People

Hakeem Valles (born November 23, 1992), the American football tight end for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) will never forget his missionary trip to Haiti. He was held hostage at gunpoint and almost murdered in Haiti in 2015. Hakeem's grandfather, Paul Jean Marie Jizrel Benoni Marcel Valles, is a Haitian who immigrated to the U.S in 1960's. Hakeem grew up on stories from Grandpa about how life was back in the homeland. He always wanted to go. Once, he did earlier before the 2015 trip, on a cruise with Royal Caribbean. But then he felt disappointed. Where he landed was a property of the cruise line that discourages local visitors. There were 12-foot walls to keep them out. His trip to his wonderland was unsuccessful, because the place he visited was fake Haiti, never close to the root of his dream.

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The terms lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) describe distinct groups within the gay culture. In the face of love, this group believes, everyone is equal and should be treated equally. Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity is against international human rights law and standards. Their demands can be divided into six main categories -- preventing violence against the LGBT community, full recognition of gay families, including equality in surrogacy, providing appropriate social welfare to LGBT people, equality in health care, and educating the general population for tolerance and acceptance of the LGBT community. Some countries (about 25 nations, all of which are developed democracies or developing democracies), recognize same-sex marriage. By contrast, 10 countries or jurisdictions, all of which are Islamic and ruled by Islamic law (Sharia), impose the death penalty for homosexuality.

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The Magic City Innovation District is revitalizing the Little Haiti and Little River neighborhoods to create a world-class destination. It is a billion-dollar real estate project in Little Haiti-- a sprawl of residential, commercial, office, research and entertainment spaces spread out over 17 acres. The project will raise rents and property values, displace many of the Haitian diasporas-- squeeze Little Haiti's poor and working class and provide high tech jobs that require skills which locals simply don't have.

Little Haiti was once known as Lemon City. For the past three decades, it has transformed into a cultural hub for all things Haitian and also something more than a mere destination for the Haitian diasporas. It became the cultural center of the Haitians in Florida and a center of influence of Haitian Francophone culture.

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Jason Derulo (born Miami on September 21, 1989) has been a successful songwriter since the tender age of 16. Jason's real Name Is Jason Joel Desrouleaux. Since the start of his solo recording career in 2009, Derulo has sold over 30 million singles and has achieved eleven Platinum singles, including "Wiggle", "Talk Dirty", "In My Head", and "Whatcha Say". He recorded most of his albums at own recording studio at home. Derulo's music is generally pop, but also incorporates R&B and hip-hop influences. He has named Michael Jackson as his main inspiration to sing.

Jason suffered a severe neck injury in early 2012. He now wants to repay to native country Haiti from where his parents came from. He recently (September 6, 2018) held his first-ever "Heart of Haiti Gala" at a private lake estate property in Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, California to raise money for Haiti. It was the inaugural event to launch Derulo's new "Just For You Foundation", a foundation focused on raising funds to promote education, providing shelter to orphans and families, feeding the homeless and promoting health in the United States and globally, according to their official web site.

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Frantz Pierre, a Haitian-American Commissioner in North Miami Beach Florida was indicted Wednesday July 25, 2018, charged with accepting bribe from a strip club owner.

According to Miami Herald, Commissioner Frantz Pierre and his non-profit organization received more than $20,000 from the owner of Dean's Gold strip club in North Miami Beach in exchange for his vote for a special operating license allowing the club to serve alcohol after-hours. He offered his commission vote in exchange for money to a strip club owner in an attempt to renew a business license.

He was charged with one count each of bribery, unlawful compensation, organized scheme to defraud and grand theft and seven counts of money laundering.

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Outgoing Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant is being called a racist by former Haiti Prime Minister Evans Paul and Deputy Jerry Tardieu regarding his as they see it, derogatory, inadequate, anti-democratic and racist statements. This took place at the Tribune of the Chamber of Deputies as he was announcing his resignation.

According to Mr. Evans Paul, the resigning Prime Minister stigmatized an entire sector of the Haitian population, namely the people from Pétion-ville or Kenskoff, whom he estimates are not entitled to be involved in politic. The Deputy of Petion-Ville, Jerry Tardieu went even further by calling these statements, discriminatory and racist.

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François Nicolas Duvalier, a potential candidate on the next Presidential election in Haiti that will take place in 2021 sent his message following the violent and deadly protests sparked by the proposed plan to raise fuel prices. Here is his statement below:

"My dear fellow citizens, like so many fellow citizens, I have been at the forefront of the events of the past few days, until we can take stock of the losses in human life and the damage caused, I extend my sympathies to those who have lost a loved one, those who have lost their jobs, who do not yet know how they will be able to support themselves and their families, and who do not yet know how they will send their children to the school, the entrepreneurs and job creators who have seen the hard work go up in smoke and all those who have been somehow victimized by this climate of terror.

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Former Haitian President Henry Namphy has his wishes granted. During his exile in the Dominican Republic, Lt. Gen. Henri Namphy made it clear that he never wanted to set foot in Haiti. To the dismay of many, the former Haitian President will not be buried in Haiti but rather in the Dominican Republic.

His body will be put to ground in the Dominican Republic, his land of exile. he body will be exhibited at La Paz Chapel, of Funerarium Blandino which is located at Abraham Lincoln Avenue in Santo Domingo on Saturday, June 30 at 2pm. He will be buried Sunday July 1st at 4 pm at Cristo Redentor in the Dominican Republic.

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If you don't believe that there is a problem with the current rate of population increase in Haiti, think again. As of 2016, the current population in Haiti was estimated at 10,485,800. The population is currently growing at a rate of 1.71%. This growth rate already take into consideration the effects of excess mortality, lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and higher death rates.

The birth rate, in 2016 was estimated at 23.3 births/1,000 population while the death rate was at 7.7 deaths/1,000 population. The Median age in Haiti is 22.6 years.

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Haitian rebel leader Guy Philippe was sentenced to nine years in prison in Miami federal court today (Wednesday June 21, 2017). He was found guilty for accepting bribes to protect cocaine smugglers who used Haiti to ship drugs to the United States.

Philippe who is now 49 years old will be free when he becomes 58 years old. He will have plenty of time to continue with his political dream.

As you may remember, Guy pleaded guilty two months ago to drug related money laundering. That decision allowed him to avoid going to trial for drug trafficking which would likely put him to prison for life

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