Haitian Diaspora

MIAMI - Local, state and federal governments have all set in place commissions or committees to help their citizens draw new district lines for themselves based on population shifts. This is a process that occurs every decade after the publication of the census results.

Learning from the past, major Haitian-American Civil Society organizations including: the Haitian-American Forum, Sant La, the Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition (HAGC) and other groups have consolidated their resources in order to serve as the collective voice designed to help guide the community’s interests. Serving under the umbrella of the Haitian-American Task-Force on Redistricting, this group is organized “ to inform and engage the Haitian community through participation in all public hearings in order to protect our collective interest”, said Gepsie Metellus, Task-Force Member and long time community advocate. “I am reminded of the damage caused by some policymakers a decade ago, as our community was emerging and attempted to seek fair representation”, said Carmeleau Monestime, a co-Chair of the Task-Force.

The State of Florida Redistricting Commission is holding hearings to hear the public regarding congressional and state redistricting. These hearings will be held this Wednesday, August 17, 2011. The first hearing will be held at the Miami-Dade College Wolfson Campus Downtown 300 NE 2 Avenue, Miami, Building 1000, Second Floor 10:00 am-2:00 pm; the second hearing will be held at the Florida International University South Campus at 8 Street SW and 16 Street.

EDJOODELKY LOUIS, ZACHARY AND MANNY HERIVAUX

BROOKLINE, USA – A 15 year old Haitian-Japanese soccer phenom, Zachary Herivaux, has donated his collection of soccer balls and shoes to less fortunate children in Haiti.

It started with a Facebook status posted by Edjoodelky Louis, director of the Hinche Haiti non-profit group, who requested from his fellow Haitian and American friends to help him collect athletic supplies for the Mayor of the City of Hinche. Many responses were received, one of the first, in particular, was in the first 20 minutes from Pedro Manny who asked Louis to give his son a call.

The arrangement was made over the phone by both parties to meet where Louis could pick up the balls. Edjoodelky was surprised to see that Pedro’s son was not any ordinary 15 year old with a hoard of soccer balls but a soccer player, from Brookline Massachussets one of the top 5 players in the world, under 17, ranked by Soccer Magazine.

Zachary Herivaux decided to give all of his soccer balls along with uniforms collected and cleats to the Haitian youth programs in Hinche.

The young footballer said of the gesture, “sometimes making an impact can really be as easy as giving what I have.”

The young Herivaux is a 6’0″ freshman at Brookline High School and is plays for the number 2 ranked, Shalrie Joseph Lions, in the Premier League of the state. He is coached by his father Pedro Herivaux and has received honors, such as:

• being named top 5 in the world by FourFourTwo Europe #1 Soccer Magazine, June 2011
• winning the Golden Boot Award for most goals scored at the US Region 1 U13 Olympic Development Program (ODP) Identification Camp
• scouted and discovered by Christiano Ronaldo, where he spent two weeks training with Sporting Club de Portugal
• offered a spot in the U13 Sporting Academy team, Portugal

courtesy: defend.ht