Students find solidarity in the Haitian Student Association 

By Grace Bertrand

As tensions rise against Haitians and Haitian Americans across the country, Rider’s Haitian Student Association is standing firm in who they are as a community, prepared to educate people about Haitian culture. 

“I feel like it’s up to us to try to re-educate people on who Haitians really are,” said Haitian Student Association President Dan-Iael Alexandre, a senior communications major. 

The HSA is an organization on campus meant to give students the opportunity to discuss Haitian culture, while understanding the issues they face amid current events. 

A home at Rider

The HSA has only recently become active with a rising population of Haitian students on campus. 

Kimyata Valere, the faculty adviser for HSA said, “When I was a student at Rider, the organizations did not really speak to my identity as a Haitian woman. I know a lot of students who are Haitian or Haitian American find community through the organization now, which is great.” 

Valere said she was grateful Rider had expanded its ethnicity-based organizations on campus, and she hoped they would continue to grow. 

When first transferring to Rider, the HSA pulled Alexandre in. Being Haitian was part of his identity, and he knew he would feel right at home within the organization. 

“One of my main goals when I came to Rider was to meet new people,” said Alexandre. “So I thought, what better opportunity to meet people like me than to go to a Haitian Student Association meeting?” 

Springfield aftermath

In the wake of recent false claims made against Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, Haitian Americans across the nation have undergone scrutiny toward them and their culture. 

In a recent presidential debate, former President Donald Trump falsely stated there were illegal Haitian immigrants in Springfield that were stealing and eating household pets. His running mate JD Vance, who has also openly made the same claims, acknowledged during a CNN interview that his statements were based on alleged “firsthand accounts from my constituents,” rather than facts. 

City authorities in Springfield have repeatedly said there is no truth to the claims, and most recent immigrants from Haiti are in the nation legally.

“Unfortunately, I cannot say it was surprising,” said Valere. “However, as always, the Haitian community always stands firm and strong when there are false accusations.” 

Alexandre explained how daunting it can be for him to speak about the issues Haitian Americans are facing in the aftermath of inaccurate statements. He recalled feeling nervous to even promote the HSA’s most recent event, “game night,” during his public relations class. 

“I’m a very confident individual, but there was a slight part of me that [knew,] once I mentioned the Haitian Student Association, I know there’s probably one person in the class that immediately thought of all the stuff going on right now,” said Alexandre. 

Alexandre emphasized that he feels the best road to take moving forward is to not let those attacks on their character define Haitians, but to let others learn who they are from their actions instead of what they hear.

“I feel like it’s our responsibility to be ourselves,” said Alexandre. “If we let these narratives dictate how other people look at us, then we’re letting it go as far as it will go.”

Growing community 

Alexandre added that he feels the number of Haitian students will only grow at Rider, and he is excited to usher in a new era of Haitian students that can easily inherit the club once he graduates. 

“It’s not hard to not come across a Haitian anymore,” said Alexandre. “There’s been a boom of Haitians in the U.S. as of recent years, so I feel like it’s quite important to have a club on campus.” 

Alexandre is fearful of the club’s future once he leaves Rider.  He explained how the presidency left him in charge at the start of this past spring semester, after all the former members of the executive board graduated. 

Looking ahead, Valere emphasized that she hopes the HSA will be able to come together with other ethnicity-based clubs in the future for joint events. 

“I think we could do something greater on campus that will not only unify the Haitian students here but that would unify the campus as a whole,” said Valere. 

The HSA has events like painting, “Rep your Flag” and a jewelry-making workshop in the works that Alexandre plans to utilize to emphasize Haitian American culture on campus. 

“I was given a perfect opportunity at Rider, as the president of the HSA, to make an impact, even if it’s very small,” said Alexandre. “An impact is an impact nonetheless.”