NEWARK, NJ — During a rally on the steps of Newark City Hall in downtown Newark on Thursday, Jan. 18, Mayor Tony Vauss joined his counterparts from East Orange, Orange, Newark and Hillside in speaking out against recent alleged negative remarks about Haitians, Africans and others that were attributed to President Donald Trump.
At Large Municipal Councilwoman Charnette Frederic, who is a Haitian-American, was also at the rally, but did not speak although Vauss and East Orange Mayor Ted Green, Orange Mayor Dwayne Warren, Hillside Mayor Dahlia Vertrese and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka did.
But FamiCare founder Thecy Faustin said she wishes Frederic and other Haitian leaders who came to the rally had been given an opportunity to speak on their people’s behalf, though she said she is grateful Vauss and the other municipal leaders spoke out for them.
“I was very happy to be able to come here and be part of this function, although councilwomen and men from Haiti did not have a chance to speak,” said Faustin on Thursday, Jan. 18. “I am very disturbed about that, because we take consideration to all elected officials throughout Essex County, including Union County, but yet the ones from Haiti was not part of it. I think the public needs to see how we Haitians feel about this thing. It’s not so much about putting on a show in front of a bunch of elected officials who speak on our behalf. We can speak for ourselves.”
Faustin said that is why she partnered with the Pastors Association of Haiti to organize a press conference in East Orange, where “you are going to see the masses of Haitians coming out” to speak the way they did not get the chance to do on Jan. 18 in Newark.
“Out of respect, we should have just acknowledged the Haitian councilwomen and councilmen and I didn’t see that happen,” said Faustin, adding, “I also wanted to listen to my colleagues, to my fellow Haitians, to my brothers and sisters, the people that have been directly affected by the president’s words.”
Faustin said she wanted to hear from people such as Frederic, the first Haitian-American municipal councilwoman in Irvington’s history. Frederic, in turn, said she understood Faustin’s remarks but said she didn’t mind not being allowed to speak from the podium that day.
“I’m here to support our mayors. It’s important to say ‘no’ to racism. It’s important to say ‘no’ to xenophobia in Washington,” said Frederic on Thursday, Jan. 18. “But one of the key things I want people to pay attention to is that, while we’re doing the rallies, we have to focus on policy; focus on fair immigration reform in Washington; focus on renewal of (Temporary Protected Status) for Haitians; focus on renewal of TPS for El Salvadorans; focus on the DREAMers law. As we’re talking here, we have to focus and work heavily on the policies, to make a difference. As a Haitian-American elected official, we are meeting together and we are working on policy to make a change on our immigration law in Washington.”
Faustin agreed with Frederic to a point but said she said Haitians and other immigrants need to start depending on themselves when it comes to addressing issues that specifically affect them. She said she’s not so much upset about Trump’s alleged comments about Haiti, as she is proud to be Haitian-American.
“Saying that Haiti is a (lousy country), Donald Trump, it’s my (country) and I love it very much. I love my country,” said Faustin. “There’s no difference. The same thing happens in our local communities, where certain elected officials have treated certain immigrants, especially Haitians, where there is a majority of Haitians in their township and they treat them (poorly). So it’s really not surprising to me.”
Faustin said she has learned to “turn crisis into opportunity,” so she has decided to get organized and start a movement to continue what many Haitians began doing years ago, after an earthquake devastated their island home.
“I’ve been a victim of people, supposedly elected officials that have treated me (poorly) in this country, not even putting consideration that I am a district leader for 35 years, not even considering I can change an election for them,” Faustin said. “I think that we immigrants have to get ourselves together and just stop the ride that people take on us and work together and be strong and extend for each other and that, when something like that happens, we need to stand up and fight for it and say ‘never. It should never happen.’ ”
Faustin said this is why she’s partnering with the Haitians Pastors Association and other groups to start a back-to-Haiti movement.
“This is a time for us as immigrants to get a wakeup call and say: ‘What am I going to be doing to bring my country up to date,’” she said. “It’s a group, not just me, that are going to bring 3,000 Haitians that were born in Haiti back to Haiti — we’re going to bring 3 million, but right now it’s 3,000. So right now we are taking applications for people that have been in this country for 10 years or more to go back to Haiti. We’re not saying to go back and stay; it’s going to be dangerous, but we want them to go back and contribute to rebuild their country. We need to go back and give back to the country where we were born. Visit them, support them and contribute to the economy.”
“I am Haitian born; I’m from Haiti. My mom and dad are from Haiti and I’ve been in this country 50 years, a little bit over 50 years, and I currently live in Irvington,” Faustin said. “Haiti is a beautiful country and it is in rich in gold and natural resources, and people come from all over the world and take from the country and then they turn around and trash the country. If you want to do something about that, then call and we’ll give them all the details about our press conference.”
To learn more about Faustin’s back-to-Haiti crusade, call 973-372-2273 or 973-202-1809.
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