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Discrimination - Haiti Observer Blog

Discrimination, Haiti Observer Blog. Read the following articles about Discrimination


 

Haitian dishwashers to get $2.5 million after banned from speaking Creole

Four years ago, the SLS South Beach Hotel in Miami was hit with a lawsuit by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for alleged discrimination against their Haitian workers. Seventeen Haitian dishwashers employed there were forbidden from speaking Haitian Creole. The Haitian workers were also asked to drag heavy items up the the 13th floor of the hotel by stairs. For the Hispanic workers, not only they were free to chat Spanish, they also did not have to carry any heavy items anywhere.

One time, a Haitian worker asked his manager to fix the broken service elevator in the hotel, the boss stated:

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New York Attorney General investigating "No Haitians need apply" Ad

When Interim Healthcare Inc. decided to put their racist ad "No Haitians" in the local New York pennysaver newspaper, they did not think it would turn out this way. Not only they will have this in their record for ever, now the government is involved. New york Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has announced that they are launching an inquiry into Interim Healthcare Inc. for discriminatory practices.

According to Attorney General Schneiderman, the ad violates federal and state civil rights law prohibiting discrimination in hiring on the basis of national origin. They are requesting the names of all employees involved in hiring nurses and nurses' aides, and also those responsible for making the ad. Mr. Schneiderman is also requesting for any complaints related to discrimination, harassment or retaliation against Interim Healthcare.

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"No Haitians Need Apply" in Pennysaver Help wanted ad

In Spring Valley, discrimination is well alive, specially against Haitians. The Newspaper Pennysaver has recently posted an ad placed by Interim Healthcare Inc. that clearly stated that no Haitians need to apply. Am I going back to the 1940s and 1950s when certain groups in America were clearly advised not to apply for a specific position?

The ad that appeared in a Pennysaver October 15th edition was made by Interim Healthcare Inc. and ironically, to be published in the Rockland County Pennysaver. The ad was for a female nursing position in West Haverstraw. This is by the way an area with a large Haitian population. "No Haitians" would be considered for employment according to the ad.

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Camelia Joseph won Discrimination lawsuit against Disney

A jury in Orlando, Florida on Friday, September 4, 2015 came with the verdict that Disney discriminated against Camelia Joseph on the basis of her national origin.

Camelia Joseph who has been working as a Security Guard at Walt Disney World for close to 20 years said that she has repeatedly attempted to get a promotion but was denied each time. She counted seven times the number of times she had applied for promotion and was denied because she is Haitian. She noticed several workers less qualified than she is receiving promotions and higher salaries.

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Haitian Nurse suing hospital for teasing with Voodoo Doll

We all probably experienced this one time or another; however one Haitian nurse working in Long Island hospital is doing something about it. Diana St. Gerard who is a light skin Haitian nurse has been discriminated by other staff members for her background. They assume that because she is Haitian, therefore, she must be practicing "Black magic" and Voodoo.

According to Diana St. Gerard, the white staff at Long Island hospital made her life a living hell there. During the nine years that she worked in the mental health unit she was faced with many incidents of discrimination. Nurses have told St. Gerard that she looked like a voodoo doll; another staff member actually brought a voodoo doll at the Hospital once.

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Dominican demonstrators for Constitutional Court ruling

Demonstrating how ingrained the prejudice those from the Dominican Republic feel against their Haitian neighbors is, hundreds of placard bearing demonstrators took to the streets of their capital to show their support for the Constitutional Court ruling made on September 23, 2013 that would see many thousands of people of Haitian descent, who currently hold, and have held as far back as the 1920's Dominican Republic resident status, stripped of their citizenship.

Going further, the mass also called for the erection of a wall to permanently separate their country from Haiti, with whom they share the island of Hispaniola. During the gathering they sang their national anthem and waved their flag to show their patriotism. The coalition's intent was, perhaps, to give affirmation to their government that their constitutional change was in line with the want of the population, in the midst of international outcry that the move is offensive and contrary to the statutes of a civilized country.

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Little Haiti, Nou Pap Negocye Ou

Little Haiti in Miami has represented a point of reference for the Haitian community in Miami. I would say even the entire United States of America.

When there is trouble in Haiti, where do you think the media come to find more information? "Little Haiti"

When political candidates, elected officials, social activists want to show their support to the Haitian community, where do you think they come? "Little Haiti"

More importantly, when you want to have a good "Haitian Grio" with "Pikliz", where do you think you should go? "Little Haiti"

For all the above mentioned reasons and many more, we should not lose "Little Haiti" in Miami

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Language Discrimination in Haiti: French Vs Haitian Creole

French and Creole are the two official languages of Haiti and still, French is given more importance than Creole. This discrimination, as seen by many intellectuals worldwide, is primarily because of the fact that Creole is a mix of several West African languages and French. Creole, which is today the lingua franca, actually started when African slaves arrived at Saint Domingue and tried to speak French by whatever they picked up through listening. The reason why they tried to speak French was that the African slaves from different parts of West Africa had different languages and they failed to communicate with each other. Hence, they picked up French.

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Gender Equality in Haiti Largely Unrecognized Despite Good Intentions

The government of Haiti (GOH) guarantees women many basic civil rights, but in truth the female gender suffers blatant discrimination in many areas. The island, unlike many developed countries, remains a steadfastly patriarchal nation. Although many laws exist that acknowledge women's parity with men, they are not well-written and unlikely to be enforced.

The GOH does not take seriously any of the legal protections afforded women for gender equality. It has signed many international conventions, yet Haiti is listed as 158th among187 countries surveyed under the Human Development Index.

In social, work, finance, and family matters contradictions appear between what is written and what is practiced. For example, the social role of men is as leader of the family, empowered to make all financial decisions. But statistically, 42% of women are the primary decision-makers in their homes. In work situations, women's labor is subsidiary to males, frequently resulting in no wages due to their inferior social status.

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1801 Constitution of Saint-Domingue, Haiti

The Constitution of Saint-Domingue Haiti was signed in 1801 by Governor-General for Life Toussaint L'Ouverture, the ruler of Hispaniola before Haiti became a republic.

Title I. Refers to the colony of Saint-Domingue, the seat of cities and neighboring islands, subject to French rule. Sets up the divisions of departments, arrondissements, and parishes.

Title II. Abolishes slavery, introduces anti-discrimination rules, and employment rights.

Title III. Establishes Christianity as the official religion of the colony. Forbids men of God from organizing for political reasons.

Title IV. Protects the legal rights of spouses as long as they remain faithful and their children born of their sanctified or civil union.

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