitian, their familywas very nice and stuff like
that, but we still made fun.
We still made fun of them.
They came out and this didn'tmatch, or the outfit didn't
match, or something.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
I out and this didn't match or the outfit didn't
match or something it's likelook at.
Jeff, oh my god, it's groupthink right, you know how Jeff
look now.
Jeff is great, okay always agreat.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
They were always a great family.
Um, jeff Tasha, the mother,like everybody, was still great,
but as kids, right, I justremember we teased them, we did
tease them them.
We did make fun of them.
We liked hanging out with thembut it still came with the why
you got that on.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Oh my God, or why is this going this way?
Speaker 2 (18:24):
You know there was a time when us, as women, we did
you know, door knockers.
You know I always had big doorknockers and Jordans and stuff
like that and they didn't havethat in the same, you know, in
the same ways, you know theywent to bobby's, you know, um,
you know.
You know it's so funny.
(18:45):
Now you can laugh about itbecause this thing.
But back then, you know, justthinking how they went through
because they had to try harderto prove who they were.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Oh, we should be amongst did, for whatever reason
, amongst your friends, you know, right Now that we're older, we
all laugh and we joke and stufflike that.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
But I was a culprit, I did it, I made fun, I teased,
you know.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
And it wasn't like because I was a mean person, I
think.
I just went along witheverything.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
Yeah, you went along as most kids do it.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
That's the thing about.
Speaker 5 (19:15):
How about you Sterling I?
Speaker 3 (19:16):
tease.
I tease as a defense mechanism,because I would catch friendly
fire, being that my last namewas Baptiste.
So I could always recall on thefirst day of school, when
you're getting acclimated in theclass and the teacher asks you
and so on and so on, the teacherwould always go Baptiste, are
you Haitian?
And I'd be like hell to startlaughing.
You know what I'm saying.
So I felt then I let them knowI wasn't Haitian and then I
(19:37):
would tease the Haitian just toprove that you wasn't.
But I love Haitians, I'm veryclose.
I got a lot of Haitian friends.
One of my closest family isfrom Haiti and they are great
people.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
Yeah, Jean-Pierre, oh , that's official.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
That's beyond Jean-Pierre we.
It's funny how we just we canall segregate ourselves amongst
ourselves Like we're all black,we're all Palestinian, we're all
in that, but we still fight ina battle.
It's kind of sad, but you knowit is.
Speaker 5 (20:17):
I remember the defining time of my life was
high school.
Um, it wasn't the block anymore, because my, I was already
acclimated the guys are veryacclimated to us and stuff like
that.
So our haitianness was like anon-starter on the block,
because once you defend yourselfin a way that they understood,
right, especially as young boys,you're ranking on them and you
yeah, it's a.
(20:37):
You know, we played a lot ofsports and I was active, like
all that stuff didn't matter.
I looked back and I always feltlike it was always the parents,
right, that probably, um, likelike intimated stuff to the kids
, right, because that's how, youknow, we grew up on a block was
nothing but american kids likeI'm talking about, like
overwhelming american.
(20:58):
It was just me and other familythat were haitian kids, uh, and
maybe one jamaican family, andnobody gave them no guff right
of course um of course rightand when hit high school, I went
to lachlan, lachlan was justevery kind of kid imaginable,
right, except for white.
You're hispanic, you had his,you had american, you had west
(21:20):
indian.
And when they would read ournames, like when schools start,
right, like you know orientation, and my name is short, but it's
hard to say, is that french?
And I was like, yeah, it issaid, okay, I thought so, and
they would just go on, but thekids, they didn't know what
French meant, right?
So it was almost like I escapedsomething like in my head
(21:44):
because high school is adifferent kind of viciousness
than junior high school, right,because that's endless four
years.
That's an endless four yearsand you can get ostracized
really fast in high school.
And none of that.
When I say four years ofnothingness ever occurred like
it was in haitian stuff.
It was none of that becausethere's tons of haitian kids in
(22:05):
my high school.
Why?
Because it was a catholic highschool.
Yeah, haitians and catholicism,it go hand in hand nazareth
nazareth.
Yes, yes, yes, lachlan bishopford just loaded with haitian
kids or west indian kids, um,but haitians, they are like
devout catholics most of them,if not 90 of them, and they'll
(22:25):
say their kids, they'll breaktheir backs that's what I was in
their pocketbooks to send youto a catholic school because
it's part of the trials andtribulations of you.
You know the way that theyraised so I can honestly say
that in high school that wasprobably a non-starter for me.
It was just before that you hadto almost defend yourself at 12
(22:49):
against the ignorance of yourstupid little friends, and that
lasted all of two weeks for us,you know, but it felt like
forever Right.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
You know.
But when did they know thatthat's a bad thing?
Where did the kids get thatfrom?
How did they know?
How did they feel that?
What did the parents say?
Speaker 4 (23:09):
It could be the families, because kids don't
know.
Because people talk at home.
Like you said, you grew uparound Americans, right, and the
Haitian household is like themAmericans of course you know
what I mean.
So so I'm sure it came fromhome part of it and then, like
the peers, I think it's thecombination.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
So that's just like how racism basically is, like in
some homes like you know,passed down to their kids.
How do they know about?
Why do I?
They love you.
They kids play it when theyfour or five, but then how do
they know it's time?
Let me just you know, let mestay away, you know, I mean the
parents is talking, gotta be theparents.
Speaker 5 (23:46):
Media didn't help either.
I mean, like that was like theheight of the 80s aids was oh,
the aids that was.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
That was.
That was like a bomb.
Yeah, they didn't know where itwas coming from.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
They had to find a scapegoat, and it came either
from Africa.
It either came from gays or itcame from Haitians, and I think
that's when it became untenable,because it was nonstop.
You couldn't control it, therewas no social media, so the word
of mouth was just vicious.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
Just the word of mouth was crazy.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
Until they found out how and when, and it took years
for that not to be associatedwith Haitians or Africans or
whatever, and you know and Ithink more um celebrities coming
out, kind of broke it for ustoo yeah that that helped.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
But and then you, you , and then then it got switched
around.
Like you're Haitian, I wouldnever know.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
And that part different like what does that?
Speaker 4 (24:37):
mean?
What does that?
Speaker 2 (24:42):
really mean they have a look.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
They have a look.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Right, right, what's the look?
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Two socks and white shoes with high waters.
Speaker 4 (24:53):
That was the look.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Right, it was the look.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Plaid and all Non-matching high waters.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
That was the look.
Right, it was the look.
It was the look like um plaidand um yeah, non-matching,
non-matching yeah just comingout
Speaker 4 (25:05):
just wayward like I want Lisa to come out the house,
like ma like really, and comepick me up with roses in her
hair.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
It was so bad oh, that was, that was old with
Cindy's too.
I hit it with my mom.
Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
I would walk like 10 steps ahead of her or whatever
the case may be Well we can justtalk a little bit.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
I would love a little bit more insight, but from what
I know, from the household, mybrother-in-law and just other
Haitian families that I know andfriends, you know.
I applaud the way that theygrew together.
From what I know, I know, soexcuse me if it's anything that
I say is not, you know, factual,but from what I've seen,
(25:44):
they'll they'll stay in a house.
It'll be like 10 of them in ahouse and they're all living in
this two bedroom or threebedroom but then a year later
they got like four houses, right, you know, and they all come
together to help each other.
So I really applaud that.
Looking at that I've seen itgrowing up, I've seen it as an
(26:04):
adult of just how they just cometogether and they always want
better for their kids, sothey'll stay.
You know where me?
I'm sitting there like I'm notgoing to know what I'm going to
do Too many.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
NGs Too many NGs, I'm not doing that.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I'm going to pay whatever it is, because I need
my space, and they're like youknow what, they're willing to
suck it up, right, and they'rewilling to do that and it's not
really like I shouldn't say likea Haitian thing, but that's
what I've seen.
Speaker 5 (26:31):
Okay, off of what I see, I could honestly say that
there is some truth to that, butI don't know if that's a
uniquely Haitian aspect, right,because most people who come
from other countries will dostuff like that, like
Venezuelans and Mexicans,they'll do that Spanish but not
(26:54):
black people.
Not black people in particular,but West Indians.
Haitians do have the propensityto do stuff like that because
they're very, very big onbringing over, like the bring
over process.
Right, like my mom.
My mom I don't know if thishappened in your households, but
my mom was brought over by afriend.
(27:16):
Okay, right, right In the 60s.
My mom's work started workingin 1960.
I was going to 68.
1965, 66.
Working on an Eastern Parkway.
Remember that big, hugebuilding that used to be right
there on Eastern Parkway.
(27:37):
It looked like a.
It was like a.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Utica no no.
Speaker 5 (27:41):
Eastern Parkway and Park Slope, so it was right
there.
Granamee Plaza this is back inthe 80s 90s.
It was a big, huge, it was ahospital.
They turn into condos now.
Right, it's directly across thestreet from the Brooklyn Public
Library.
It used to be right there.
It was a massive building andit was actually a hospital for
(28:02):
the elderly and my mom.
It was called Madonna Residenceand it was maybe like three,
four, 500 nurses in there,caretakers, whatever.
My mom worked there from 1966to 1999, where they were sold to
a condo developer.
But I say all this to say thatmy mom was bought over by a
(28:25):
friend.
Then my mom bought over threeor four friends, right, got them
set up with green cars, thewhole nine yards, et cetera, et
cetera, et cetera.
And they all were working inthat place until the later 90s,
from the 1960s until the 1999,until that place was shut down.
My mom has bought over and Ikid you not, probably about 15,
20 family members who arebeholden to her for
(28:49):
Americanizing that.
They're in Canada, they'reworking as nurses, chief of
staff here, working in like myentire family.
My mother's the matriarch of ourfamily and she has literally.
She will be enshrined when it'sall over because she bought
people over in the way that mostpeople will, will freak out now
(29:10):
like, oh, if you don't, youknow, come over on a boat.
That's not the way to do it.
I can on a raft and shit rightversus on a plane.
Stay at my house for six months, I get you a green card, um,
and then you could, and I willfind you a place to live and
usher you out into the, into the, into the world yes I I could
give you names on top of names.
My mother's done that for that.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
That's how it worked in my family yeah, yeah, I
always noticed a unificationwith asian people when I was
growing up also.
They always seem to sticktogether big time, support and
support each.
They was one of the few Bigtime, I kid you not, and that is
something I really admirecoming up.
Speaker 5 (29:46):
Yeah, dollar cab service.
You see the dollar cab serviceup and down Church Avenue.
You know, 90% of those Haitiandudes don't have a voters card.
They probably came over in the70s and 80s and they stayed here
and chilled and they've beenrunning those dollar cabs up and
down Church Avenue for two andthree decades.
I got only one on Friday.
See what I'm talking about.
And that's their entrepreneurialspirit.
(30:09):
Working on the like halfillegal tip, more or less.
But now it's an institution.
You can't even get rid of it.
I didn't even think about thatmy grandmother too.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
She came in 64.
She worked, she came in 64.
She worked.
She sent for my mom first68,000.
Speaker 5 (30:25):
See what I'm talking about.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
They sent for yeah, she sent for her sister this is
my aunt and then she sent for afew people, then she lived in
her apartment in Hawthorne soshe had, like it was.
You know, those apartments werebig so you made like the like
the living room and bedroom.
Speaker 5 (30:43):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
So like four family members, yeah, and then they all
branched out.
Speaker 5 (30:49):
And that's how it worked, right?
It was like a microcosm of theentire Haitian country.
We had like one little area andthen you set them off on their
own Right and they all worked athospitals.
Haitians love them fromhospitals.
Right, you're right, becauseit's stable.
It's stable.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
Yeah, nurses, all of that, they got smart.
They're like the same work forone of these institutions.
That's it yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
And with the upcoming of the Haitian whole.
As a people, how does it feelnow to hear misconceptions of
silly people, politicians donaldtrump, you know spreading
propaganda about the haitianseating dogs and cats.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
I mean that um, that didn't bother me because I felt
like as growing up in a haitianhousehold, that kind of like
fortified me I can't get hurt.
What I am concerned about isthese young kids with families?
I mean in schools being teased,because I know what that feels
(31:53):
like.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Being in politics and hearing that, I mean I
understand.
You know, like you've beenthrough it.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
I understand, you know, like you've been through
it, but just knowing that thisis somebody that is running to
you know, running to take careof us, To be the president of
everybody, yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
When I say take care of us, like now, we look into
him.
Right, you know there arepeople that worship this man,
that likes this man a lot, andto hear him say that it's like
wow, and then not for nothing.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
there are some that feel like that will vote for him
, that are from there and justto hear that it's like well,
you're not offended, I wasoffended for you yes, I was very
offended the fact that this manis sitting here saying that.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
How could you sit and say someone's going to you know
they ate all the dolls and catsLike who says that?
Speaker 5 (32:48):
Who says that People know it's not true.
Speaker 4 (32:50):
And I feel that too, people know it's not true.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
You really think so?
I don't think so.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
I think it's nice too , I don't think.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
People all over the country don't believe that.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
There was a lot of people I work in the hospital
and there was a lot of peoplewho was like.
You know what he said, like oh,really, you know that's how
they get there.
There are some people who dolisten to these.
Listen to him speak, not justhim.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
I'm just saying him because he's saying Right, right
, right and they do give like,oh, really, like, this is what.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
So you know, it did get to some people and there's
some people that believe thatyou know it's funny.
Speaker 4 (33:24):
You said that because I feel like you.
I feel like nobody reallybelieves that, but you're right,
some people do believe that,midwestern small towns.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
You're right, some down states Did it bother you
Because it didn't bother?
Speaker 5 (33:37):
me, it just bothered me.
I laughed so hard.
I laughed so hard because itwas so.
It was so out of bounds, almostlike I have to say something to
stay relevant, right, like Ihave to say, because you know
he's egomaniacal, right, so Ihave to say something that is so
(33:57):
out of bounds that I know thenews will cover, that will keep
me in in the space.
But it was so egregiously, like, you know, irresponsible.
And then I expected that fromhim.
But for Vance to hold on to it,I'm like, okay, now this is a
little different.
Yeah, right, so I'm trying tofigure out.
All right, the Republican, hisRepublican base, they're so in
(34:25):
love with him, but some of themare so intelligent enough to not
say, look, he's crazy.
But I like what he says about,because they hold on to that
just one little thing they maylike about him, because he's so,
you know, he's so anti-da-da-da.
I love that about him.
So, whatever else he says, youknow it's a misnomer to me and
I'm saying to myself why are youmaking yourself like him so
much that even the mostegregious, non-irrelevant stuff
(34:46):
that you will accept it willlook past it?
Right, this is what I thinkthat they're doing Right Because
you could love someone.
You know it's like you hate yourhusband because he cheated on
you, but he's your husband andhe has great qualities, right.
But you know, what he just didjust now was so horrible, but
you extracted that one thingthat you like about him and
you'll just stay with that andeverything else.
(35:07):
You just allow him to saythat's what's happening, because
the desperation is so clear.
But that was so crazy.
I laughed because I knew nobodybelieves this.
It's not about the eating, thedogs and the cats.
It's saying something to stayso relevant that I have to say
that I don't know, because itdoesn't make any sense.
There's no stats that they'remissing dogs and cats in
(35:28):
anybody's streets.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
The fact that he said it and the fact that he made
shit is what blew my mind.
You could have said anything totry to stay relevant.
Why did you have to go there?
Yeah, it's like you find groups, it's like when we were growing
up, you hear stuff.
There are people who are goingto hear that and there are
people that actually go in tobelieve that.
(35:52):
Like you know, puerto Rico justgot offended.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
Of course Of the comment that they're garbage.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
No one else.
You know, and I do fault someHaitians a little bit, Forgive
me, because it's like I need youguys to speak up more, Because
as soon as they hit about PuertoRico, they were on TVs, they
was here, they was this, theywere going in Like no, I'm
offended.
And when he made the comment,about the.
Haitian community and what hesaid.
(36:20):
It was like it was a clip onthe news.
I didn't see anybody reallyrunning back.
Speaker 5 (36:25):
I'll tell you what I saw.
I saw something on YouTube, butit was.
It felt like it was like well,who's seen this?
Right?
People on YouTube, becauseYouTube is not mainstream media,
right?
In the same context, and I wassaying to myself how is it that
the news is not finding anentire Haitian enclave standing
(36:49):
on a street corner going toNewkirk, right?
Hi, I'm Jan Smith.
I'm on a corner of Newkirk andFlatbush, known as Little Haiti,
and that woman anybody couldhave stood there from channel 2,
3, 12, 4, 6, and just startedasking questions, right, and
they would have been flippingout.
But I don't think they wanted,because you can't really control
Haitians.
(37:09):
When they get upset ontelevision, they'll start
flipping.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
But there's Haitian in politics.
There's.
Speaker 5 (37:14):
Haitians.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
You're right.
There's Haitians that are inhigh positions.
They should have been able tocome out and speak for the group
at all.
That's just my take.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
I didn't see that either and I was kind of
wondering where is everybody?
Speaker 2 (37:27):
When you come for West Indians, you come for
Grenadians, trinidadians, bajans.
There's somebody that's higherthat's going to come out and say
no, this is not the way that itworks, this is not how it is.
This is not how it is.
This is not how it's done.
So I needed that to be done forthe Haitian community, because
that happened and it went unseen.
It was like oh okay, he madethis comment.
Speaker 5 (37:49):
They laughed about it , they joked about it.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
And then it still goes back to when we were
growing up.
As you know, children, when youknow, people made fun of
Haitian communities and stufflike that.
It was like, okay, I made acomment, Now you move on.
Why should they have to livewith that still?
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Yeah, there's a rebuttal.
I don't know, there's norebuttal.
Speaker 4 (38:07):
There's a blip.
After you said that, I feellike there was more of a
rebuttal.
What was that march on theBrooklyn Bridge march?
What happened with the Haitians?
We had no social media.
Speaker 5 (38:19):
What was, was it?
Speaker 4 (38:19):
the HBO or was it the AIDS?
It was AIDS.
And that was very, very big.
We took the streets, you'reright.
Why didn't we do that?
Speaker 5 (38:28):
But they were saying we were the cause of it.
Right, and something that's sounknown, that was nuts, that was
a big deal.
They were saying we wereactually the cause of it.
Speaker 4 (38:40):
Right, right, so we should have.
We should have the way he'ssaying it if your dog is missing
.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
They ate it.
Who said that?
Where did he get it from,though I?
Speaker 4 (38:55):
feel like who believes that.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
No, but where did Trump get it from?
Speaker 4 (39:01):
I had a conversation with somebody.
Speaker 5 (39:01):
He heard it.
I had a conversation withsomebody.
He said he heard it, he heardit.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
I had a conversation with this white gentleman,
caucasian guy.
He was telling me I would bringup certain things.
He's on like a social networktype of thing.
He was telling me I know you'revoting for Kamala, all this
stuff.
And I said I know you're votingfor Trump, so forth and so on,
and he started pointing out thebad things about her.
I started pointing out the badthings about Trump and I brought
(39:27):
up the Haitian situation.
He said what he said and thewhite guy he started bringing up
information of where Trump gotthat from.
It's not like he didn't get itstraight off his head.
That's one of the crap on himtoday.
But get it just straight offhis head, that's one of those
crap on him today.
He was trying to make a case.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
I was just shutting him down.
Speaker 1 (39:49):
He had a case but I was shutting him down, you know,
going at him.
But I feel Trump coming fromand, mind you, he's not getting
charged with slander, so he'scoming with some type of facts,
in a sense, maybe convincing ussomething.
He's getting it from somewhere.
He's getting it from somewhereand it's hard because he would
(40:11):
have been villainized.
Camilla would have attacked him, saying yo, that's false.
She didn't say nothing.
Speaker 2 (40:17):
She didn't say anything.
Speaker 1 (40:18):
She didn't say nothing, so he's getting it from
somewhere, her ex.
Speaker 4 (40:21):
I don't know if you know, but what's the House
Speaker name?
Hakeem?
No, the House Speaker, bidenSpeaker.
What's her name?
Speaker 2 (40:33):
The House Speaker.
Speaker 4 (40:36):
The one that speaks for Biden.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Oh, okay, yeah, she comes out and she gives
Correspondent.
Speaker 4 (40:41):
Yeah, she comes out and she gives Correspondent.
Yeah, she comes out and shegives.
She was actually Camilla'scampaign manager.
Speaker 5 (40:48):
Oh, she was Mm-hmm.
Are you talking about CamilleJampierre, right the press
secretary?
Yeah, the press secretary.
Speaker 4 (40:53):
She was Camilla.
You're right, she was Camilla'scampaign manager.
That's how she got that job.
So that's how she got that job.
Was she?
She was, she sure was.
Look it up.
That's facts.
She was a campaign manager.
Speaker 5 (41:05):
I thought it was the other one, I thought it was.
No, it was her it was inSanders, simone Sanders, it was
her.
Well, camille Jean-Pierrebecame Kamala Harris lost two
high-ranking blackcommunications women black women
in the time that they werethere, because they they shitted
on simone sanders as the firstblack press secretary.
(41:27):
They gave it to that chick, jenpisaki, the white chick she
stayed for a year and simonesanders was heated and she left.
there was another chick theyoverlooked and that chick left
and and k-Pierre was the lastblack woman on the campaign on
Biden's campaign team and KamalaHarris' campaign team and they
(41:48):
were like you, let this chick go, it's a wrap for you.
And they made her presssecretary.
Speaker 3 (41:52):
Yeah, she could have spoke up because they were
working together.
Speaker 4 (41:56):
You're right, she could have.
Speaker 5 (41:57):
Yeah, and Karina Jean-Pierre is probably the most
highest ranking black woman inthat administration.
Right right Period.
End of story.
Speaker 4 (42:04):
Honestly, I didn't hear her say anything either.
She didn't say anything.
Speaker 5 (42:08):
Yeah, I mean, I'm at work, so I'm like we don't watch
the news at my job.
We watch, like, financial stuff, and she should have been
person numero uno on that podiumspeaking about those stupid—.
Right, right, let's talk aboutsomething she could on that
podium speaking about thosestupid, what's the most much you
could say, because she's mutedshe's muted she has to contain
herself there's not much you cansay, except for lines that they
(42:31):
write for her or whatever.
Speaker 1 (42:34):
Don't you see how Trump stepped away from the
Puerto Rican, the comic who madethat joke about the people in
Puerto Rico?
He's de-distanced himself fromthat, but he still stands firm
on what he had said.
He distanced himself quick,like I don't know about this guy
over there, but you know.
But it's crazy, man, it's crazy.
But don't worry Me.
(42:54):
And that guy's argument, I won.
Don't worry, I won.
Speaker 5 (42:59):
We have two more days and we'll see what happens.
Yes, we have two more days andwe'll see what happens.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Yes, yes yes, my parting words.
Things is looking kind of shakyfor us with this election, but
people out there, you got tokeep hope alive.
The next people in charge mightnot make a change, but you know
what?
Let's build our children sothey could be the change.
Let's that's, you know.
(43:22):
Let's help our children,educate our children so that we
could count on them.
Hope that's it.
Keep hope alive.
Speaker 3 (43:30):
My key word is inclusiveness, especially for
all the islands in the Caribbean.
We just talk about how theHaitians were ostracized when we
was younger and now.
We're at a place now where weall could get together as one
and thank you for coming out.
Speaker 2 (43:48):
I think it's knowledge for me.
I want to thank the two guests.
Knowledge because you know whatI learned?
A lot.
This was a very knowledgeablesession and I came in here
knowing one thing, leaving outhere knowing about a hundred
things.
So thank you, guys both forsharing I hope that the audience
(44:11):
picked up on it as much as Idid.
You know, I learned a lot aboutHaitian communities, upbringing
society, and I thank you guysboth.
So I hope that our audienceenjoyed the show and gravitated
from some of the things that Igravitated from.
(44:33):
So I appreciate you guys.
Speaker 4 (44:35):
Tom will go next.
So, as well, I learned a lotlistening to email, and yourself
as well, sherriann.
So I definitely gravitated to alot listening to Emil, and
yourself as well, sherian.
So I definitely gravitate to alot of the things that you guys
were talking about, especiallyyou, emil.
Speaker 1 (44:49):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (44:50):
Growing up Haitian was tough but I actually was
kind of embarrassed that myparents were Haitian, but I
wouldn't have it any other way.
I love my parents more so.
My mom I like our uniquenessand my parents I had a child as
(45:17):
a teenager, but they stuckbehind me, so I thank them for
that.
I'm very, very thankful and I'm98.
No, not 98.
Maybe 90%.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
I go out.
Yay, it worked, it keep going,that's right.
One Tuesday, that line betternot be long, it's going to be
long.
Speaker 3 (45:40):
I'm going to listen to you.
Speaker 4 (45:43):
That's going to be long.
Well, if I would have thoughtabout it, did anybody vote early
?
So we all going to be out thereon Tuesday huh, Tuesday it is.
Speaker 5 (45:54):
Somebody's school facing.
I want to say thanks to Sterland Monty for inviting us out,
really appreciate that.
Never been on a podcast beforeand I can see why it's so
addictive to so many people.
I just want to say that, youknow, one's life experiences
(46:14):
should be like a guiding tool tohow they're going to manage
their lives.
Right, everyone's experience istheir own and it matters not
like where you come from or howyou're raised.
It's, it's how you effectivelymanage your life once you take
(46:37):
control of it.
Right, um, and whether you'rehaitian, panamanian, bayesian,
trinidadian, it's of noconsequence, right, because, as
cliche as it sounds, um, we'reall like, almost the.
We're all the same.
We all want the exact samething.
We just go about it differently, right?
(46:59):
So, um, but you know, you haveto take action if you want your
life to be what you hope for itto be, right.
So I have this one thing Ialways say.
I've been saying for yearsright, you know, don't act, do
right, don't promise, prove it.
(47:21):
Right, you have to beaction-oriented.
This is how your life becomeswhat you want it to be.
Period, end of story.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (47:30):
Nice, nice, nice nice .
Speaker 4 (47:31):
Great, great, great great.
Speaker 1 (47:33):
Your Opinion Doesn't Matter podcast and I would like
to thank our guests andhopefully, you know y'all, could
you know be frequent flyers,shirley.
You know y'all.
Could you know be frequentflyers, shirley.
You know the door's always openfor you, emile.
Same for you.
Thank you, sir.
So until next time, this is theyour Opinion Doesn't Matter
podcast and we are out.
Peace, peace, peace.
Welcome.
Welcome to the your OpinionDoesn't Matter podcast.
I am one of the hosts, MrLamont, and I'm here with no
strangers to the podcast.
Here To my left, Sherry Berry,how are you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:15):
It's all well.
Thank you, hi guys.
How are you?
Hello, hello, hello.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Hi, nice, nice, nice, and her left none other.
I think we're going by BlackJesus today, aren't we?
Yes, yes, yes, nice, and herleft None other.
I think we're going by BlackJesus today, are we?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Mr Sterling, how are you doing, bro?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
I'm great, I can't complain.
I'm happy to be here and readyto rock.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Right, right, right, right.
And hey, we got somebody who'shere who inspired me to start,
you know, recording live.
She said Ma, get out of thatZoom meeting crap.
She said when are you going torecord in person?
None other than Shirley.
How are you doing?
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Hey, I'm well.
How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Everything's good On my right.
This gentleman, I knew himsince, who knows, since
everybody was wearing AJs andBenetai and Run DMC and all that
good stuff.
Man, good friend of mine, emil,how are you doing?
I'm doing good man.
(01:16):
I'm doing good man, how youdoing.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
I'm doing good.
I'm doing good.
Thanks for the invitation.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Yes yes, yes, anytime , man, I was trying to get you
on a long time ago.
He's going to be a guest again.
He's going to tell us aboutfinance.
I heard a little snippet of itTalking about, you know, gold
and espionage and all that othergood stuff.
Right, right, right, right,okay.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Our aim today for our viewers is for us to take a
trip through the Caribbean andhighlight certain islands so you
could get a better view of whatit's like, you know, growing up
from their perspective.
So today we're going to startwith the lovely island of Haiti,
which is shared with theDominican Republic, and we're
going to get the views andinsights so us, our audience,
could get a better view of whatlife is really like, especially
(01:56):
leading up to now, from theearly late 70s, early 80s.
So I'm going to start withasking my guests, which is Cher
and Emil, which are both fromHaiti I want you to give the
viewers an idea of what it waslike growing up in the late 70s,
early 80s.
What was the household like?
Speaker 4 (02:15):
Well, I was born here .
Okay, yeah, I was born in NewYork, but I did grow up in a
Haitian household.
Both my parents are Haitian, mymom's Haitian.
My dad is Haitian householdBoth my parents are Haitian, my
mom's Haitian.
My dad is Haitian.
Growing up Haitian was well, itwasn't a problem until you got
to school.
Yes, right, so there's the.
So I'm talking early 80s, soyou have the language barrier.
(02:40):
Yes, then at the time, it was awhole lot was going on in my
time.
It was the coming off the boatthen, um, then the slangs like
hbo stands for haitian body odor.
Yes, yes yes, then it was theaids we bought it in here.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
I was gonna going to get into that, yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
Then, or for me more so.
For me then it was kind of likea look, because Haitian parents
tend to with the girls with thetwo ribbons on the side of the
hair, and I had no hair.
So if you had like two ribbonson both sides but this much hair
coming out, it was kind of likewow, you try to disassociate
yourself.
(03:24):
So you would say, but I wouldsay I was from.
I was first, I would say I wasfrom canada.
Then canada was like no, youcan't, but how?
And then you always had thatone nagging friend no, you're
not from canada.
They knew you were haitian, youknow what I'm saying.
But then it was like all right,I'm from france, but france.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
They spoke french and I didn't French.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
So it was rough with the kids because kids tease and
it wasn't more so the Caribbeankids.
It was mostly the Americanchildren because Caribbeans have
more a little bit of empathy,because some of them were like
what they call just comes.
They came from the Caribbean sothey took a little adjusting
too, but they didn't have thelanguage barrier some had, but I
(04:04):
didn't have a language barrierbecause I was born here, so it
was more so harder for the kidsthat did have the language
barrier.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
So that was Emil, how do you feel?
Speaker 5 (04:14):
So my perspective is completely different, okay,
interesting.
So I grew, so my family and I wegrew up in I was raised in
Crown Heights, okay.
Then my mom and my aunt boughta house in Flatbush, Okay, right
there on East 35th and offSnyder Avenue, right, and that
(04:39):
block had just like one or twoor three little houses in it and
nothing but buildings on thatblock, right, and it's nothing
but american kids.
Okay, and there was one haitianfamily amongst the like the 15,
20 boys on the block.
There was a lot of rambunctiousyoung kids on the block, but
(04:59):
they were all american kids andit was this one haitian family
and to this day, he's like oneof my best friends.
So when we moved there, like,like you said, there was all of
that contention, right, haitianbody odor, the jokes, right, and
(05:19):
kids were you know.
Kids were like you know,especially boys.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Boys are just, we're, just, we're just vicious, right
, ruthless yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:27):
And you know the snapping and the ranking.
And if you didn't have it, ifyou didn't know how to snap and,
just you know, take them downwith it.
It was over for you, right.
So when they found out that wewere Haitian, right, it was this
like oh shit, you're Haitian,oh my God, oh shit, you know.
Like.
And the jokes started comingand we were like oh so when we
(05:47):
found out, yeah, and we were all, basically we're just exactly
the same as them.
So they were like god, he shit.
Yeah, for real, like we never.
You know, like what is going onand I never really understood
it, right until you hear all ofthe jokes and I'm like yeah,
we're not like that yes, right,right and, but you know, for
some odd reason we were seendifferent than the other haitian
(06:12):
family that's lived in thebuilding.
They like juxtaposed us to them.
Why, right, um, the father ofmy, my buddy, he was like a
tyrant, like super protective ofhis kids.
Right, it was.
There's one sister and two boysand the mom straight up nuclear
family.
Okay, right, just no dog and um, but they dressed.
(06:36):
They dressed them as if theywere like they just got there
yesterday.
You know, like they just come,like I mean, dress them just
like that right.
It was just weird for my mom andI my mom dressed myself and my
brother and my cousin like, likeslightly americanized.
That's why they didn't sort ofkind of like extract like the
(06:59):
difference you don't haveaccents, none of that.
But and I felt bad because I'mlike, why are they making jokes
about them like that, right, Ididn't like it and I.
But they were haitian too, butthey were also making up, like
other nationalities, that theyweren't yes and it bothered me,
even when I was like I was like12 or 13 and it bothered me and,
(07:22):
um, from there I kind of likewere upset with them because
they were like yo, we said wehaitian, and we managed it, but
y'all lying right.
And then, you know, as timewent on, I got because I saw the
dress code differences and Iunderstood okay, it was like
almost like a kinship,understanding like, oh, I know
(07:43):
why they're on, y'all like that,okay, okay.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
You know.
So yeah, but you're kind oflike, on point, different
vehicles, the two of you.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
Yeah, it was just weird, like my mom, you know,
she was like she kind of likethis.
It was like she Americanized us.
We were American kids, right,we were the first generation
Generation, so they assimilatedus faster into that, the
Catholic school, the whole.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
You know we love that Catholic school Great point the
Christian Haitians and theCatholic Haitians totally
different To be Christian in theCaribbean community.
We're talking no pants, youlook blah.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
I mean you mean you wear skirts to go to school,
wear skirts, long skirts, longskirts below your knees.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
You look yeah kind of like what's those people in the
um, amish, amish, oh wow, yeah,that look.
But the catholications, theywere a little more, they wore
they wore jewelry.
We couldn't wear jewelry.
I didn't have my ears pierced,I was 16, so so you just had the
look.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I understand so it was a difference.
Yeah, definitely.
So it seemed like back then,haitians were scapegoated.
Where do you feel thedisconnection came from?
Was it something more like thelanguage barrier that made
people feel disconnected?
Speaker 4 (09:01):
See, I don't know if it was a thing like in the 60s.
Well, you know what.
There it was, because my momsaid when she first came, so my
mom was came and she didn'tspeak any english so she got a
lot of the insults.
Going to high school here shewent to john j high school
herself.
I really don't, I really it'sjust.
(09:22):
I don.
I really don't know.
I should have done my research.
What do you think, Emil?
Speaker 5 (09:27):
I think it was the migration.
The migration it was a largeWest Indian.
Every decade there's a seriesof migration of a certain ethnic
group that comes to New YorkCity specifically, right, and
when we moved to Flatbush, whichis huge caribbean enclave, you
can assimilate and not known andnot be known.
(09:48):
If you're panamanian, you don'tknow.
If they were pan, uh, um uh,trinidadian, bayesian, you
really can't tell.
And because new york city issuch a massive melting pot, my
parents came, my mother becausethey came from the.
They were here from the 60s.
My mom and dad came from like1960, something 61, 62, so they
(10:10):
were already here like by themid-60s, working right.
But the thing is, a largeinflux of west indians came into
the country between the late70s and the 80s and they were
told listen, if you want youknow, if you have family that
tells you how to get here, whatto do to assimilate, how to get
your card, go to flatbush, right.
(10:31):
Hispanics will go to harlem,like up, like a, like spanish
harlem, right, you have um.
Asians will go to chinatown,like.
Each ethnic group will havetheir enclave and they'll build
inside of it which, as far asFlatbush is concerned, it's a
massive melting pot of likealmost 30 different Caribbean
(10:52):
countries people, but I thinkthe migration of west indians,
with just two flatbush, inparticular um was, and obviously
haitians, like you have newkirk avenue, which is known as
little haiti of course, like yousee it on the train right, yeah
, it's called little haiti sothere's your answer.
So the migration and influx of acertain ethnic groups into a
(11:15):
certain pocket of that borough,migration and influx of a
certain ethnic groups into acertain pocket of that borough
is is the reasoning why you havethe kind of you know kind of
influx of nonsense that you have.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Yeah, well, I want to let you know Haitians was the
only, wasn't the only one thatwent through that.
There was also people from.
I was born in Trinidad, but myfamily's from Grenada, and at
the time Grenadians, was alsohiding in a plain sight too.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
You think we were hiding?
Speaker 3 (11:43):
From my perspective, I think they were hiding in a
plain sight, because I went toschool for a bunch of Grenadians
and I had no idea there wasGrenada until later on in life.
Okay, I think, because at thattime nobody really.
There was a few famous islands.
Number one was jamaica.
Trinidad, I feel, was given apass in guyana and everything
(12:03):
else to me was correct me if I'mwrong was like really odd to
people like like barbados, stvincent, grenada anguilla, yeah,
so I remember, I remembertalking about grenada in school
and it would come up and peoplebe like what's that?
and I think that that that'swhat caused people people to
take a step back and they woulddo the same thing.
I had Grenada, somebody thatwas from Trinidad.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
So where were you from for a little bit?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Oh well, I was born in Trinidad, so I thought I was
Trinidadian all the way, andlater on in life I realized that
my ancestors is from Grenada.
No, but where did you tell?
Speaker 4 (12:39):
your um oh no no, no, I was.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
I was a proud trinidadian.
Oh yeah, it was a proudtrinidadian because to me,
trinidadian jamaica, they got ashield.
It was good.
Or you trinidadian, you jamaica, you guy in these, or y'all
good, okay yeah what was yourexperience?
Speaker 4 (12:50):
I was good you was good.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
I came here young, so I came here at six, okay, so I
went through, you know,elementary, the whole bit.
So I didn't have I had onefight, and that was just at the
time.
You know, now you're lookingback, I'm in my 40s now, so you
look back and you're like, okay,well, yeah, that was also.
But back then it was like a bigdeal and I remember they made
(13:13):
fun of me because I had a, youknow, I had an accent okay so
that was you know the accentthing got it and you know they
were teasing and teasing and mytemperament got to me and I
actually hurt the person reallybad.
I got suspended but um, it wasjust more of a defense mechanism
.
It was just like you don't knowme, you don't know anything
(13:35):
about me.
You know what I mean.
So it was just like you don'tknow me, you don't know anything
about me, you know what I mean.
So it was like you know, makingfun because you know, instead of
saying where you were sayinglike you know, but you know, in
my household that's normal,that's how we speak, so it's
like what's your problem?
You know what I mean.
I think with West Indian on awhole, wherever you're from
(13:57):
Spanish West Indian, whereveryou're just always fighting to
just be who you are, and youalways have to.
I was always a proud Grenadian.
It is what it is.
This is where I'm from.
What they always used to say isthat we're from Granada,
granada.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Granada, Grenada.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
And I'm like no, it's Grenada, and they're're like no
grenada.
But you know, knowledge ispower so once you start to
educate, or you let them know,then it's there.
So look at us now right youknow grenada's all over right
right, you know, I think now,like when we was growing up,
still you know you're going toeastern parkway and stuff like
that, and this was Labor Daytime, time to throw your flags
(14:39):
up and things like that as theyears go by, if you guys notice
the flags has come more 82?
Speaker 5 (14:46):
More.
This is where I'm from.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
It wasn't like that when.
I was a teenager, everybodywanted to be Jamaican.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Yes, everybody.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Right.
Even Americans wanted to be.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Jamaican.
Yes, everybody dressed likethat cloths, shirts.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
I know there was an ever wear like it was a linen
suit.
Jamaican you're not, clearly,you're not Jamaican, like you
know from Kingston, so then thatwas a thing too everybody was
Jamaican, and everybody's fromKingston Right right.
So then that was a thing tooEverybody was Jamaican.
And then it was the wholeTravel Fox thing.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
It was just an era and Clucks and Clucks.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
They were a more popular island at the time I
think everybody just wanted tobe in that.
You had the fun and you hadthis and everybody wanted to
listen to reggae music, so youcouldn't listen to soca, because
that was like what?
Yes, yes, that was a big thing,that was like a big thing you
could go to a party and listento soca music, because it was
(15:52):
like now.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
You know they listen to what krom krom so now it's
like you know you can go andthey listen to what Kumpa Kumpa.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Kumpa.
So now it's like you know youcan go and you can listen to
everything, right?
I think everybody now is makinglike this is where I'm from,
this is my culture, this is whatit is and it's more accepted
which is a great thing, right,right?
Speaker 5 (16:09):
But you really had to fight through that I think it's
also youthful ignorance, right.
In the 1970s and 80s kidscouldn't tell you where Texas
was on the map.
You think they know exactlywhere the Caribbean islands are
located.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
Right right.
Half these people are marriedto Caribbean people now.
Speaker 5 (16:30):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
And have a.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
Haitian best friend in the background.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Yeah, but why were the kids so brutal?
Kids are brutal man.
They was real brutal man.
It was different, it was crazyseeing how the young Haitian
kids was getting treated.
It was terrible, it washorrible.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
It changed for me.
For some reason, it changed forme when I got to junior high
school.
I don't know why, but that'sthe time.
So we talking 86, 87.
It was so much like my parentsare Asian.
You know what I?
Speaker 2 (17:02):
mean, it's a proud thing, I'm a corporate.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
I make fun.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Right, you make fun too, me too.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
I'm a corporate.
So I can speak on that, but itwas just like you know it was
like what are they saying?
Speaker 2 (17:18):
or when you got in a car, you know, when you know
they had a smell, you know.
Or the body odor wasn't like oh, they definitely they hate shit
, right, you know, I did itgrowing up and it's like you
know, now that you're olderyou're like damn you, really you
did that but it was like athing we went.
I went to james madison.
I grew up on Flatbush, you knowyou come in off of Flatbush and
(17:42):
I had my neighbor yeah, I stillremember him.
They were Haitian, their familywas very nice and stuff like
that, but we still made fun.
We still made fun of them.
They came out and this didn'tmatch, or the outfit didn't
match, or something.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
I out and this didn't match or the outfit didn't
match or something it's likelook at.
Jeff, oh my god, it's groupthink right, you know how Jeff
look now.
Jeff is great, okay always agreat.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
They were always a great family.
Um, jeff Tasha, the mother,like everybody, was still great,
but as kids, right, I justremember we teased them, we did
tease them them.
We did make fun of them.
We liked hanging out with thembut it still came with the why
you got that on.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Oh my God, or why is this going this way?
Speaker 2 (18:24):
You know there was a time when us, as women, we did
you know, door knockers.
You know I always had big doorknockers and Jordans and stuff
like that and they didn't havethat in the same, you know, in
the same ways, you know theywent to bobby's, you know, um,
you know.
You know it's so funny.
(18:45):
Now you can laugh about itbecause this thing.
But back then, you know, justthinking how they went through
because they had to try harderto prove who they were.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Oh, we should be amongst did, for whatever reason
, amongst your friends, you know, right Now that we're older, we
all laugh and we joke and stufflike that.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
But I was a culprit, I did it, I made fun, I teased,
you know.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
And it wasn't like because I was a mean person, I
think.
I just went along witheverything.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
Yeah, you went along as most kids do it.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
That's the thing about.
Speaker 5 (19:15):
How about you Sterling I?
Speaker 3 (19:16):
tease.
I tease as a defense mechanism,because I would catch friendly
fire, being that my last namewas Baptiste.
So I could always recall on thefirst day of school, when
you're getting acclimated in theclass and the teacher asks you
and so on and so on, the teacherwould always go Baptiste, are
you Haitian?
And I'd be like hell to startlaughing.
You know what I'm saying.
So I felt then I let them knowI wasn't Haitian and then I
(19:37):
would tease the Haitian just toprove that you wasn't.
But I love Haitians, I'm veryclose.
I got a lot of Haitian friends.
One of my closest family isfrom Haiti and they are great
people.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
Yeah, Jean-Pierre, oh , that's official.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
That's beyond Jean-Pierre we.
It's funny how we just we canall segregate ourselves amongst
ourselves Like we're all black,we're all Palestinian, we're all
in that, but we still fight ina battle.
It's kind of sad, but you knowit is.
Speaker 5 (20:17):
I remember the defining time of my life was
high school.
Um, it wasn't the block anymore, because my, I was already
acclimated the guys are veryacclimated to us and stuff like
that.
So our haitianness was like anon-starter on the block,
because once you defend yourselfin a way that they understood,
right, especially as young boys,you're ranking on them and you
yeah, it's a.
(20:37):
You know, we played a lot ofsports and I was active, like
all that stuff didn't matter.
I looked back and I always feltlike it was always the parents,
right, that probably, um, likelike intimated stuff to the kids
, right, because that's how, youknow, we grew up on a block was
nothing but american kids likeI'm talking about, like
overwhelming american.
(20:58):
It was just me and other familythat were haitian kids, uh, and
maybe one jamaican family, andnobody gave them no guff right
of course um of course rightand when hit high school, I went
to lachlan, lachlan was justevery kind of kid imaginable,
right, except for white.
You're hispanic, you had his,you had american, you had west
(21:20):
indian.
And when they would read ournames, like when schools start,
right, like you know orientation, and my name is short, but it's
hard to say, is that french?
And I was like, yeah, it issaid, okay, I thought so, and
they would just go on, but thekids, they didn't know what
French meant, right?
So it was almost like I escapedsomething like in my head
(21:44):
because high school is adifferent kind of viciousness
than junior high school, right,because that's endless four
years.
That's an endless four yearsand you can get ostracized
really fast in high school.
And none of that.
When I say four years ofnothingness ever occurred like
it was in haitian stuff.
It was none of that becausethere's tons of haitian kids in
(22:05):
my high school.
Why?
Because it was a catholic highschool.
Yeah, haitians and catholicism,it go hand in hand nazareth
nazareth.
Yes, yes, yes, lachlan bishopford just loaded with haitian
kids or west indian kids, um,but haitians, they are like
devout catholics most of them,if not 90 of them, and they'll
(22:25):
say their kids, they'll breaktheir backs that's what I was in
their pocketbooks to send youto a catholic school because
it's part of the trials andtribulations of you.
You know the way that theyraised so I can honestly say
that in high school that wasprobably a non-starter for me.
It was just before that you hadto almost defend yourself at 12
(22:49):
against the ignorance of yourstupid little friends, and that
lasted all of two weeks for us,you know, but it felt like
forever Right.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
You know.
But when did they know thatthat's a bad thing?
Where did the kids get thatfrom?
How did they know?
How did they feel that?
What did the parents say?
Speaker 4 (23:09):
It could be the families, because kids don't
know.
Because people talk at home.
Like you said, you grew uparound Americans, right, and the
Haitian household is like themAmericans of course you know
what I mean.
So so I'm sure it came fromhome part of it and then, like
the peers, I think it's thecombination.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
So that's just like how racism basically is, like in
some homes like you know,passed down to their kids.
How do they know about?
Why do I?
They love you.
They kids play it when theyfour or five, but then how do
they know it's time?
Let me just you know, let mestay away, you know, I mean the
parents is talking, gotta be theparents.
Speaker 5 (23:46):
Media didn't help either.
I mean, like that was like theheight of the 80s aids was oh,
the aids that was.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
That was.
That was like a bomb.
Yeah, they didn't know where itwas coming from.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
They had to find a scapegoat, and it came either
from Africa.
It either came from gays or itcame from Haitians, and I think
that's when it became untenable,because it was nonstop.
You couldn't control it, therewas no social media, so the word
of mouth was just vicious.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
Just the word of mouth was crazy.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
Until they found out how and when, and it took years
for that not to be associatedwith Haitians or Africans or
whatever, and you know and Ithink more um celebrities coming
out, kind of broke it for ustoo yeah that that helped.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
But and then you, you , and then then it got switched
around.
Like you're Haitian, I wouldnever know.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
And that part different like what does that?
Speaker 4 (24:37):
mean?
What does that?
Speaker 2 (24:42):
really mean they have a look.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
They have a look.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Right, right, what's the look?
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Two socks and white shoes with high waters.
Speaker 4 (24:53):
That was the look.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Right, it was the look.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Plaid and all Non-matching high waters.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
That was the look.
Right, it was the look.
It was the look like um plaidand um yeah, non-matching,
non-matching yeah just comingout
Speaker 4 (25:05):
just wayward like I want Lisa to come out the house,
like ma like really, and comepick me up with roses in her
hair.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
It was so bad oh, that was, that was old with
Cindy's too.
I hit it with my mom.
Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
I would walk like 10 steps ahead of her or whatever
the case may be Well we can justtalk a little bit.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
I would love a little bit more insight, but from what
I know, from the household, mybrother-in-law and just other
Haitian families that I know andfriends, you know.
I applaud the way that theygrew together.
From what I know, I know, soexcuse me if it's anything that
I say is not, you know, factual,but from what I've seen,
(25:44):
they'll they'll stay in a house.
It'll be like 10 of them in ahouse and they're all living in
this two bedroom or threebedroom but then a year later
they got like four houses, right, you know, and they all come
together to help each other.
So I really applaud that.
Looking at that I've seen itgrowing up, I've seen it as an
(26:04):
adult of just how they just cometogether and they always want
better for their kids, sothey'll stay.
You know where me?
I'm sitting there like I'm notgoing to know what I'm going to
do Too many.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
NGs Too many NGs, I'm not doing that.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I'm going to pay whatever it is, because I need
my space, and they're like youknow what, they're willing to
suck it up, right, and they'rewilling to do that and it's not
really like I shouldn't say likea Haitian thing, but that's
what I've seen.
Speaker 5 (26:31):
Okay, off of what I see, I could honestly say that
there is some truth to that, butI don't know if that's a
uniquely Haitian aspect, right,because most people who come
from other countries will dostuff like that, like
Venezuelans and Mexicans,they'll do that Spanish but not
(26:54):
black people.
Not black people in particular,but West Indians.
Haitians do have the propensityto do stuff like that because
they're very, very big onbringing over, like the bring
over process.
Right, like my mom.
My mom I don't know if thishappened in your households, but
my mom was brought over by afriend.
(27:16):
Okay, right, right In the 60s.
My mom's work started workingin 1960.
I was going to 68.
1965, 66.
Working on an Eastern Parkway.
Remember that big, hugebuilding that used to be right
there on Eastern Parkway.
(27:37):
It looked like a.
It was like a.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Utica no no.
Speaker 5 (27:41):
Eastern Parkway and Park Slope, so it was right
there.
Granamee Plaza this is back inthe 80s 90s.
It was a big, huge, it was ahospital.
They turn into condos now.
Right, it's directly across thestreet from the Brooklyn Public
Library.
It used to be right there.
It was a massive building andit was actually a hospital for
(28:02):
the elderly and my mom.
It was called Madonna Residenceand it was maybe like three,
four, 500 nurses in there,caretakers, whatever.
My mom worked there from 1966to 1999, where they were sold to
a condo developer.
But I say all this to say thatmy mom was bought over by a
(28:25):
friend.
Then my mom bought over threeor four friends, right, got them
set up with green cars, thewhole nine yards, et cetera, et
cetera, et cetera.
And they all were working inthat place until the later 90s,
from the 1960s until the 1999,until that place was shut down.
My mom has bought over and Ikid you not, probably about 15,
20 family members who arebeholden to her for
(28:49):
Americanizing that.
They're in Canada, they'reworking as nurses, chief of
staff here, working in like myentire family.
My mother's the matriarch of ourfamily and she has literally.
She will be enshrined when it'sall over because she bought
people over in the way that mostpeople will, will freak out now
(29:10):
like, oh, if you don't, youknow, come over on a boat.
That's not the way to do it.
I can on a raft and shit rightversus on a plane.
Stay at my house for six months, I get you a green card, um,
and then you could, and I willfind you a place to live and
usher you out into the, into the, into the world yes I I could
give you names on top of names.
My mother's done that for that.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
That's how it worked in my family yeah, yeah, I
always noticed a unificationwith asian people when I was
growing up also.
They always seem to sticktogether big time, support and
support each.
They was one of the few Bigtime, I kid you not, and that is
something I really admirecoming up.
Speaker 5 (29:46):
Yeah, dollar cab service.
You see the dollar cab serviceup and down Church Avenue.
You know, 90% of those Haitiandudes don't have a voters card.
They probably came over in the70s and 80s and they stayed here
and chilled and they've beenrunning those dollar cabs up and
down Church Avenue for two andthree decades.
I got only one on Friday.
See what I'm talking about.
And that's their entrepreneurialspirit.
(30:09):
Working on the like halfillegal tip, more or less.
But now it's an institution.
You can't even get rid of it.
I didn't even think about thatmy grandmother too.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
She came in 64.
She worked, she came in 64.
She worked.
She sent for my mom first68,000.
Speaker 5 (30:25):
See what I'm talking about.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
They sent for yeah, she sent for her sister this is
my aunt and then she sent for afew people, then she lived in
her apartment in Hawthorne soshe had, like it was.
You know, those apartments werebig so you made like the like
the living room and bedroom.
Speaker 5 (30:43):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
So like four family members, yeah, and then they all
branched out.
Speaker 5 (30:49):
And that's how it worked, right?
It was like a microcosm of theentire Haitian country.
We had like one little area andthen you set them off on their
own Right and they all worked athospitals.
Haitians love them fromhospitals.
Right, you're right, becauseit's stable.
It's stable.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
Yeah, nurses, all of that, they got smart.
They're like the same work forone of these institutions.
That's it yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
And with the upcoming of the Haitian whole.
As a people, how does it feelnow to hear misconceptions of
silly people, politicians donaldtrump, you know spreading
propaganda about the haitianseating dogs and cats.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
I mean that um, that didn't bother me because I felt
like as growing up in a haitianhousehold, that kind of like
fortified me I can't get hurt.
What I am concerned about isthese young kids with families?
I mean in schools being teased,because I know what that feels
(31:53):
like.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Being in politics and hearing that, I mean I
understand.
You know, like you've beenthrough it.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
I understand, you know, like you've been through
it, but just knowing that thisis somebody that is running to
you know, running to take careof us, To be the president of
everybody, yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
When I say take care of us, like now, we look into
him.
Right, you know there arepeople that worship this man,
that likes this man a lot, andto hear him say that it's like
wow, and then not for nothing.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
there are some that feel like that will vote for him
, that are from there and justto hear that it's like well,
you're not offended, I wasoffended for you yes, I was very
offended the fact that this manis sitting here saying that.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
How could you sit and say someone's going to you know
they ate all the dolls and catsLike who says that?
Speaker 5 (32:48):
Who says that People know it's not true.
Speaker 4 (32:50):
And I feel that too, people know it's not true.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
You really think so?
I don't think so.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
I think it's nice too , I don't think.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
People all over the country don't believe that.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
There was a lot of people I work in the hospital
and there was a lot of peoplewho was like.
You know what he said, like oh,really, you know that's how
they get there.
There are some people who dolisten to these.
Listen to him speak, not justhim.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
I'm just saying him because he's saying Right, right
, right and they do give like,oh, really, like, this is what.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
So you know, it did get to some people and there's
some people that believe thatyou know it's funny.
Speaker 4 (33:24):
You said that because I feel like you.
I feel like nobody reallybelieves that, but you're right,
some people do believe that,midwestern small towns.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
You're right, some down states Did it bother you
Because it didn't bother?
Speaker 5 (33:37):
me, it just bothered me.
I laughed so hard.
I laughed so hard because itwas so.
It was so out of bounds, almostlike I have to say something to
stay relevant, right, like Ihave to say, because you know
he's egomaniacal, right, so Ihave to say something that is so
(33:57):
out of bounds that I know thenews will cover, that will keep
me in in the space.
But it was so egregiously, like, you know, irresponsible.
And then I expected that fromhim.
But for Vance to hold on to it,I'm like, okay, now this is a
little different.
Yeah, right, so I'm trying tofigure out.
All right, the Republican, hisRepublican base, they're so in
(34:25):
love with him, but some of themare so intelligent enough to not
say, look, he's crazy.
But I like what he says about,because they hold on to that
just one little thing they maylike about him, because he's so,
you know, he's so anti-da-da-da.
I love that about him.
So, whatever else he says, youknow it's a misnomer to me and
I'm saying to myself why are youmaking yourself like him so
much that even the mostegregious, non-irrelevant stuff
(34:46):
that you will accept it willlook past it?
Right, this is what I thinkthat they're doing Right Because
you could love someone.
You know it's like you hate yourhusband because he cheated on
you, but he's your husband andhe has great qualities, right.
But you know, what he just didjust now was so horrible, but
you extracted that one thingthat you like about him and
you'll just stay with that andeverything else.
(35:07):
You just allow him to saythat's what's happening, because
the desperation is so clear.
But that was so crazy.
I laughed because I knew nobodybelieves this.
It's not about the eating, thedogs and the cats.
It's saying something to stayso relevant that I have to say
that I don't know, because itdoesn't make any sense.
There's no stats that they'remissing dogs and cats in
(35:28):
anybody's streets.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
The fact that he said it and the fact that he made
shit is what blew my mind.
You could have said anything totry to stay relevant.
Why did you have to go there?
Yeah, it's like you find groups, it's like when we were growing
up, you hear stuff.
There are people who are goingto hear that and there are
people that actually go in tobelieve that.
(35:52):
Like you know, puerto Rico justgot offended.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
Of course Of the comment that they're garbage.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
No one else.
You know, and I do fault someHaitians a little bit, Forgive
me, because it's like I need youguys to speak up more, Because
as soon as they hit about PuertoRico, they were on TVs, they
was here, they was this, theywere going in Like no, I'm
offended.
And when he made the comment,about the.
Haitian community and what hesaid.
(36:20):
It was like it was a clip onthe news.
I didn't see anybody reallyrunning back.
Speaker 5 (36:25):
I'll tell you what I saw.
I saw something on YouTube, butit was.
It felt like it was like well,who's seen this?
Right?
People on YouTube, becauseYouTube is not mainstream media,
right?
In the same context, and I wassaying to myself how is it that
the news is not finding anentire Haitian enclave standing
(36:49):
on a street corner going toNewkirk, right?
Hi, I'm Jan Smith.
I'm on a corner of Newkirk andFlatbush, known as Little Haiti,
and that woman anybody couldhave stood there from channel 2,
3, 12, 4, 6, and just startedasking questions, right, and
they would have been flippingout.
But I don't think they wanted,because you can't really control
Haitians.
(37:09):
When they get upset ontelevision, they'll start
flipping.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
But there's Haitian in politics.
There's.
Speaker 5 (37:14):
Haitians.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
You're right.
There's Haitians that are inhigh positions.
They should have been able tocome out and speak for the group
at all.
That's just my take.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
I didn't see that either and I was kind of
wondering where is everybody?
Speaker 2 (37:27):
When you come for West Indians, you come for
Grenadians, trinidadians, bajans.
There's somebody that's higherthat's going to come out and say
no, this is not the way that itworks, this is not how it is.
This is not how it is.
This is not how it's done.
So I needed that to be done forthe Haitian community, because
that happened and it went unseen.
It was like oh okay, he madethis comment.
Speaker 5 (37:49):
They laughed about it , they joked about it.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
And then it still goes back to when we were
growing up.
As you know, children, when youknow, people made fun of
Haitian communities and stufflike that.
It was like, okay, I made acomment, Now you move on.
Why should they have to livewith that still?
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Yeah, there's a rebuttal.
I don't know, there's norebuttal.
Speaker 4 (38:07):
There's a blip.
After you said that, I feellike there was more of a
rebuttal.
What was that march on theBrooklyn Bridge march?
What happened with the Haitians?
We had no social media.
Speaker 5 (38:19):
What was, was it?
Speaker 4 (38:19):
the HBO or was it the AIDS?
It was AIDS.
And that was very, very big.
We took the streets, you'reright.
Why didn't we do that?
Speaker 5 (38:28):
But they were saying we were the cause of it.
Right, and something that's sounknown, that was nuts, that was
a big deal.
They were saying we wereactually the cause of it.
Speaker 4 (38:40):
Right, right, so we should have.
We should have the way he'ssaying it if your dog is missing
.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
They ate it.
Who said that?
Where did he get it from,though I?
Speaker 4 (38:55):
feel like who believes that.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
No, but where did Trump get it from?
Speaker 4 (39:01):
I had a conversation with somebody.
Speaker 5 (39:01):
He heard it.
I had a conversation withsomebody.
He said he heard it, he heardit.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
I had a conversation with this white gentleman,
caucasian guy.
He was telling me I would bringup certain things.
He's on like a social networktype of thing.
He was telling me I know you'revoting for Kamala, all this
stuff.
And I said I know you're votingfor Trump, so forth and so on,
and he started pointing out thebad things about her.
I started pointing out the badthings about Trump and I brought
(39:27):
up the Haitian situation.
He said what he said and thewhite guy he started bringing up
information of where Trump gotthat from.
It's not like he didn't get itstraight off his head.
That's one of the crap on himtoday.
But get it just straight offhis head, that's one of those
crap on him today.
He was trying to make a case.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
I was just shutting him down.
Speaker 1 (39:49):
He had a case but I was shutting him down, you know,
going at him.
But I feel Trump coming fromand, mind you, he's not getting
charged with slander, so he'scoming with some type of facts,
in a sense, maybe convincing ussomething.
He's getting it from somewhere.
He's getting it from somewhereand it's hard because he would
(40:11):
have been villainized.
Camilla would have attacked him, saying yo, that's false.
She didn't say nothing.
Speaker 2 (40:17):
She didn't say anything.
Speaker 1 (40:18):
She didn't say nothing, so he's getting it from
somewhere, her ex.
Speaker 4 (40:21):
I don't know if you know, but what's the House
Speaker name?
Hakeem?
No, the House Speaker, bidenSpeaker.
What's her name?
Speaker 2 (40:33):
The House Speaker.
Speaker 4 (40:36):
The one that speaks for Biden.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Oh, okay, yeah, she comes out and she gives
Correspondent.
Speaker 4 (40:41):
Yeah, she comes out and she gives Correspondent.
Yeah, she comes out and shegives.
She was actually Camilla'scampaign manager.
Speaker 5 (40:48):
Oh, she was Mm-hmm.
Are you talking about CamilleJampierre, right the press
secretary?
Yeah, the press secretary.
Speaker 4 (40:53):
She was Camilla.
You're right, she was Camilla'scampaign manager.
That's how she got that job.
So that's how she got that job.
Was she?
She was, she sure was.
Look it up.
That's facts.
She was a campaign manager.
Speaker 5 (41:05):
I thought it was the other one, I thought it was.
No, it was her it was inSanders, simone Sanders, it was
her.
Well, camille Jean-Pierrebecame Kamala Harris lost two
high-ranking blackcommunications women black women
in the time that they werethere, because they they shitted
on simone sanders as the firstblack press secretary.
(41:27):
They gave it to that chick, jenpisaki, the white chick she
stayed for a year and simonesanders was heated and she left.
there was another chick theyoverlooked and that chick left
and and k-Pierre was the lastblack woman on the campaign on
Biden's campaign team and KamalaHarris' campaign team and they
(41:48):
were like you, let this chick go, it's a wrap for you.
And they made her presssecretary.
Speaker 3 (41:52):
Yeah, she could have spoke up because they were
working together.
Speaker 4 (41:56):
You're right, she could have.
Speaker 5 (41:57):
Yeah, and Karina Jean-Pierre is probably the most
highest ranking black woman inthat administration.
Right right Period.
End of story.
Speaker 4 (42:04):
Honestly, I didn't hear her say anything either.
She didn't say anything.
Speaker 5 (42:08):
Yeah, I mean, I'm at work, so I'm like we don't watch
the news at my job.
We watch, like, financial stuff, and she should have been
person numero uno on that podiumspeaking about those stupid—.
Right, right, let's talk aboutsomething she could on that
podium speaking about thosestupid, what's the most much you
could say, because she's mutedshe's muted she has to contain
herself there's not much you cansay, except for lines that they
(42:31):
write for her or whatever.
Speaker 1 (42:34):
Don't you see how Trump stepped away from the
Puerto Rican, the comic who madethat joke about the people in
Puerto Rico?
He's de-distanced himself fromthat, but he still stands firm
on what he had said.
He distanced himself quick,like I don't know about this guy
over there, but you know.
But it's crazy, man, it's crazy.
But don't worry Me.
(42:54):
And that guy's argument, I won.
Don't worry, I won.
Speaker 5 (42:59):
We have two more days and we'll see what happens.
Yes, we have two more days andwe'll see what happens.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Yes, yes yes, my parting words.
Things is looking kind of shakyfor us with this election, but
people out there, you got tokeep hope alive.
The next people in charge mightnot make a change, but you know
what?
Let's build our children sothey could be the change.
Let's that's, you know.
(43:22):
Let's help our children,educate our children so that we
could count on them.
Hope that's it.
Keep hope alive.
Speaker 3 (43:30):
My key word is inclusiveness, especially for
all the islands in the Caribbean.
We just talk about how theHaitians were ostracized when we
was younger and now.
We're at a place now where weall could get together as one
and thank you for coming out.
Speaker 2 (43:48):
I think it's knowledge for me.
I want to thank the two guests.
Knowledge because you know whatI learned?
A lot.
This was a very knowledgeablesession and I came in here
knowing one thing, leaving outhere knowing about a hundred
things.
So thank you, guys both forsharing I hope that the audience
(44:11):
picked up on it as much as Idid.
You know, I learned a lot aboutHaitian communities, upbringing
society, and I thank you guysboth.
So I hope that our audienceenjoyed the show and gravitated
from some of the things that Igravitated from.
(44:33):
So I appreciate you guys.
Speaker 4 (44:35):
Tom will go next.
So, as well, I learned a lotlistening to email, and yourself
as well, sherriann.
So I definitely gravitated to alot listening to Emil, and
yourself as well, sherian.
So I definitely gravitate to alot of the things that you guys
were talking about, especiallyyou, emil.
Speaker 1 (44:49):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (44:50):
Growing up Haitian was tough but I actually was
kind of embarrassed that myparents were Haitian, but I
wouldn't have it any other way.
I love my parents more so.
My mom I like our uniquenessand my parents I had a child as
(45:17):
a teenager, but they stuckbehind me, so I thank them for
that.
I'm very, very thankful and I'm98.
No, not 98.
Maybe 90%.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
I go out.
Yay, it worked, it keep going,that's right.
One Tuesday, that line betternot be long, it's going to be
long.
Speaker 3 (45:40):
I'm going to listen to you.
Speaker 4 (45:43):
That's going to be long.
Well, if I would have thoughtabout it, did anybody vote early
?
So we all going to be out thereon Tuesday huh, Tuesday it is.
Speaker 5 (45:54):
Somebody's school facing.
I want to say thanks to Sterland Monty for inviting us out,
really appreciate that.
Never been on a podcast beforeand I can see why it's so
addictive to so many people.
I just want to say that, youknow, one's life experiences
(46:14):
should be like a guiding tool tohow they're going to manage
their lives.
Right, everyone's experience istheir own and it matters not
like where you come from or howyou're raised.
It's, it's how you effectivelymanage your life once you take
(46:37):
control of it.
Right, um, and whether you'rehaitian, panamanian, bayesian,
trinidadian, it's of noconsequence, right, because, as
cliche as it sounds, um, we'reall like, almost the.
We're all the same.
We all want the exact samething.
We just go about it differently, right?
(46:59):
So, um, but you know, you haveto take action if you want your
life to be what you hope for itto be, right.
So I have this one thing Ialways say.
I've been saying for yearsright, you know, don't act, do
right, don't promise, prove it.
(47:21):
Right, you have to beaction-oriented.
This is how your life becomeswhat you want it to be.
Period, end of story.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (47:30):
Nice, nice, nice nice .
Speaker 4 (47:31):
Great, great, great great.
Speaker 1 (47:33):
Your Opinion Doesn't Matter podcast and I would like
to thank our guests andhopefully, you know y'all, could
you know be frequent flyers,shirley.
You know y'all.
Could you know be frequentflyers, shirley.
You know the door's always openfor you, emile.
Same for you.
Thank you, sir.
So until next time, this is theyour Opinion Doesn't Matter
podcast and we are out.
Peace, peace, peace.
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