Podcasts about haitian american

Romeo from Brooklyn-based twin duo EHIRE offers a raw and moving account of finding his voice in the music industry while navigating the complexities of being a Black queer artist. From growing up in a Haitian household filled with music to experiencing religious trauma and homelessness, Romeo shares how these challenges strengthened his bond with twin brother Cameo and fueled their artistic expression. With refreshing candour, he discusses the importance of queer Black visibility in media and the revolutionary act of Black male love. Despite facing rejection from family and church, EHIRE has emerged with music that resonates with hope and self-acceptance, offering listeners not just songs but affirmations of queer resilience and joy.Timestamped Key Takeaways00:00:56 - Introduction to Romeo and Cameo (EHIRE), twin brothers from Brooklyn who've been recording music since age nine, with features on 500+ playlists including Spotify's Fresh Finds R&B02:31 - Growing up in a Haitian household surrounded by music from Madonna, Anita Baker, and Whitney Houston, which deeply influenced their artistic development03:55 - Romeo discusses major musical influences including Prince, Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Lady Gaga04:41 - A thoughtful reflection on Prince's groundbreaking impact as a Black male artist who challenged gender norms through style, makeup, and flamboyance09:29 - The pivotal moment at age nine when seeing young R&B star Sammie on TV inspired Romeo and Cameo to pursue music creation10:59 - The significance of Lil Nas X as the first openly gay Black artist they've seen "pushing the envelope" fearlessly in their lifetime11:41 - The importance of queer visibility in media for mental health and preventing self-destructive behaviour among LGBTQ+ youth14:05 - Shocking account of experiencing an exorcism in his twenties when family members attempted to "cast out" his homosexuality20:12 - Discussion of the complex relationship with religion, faith, and the church after experiencing religious trauma21:35 - Reflection on the state of Black queer representation in America and the lack of Black queer male relationships portrayed in media24:51 - The unique bond with his twin brother Cameo, creating a "safe zone" where they never had to come out to each other and protected one another27:43 - Romeo's heartfelt advice to fellow queer artists about self-love, changing perspective, and living authentically32:07 - EHIRE's gateway song recommendation: "Let Go," a track about hope, love, and self-acceptanceGuest BioRomeo Records is one half of the R&B duo EHIRE alongside his twin brother Cameo (Arie). The Brooklyn-born Haitian-American artists have been creating music since age nine. Their debut EP garnered over 200,000 streams, with music featured on Spotify's Fresh Finds R&B and Billboard Pride's Queer Necessities playlists. They were nominated by Pop Smash Radio for Best R&B Song by a Duo or Group.Resource ListPrince - "When Doves Cry" - One of Prince's most iconic tracks mentioned as influentialRuPaul's Drag Race - Mentioned as important queer representation on televisionCall-to-ActionFind the podcast on Apple,

Michelle Dean is a brand marketer turned barista from South Florida. Though her former day job in marketing brought her to Seattle in 2022, family, community, and her coffee bar, Bonhomie Coffee, have made Seattle home. Michelle is Haitian-American and spent most of her life in Florida. Before earning her MBA from Georgia Tech, Michelle's marketing career began in church ministry, managing communications for a South Florida congregation. Since then, she's managed category wide strategic growth channels, owned the P&Ls, and led cross functional teams for multimillion dollar consumer packaged goods brands. She also has led brand strategy for an online automotive retailer and for kid tech products.Inspired by her Haitian heritage, in 2024, Michelle and her wife Victoria opened Bonhomie Coffee, a Haitian-inspired coffee bar situated in Pioneer Square. What started as a weekend side quest has become a space for lovers of coffee and culture. She is passionate about wellness, running, rest, pizza, and Jeff Probst. @bonhomiecoffeebar, @michelle.lately

Princess Jolie Charles, a fearless Haitian-American advocate, community strategist, and Co-Founder of FEWGI talks about what it really means to lead, to belong, and to fight for your voice. Raised in Brooklyn by her grandmother who spoke only Haitian Creole, Princess shares how navigating identity, faith, and adversity shaped her into “The Speaker of Humanity.” With raw honesty, she reflects on unsafe rooms, unspoken trauma, and unwavering faith offering testimony on resilience, God's grace, and the power of knowing who you are and whose you are. From walking through Crown Heights with spiritual armor to coaching TEDx speakers at Harvard, Princess brings light to the struggles and strength of immigrant women everywhere.  Princess reminds us: you are worthy, you are called, and you are never alone.

Before the lights and fame, Andre Berto was mowing lawns to chase his boxing dream. No social media. No big promoter. Just grit. In this episode of Money Mondays, Berto breaks down what it really takes to go from the streets to the spotlight — mentally, physically, and strategically.---Andre Berto is a Haitian-American former professional boxer and two-time welterweight world champion. Known for his explosive speed, power, and resilience in the ring, Berto held the WBC and IBF welterweight titles and fought some of the biggest names in boxing, including Floyd Mayweather Jr., Victor Ortiz, and Shawn Porter. Beyond the ring, he's respected for his work ethic, comeback stories, and raw honesty about the mental and physical grind of the fight game.---Like this episode? Watch more like it

Send us a textIn this episode of the Educational Equity Emancipation Podcast, Dr. Almitra L. Berry dives deep into the significance of Haitian Heritage Month and why representation matters for every child-especially those whose stories are too often erased from our classrooms. Discover the powerful history behind Haiti's name, its legacy as the world's first Black-led republic, and the impact of Haitian American voices in U.S. education.Dr. Berry shares actionable strategies for educators to integrate Haitian heritage into classrooms all year long, not just in May.Whether you're an educator, administrator, or advocate, this episode equips you with practical tools and inspiration to make Haitian Heritage Month-and Haitian heritage-an ongoing celebration of identity, pride, and educational equity.Key Takeaways:The roots and meaning of “Ayiti” and its importance to Haitian identity.The dangers of erasure and why inclusive curriculum benefits all students.Real-world examples of schools getting it right, like Boston's Toussaint L'Ouverture Academy.Two actionable strategies for integrating Haitian heritage into your classroom and school community.For show resources, go to the companion blog for this episode.Support the showJoin our community. Go to bit.ly/3EPSubs and sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter and exclusive content.

Send us a textOn this episode of The Get Ready Money Podcast, I spoke with Prisca Benson, Founder and CEO of Our Green Life about changing the way we think about money and how we can all achieve financial freedom.In this episode we discussed:Be intentional with your money - and set your limits.  Financial success is achievable for everyone, we can all get there.Health and wealth go together.Why you need to change your money story.Results come from taking action. Budgeting is the foundation of financial freedom.Connect with Prisca Benson:Our Green Life Website (here) LinkedIn (here)Instagram (here) YouTube (here) Freebie: 3 Steps to Financial Freedom Guide (here) Resources mentioned:Money For Couples Podcast with Ramit Sethi (here)Her Money from Jean Chatzky (website)Bio: Prisca Benson, RN is the CEO & Founder of Our Green Life. Prisca is a passionate money coach and nurse dedicated to empowering professional women to achieve financial freedom. As a first-generation Haitian-American, she understands the value of perseverance and hard work. Prisca's journey began with a desire to do more with her money, leading her to increase her net worth from $40K to $340K in just 6 years through effective money management.She serves as a money coach because she believes in making financial concepts simple and accessible, helping her clients create customized plans that balance enjoying life now with securing their financial future. Prisca's clients achieve remarkable results, from eliminating debt to growing their savings and investments, all while maintaining a fulfilling lifestyle.Support the showThe Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

Send us a textCelebrating a milestone of one million podcast downloads, this episode dives deep into the world of financial literacy and business funding with Herman Dolce, founder of Bella Sloan Enterprises and creator of the Execute Podcast.As a first-generation Haitian-American entrepreneur, Herman brings a refreshing perspective to financial education, breaking down complex concepts into understandable components. His comparison of credit reports to "adult report cards" perfectly captures his teaching philosophy - making financial literacy accessible to everyone regardless of background.What makes this conversation particularly valuable is Herman's insider knowledge of business funding strategies that allow entrepreneurs and real estate investors to access capital without impacting their personal credit. He reveals how his clients secure up to $50,000 in 0% interest business credit through strategic banking relationships, providing the leverage needed to launch businesses or fund real estate projects without personal financial risk.The discussion turns especially practical when Herman explains how his company has evolved to serve over 3,000 monthly members through Bella Sloan Academy, offering weekly education, accountability systems, and practical resources for just $50 monthly. His approach combines education with implementation - teaching students not just theory but practical application through careful accountability.Most exciting is Herman's collaboration with construction expert Charles Noonan to help 1,000 people acquire property through land banks, secure funding, complete construction, and implement profitable exit strategies. This comprehensive approach addresses the full spectrum of real estate development, providing a roadmap for beginners to enter the market with guided support.Ready to transform your approach to credit, funding, and financial literacy? Join Herman's community at BellasLoanAcademy.com or connect with him on Instagram @Haitian_CEO. And remember his powerful parting wisdom: execution trumps knowledge every time. Start putting what you learn into action today! Thanks again for listening. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a FIVE-STAR review.Head to Dwanderful right now to claim your free real estate investing kit. And follow:http://www.Dwanderful.comhttp://www.facebook.com/Dwanderfulhttp://www.Instagram.com/Dwanderful http://www.youtube.com/DwanderfulRealEstateInvestingChannelMake it a Dwanderful Day!

Send us a textKarl Lorin shares his powerful journey from growing up in a Seventh-Day Adventist family to finding his true faith at age 33 through baptism after a 20-year question was finally answered.• First-generation Haitian-American who practiced Seventh-Day Adventism for most of his life• Had questioned since high school why others worship on Sunday instead of Saturday• Reconnected with Sister Lakeisha (now his wife) who introduced him to gospel teachings• Experienced significant life challenges including court cases and eviction during his conversion• Received support from church members like Brother Dwayne Smith who gave him clothes to start fresh• Found balance in Christian living by joining Bible studies, food ministry, and music ministryIf you're seeking answers to questions about faith or looking to make a change in your life, remember that it's never too late to start anew and find community in Christ. Support the showSocial Media/Follow Us: Website:https://www.calledbygodpodcast.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/cbg.podcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/CalledbyGodPodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@calledbygodpodcast

What happens when two Haitian-American daughters of first generation immigrants—raised in dual worlds, fluent in soul, struggle, and storytelling—finally sit down to talk like the mics aren't even on?This is that moment.In this dream-come-true episode, I sit down with the incomparable Tracy G—media multi-hyphenate, sound healer, writer, and co-host of Sway in the Morning—for one of the most intimate, raw, and affirming conversations I've ever had on this podcast. We talk culture, growth and evolution, navigating media spaces, the power of softness in Black womanhood, and why embracing our contradictions is revolutionary.We go there: • Healing from imposter syndrome while living in the spotlight • Balancing divinity and career • Decolonizing success as first-gen creatives • How to hold joy in one hand and grief in the other • And why now is the time to use our voices like sacred weaponsIf you've ever felt unseen in the room you worked so hard to get into, or you're learning how to turn your own volume up in a world that keeps trying to mute you—this one's for you.This isn't just a podcast episode. This is a reckoning. A remembering. A revival.Press play. Then press into your purpose.

The 1ST Annual Global WWCA Poetry Competition 2025 Judge - Dr. Gigi Sabbat is a Motivational Keynote Speaker, Award Winning Author, Life Coach, First generation Haitian American, the host of Walk With Me Podcast on JRQTV, CEO and Founder of Life Service Center of America, LLC, Florida Chapter Leader for World Women Conference and Awards(WWCA), and endorsed by Les Brown. Judge - Aysleth Stutts is an international bilingual best selling author who loves serving her spanish speaking community. She is a podcast producer, publisher, and local librarian. She speaks at events both virtually and in person. She started nonprofit Learning Idiom, which breaks language and culture barriers by perfecting English and Spanish virtually. Her husband and their team partner with both local and national nonprofits to have successful interns and students around the world. She is host to Podcast Learning With Faith and Transcending La Familia where she interviews world changers. Connect with her by going to 343lifegroup.com Judge- Raul Marin is a speaker and a poet.    (Master of Ceremonies)-  John Stutts aka The Modern Day Noah is a mechanic, publisher, professional driver and aspiring comedian. Growing up with Autism was challenging but has been able to function normally without medications in his adult life. He has many years of experience in the fireman and paramedic field and some in corrections. Growing up in a military family shaped his need to always serve his community which led him to become a community director for a nonprofit where he co-hosted the podcast Learning With Faith. Poets: Amanda Skille, Amy Elizabeth Frith, Linda Constant, Mandy Robinson, Sadia Carone,  Dr. Radley Ramdhan, Sharla Shults, and Trish McDaniel. 

From Boston to Seattle and soon heading To the Midwest, Francisca Moliere is a first-generation Haitian American with over 9 years of experience in Media Advertising. Throughout her career, she has worked with major brands such as Dunkin' Donuts, Ulta Beauty, Amazon Fresh, and BECU, helping clients navigate complex business challenges and drive impactful audience engagement.In addition to her professional work, Francisca is deeply passionate about community-building. She is the co-founder of Serenity Urban Retreat, an event bringing young professionals of color together, and the former Marketing Director of Queens Co., a membership organization for women of color.Outside of work, Francisca loves to travel, collecting foreign currency along the way, and is an active participant in a flag football league.

In this episode of the Adoption Journey podcast, host Tarcia Smith speaks with Angie Legg, a fellow adoptee, about her unique life story. Angie shares her experiences from being born two months premature to a Haitian immigrant mother, her struggles in the NICU, and the decision made by her birth mother to give her up for adoption due to her medical needs. Angie recounts her journey through foster care, the challenges of being adopted by a white family in the 1980s, and her cultural identity as a Haitian American. The conversation delves into the complexities of her health challenges, the role of her foster mother, and the eventual name change that marked a new chapter in her life. Throughout the discussion, Angie emphasizes the importance of resilience and the unique purpose that her life story holds. In this conversation, Angie Legg shares her journey of navigating cultural identity as a Haitian adoptee raised in a predominantly white environment. She discusses the challenges of maintaining her Haitian culture, the complexities of racial identity, and her eventual reconnection with her birth family. Angie reflects on her childhood experiences, the privilege she recognizes in her life, and the emotional impact of meeting her sister for the first time. The conversation highlights the nuances of identity, family dynamics, and the importance of understanding one's roots. In this conversation, Angie Legg shares her profound journey of reconnecting with her biological family after years of separation. She discusses the complexities of sisterly relationships, the emotional impact of meeting her birth mother, and the challenges faced during her family's reunion. Angie also reflects on the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake and her efforts to support her family during that crisis. Finally, she offers heartfelt advice to adoptees who are considering seeking out their biological families, emphasizing the importance of navigating their unique experiences with openness and hope.

In this episode of Gateways to Awakening, host Yasmeen Turayhi explores the transformative power of imagination and storytelling with Fabrice J. Guerrier, a Haitian-American writer, futurist, and founder of the award-winning Syllble Studios—a groundbreaking sci-fi and fantasy production house championing collaborative worldbuilding. Fabrice shares his inspiring journey from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to becoming a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and The Root 100 influential African American. With a background in International Affairs and a Master's in Conflict Transformation, his work merges creativity, culture, and social impact to reimagine the future of storytelling. In this episode, Yasmeen and Fabrice dive into: ✅ Why Fabrice believes "Imagination will save humanity" and how this belief shapes his work. ✅ The unique process of collaborative worldbuilding and how Syllble Studios is transforming storytelling. ✅ The role of speculative fiction in addressing real-world issues and envisioning solutions. ✅ How creativity can promote mental well-being and heal individuals and communities. ✅ The intersection of art, storytelling, and conflict transformation in shaping societies. Fabrice also shares insights on the evolving role of AI in creative fields, his vision for inclusive collaboration in Hollywood and publishing, and exciting upcoming projects from Syllble Studios. Tune in to Gateways to Awakening and discover how collective creativity and imagination can reshape our world. Please tag us and tell us what you loved! You can follow @Gateways_To_Awakening on Instagram or Facebook if you'd like to stay connected.  If you'd like to join the waitlist for my next Intuition and coaching program, sign up @ www.InnerKnowingSchool.com Thank you, and as always we appreciate reviews on Apple

We sit down with D'Angelo Senat, a visionary Haitian-American entrepreneur and founder of AllPeeP, to explore his inspiring journey of resilience, innovation, and empowerment. From growing up in Broward County, Florida, and witnessing his parents' entrepreneurial struggles, to redefining his path after a sports injury and leading a mission to revolutionize online communities, D'Angelo's story is a testament to the power of perseverance and mentorship. He shares how winning Pharrell Williams' Black Ambition Prize transformed his work, the importance of cultural heritage in his leadership, and his dedication to creating inclusive spaces where everyone can thrive. Tune in for an intimate and uplifting conversation about breaking barriers, leading by example, and building a legacy of impact.

A new collection of art from local Haitian-American artists is on display at Boston City Hall. WBZ's Carl Stevens reports.

Don-Dimitri Joseph is a Haitian American actor/director/producer/writer that was born in Miami, Fl. His debut directed short film, 'Last Option' where he served as the director, producer, and lead actor is currently on the festival circuit having played at Atlanta Film Festival, Morehouse College Human Rights Film Festival, Charlotte Film Festival, Orlando Film festival and more! As an actor, he has credits in shows on major streaming platforms such as HBO, STARZ, PARAMOUNT PLUS, AMAZON, and more. His first recurring role he stars as Johnny for the APPLE TV show “Lady in the Lake” opposite Moses Ingram. As a producer, Don-Dimitri Joseph has credits in film festivals ranging from BronzeLens to MoreHouse Film Festival. Having produced over 5 short films, he is currently in pre-production of three feature length films. You can find out more about Don-Dimitri on Instagram @DonDimitriJoseph Host on IG @Selena_Marshae  You + Happy on IG @YouPlusHappy You + Happy Ebook of Quotes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BX22MGMG?...

Basic Folk features honest conversations with folk musicians hosted by Cindy Howes and Lizzie No. We approach interviews with warmth, humor and insightful questions. Since 2018, this podcast has dignified under the radar roots musicians by providing a platform that they might not otherwise have. You'll hear interviews from Three-time Grammy-winning guitar gods like Molly Tuttle, Haitian American folk legends like Leyla McCalla and deep feelers like songwriter John Hiatt.Basic Folk is dedicated to showcasing the best in folk, bluegrass, acoustic and americana including Black, Brown and Queer folx who have been excluded, or felt like they did not belong, in the folk world. Cindy & Lizzie each bring a unique perspective to these honest conversations with folk musicians. We are equally dedicated to repainting the broad landscape of folk music as we are to tearing down the ivory towers of the music industry. What would Bruce Springsteen do if he ever got the keys to that mansion on the hill? Let's find out together on Basic Folk.Basic Folk is pleased to be an official production of The Bluegrass Situation. Thanks for listening.Welcome to Basic Folk. Basic Folk's theme and music are composed by Dietrich StrauseFollow Basic Folk on social media: https://basicfolk.bio.link/  Sign up for Basic Folk's newsletter: https://bit.ly/basicfolknews  Help produce Basic Folk by contributing: https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpods Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Nancy Douyon is a proud Haitian

In a re-broadcast of The South Florida Roundup, we revisited conversations we aired last month with local Miami Book Fair authors. Asha Elias talks about her new novel of Miami Beach dysfunction, Pink Glass Houses (01:11); Haitian-American educator Isabelle Camille discusses her poignant memoir of her child's transgender journey, Sole's Mom (18:28); and Jamaican-American poet Geoffrey Philips tells us about his graphic biography of Black nationalist hero Marcus Garvey for young readers, My Name Is Marcus (34:56).

On this episode of Fake Straight, host xoxotanara sits down with the one and only @damnmindy —a popular internet personality who keeps it real and hilarious about bisexuality and relationships. This convo was so full of gems, we had to make it a two-parter! In Part 1, we get into Mindy's journey of self-discovery, her experiences dating women, and the complexities of navigating family acceptance as a Haitian-American baddie. Mindy breaks it down about the ups and downs of dating, why vulnerability is the real flex, and how the vibes are just different when dating men vs. women. It's all about staying true to yourself while pushing back on society's tired traditional expectations. Don't miss this one, y'all—it's as real as it gets!

It's 2024 recap time on Basic Folk! Cindy & Lizzie dive into a most special year-end reflection, featuring highlights from our honest conversations with folk musicians. We revisit THE top episode of the year, Anna Tivel & Jeffrey Martin's insightful discussion on navigating artistic challenges and living a simple life. Cindy shares her favorite episode featuring her co-host Lizzie No talking about her career-defining album, Halfsies (our 250th episode!). In turn, Lizzie's favorite honest convo came from Leyla McCalla onboard the Cayamo Cruise. We sat in the ship lounge and dug in with Leyla about the "folk process" and her thoughts on cruising, as a Haitian-American, as we ported in Hispaniola aboard a luxury cruise line. (Spoiler: it is complex!)Basic Folk checks in with friend Jontavious Willis about his biggest lesson of 2024 and what defining success as an independent artist looks like as he has just released his latest West Georgia Blues. We also welcome Rose Cousins' heartfelt words on embracing change as she prepares to release her next record, Conditions of Love - Vol. 1 (out March 14, 2025). As the episode ends, Lizzie leaves us with some words of wisdom:"We are at a time of year where your body wants to be doing less. We've just survived a chaos clown show of violence in the election. Our culture is shifting rapidly. It's okay if the things that used to work for you don't work anymore. You're allowed to start over. You're allowed to try new things. You're allowed to tell people in your life, 'I've changed.' You're allowed to listen to new artists. You're allowed to change how you dress. You can do it all. 2025 is a new year and you have freedom. And that's my blessing to you." - Lizzie No.Goodbye 2024!Episodes featured:Anna Tivel & Jeffrey Martin: https://basicfolk.com/anna-tivel-jeffrey-martin-eyeballs-ice-cream-and-portland-oregon/Lizzie No: https://basicfolk.com/lizzie-no-the-goat-on-gender-tiaras-and-leveling-up/Leyla McCalla: https://basicfolk.com/leyla-mccallas-joyful-rebellion-sun-without-heat-and-the-freedom-of-play/Follow Basic Folk on social media: https://basicfolk.bio.link/Sign up for Basic Folk's newsletter: https://bit.ly/basicfolknewsHelp produce Basic Folk by contributing: https://basicfolk.com/donate/Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpodsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome to Advent! This is the first episode in our Advent 2024 series. We invited Dieula Previlon (a licensed professional counselor, certified life purpose coach, ordained minister, and author) to talk to the Be the Bridge community about hope. Latasha Morrison hosts this conversation. As a Haitian American woman, Dieula brings a wealth of wisdom, knowledge, and intention to her words. She shares her culture, her people, and her experience with us. She and Latasha discuss the importance of listening to our bodies and prioritizing rest in this season. They dive into a deep conversation about holding both lament and hope. You will be encouraged that God sees you! Join in the conversation on our social media pages on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to let us know your thoughts on this episode! Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison Producer  - Sarah Connatser Links: Ads: Spotify for Podcasters [Record, edit, distribute your podcast. Download the Spotify for Podcasters app or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.spotify.com/podcasters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Become a Donor of Be the Bridge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop the Be the Bridge Online Shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Dieula Previlon: Her Website Instagram Facebook Buy Her Book Substack ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Be the Bridge:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Latasha Morrison:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.

In 2022, six poets and spoken word artists took the stage at The Linda, WAMC's Performing Arts Studio, for the second annual Year in Review, hosted by Mary Panza. Today we are going to hear from one of those writers - poet, author, educator, actor, and artist D. Colin. D. Colin is a Haitian American multidisciplinary artist with an educational background in English & Africana Studies. She is a self-published author, a dynamic performer, a self-taught painter & maker of pretty things that make bold statements. Her mantra is “Be inspired. Then inspire.” The 2024 Year in Review will take place on Saturday, December 7, at 1:00 pm at The Linda on Central Ave. in Albany. This year's show will feature a team poetry slam with Troy's Slam Euphoria, The Dirty Gerund, Slam Free or Die from New Hampshire, the Boston Poetry Slam, and more battling it out on stage.

Graphic novels, Haitian-American book bingo, and The Power Broker. These are just a few of the book clubs happening at Brooklyn Public Library! This episode, we take a tour around the borough to listen in on our patrons' reading habits and ask why we still read together.Read a transcript of this episode here.Further resources:Check out our book clubs happening across the borough!Want to read The Power Broker? You can join the club at Macon Library or follow along with the podcast 99% Invisible.Read books by Haitian authors for our Haitian Heritage Book Bingo, or comics in Chinese. Join a quiet reading party or an anime club for teens.Check out what our staff are reading in “The Cover Is Blue” book club.

Hidden Money Secrets FINALLY Revealed For Millennials! Use our affiliate link for OpusClips ➡︎ https://www.opus.pro/?via=Remarry Is Love Calling Again? Take the 5-Minute Remarriage Readiness Quiz! ✓ Discover your emotional readiness ✓ Get personalized insights ✓ Receive expert relationship tips➡︎ https://scarytoremarry.com/ Get your Love Fearlessly Intimacy Card Deck here ➡︎ https://scarytoremarry.com/products/ Connect with Melissa here ➡︎ https://millennialindebt.com/ ===================== Connect With Us! ===================== X ➡︎ https://x.com/scarytoremarry IG ➡︎   / scarytoremarry   ================================ Subscribe & listen to the podcast HERE: ================================ Apple ➡︎ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify ➡︎ https://open.spotify.com/show/3CaG9aQ... Unlock the hidden money secrets every millennial needs to know! From saving hacks to investing tips, how to budget your money on dates, and the holidays! This podcast breaks down the financial strategies that can transform your future. Don't miss out on these game-changing insights! #MillennialMoney #FinancialFreedom #MoneyTips Melissa Jean-Baptiste is a first-generation Haitian American who has built a platform dedicated to helping Millennials and Gen Z restructure their relationships with money, obtain financial freedom, and build generational wealth. Melissa went on to write and produce the award-winning web series Millennial In Debt, which highlighted the overwhelming nature of navigating adulthood due to a lack of accessible financial education. As a personal finance and career development coach, Melissa's ultimate goal is to teach her audience how to be future millionaires. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scarytoremarry/support

Author and occupational therapist Samarra St. Hilaire shares her journey of growing up Haitian-American in Brooklyn, self-publishing her debut YA novel Brushed Between Cultures, and balancing cultural expectations with personal dreams. Discover how her 22 years as a therapist shaped her storytelling and the powerful themes of resilience, identity, and friendship in her work. Perfect for anyone navigating tradition and independence.

On the South Florida Roundup, we talked with three of the Miami Book Fair's featured local authors. Asha Elias' new novel Pink Glass Houses shows us Miami Beach social climbers battling for control of their kids' school PTA (01:11). Haitian-American educator Isabelle Camille's poignant memoir Sole's Mom embraces her child's transgender journey (18:28). And Jamaican-American poet Geoffrey Philip's graphic book My Name Is Marcus presents young readers to Black nationalist hero Marcus Garvey (34:56).

Nirva LaFortune emerged on Rhode Island's political scene in 2017. That's when she won a special election to represent Ward 3 on the East Side on the Providence City Council. LaFortune brought a new perspective and she was the first Haitian-American to win political office in Rhode Island. Five years later, in 2022, LaFortune placed third while running for mayor of Providence. She now serves as executive director of City Year Providence, a nonprofit that recruits young adults for a year of service in the Providence schools. Last year, 24 City Year Providence Americorps members served full-time in six city schools, reaching thousands of students. So what does she think it will take to improve the Providence schools after years of talk? What are LaFortune's reflections on her time on the City Council? And where does she think Democrats went wrong in taking on Donald Trump, now the president-elect? This week on Political Roundtable, I'm going in-depth with executive director of City Year Providence Nirva LaFortune.

Discover the perspectives of influential advocates on what lies ahead for voters, communities, and democratic engagement after a transformative election season.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description:  Tens of millions of Americans cast their ballots in one of the most divisive elections in our lifetime, but what happens next? What are the teachings and takeaways from this historic presidential race, as well as critical local races and ballot initiatives? Laura Flanders & Friends presents an exclusive post-election roundtable discussion, featuring analysts and perspectives you won't find in the money media. They include Guerline Jozef, a Haitian-American human rights advocate and Founder & Executive Director of The Haitian Bridge Alliance, called one of the “Most Influential People on Race, Politics, and Policy in the United States”; Judith LeBlanc, a citizen of the Caddo Nation and Executive Director of the Native Organizers Alliance; and Serena Sebring, Executive Director of Blueprint NC, a progressive ecosystem of nearly 60 groups working to build inclusive democracy in North Carolina. Join Laura and her guests as they examine what lies ahead for people, the planet and democracy. Where do we go from here? This conversation was recorded the morning of November 6, 2024. Guests:• Guerline Jozef: Founder & Executive Director, The Haitian Bridge Alliance• Judith LeBlanc (Caddo Nation): Executive Director, Native Organizers Alliance• Serena Sebring: Executive Director, Blueprint NC Music In the Middle:  “Faith and Equation” by Badawi featuring the voice of Sun Ra, from Badawi's album Protection released by the Underground Producers Alliance or UPA based in Brooklyn New York.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear. Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channelSubscribe to episode notes via Patreon Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  What's On The Ballot In North Carolina? Abortion, Trans Life, A Governorship, & Multiracial Democracy, Watch / Podcast  • Reporting on Policing at the Polls & BIPOC Voter Suppression in 2024, Watch / Podcast / Full Conversation•  Not Party to Party Politics: Movement Leaders Consider Election ‘24, Watch / Podcast / Full Conversation Related Articles and Resources:•  Haitian group in Springfield, Ohio, files citizen criminal charges against Trump and Vance, by Julie Carr Smyth, September 25, 2024, Associate Press•  Why more Native Americans are on U.S. ballots than ever before, by Ximena Bustillo for Morning Edition, November 3, 2024, NPR-WAMU•  Bidenomics Is Starting to Transform America.  Why Has No One Noticed? By Nicholas Lemann, October 28, 2024, New Yorker Magazine Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O'Conner. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

➡️WATCH THE FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW: TBU After Haiti got pawned in the US election Kehinde Andrews interviews Haitian-American filmmaker, Etant Dupain, about his new doc (film) "The Fight For Haiti." It tells the truth about the historical and current story around the Venezuelan PetriCaribe Oil Alliance scandal in Haiti. PetriCaribe was set up by former Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez. A program for LAC countries (Haiti joined in 2006) to buy oil through a repayment plan for preferential prices, resell to its oil suppliers at international prices, and use the savings for development projects such as infrastructure, health care, and education. This was a chance for Haiti to invest in itself. However, billions of dollars from the fund were wasted, embezzled, and stolen by those entrusted with it, taking it from those who needed it most. The film amplifies the self-determined grassroots struggle of Haitian activists aka Petrochallengers, who put everything on the line to lead the fight against government corruption, impunity, and state-sanctioned violence. It also follows how politicians and oligarchs have attempted to use gangs to destroy the popular movement. Etant Dupain is a journalist and filmmaker. Etant founded an alternative media project in Haiti to enable citizen journalists to provide access to information in Haitian Creole for and about internally displaced people, aid accountability, and politics.  A FREE SCREENING of "The Fight For Haiti" will run next week (Nov 19) at the BLOC Cinema at Queen Mary's School of Law. Tickets are available on Eventbrite (link below) Etant will be there, go say hello. ETANT DUPAIN SOCIALS LINKS (IG) @mr_dupain @thefightforhaiti (X) @EtantDupain @fightforhaiti  SHOW LINKS Official Site + Trailers https://thefightforhaiti.com/ Free Screening of ‘The Fight for Haiti' & Live Q&A With Etant Dupain (When: Tuesday, 19 November at 6pm-8pm | Where: BLOC Cinema, Arts One Building, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, E1 4NS) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-screening-of-the-fight-for-haiti-live-qa-with-etant-dupain-tickets-1037802504227 The Fight For Haiti Review: "Opinion: Hate against Haitian immigrants ignores how US politics pushed them here" https://eu.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2024/10/02/trump-vance-lie-haitian-immigrants-fight-for-haiti/75408449007/ JOIN THE STRUGGLE>> THE HARAMBEE ORGANISATION OF BLACK UNITY NEEDS YOU Harambee Organisation of Black Unity (Marcus Garvey Centre + Nicole Andrews Community Library, Birmingham, UK): https://www.blackunity.org.uk/ (IG) @harambeeobu (X) @HarambeeOBU (FB) OBUBirmingham Make it Plain - Black Education Community Resource Bank We are creating an educational community resource bank., to provide the education that Black children need. Please email us your resource links and we'll create a Black education resource page on Make it Plain.  mip@blackunity.org.uk  CAP25 - Convention of Afrikan People - Gambia - May 17-19, 2025 (Everyone's Welcome*) On Malcolm X's 100th birthday, the Harambee Organisation of Black Unity is bringing together those in Afrika and the Diaspora who want to fulfill Malcolm's legacy and build a global organization for Black people. This is an open invitation to anyone: https://make-it-plain.org/convention-of-afrikan-people/ *On the CAP Steering Committee, we have a Marginalized identities group that looks at LGBTQIA+ and other marginalized identities within Blackness, to ensure all Black people are included"  BUF - Black United Front  Global directory of Black organizations. This will be hosted completely free of charge so if you run a Black organization please email the name, address, website, and contact info to mip@blackunity.org.uk to be listed. MIP SOCIALS LINK Host: (IG) @kehindeandrews  (X) @kehinde_andrews  Podcast team: @makeitplainorg @weylandmck @inhisownterms @farafinmuso Platform: (Blog) www.make-it-plain.org  (YT) www.youtube.com/@MakeItPlain1964  Email: mip@blackunity.org.uk Subscribe + Support Make It Plain https://make-it-plain.org/support-us/ For any help with your audio visit: https://weylandmck.com/ Make it Plain is the Editorial Wing of the Harambee Organisation of Black Unity  

Descpription:  Tens of millions of Americans cast their ballots in one of the most divisive elections in our lifetime, but what happens next? What are the teachings and takeaways from this historic presidential race, as well as critical local races and ballot initiatives? Laura Flanders & Friends presents an exclusive post-election roundtable discussion, featuring analysts and perspectives you won't find in the money media. They include Guerline Jozef, a Haitian-American human rights advocate and Founder & Executive Director of The Haitian Bridge Alliance, called one of the “Most Influential People on Race, Politics, and Policy in the United States”; Judith LeBlanc, a citizen of the Caddo Nation and Executive Director of the Native Organizers Alliance; and Serena Sebring, Executive Director of Blueprint NC, a progressive ecosystem of nearly 60 groups working to build inclusive democracy in North Carolina. Join Laura and her guests as they examine what lies ahead for people, the planet and democracy. Where do we go from here? This conversation was recorded the morning of November 6, 2024.Guests:• Guerline Jozef: Founder & Executive Director, The Haitian Bridge Alliance• Judith LeBlanc (Caddo Nation): Executive Director, Native Organizers Alliance• Serena Sebring: Executive Director, Blueprint NC Watch the broadcast episode cut for time at our YouTube channel and airing on PBS stations across the country  Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  What's On The Ballot In North Carolina? Abortion, Trans Life, A Governorship, & Multiracial Democracy, Watch / Podcast  • Reporting on Policing at the Polls & BIPOC Voter Suppression in 2024, Watch / Podcast / Full Conversation•  Not Party to Party Politics: Movement Leaders Consider Election ‘24, Watch / Podcast / Full Conversation Related Articles and Resources:•  Haitian group in Springfield, Ohio, files citizen criminal charges against Trump and Vance, by Julie Carr Smyth, September 25, 2024, Associate Press•  Why more Native Americans are on U.S. ballots than ever before, by Ximena Bustillo for Morning Edition, November 3, 2024, NPR-WAMU•  Bidenomics Is Starting to Transform America.  Why Has No One Noticed? By Nicholas Lemann, October 28, 2024, New Yorker Magazine Full Episode Notes are located HERE. They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O'Conner. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

(AURN News) — As Americans prepare to choose between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who represents Florida's 20th Congressional District, is making a final push to mobilize voters across Florida's diverse communities. "No one can afford to sit this one out," Cherfilus-McCormick discussed the stakes in an interview with AURN News. "We've seen what Project 2025 is really all about... rolling back Medicaid and Medicare Social Security, which would totally devastate our seniors," she said. The Democratic congresswoman emphasized Harris's economic proposals, particularly those addressing cost-of-living concerns. "She has a robust economic plan that deals with some of the issues that we're facing, even when it comes to grocery price gouging, when it comes to housing, building over 3 million new houses and even having the first-time down payment program giving $25,000 for new homeowners," she commented. “These are all programs that are desperately needed at this moment, and we see so many people who are actually pushing and calling for a real government that sees the people for who they are and gives us a sense of hope and ensures that everyone has the opportunity to actually have a chance at thriving in the society.” Early voting data shows varying turnout across the state's metropolitan areas. "Palm Beach County has had a great turnout. Broward County is number two," Cherfilus-McCormick reported, while expressing concern about participation in other regions. "The areas where we really need to turn out and make sure everyone's voice is heard is in Jacksonville and Duval County." The congresswoman also noted increased political engagement within Florida's Haitian-American community. “I remember at the beginning of the election, some people weren't sure who they were voting for, because at one point, Trump did come down and try to cater towards the Haitian community. But I think what was a blessing and a curse was, the comments were a curse, but it ended up being a blessing, because right now, everyone seems to be on the same page of what needs to happen, which is to get out and vote for Kamala Harris,” she told AURN News. “We've been going to several churches and having everyone go out to vote immediately after service. We've had a series of phone banking and we've been calling several people also to make sure they're turning in their ballots and they're turning out to vote, but we've seen more and more people turning out to vote in this election, so we're very excited about that.” Describing the candidates' closing arguments, Cherfilus-McCormick said, "What's been very clear about Kamala's closing argument has been one of compassion and unity and really seeing Americans for who they are and the strength of our nation... Whereas on the other hand, we keep hearing about Donald Trump and his list of people who he's going to retaliate against." As Election Day lies just days away, Trump still maintains leads in most battleground states, though polling also shows a tight race nationally.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Herman Dolce, CEO of Bella Sloan Enterprises, is a notable credit specialist and entrepreneur

Send us a textJoin us as we welcome Dr. Akilah Cadet, a trailblazer in the fight against white supremacy, who shares her compelling journey as a first-generation Haitian-American. Dr. Cadet challenges harmful stereotypes, such as the myth about Haitians eating pets, and unpacks the broader impact of white supremacy on marginalized groups. Her powerful storytelling sheds light on the discrimination faced by many in the post-9/11 era and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We explore intersectionality and the courage needed to drive social change, emphasizing how narratives can be tools for both oppression and transformation.Our conversation takes a deeply personal turn as Dr. Akilah Cadet opens up about living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and major depressive disorder. With honesty and humor, she describes the resilience required to navigate life with these chronic conditions, sharing an alarming emergency room experience where she had to advocate fiercely for her own care. Dr. Cadet illustrates the power of reframing challenges, embracing her dynamic disability, and finding strength in self-advocacy and humor as essential coping mechanisms.We also highlight the exciting ventures of the Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul soccer teams, celebrating their community-driven approach and historic move to the Oakland Coliseum. Reflecting on the vibrant sports history of Oakland, we discuss the significance of creating an inclusive, community-centered experience. From record-breaking community investment rounds to personal connections with Oakland's cultural legacy, this episode is a heartfelt tribute to resilience, community, and the ongoing fight for equity and inclusion. Thank you to our listeners for your support and for sharing in the positive energy of this journey.Support the show

In playwright Dominique Morisseau's "Bad Kreyòl," a first-generation Haitian-American travels to Haiti to reconnect with a relative, exploring the relationships between the characters and the countries they reside in. Morisseau discusses the show, which is running through December 1 in a world premiere at the Signature Theatre.

In this episode of Mental Health Trailblazers: Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up! host Indrias Kassaye welcomes Rashida Charles, PhD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and doctoral fellow in the Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association. Rashida shares her journey from a first-generation Haitian-American background to her role as a trailblazing nurse scientist, shedding light on how her community roots and lived experiences shape her passion for health equity, particularly for Black men and marginalized groups.Rashida opens up about her unique path to psychiatric nursing—a field she chose after witnessing health disparities firsthand as an AmeriCorps health coach. From her early aspirations to become a doctor to finding her calling in nursing, Rashida emphasizes the impact of her Haitian heritage and the struggles she faced as a first-generation college student. She dives deep into her research on the links between mental and physical health, especially how societal issues like racism and systemic inequalities lead to adverse health outcomes in communities of color.In a thought-provoking discussion, Rashida and Indrias explore the transformative potential of AI in healthcare (and real life pitfalls), along with the ethical considerations that come with it. Rashida highlights the importance of having diverse voices—especially nurses—in policy discussions around AI development to prevent unintended consequences, such as biases in data use and patient care. Together, they envision a future where AI can be harnessed to enhance patient engagement while acknowledging the challenges of safeguarding mental health in the digital age.Together, Indrias and Rashida explore the critical role of the Minority Fellowship Program in advancing culturally responsive mental health care and discuss the urgent need for diverse perspectives in healthcare policy-making. Rashida's resilience shines as she reflects on the legacy of her family and the importance of representation and community support. This episode is a heartfelt celebration of overcoming barriers, redefining success, and the powerful influence of nurses in shaping the future of mental health care.Listen now to discover how Rashida's journey underscores the importance of mental health professionals who not only understand but reflect the communities they serve. Free CNE Credits available for listening! Don't miss this chance to earn continuing education credits while learning from influential voices in nursing today. Tune in to this and all episodes of season 4, celebrating “50 Years: Reflect & Project!” and the lasting impact of the SAMHA Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association.CNE information:An email will be sent to you at a later date with instructions on how to claim CNE credit.The American Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.Learn more about Rashida Charles at https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/rashida-charles. Rashida Charles is also Sr. Clinical Instructor, Washington Squared Program, George Washington University & Medstar Washington Hospital Center, and Associate Professor, Advanced Research Methods, The State University of Haiti   

Edwidge Danticat's audiobook of essays testifies to a close reader and observer of human affairs. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Alan Minskoff discuss how the famed Haitian American novelist, memoirist, and children's author is clearly a practiced narrator. Her essays range from the horrors of racism, the toll of hurricanes, and the inequity of climate change to the appreciation of writers she admires. A fine collection that creates an indelible portrait of a keen and remarkable mind.  Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Recorded Books.  Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile's website.      Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(AURN News) — Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, the only Haitian-American in Congress, is championing policies to support Haiti and strengthen U.S. trade relations with Caribbean nations. Representing Florida's 20th congressional district, Cherfilus-McCormick views her role as pivotal in shaping Haiti policy. "This fight for Haiti is really a fight that I'm passionate about, it's very personal," she said. "I remember growing up and always having the narrative and the turmoil of Haiti being told by people who didn't understand Haitian people, didn't understand the Haitian American experience." The congresswoman also emphasized to AURN News Haiti's historical contributions, which she says are often overlooked in American discourse. "Haiti not only fought for its independence, being the first black nation to be independent, but after that fight for independence, Haitians in Haiti went on, really, on a tour, kind of where they aggressively fought for freedom for everyone, even fighting for the United States, even making sure we expanded through the Louisiana Purchase," Cherfilus-McCormick stated. Addressing misconceptions about Haitian immigrants after unconfirmed rumors were spread on social media and by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance regarding Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio eating people's pets, the Florida congresswoman said, "Every Haitian who leaves Haiti to come to United States is so grateful that they get to actually work hard and escape some of the political turmoil that they want to give back to the United States." The congresswoman also addressed broader political concerns, warning against divisive rhetoric targeting immigrants. "We're in an extremely divisive moment... Even though we're hearing some political candidates talking specifically about Haitians, we shouldn't sit back and think that that's just a Haitian thing, because he's [Trump] really coming for anyone who is Black," she cautioned. She called for unity, stating, "We have to stand adamantly and vehemently against any form of hate, any form of just trying to divide us as a community and make sure that we are practicing a more inclusive community and more inclusive government." On trade policy, the congresswoman advocates for fair practices and lower tariffs. "I've been really advocating for fair trade practices and lower tariffs so we can help businesses and farmers compete in the global market, strengthening their economic ties and providing opportunities for long-term growth, not just for them, but for Americans," she explained. Cherfilus-McCormick tells AURN News that she supports trade agreements for not only Haiti but other Caribbean nations as well. "If we look at all the great jobs that come at the ports, those jobs are good paying jobs, unionized jobs, and we see more people, especially in my district and being in Florida, working at those ports. And that comes from having good trade policies, that we have more American jobs. And so traditionally, I think when people think of trade, they're not seeing the benefit to American workers and to the country," she said. “How can we strengthen the Caribbean so we can have the Caribbean nations not just being strong allies, but being economic partners, but we see more Americans being able to capitalize on those markets and growing,” she added. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have a cosmic collision involving Trump: on the same day Trump and Vance had criminal charges sworn out against them by the proud Ohio Haitian community for hate speech crimes, the criminal case against his would-be assassin is being prosecuted by the US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida—a member of the Haitian American community—and has been “randomly” assigned to Judge Cannon. Michael Popok who practices in these Florida courts and knows the players explains it all on his latest hot take. Thanks to HexClad! Find your forever cookware @hexclad and get 10% off at https://hexclad.com/LEGALAF! #hexcladpartner Join the Legal AF Patreon: https://Patreon.com/LegalAF Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown Lights On with Jessica Denson: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/lights-on-with-jessica-denson On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Coalition of the Sane: https://meidasnews.com/tag/coalition-of-the-sane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following Donald Trump and J.D. Vance's racist smears against Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, author Myriam J.A. Chancy joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to talk about Haitian history and independence; imperialism in Haiti; immigration to and from Haiti; the positive and negative impacts social media has on Haitian communities; and how the current discourse obscures both Haitian past and present. Chancy reflects on the importance of translating Haitian literature into English, recommends the work of several other writers, and discusses the Expo of '49, which brought people from around the world to Haiti. She reads a related scene from Village Weavers.  To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/ This episode of the podcast was produced by Anne Kniggendorf. Myriam J.A. Chancy  Village Weavers  What Storm, What Thunder  Spirit of Haiti Harvesting Haiti Others: Cléanthe Desgraves Valcin  Yanick Lahens Marie-Célie Agnant Valérie Bah Lyonel Trouillot Gary Victor     Mackenzy Orcel  Kettly Mars    “'It just exploded': Springfield woman claims she never meant to spark false rumors about Haitians” by Alicia Victoria Lozano | NBC News “Opinion | Trump Knows What He's Doing in Springfield. So Does Vance.” by Jamelle Bouie| The New York Times “Marianne Williamson Defends Donald Trump's Bizarre Haitian Pet-Eating Conspiracy” by Liam Archacki| Daily Beast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today:It's not just Ohio: Around the country, Haitian communities are facing threats of violence after incendiary lies made by former president Trump and JD Vance. We talk with former State Rep -- the first Haitian-American to hold public office in Massachusetts -- Marie St. Fleur. And, we speak with two award-winning GBH filmmakers about their work highlighting the role of Vice Presidents past, present and future…  Cameo George, Executive Producer for American Experience and Rainey Aronson-Rath from Frontline will discuss their new documentaries on the VEEP-stakes.

It was a celebration at St. Paul's Fitzgerald Theater Tuesday night, as the 25th season of Talking Volumes launched with Haitian-born writer Edwidge Danticat.She joined host Kerri Miller on stage to talk about the vulnerability inherent in her new book of essays, “We're Alone.” They also talked about the challenges facing the Haitian-American community at this moment and how Danticat's own family — who moved to American when she was 12 — faced the immigrant journey. Speaking of the violent threats facing the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, Danticat said: “It reminds me of a collective fragility, right? One of the things that is very precarious for immigrants, especially new arrived immigrants, is this idea that we don't always get to decide where we call home. … And it can go generations, where you think, ‘Oh I thought I was home, but this person who has more power thinks this is not my home, and they have the mechanisms to disavow me of that notion.'”There was plenty of laughter too, including Danticat's surprising confession about the weirdest thing she's brought with her on book tour, how she navigates being an author on social media and what it means to her to be a “witnessing writer.” Plus, there was evocative music from Minneapolis musician LAAMAR.You can still get tickets online for the rest of the 25th season of Talking Volumes, which will feature Alice Hoffman, Louise Erdrich and Kate DiCamillo.

Ever heard wild rumors about a community that just don't add up? As a physician, understanding different cultures is essential, and today's episode sheds light on some common misconceptions about Haitians.In this special episode, Jude A. Pierre, MD, a proud Haitian-American, directly addresses rumors and misinformation about the Haitian community that have been circulating online. With a focus on dispelling myths, he explores four core traits that shape the Haitian identity—hard work, resilience, pride, and, yes, a surprising debunking of a persistent false claim about pet consumption. Whether you work with diverse patient populations or are curious about Haitian culture, this episode provides valuable insight that challenges stereotypes.You will discover:How Haitians' resilience and work ethic shape their success, both in medicine and beyond.The significance of Haiti's revolutionary history in fostering national pride.Why understanding different cultural backgrounds is key to breaking down harmful assumptions.Tune in to this enlightening episode and dive deeper into cultural awareness—an essential skill for every physician.  Discover how medical graduates, junior doctors, and young physicians can navigate residency training programs, surgical residency, and locum tenens to increase income, enjoy independent practice, decrease stress, achieve financial freedom, and retire early, while maintaining patient satisfaction and exploring physician side gigs to tackle medical school loans.

Recent remarks made by former President Donald Trump, U.S. Senators J.D. Vance and Ted Cruz falsely accuse Haitian immigrants of eating pets, sparking outrage across the Haitian community. Garry Pierre-Pierre, founder and publisher of The Haitian Times, and Michaelle Solages, New York State Assembly member (D - District 22, Valley Stream, North Valley Stream, Elmont, South Valley Stream, South Floral Park, Floral Park, the Village of Bellerose, Bellerose Terrace, North Woodmere, Stewart Manor, and sections of Franklin Square), discuss the Haitian-American community's reaction and much more.

I'd LOVE to hear from you! Now you can send a TEXT MESSAGE! Be sure to leave your contact EMAIL so I can return your message!In this episode of My DPC Story Podcast, Dr. Maryal Concepcion interviews Dr. Gabrielle Williams, a Haitian American board-certified family medicine physician, about her transition to Direct Primary Care (DPC). They delve into the mental, physical, and emotional toll the traditional insurance-driven healthcare system takes on physicians and how Dr. Williams internalized this blame. Dr. Williams candidly shares her journey from feeling overwhelmed to finding a second chance in medicine through DPC, where she builds lasting patient relationships and provides care aligned with her values.The discussion highlights the DPC model's benefits, such as returning autonomy to physicians and enhancing patient access to care. They also acknowledge the challenges of transitioning to DPC, including the need for personal growth, mentorship, and managing business aspects. Dr. Williams emphasizes the importance of patience, understanding patient choices, and staying committed to the mission despite initial setbacks.Tune in to hear Dr. Williams's insights on balancing clinical work with entrepreneurship, the significance of hiring aligned team members, and her advice for physicians seeking fulfillment outside the traditional healthcare system. Join the My DPC Story community on Patreon for more of the conversation.*Click HERE to learn more about DrChrono today! REGISTER for RosettaFest2024 TODAY with code MYDPCSTORY100 to save $100 off your in-person or virtual registration! -> SPRUCE HEALTH: NEW USERS get 20% off your SPRUCE HEALTH paid plan with code: MARYAL20 FREE 1 month trial - HEIDI HEALTH PRO: As Individualized As Your DPC.Support the Show.Be A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER! SPONSOR THE PODMy DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!FACEBOOK * INSTAGRAM * LinkedIn * TWITTER * TIKTOK * YouTube

On today's episode, Jonathan and Sy have a catch-up conversation on the assassination attempt, the Vance VP pick, Biden stepping down, and Harris stepping up. Then they talk with UCLA professor Robert Chao Romero about:-        What everyday life was like for immigrants during Trump's administration-        How MAGA Christians' treatment of immigrants reveals a lack of spiritual discernment-        What Professor Romero would say to immigrants who think voting won't make a difference-        And the complicated, diverse politics of Latine voters in AmericaMentioned in the Episode-            Our anthology, Keeping the Faith-            Tamice Spencer-Helms reading an excerpt of Faith Unleavened-            Professor Romero's Instagram-            And his book, Brown ChurchCredits-            Follow KTF Press on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Subscribe to get our bonus episodes and other benefits at KTFPress.com.-        Follow host Jonathan Walton on Facebook Instagram, and Threads.-        Follow host Sy Hoekstra on Mastodon.-        Our theme song is “Citizens” by Jon Guerra – listen to the whole song on Spotify.-        Our podcast art is by Robyn Burgess – follow her and see her other work on Instagram.-        Editing by Multitude Productions-        Transcripts by Joyce Ambale and Sy Hoekstra.-        Production by Sy Hoekstra and our incredible subscribersTranscriptIntroduction[An acoustic guitar softly plays six notes in a major scale, the first three ascending and the last three descending, with a keyboard pad playing the tonic in the background. Both fade out as Jonathan Walton says “This is a KTF Press podcast.”]Robert Romero: In the context of the life of worship, we are to reflect upon scripture, upon the 2000-year-old tradition of the church, and to add Latino theology, en conjunto, or in community, with the local church, with the global church, with the church that's there with Jesus right now, even. And there has to be a continuity, a harmony between new scriptural interpretations and our ancestors that have gone before us. And so if you just run that test [laughs], that criteria, the MAGA movement through that doesn't make any sense.[The song “Citizens” by Jon Guerra fades in. Lyrics: “I need to know there is justice/ That it will roll in abundance/ And that you're building a city/ Where we arrive as immigrants/ And you call us citizens/ And you welcome us as children home.” The song fades out.]Jonathan Walton: Welcome to Shake the Dust, seeking Jesus confronting injustice. I'm Jonathan Walton.Sy Hoekstra: And I am Sy Hoekstra. This is gonna be an interesting episode. Today we're breaking our format a little bit because just so many things have happened since the last time that we recorded. I don't know if you've noticed, Jonathan, a couple of things happened in the news [laughs] since the last time we recorded this show.Jonathan Walton: A few historical events.Sy Hoekstra: Just a few historical events. So we're still gonna have an interview with one of the authors from the anthology that we published on Theology and Politics. This week it will be Robert Chao Romero, who is a lawyer, history PhD, professor, pastor, activist. No big deal, the usual combination of the regular career path that everyone takes. But before we do that, we are going to spend some time talking about the assassination attempts on Donald Trump, the JD Vance pick for Vice President, Joe Biden stepping down, the almost certain nomination of Kamala Harris. And while we will probably talk about a couple of the resources that we've highlighted in our newsletter on those subjects, we're not gonna formally do our Which Tab Is Still Open this time around. There's just too much…Jonathan Walton: There's a lot. There's a lot.Sy Hoekstra: …to talk about, and we wanted to get all that in. Plus the really, really great interview with Professor Romero. But before we get into all of that, Jonathan.Jonathan Walton: Hey, if you like what you hear and read from KTF Press and would like for it to continue beyond the election season, please go to KTFPress.com and become a paid subscriber, and encourage others to do the same. We've got a ways to go before we're going to have enough people to sustain the work we're doing after the election. So if that's you, go to KTFPress.com, sign up, become a paid subscriber, and then tell a friend to do the same thing. That gets you all the bonus episodes of this show, access to our monthly Zoom chats with the two of us and some other great subscribers. And so go to KTFPress.com and subscribe.The Assassination Attempt on Donald TrumpSy Hoekstra: Alright Jonathan. Let's start with the big one. Well, no, they're all big ones.Jonathan Walton: No, they're all big for different people, for different reasons [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: For very different reasons.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: The assassination attempt in Pennsylvania at the rally, just before the RNC. The media reaction to this, Jonathan, has struck me as a little bit odd. I don't know what you've been thinking, but let's hear what you're thinking, what your reaction to the assassination attempt was and to the conversation around it.Not Taking Part in the News Spectacle of the AssassinationJonathan Walton: Yeah. So my immediate reaction was, okay, if this had happened in 2016, I think I would've pulled my phone up and writing things, processing, trying to figure things out, all those kinds of things. When I heard this news, I was on the beach in California with my family, and I honestly was not troubled. And that was weird to me. I was not worried, I was not concerned. I thought to myself, “Man, if I was orienting my life around the decisions of Donald Trump and the Republican Party, I would probably be losing my insert word [laughs], but I'm not.” And I also thought about, oh, if I am someone on the quote- unquote left, my brain would be spinning. How is this gonna be politically, what's the impact? Blah, blah, blah. And I just wasn't. And so in that immediate moment, I felt empathy for folks that were feeling that type of dissonance.And the way that I felt towards Donald Trump actually came from a conversation I had with Priscilla, because she was sharing and just the reality that we don't want to participate in the spectacle of it. Reality in TV is an oxymoron that shouldn't exist. Our lives are not entertainment. The intimacies of life should not be broadcast and monetized and commented on as though all of us are all of a sudden now in a glass, I mean [laughs], to reference not the book, but just the image. But that all of us are now like a glass menagerie that we can just observe one another and comment as if we're not people. Those are the initial feelings that I had.Why Wasn't the Shooter Considered Suspicious?Jonathan Walton: The last feeling that I had was actually highlighted by someone from our emotionality activist cohort. He said that he felt angry because the shooter was labeled as suspicious, but not dangerous. And he said, if this had been a BIPOC person, Black, indigenous person of color, there would've absolutely been a response.Sy Hoekstra: Especially at a Trump rally.Jonathan Walton: At a Trump rally, there would've been a response to a suspicious person of color. That would've been fundamentally different place as evidenced by the very real reality, I think a few days later at an event where there was a Black person that was killed by the police [laughs] near a political rally. So I think there, no, there was an altercation, there was a very real threat of violence between these two people, but the responses to Black people and people of color and the impoverished and all these different things that it, it's just a fundamentally different thing because they saw this 20-year-old kid who isn't old enough to buy alcohol, but old enough to get his hands on an AR-15 to scope out a place and shoot someone wasn't seen as a threat. And I think that is a unique frustration and anger, because I hadn't thought about that, but I hold that too.Sy Hoekstra: Just to emphasize that he was, the local police officers actually did try and flag this person as someone who was suspicious. They didn't do anything about it, but they noted it. You know what I mean?Jonathan Walton: Yeah, yeah, yeah.Sy Hoekstra: Which is even more… Like his behavior was suspicious enough for him to be noticed by law enforcement, but they didn't actually do anything, and then they reported it to whoever was running campaign security, and they didn't do anything about it either.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: And I don't know. Yes, that is a good and sad point, and I appreciate you bringing it up.We Have to Insist on the Value of Trump's LifeJonathan Walton: Well, what about for you?Sy Hoekstra: I mean, I guess my response to, two different angles of response to it. One is to anybody, I know there are people out there who are like, “Trump is a fascist, Trump is a threat to democracy, I just wish he'd been hit in the head.” And I don't think anyone in, I haven't heard anybody in the mainstream media or politicians or anyone saying that, because that would be too far for them in their [laughs] policies and their politeness and all that. But there are people thinking it, and I just, I don't know. I just have to say that we can't do that.Jonathan Walton: Absolutely not.Sy Hoekstra: We can't be the people who dehumanize somebody to that degree. I agree that he's a fascist and that he wants to, and that he is a huge threat to our democracy and all of that. But to then say, “I wish he was dead,” that puts you on his level. That makes you like him, the person who mocks when other people have had assassination attempts on them, like Nancy Pelosi or Gretchen Whitmer. Or who encourages and stands behind all the people who were in the January 6th riot that did actually kill people, right?Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: You don't become him, is what I'm saying to anybody who's thought or been tempted to have those thoughts. We still have to stick to the image of God and everybody as a principal. Even when it's genuinely tempting not to, because there are serious considerations on the other side of that argument [laughs] if that makes sense.Jonathan Walton: Yes, yes.Sy Hoekstra: It's a terrible thing to talk about, but it's, I think it's worth addressing.Jonathan Walton: Absolutely.We Do Not Need to Tone Down Our Rhetoric about Trump's Threat to DemocracySy Hoekstra: But I also have to say the opposite side of like, we must call for unity. We must call to lower the political rhetoric and the political temperature. When it comes to Donald Trump, that is ridiculous.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: That is a, you can't do that [laughter]. And the reason is, first of all, he's the one mocking other people's attempts that have happened on their lives, or riots that actually led to people dying, right?Jonathan Walton: Yes. Yes.Sy Hoekstra: So for him or the people who support him to say, “Oh, now we need to call for unity or rhetoric to come down,” it's hypocritical on their part. Now, that doesn't matter. I'm not trying to just be like whatabouting the Republicans. But the issue is like, there's different kinds of heated political rhetoric. When you obviously accuse somebody of being a threat to democracy, that's a charged statement for sure that you shouldn't say lightly. However, the people who are arguing it now are arguing it on the basis of Donald Trump's words and actions [laughs]. They're making a real good faith argument based on actual evidence. It's heated nonsense political rhetoric when Donald Trump says that there's an invasion at the southern border…Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: …and you're just painting poor people who are fleeing violence, trying to find safety in an opportunity in America as invaders who are here to, well, like he said, killers and rapists and drug dealers and whatever.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: When you're just painting with a broad brush, when you're creating stereotypes, when you're just trying to slide people into a category, that's dehumanization and that's what can lead to violence. When you're actually making an argument against something that people have actually done, like words that people have said and actions that they have taken, that's a different story. And it is true that in a country of 320 million people, even if you make a good faith argument based on facts, that somebody's a threat to democracy, somebody might take that as a reason to shoot at them. But that's not anything over which we have any control.Jonathan Walton: No.Sy Hoekstra: That doesn't mean you stop saying things that are true because they're… you know what I mean? That then I wouldn't say anything about anybody. I would just keep my mouth shut all the time. I can't make any arguments about anything because what if somebody just happens to at the wrong moment take that as license to go attack somebody?Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: So all of that stuff seemed like nonsense to me. And then people were like, “Oh, don't talk about how it's gonna help his campaign.” Of course, it's gonna help his campaign. And of course the Republicans are going to use it to help his campaign. We need to be realistic about what we're talking about here [laughs] in the context of our conversation. So I think those were my reactions to all of this. I think because as soon as he was shot at, I, because he wasn't hit, I knew he was fine. So I wasn't particularly scared about it. I didn't have like a lot of emotions around the thing itself, because the guy missed him [laughs].Americans Condemning Political Violence is HypocrisyJonathan Walton: Yeah. I think I'll also say too, it's the idea that all of a sudden, we are gonna step out and condemn political violence, let's be clear. There's an exceptional level of political violence enacted by the United States every single day against its own people, against people around the world. There are 900 bases where political violence is happening. We tried to assassinate a leader a few months ago in the Congo. Let's be clear that the reality of that statement too is just ridiculously hypocritical and ignorant.Sy Hoekstra: Yep.Jonathan Walton: Right. Like just Biden did rattle off some political violence that I think we, the quote- unquote dominant cultural narrative is okay with calling out, but we also have to just name the reality that we are actively participating in things that are politically violent.Sy Hoekstra: All the time.Jonathan Walton: Yeah [laughs] all the time. For example [laughs], Biden said, oh, yeah, we're not gonna ship bombs to Israel anymore, and the reality is we shipped thousands of bombs.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah. Yeah.Jonathan Walton: That level of comfort with ignorance and hypocrisy and the dissemination, or just sharing that widely, is also something not about the event itself, but our dominant narrative response and the legacy media's response was just, that was disheartening to say the least.Sy Hoekstra: It's a very good point. And I would point out that Trump himself had a general in Iran assassinated [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Right. Yes.Sy Hoekstra: It's just like, it's complete nonsense.Jonathan Walton: He did. Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: For us to be like, “Where does political violence come from in America? I don't know.”Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: The many presidential assassinations and lynchings and pogroms and everything else. Like what? I don't know.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: We should note, by the way, as I'm listening to you talk, Jonathan's at home and children are not in school, they're home from daycare [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Oh, yes. Yes. Our house is very full. Thank you for being gracious.Sy Hoekstra: You'll hear some adorable little voices in the background. I'm sure everyone will enjoy it all.The VP Pick of J. D. VanceSy Hoekstra: Jonathan, let's talk JD Vance. What are you thinking about this pick [laughs]?Vance Is Everything Trump Wishes He Was, and Could Lead for a Long TimeJonathan Walton: Oh, Lord! I think the thing that bothers me about JD Vance, as my daughter screams [laughs], is Donald Trump picked someone who reflects all of the values that he has and wants to espouse.Sy Hoekstra: Yep.Jonathan Walton: So Donald Trump would love to say that he grew up poor and is a working class man, all those things. He's not, but JD Vance, quote- unquote, is. He desperately wants to say he made it and served his country and all the… No, he didn't.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: But JD Vance is a Marine and quote- unquote actually built a business. Now, JD Vance is also exceptionally misogynistic, exceptionally patriarchal, exceptionally individualistic in the way that Bootstrap Republicanism tries to embody itself. And so he chose someone at the same time that did not have the apprentice. That did not go on reality television. That did not spend his life entertaining people, so I think he is going to be taken seriously, which is why he's dragging Donald Trump in the polls. I think what happened is the wholesale remaking of a section of the Republican party that has now taken it over, and he chose a leader that could be the voice of that for the next 25 years. And that I think is sad [laughs] because I do believe in a pluralistic society where people can share ideas and wrestle and make good faith arguments and argue for change and all those things.So I don't want some one party event that happens. At the same time, I think it is exceptionally unnerving and unsettling and destabilizing for someone who holds such views against women that we will absolutely see, obviously when we talk about Kamala Harris. But what he, what Donald Trump blessed and sent out, JD Vance will now bless and send out for the next few decades at least. And that if you wanted to give a new, like a reiteration of Strom Thurmond, here we go. He's 38, he could be talking and on TV and doing things for the next 50 years, and that is deeply unsettling for me.Vance Is a Sellout, but That Probably Won't Matter MuchSy Hoekstra: It's also interesting that he's someone who's doing it as a sellout.Jonathan Walton: Oh, yeah. A thousand percent.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah. Meaning he was not… he was a never Trumper for a while. He called Trump possibly America's Hitler at one point. And now he totally turned around once he ran for Senate because he saw where the wind was blowing.Jonathan Walton: Exactly.Sy Hoekstra: If nothing else, his Silicon Valley background lets him understand disruption and how to capitalize on uncertainty and when things are changing [laughs]. So yeah, that's an interesting one to me. I kind of wondered if that would make Trumpers not trust him or even not trust Trump, because he isn't… So much of the Trump worldview that he tries to inculcate in people is us versus them, and we need to demand loyalty because there's so much danger out there coming at us. And so a guy who flip flops to become a pro-Trump person, like a lot of… I don't know, there have been a lot of politicians like that who have been distrusted, but maybe he's just famous enough that it doesn't matter. I'm not sure. We'll see as it goes on. There's a possibility that he weakens the enthusiasm of Trump voters, but I don't actually know.Jonathan Walton: They chanted “Hang Mike Pence.” So I don't put that beyond them, beyond anybody.Sy Hoekstra: I see. They can always separate Trump from anybody else, basically.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: He's the exception no matter what [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Right, right, right.Vance Helps with the Tech World, but He's Unexperienced and Hasn't Accomplished MuchSy Hoekstra: Another thing about him is, well, there's a couple of things. One is he is, he was a pick, at least in part to court tech billionaires. He's a Peter Thiel protege. He's basically promising to deregulate all kinds of tech related things. He is helping Trump secure the support of Musk and Zuckerberg and everybody else.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: So, I don't know. He was a strategic pick in that sense, I guess. He's also one that was a strategic pick when they were facing Joe Biden.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: Which they're not anymore, and it's an interesting, I don't know, it'll be a different kind of calculation. Now, I've heard some rumblings that some Republicans kind of regret the choice at this point because [laughs] it's gonna be such a different race.Jonathan Walton: Yeah, yeah. Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: It's also incredible to me that the entire Republican ticket now has a total of six years of government experience [laughter]. It's just like, so Trump has done it for four years. Vance has done it for two, that's all we got. Six years.Jonathan Walton: Right, right.Sy Hoekstra: Kamala's got that beat like by multiples, by herself with no running mates [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yeah. Right, right, right.Sy Hoekstra: So anyways, that's just kind of a remarkable thing. Vance is also totally, he hasn't done much in the Senate in terms of bills that he's introduced, but he has introduced things that haven't gone anywhere that are just like a bunch of transphobic and anti-DEI and all that kind of legislation. So he's been not doing much, but ideologically on doing the kinds of things that Trump wants a senator to do. So that's another part of the pick, which is also depressing. But let's move on from that sad one.Jonathan Walton: [laughs].Biden Stepping Down, Harris Taking OverSy Hoekstra: Jonathan, what are we thinking about Biden stepping down and the almost certain, possibly the only legal available nomination of [laughter] Kamala Harris to be the President of the United States?The Dynamics of White Boomers Passing Power to Younger BIPOCJonathan Walton: So, yeah, the first thing that I thought of when Biden said he was stepping down was that I knew he was gonna step down when he got COVID.Sy Hoekstra: Huh.Jonathan Walton: I think that's a very interesting thing because when we were in California traveling this past few weeks, we knew four families that got COVID. And then I checked the numbers and I realized, oh, like the numbers in cities are going up because they're still testing water, right? And obviously the most susceptible people are older people and people with chronic health problems. And he is an older person [laughs]. Like, it was another thing…Sy Hoekstra: I don't know if you noticed.Jonathan Walton: …that says you're old, right? Like, and that, that Steve Bannon was right. He started the old train a long time ago, and it has run its course and run him out of the election. So I was not surprised that he was dropping out. The second thing about it though is, and I don't know if there's more writing about this. If you're listening to this and you have read some analysis or commentary, I'd love to read it. But I wonder how boomers are transitioning from positions of power, and if they are or not [laughs]. Because Joe Biden, I think, signifies a generation of people that don't know how to let go of power. And he said that in his speech. He said like, “I have to give up ambition.”And so I think that was an interesting, that's just an interesting thing to think about as there is a very significant, I think in the trillions of dollars' worth of transfers of wealth from that generation to their children and grandchildren. The billionaires that have been minted in the United States are just people inheriting money. So it's just a fundamentally different thing around wealth and power that's happening, I think, as it is power quote- unquote, is given from one older White man to a middle aged Black woman. Right? Black and South Asian. And so the other thing I thought about with Joe Biden is that he also was on the ticket that coordinated Obama.And so he's the meat in the middle of this sandwich that I think is also very interesting [laughs], that he leveraged his power to effectively potentially elect the first two Black presidents of the United States.Sy Hoekstra: Now, to be fair, he did run against the first one in the primary [laughs].Jonathan Walton: He did, and he lost, and then he joined a ticket, right?Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.What We Can and Can't be Grateful to Biden ForJonathan Walton: And so, I think it's interesting that that's a thing. I will also say, for all the people, left, right, center, wherever you place yourself, thanking him and praising him and all these different things, I'm just not on that train.Sy Hoekstra: Huh? Why?Jonathan Walton: I've thought a little bit about this, and I'm continuing to think about this, but there's a tension that I feel generally for the processes and the participation and the hard decisions that we have to make every day that require necessary compromise and then violence as a result. And so when we talk about being grateful for things, like, “Oh, Jonathan, aren't you grateful for like soldiers, or grateful for America?” And it's like, the first thought that I have is, thankful to who for what? Who am I thanking, what am I thanking them for? And I think it's because I just have this resistance, and I desire this purity that only is found in Jesus. This purity, this wonder, this beauty, this justice, this love that is blemishless, right? So I find myself, it's very difficult for me to be like, “Thank you Joe for this work that you did 10 years ago, this work you did five years ago.” It's hard. I'm just like, you know, thanks.Sy Hoekstra: Oh, I see.Jonathan Walton: Blessings on you on the rest of your life. I hope that you are able to flourish and receive all the things that God has. It's very general, very cursory. I don't carry this deep respect, appreciation or anything like that. And I think that just comes from like, I attach people to institutional violence and he represents a lot, a staggering amount of institutional violence. Even though he fought for lots of good things, it's like, yeah, it's hard for me to get on that appreciation bandwagon of the last 50 years of service.Sy Hoekstra: I totally understand that. I thought you were talking about, because a thing that I think you can acknowledge is difficult to do is to step down.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: In the situation that he's in, there are so many people telling him not to. It's so easy, especially if you have that ambition that he's obviously had his whole life.Jonathan Walton: For his whole life, yeah.Sy Hoekstra: Decades, he has wanted to be president, right?Jonathan Walton: [laughs]. Right.Sy Hoekstra: And he just wants to hang onto it and…Jonathan Walton: Let me into the sandbox! Let me in [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: And it's hard to just admit, “I'm tapped out guys. I can't do this anymore.”Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: That is not an easy thing to do. And I do, in spite of all the criticisms that I a hundred percent agree with you with about the time that he spent in the presidency and in Congress and everything else, that's hard. And I can acknowledge when somebody did something hard that is helpful for the country [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yeah. Exactly. Exactly.Sy Hoekstra: And because it is hard, I did not expect it. It's interesting that you did, but I didn't know that was coming.Harris and Why Representation is ImportantSy Hoekstra: I also, when it comes to Harris, who by the way, I said Kamala earlier. I'm trying not to do that, because it can't be that the two, Hillary and Kamala, we use their first names. Everybody else we use their last names [laughs].Jonathan Walton: The soft misogyny. I hear you, you're right.Sy Hoekstra: Everybody calls her Kamala though. It's like hard not to.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: So I'm not the guy to explain why her running is so historically important in any detail, and there's gonna be a lot of very shallow attempts at talking about representation in the mainstream media. Which is why in the newsletter, I pointed people back to Tamice's book, because in the book that we published, Faith Unleavened, Tamice Spencer-Helms, the author, has a really great excerpt that we published and actually put as a episode of this podcast feed. I'll have the link in the show notes where she talks about, like Kamala Harris just comes at the end of the excerpt, but it's in the context of her talking about the stories of generations of women in her family and how they've served as a barrier or a bulwark against White religion and Whiteness destroying their lives.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: And the story ends in a scene that has never once failed to make me tear up [laughs] even though I edited it like 15 times [laughter] when we were making the book. It ends with her and her grandmother, and her grandmother's basically on her deathbed watching Kamala Harris get sworn in as vice president. And she does an incredible job of emphasizing the power and meaning of something like that happening without really talking about it. You know what I mean? It just is because it's part of her story as she puts it, like the story that Blackness is telling in America. So it's very, very good. If you haven't read it, I would go back and just grab a couple of tissues.And for me, I won't just let that story sit there, and the fact that it is important to sit there, because look, I have a lot of criticisms of Kamala Harris' policies [laughs] as a former prosecutor, as her foreign policy, as all those kinds of things, and I am willing to let all of that sit in tension together. And I will move on with my life, but I don't know if you have more thoughts about that, Jonathan.Resisting the Bigotry that Is Coming for HarrisJonathan Walton: Yeah. The only thing that I would say, and actually it's already happening. But the level of anti-Black, anti-woman, racist, misogynistic, patriarchal flood that is about to happen, will be unprecedented.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: Online right now, even on Fox News, like on Fox News this morning, one of their commentators said, “Kamala Harris is the original ‘hawk tuah girl,' that's how she got to where she is.” Now, if you don't know what that is, I'm gonna explain it very quickly in ways that I hope are not dehumanizing to the person that actually did this and the people that it was said about. But there was a young woman who was taped on TikTok, who was asked about how to get a man more aroused. And she said, you gotta do that Hawk Tua, and that really gets them going. There's a slice of the internet, which we are all becoming more familiar with if you're online, that still desires the Girls Gone Wild videos of the 1990s, the centering of men constantly in sexual pleasure and relationships, and the picture of women only being able to succeed or excel if they are in service to men, and absolutely never achieving anything or earning anything on their own merit.And so I think Ketanji Brown Jackson, when she was certified and confirmed as a Supreme Court nominee, I think will give a slice of the anti DEI, anti CRT, anti-Black female, anti-female narrative, but that will pale in comparison to what we are about to see. And I think followers of Jesus need to resist that at every single level. At every single level if we can. Individual, in our own hearts, like us saying “Vice President Harris” is a way not to participate. Right? Like in an interpersonal level, like not… we have to check other people with this nonsense. And then in an institutional and ideological level, we actually need to communicate as followers of Jesus, that there is no place in the kingdom of God… and I would want to it to be nowhere in the world, for misogyny and misogynoir. Like this mix of anti-Blackness and anti-feminism and patriarchy. So that's the only other thing that I would say, is I just strongly desire in the most emphatic terms I can without using profanity that  [Sy laughs] we need to stand against them. We need to stand against that as followers of Jesus and people invested in the flourishing of other people and ourselves.Sy Hoekstra: It's going to happen. Like you said, it will be a ton. And just thinking back on all the absolute nonsense that was said about Obama over the eight years that he was president. I don't know how much we've progressed from there.Jonathan Walton: No.Sy Hoekstra: And so I just, it will be even worse…Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: As we've already seen, like you've said.Jonathan Walton: With all of that, there's a lot of things to process. There's frustration, anger, numbness, curiosity. Maybe some people are feeling peace. I don't know anybody who's feeling joyful about our political process right now. And so, as we are processing and trying to find hope in times of crisis and things that are difficult, I really want to commend to our listeners the resource that we created called Pace Yourself. So to pray, assess, collaborate, and establish, like to actually engage as a follower of Jesus in community for the long term.Sy Hoekstra: Yep.Jonathan Walton: If you are someone who's sitting here listening and thinking to yourself, “I need a resource like this, I want community like this, I want to engage in this way,” if you're a subscriber already, it's in your inbox. Just search [laughs] in your KTF Press and look through your newsletters that you've received every Thursday. Also, if you are not a subscriber, you could get it for free. Just go to KTFPress.com and become a free subscriber. And it'd be better if you became a paid subscriber, but [laughs] I understand if you don't wanna do that right now. But go to KTFPress.com, become a free subscriber and get that resource. And I also want to comment to you like, we do not have to do these things alone. And so if you are a paid subscriber, you could also join our monthly chats and conversations so that there's a space. It may not be at your church, it may not be at your job, it may not be at your kitchen table. You'll at least have a one-hour Zoom call to talk with some people who want to be redemptive forces in the world. So we'll lay that out there as well.Sy Hoekstra: Absolutely. We've had two of them and they've been really great.Jonathan Walton: Amazing.Sy Hoekstra: And we hope we see you all at the next one.Introducing the Interview Guest, Robert Chao RomeroJonathan Walton: Now we're gonna get into our great interview with Robert Chao Romero. Professor Romero is an associate professor in the UCLA departments of Chicano and Chicana studies. Also, the Central American Studies Department and the Asian American Studies Department. He received his PhD from UCLA and Latin American History. He's also a lawyer with a JD from UC Berkeley. Romero is the author of several books, including Christianity and Critical Race Theory: A Faithful, Constructive Conversation, Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology and Identity, and The Chinese in Mexico: 1882-1940. The Chinese in Mexico received the best book award in Latino/ Latina studies from the Latin American Studies Association, and Brown Church received InterVarsity Press' Reader's' Choice Award for the best academic title.Romero is also an ordained minister and a faith rooted community organizer. Now, we talked to him about the everyday reality of the lives of immigrants under the Trump administration, what those lives tell us about the spiritual state of the MAGA movement, and the diverse and complicated politics of Latine voters in America. And guys, a lot more. Alright, let's get into the interview.[the intro piano music from “Citizens” by Jon Guerra plays briefly and then fades out.]Sy Hoekstra: Robert, thank you so much for joining us on Shake the Dust today.Robert Romero: It's great to reconnect after a while.The Everyday Suffering of Immigrants under TrumpSy Hoekstra: Yeah, thank you. Just to get started, let's take a… I don't know, a kind of sad walk down memory lane [laughs]. Thinking back to the Trump administration, obviously you have a lot of experience both in immigration, the immigration law world, and in just the world of immigrant churches. And I'm wondering if you could give people a reminder or a picture of what the immigration world was like during the Trump administration.Robert Romero: Sure, I can share a story of one of my students. So in the beginning of the Trump administration, I was teaching a big lecture class, like 400 students. And there was a young woman who came up to me after class one day and said, “Professor Romero, can I get the lecture slides from the last few classes?” And I'm like, “Yeah, sure. What's happening?” And she said, “My mom has papers, she has legal documentation, but she was swept up by an immigration raid in her workplace, and I had to go home and watch my kids, and it took six days before we could find her.”Sy Hoekstra: Oh, wow.Robert Romero: And that's when I knew, oh my gosh, this is gonna be really bad. And so one of the things that launched things off in the Trump world with regards to immigration was an executive order that he passed, which took away any type of prioritization with regards to deportation. Now, the Obama administration was no friend to immigrants, and that's another conversation. But in theory, at least the Obama administration had a prioritization as to kind of who immigration would target as priorities for deportation. And on top of that list before was people with serious criminal convictions, who were undocumented with serious criminal convictions, and then families were at the very bottom. And there was kind of this internal policy. What the Trump administration did through that executive order is take away any type of prioritization, as imperfect as that prioritization was.So my student's mother and the people at her workplace, families, people who had worked in the US for 30 years, they were put on the same level and prioritization as someone who had many serious criminal offenses, for example. And I can tell you that also happened with Pastor Noe Carias that we worked with. He was an Assemblies of God pastor who came to the US in the eighties fleeing civil war. He had his own business, US citizen wife and two US citizen kids, and he was threatened to be deported. So many stories like that, it just created chaos and pain throughout the lives of millions of people.Sy Hoekstra: I'm glad that you brought up that one executive order deprioritizing things, because that's not something that made the headlines. And I know because my wife who listeners to the show would be familiar with, was an immigration attorney at the time, and she was dealing with all these tiny little things that did not make the headlines or whatever, that the Trump administration would just adjust, that would just make things that much harsher and that much more cruel on immigrants. And the result was like the human cost that you were just explaining. And then on the service providers on top of that, it was like if you have to drop everything you're doing and spend a bunch of time making new arguments or appealing cases, or in some cases dropping everything to bring a big class action lawsuit to try and stop some rule change or whatever, that is a decrease in your capacity, that then means you can't work with more people.Like my wife spent a lot of time where she was just taking no new cases on, she was just appealing all the cases that had been denied because of ridiculous rule changes that eventually got overturned. But in the meantime, a whole bunch of clients that would've been eligible for green cards lost the opportunity or whatever. And so I very much appreciate you bringing that perspective.Robert Romero: I remember another example. I remember at the time, the Diocese of San Antonio, Texas, that's one of the largest Catholic diocese in the whole country. They were trying to sponsor a special religious worker and [laughs] their application got denied because ICE wanted proof that they were a legitimate 501 C3 corporation [laughs] the Diocese of San Antonio.Sy Hoekstra: The Catholic church?Robert Romero: The Catholic church, yeah [laughs]. And it's like those kinds of shenanigans.Sy Hoekstra: Oh my gosh.MAGA's treatment of Immigrants Reveals a Lack of Spiritual DiscernmentJonathan Walton: Wow. Oh man. I'm gonna attempt to ask this question without going down too many rabbit trails because that just sounds ridiculous [laughs]. But in your essay, you said, “Jesus warns us soberly in Matthew 25, that our response to immigrants and the poor is a barometer of the sincerity of our relationship with God,” end quote. To you, what does all that stuff we just talked about reveal spiritually about the MAGA movement?Robert Romero: So that interpretation of Matthew 25, that our response to the poor and immigrants reflects our heart with God, that's an ancient tradition. Ancient Christian interpretation, thousands of years. And I think that what that reveals about the MAGA movement, it shows how much the culture of US nationalism that's embedded within MAGA has become so conflated with Christianity in the US that people have lost discernment. They've lost discernment. In other words, this is one of my reflections over the last couple of months. When you really get down to it, these issues that we're talking about, it's a discernment process, spiritual discernment process between what is culture, what is the gospel, what happens when the gospel becomes invited into a culture, and how do you distinguish between the gospel and culture?And now here's the tricky part [laughs]. The gospel has only expressed itself and always only expresses itself through culture. First the gospel came through the Jewish people, enculturated in that context, then became enculturated in the Greco-Roman Hellenistic context among Turkish people, among North Africans [laughs] among Persian people, among all these people. Then it became enculturated later on in more Western Europe, and then in about a thousand AD, like the Vikings, and Christianity becomes enculturated. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's just the reality. And theologians talk about a process though of discernment with regards to enculturation. What is a biblical contextualization of the gospel in a local culture and what's not.And what they say is that the way that you discern, is that in the context of the life of worship, we are to reflect upon scripture, upon the 2000-year-old tradition of the church. And to add Latino theology, en conjunto, or in community, with the local church, with the global church, with the church that's there with Jesus right now, even. And there has to be a continuity, a harmony between new scriptural interpretations and our ancestors that have gone before us. And so if you just run that test [laughs], that criteria, the MAGA movement through that doesn't make any sense. And we can talk more about that, but that's what I've been… thank you for giving me the chance to just throw that out on you, because that's what I've been thinking about. I've been dying to share it and to process it with people.Sy Hoekstra: The immediate response from people in the MAGA movement is, well, from Christians in the MAGA movement at least, would be, we're the orthodox ones and the people who oppose us are the ones with the new interpretations of scripture that are going off the rails and trying to destroy American culture and et cetera, et cetera.Robert Romero: Sure.Sy Hoekstra: So why are you coming to such a radically different conclusion?Robert Romero: So first of all, orthodoxy means right praise, correct praise. That's what it means. So, as we said, this criteria, the context of the life of worship. So as people are worshiping Jesus, we're bearing one another's burdens, we're taking communion, we're praying to God. That's the context first of all that this discernment takes place. And you look at scripture, 2000 verses of scripture that talk about God's heart for the poor, and the marginalized and immigrants, Matthew 25, among about a hundred other verses. So first of all, MAGA would've to contend with that. Tradition, the tradition of the church for 2000 years from the earliest church records where they said it in the Greco-Roman world. “These Christians are so strange. They worship this…” I'll just paraphrase, “They worship this Jesus, but they belong to every culture.You cannot distinguish them by their dress or their language or their clothing, but by the way, they love one another, and they care for those that are poor and marginalized.” And there is a historical record of 2000 years of the church. And what MAGA is doing, it is not in continuity with that 2000 years of church tradition en conjunto, in community, because as Americans, we're so individualistic. People think, I'm gonna go into my prayer chamber, I'm gonna pray for two days and whatever I come out thinking about immigrants, God spoke to me. Doesn't work that way. It's like in community, all these things, the context of the life of worship, scripture, tradition of 2000 years in community with the local church, the global church, and also what theologians talk about is like another principle of continuity again.Whatever MAGA is saying has to… MAGA Christians, at least, there has to be continuity with 2000 years. And if you look at the history, I challenge anybody, there's no continuity there. Anti-immigrant sentiment, there's no continuity. And so that's what I would say first and just to kind of throw out a big concept there, the major concept that we're talking about, it's called inculturation. Inculturation. And how does the gospel enter a culture and transform it? How does a gospel enter a culture and heal it? But sometimes what happens is that a culture can become so culturally Christian that people confuse just the culture with the gospel. And if you run through this criteria, this ancient criteria of discernment, you'll find that's why prophets arise. And that's what's happened with MAGA.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah. That's a helpful distinction, I think. Because you could also say, well, there's another tradition starting with the eastern half, the Roman Empire becoming Christian and creating Christian empires for a couple thousand years, right? But I think you're saying that just the phrase, “that's why prophets arise” [laughs], I think is the helpful distinction for me. Yeah.Jonathan Walton: You write about this a little bit in Brown Church, your other great book. There's this unhealthy syncretism, this marriage that has happened. And when you said the word “Orthodoxy” I immediately thought of a conversation I had with a wonderful person on Instagram. I am being facetious. But she said Israel is a nation ordained by God to exist in all these different things around 1948. And then and she said that's the orthodox view, is what she said. What would be your response to someone who divorces their belief in Jesus from the scriptural basis of Jesus and the tradition of, that missión integral, the conjunto that you're talking about, when they make that divorce, what do you do besides go to your prayer closet and pray for them [laughter]?Robert Romero: Yeah. I think that you go to the roots. If those of us who call ourselves Christians, we follow Jesus, and Jesus lived in history in a very specific moment in time, and he had 12 disciples and apostles, and he shared a message with them that he was the Messiah expected by the Jewish community. And that through this Messiah, the whole world would be transformed and saved and redeemed, there's a core message that was passed on from Jesus to the 12, to the leaders, the bishops that they appointed, to established churches. And there was, for the first 300 years of the church, lots of writings, lots [laughs] that established orthodoxy.So there was a core orthodoxy that Jesus established to use that term. I mean, it's anachronistic. Core message. That core Christian message was passed on to the 12. The 12 passed it on a majority consensus as to what that core was, to leaders that they appointed in Egypt, in Turkey [laughs], in Persia, in North Africa. And they had people that they appointed, and there were writings that developed. So, in other words, what I'm saying is you can trace what this major consensus of orthodoxy was pretty clearly through the historical record. And this is what I'm saying about history [laughs]. If you put MAGA through that, it's not in harmony with it.I'll say this though, if you use this criteria, this healthy criteria that have been established by theologians over the millennia, Christianity is not the same as the left either. I wanna make that clear as possible [laughs]. There are lots of Christians who make the same mistake and conflate Christianity with the cultural left, and it's not the same either. So there's room for abundant nuance and complication, but at the same time, there is a complicated, thoughtful process. And one of the things that disturbs me so much is that for the last five or 10 years, with all of the social disruptions in every arena of society, you have this positive desire to try to figure it out. Like what's right, what's wrong? And you have some people who are just holding on to this cultural Christianity, this cultural nationalism as indistinguishable from Christianity.You have some folks who are at the same time going the other extreme and throwing away 2000 years of very imperfect, but still the Christian movement. And things are just so disruptive, this process, I would hope this criteria again, and this is a work in progress for me, of we discern the difference between Christ and culture. We discern what aspects of culture are positive reflections of the gospel or not, or what's represents cultural impurity and what represents the unique reflection of the image of God through culture. We discern that. And I wanna share a quote that I think expresses the mess of the last 500 years. This is from an article by a Filipino theologian, José De Mesa. He's one of my favorite theologians.He is citing missionaries who were going to go to China in 1659. The quote again from 1659, “Can anyone think of anything more absurd than to transport France, Italy, or Spain or some other European country to China? Bring them your faith, not your country.”Jonathan Walton: There you go.Robert Romero: That's it [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Bring them your faith, not your country.Robert Romero: Bring them your faith, not your MAGA movement.Reacting to People Who Think Voting Won't Make a Difference for ImmigrantsSy Hoekstra: I wanna transition a little bit because everything we've talked about so far is a little bit aimed at the MAGA movement, or at White Christians in America. But again, talking about my wife, her family is from Haiti, and during the 2020 election, she made some calls for the Biden campaign down to Miami and to, there's a lot of Haitian voters there, it's a swing state, they needed people calling. So she called potential Haitian American voters and was talking to them about the election. And she had some fascinating conversations [laughs]. But she had a couple people in particular who I think represent a certain segment of immigrants or the one or two generations after immigrants to the US who are not White.And they basically said, what on earth is the point of voting for Biden versus Trump? You were talking before about the Obama administration, and they were just like, Trump, Obama, Bush, we get treated the same. We get deported, we get forgotten, we get left behind. We get approached every four years to put somebody in power who then doesn't really do anything for us. What do you say to that kind of hopelessness?Robert Romero: Yeah. First of all, I totally get it and understand it, because it feels that way so much, so often. So I would first approach it on that level of like, okay, let's process. What are we feeling here? I get it. And then I would say, well, I guess I have a response just as a human being, and then a response as a Christian. So those are kind of related, but different things. I mean, just as a human being, as a US citizen, there was a substantial difference in the treatment of immigrants under the Trump administration. It was just like, it made people suffer. Millions of more people suffered in very specific ways when the policies changed under Trump. Again, under Obama, again, I don't think that he is perfect either, and he caused a lot of harm, but things were way worse. They got way worse.We didn't think they could be, but they got in very practical, specific ways under Trump. So depending upon who we vote for with respect to this topic of immigration, it makes a difference. It makes a huge difference. And that's because every president has the constitutional authority to set immigration policy on their own. They can't pass immigration laws, that's Congress's job, but they can pass hundreds of policies carte blanche, which is what Trump did, at their own discretion and mess people's lives up. That's what I would say. Like just as a human being, and in terms of Trump's potential to come back into office. Just as a human being, oh my gosh, I want our democracy to just survive.And he's signaled so many times that he's willing to just overturn the rule of law, and we can talk about that too. So that's just as a human being. Now, as a Christian [laughs], it's like, I know that there's no perfect candidate, and Jesus is not a Republican or a Democrat. And I know people go off the rails on both sides. At the same time, Christians, I think in good faith, can hold some different political perspectives. If we do that, run through that discernment process that I mentioned, we can come to good faith differences of opinion. We really can. That's just a hundred percent true.Jonathan Walton: I like how you said good faith differences.Robert Romero: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: That feels very [laughs] very important.Robert Romero: [laughs] Yes.Jonathan Walton: [laughs] Because I'm thinking to myself, I'm like, I would love to see an experience like good faith differences, where the other person isn't just dehumanized to the point of like, it's okay to do violence. That the reality that the first step towards violence against someone is dehumanization.Robert Romero: Yeah.The Diversity of Latine Voting and Politics in the USJonathan Walton: And so can we have good faith disagreement. And going along with that, I listen to a lot of podcasts, read a lot of news, sometimes healthily, sometimes to just cope, I think the information [laughs]. But a lot of media outlets like The Run-Up on the New York Times, or Politico, or NPR, they make a big deal out of polling, saying Latine voters, particularly men, are somewhat more pro-Trump than they have been in recent years. And like, what are your thoughts on that talking point? And the diversity of Latin experiences and political thought in America?The Effect of Latin America's Racist History, and its Leftist DictatorshipsRobert Romero: Yeah. I mean, I don't doubt that those stats are somewhat true. I mean, I don't know. I haven't studied them. But I think that within, again we talk about this inculturation process, and how the gospel gets interwoven with bad aspects of culture, sinful even. And, but how the gospel also at the same time, when it engages a culture, it transforms the culture and heals the culture too. And our diverse Latin American Latino peoples, we've got both [laughs]. We have the sin [laughs] and our own colonial history of 500 years that is just as racist as the US history. Just as racist. And so I think that when it comes to more people supporting Trump, and I want to distinguish the support of Trump from a pre-Trump Republican party.Again, not that it was perfect or anything, but I wanna make that distinction [laughs], because there are some Latinos who just feel more aligned with again, the Republican party 15 years ago or something, for some reasons that are not entirely bad. Now, the folks that support Trump and Trump's racism, again, we're super, the Latino people are so diverse in every way imaginable. Politically, socially, economically, racially, ethnically, culturally, religiously. So I wanna make that disclaimer. But at the same time, we have our own 500 years of racism and colonial racist values that are within us. And so if a Latino male voter says, I like Trump because he's just, because I wanted to kick out all the immigrants or something like that, [laughs] then that's where that comes from.And it also comes from holding racist values in Latin America, bringing it here and wanting to fit into the racial system here. I'll say one last example. So in Latin America, for 500 years to this present day, there's a legacy of everybody wants to be called Spanish, quote- unquote.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Robert Romero: Because you had a racial hierarchy and caste system officially for about… let's see, 1492 to 1820 officially, this caste system. And just like in the US, you had a certain legal caste system, these terms of White, which was a legal category, Black, Indian and so forth. In Latin America you had the same thing, but the different terms. They were like Spanish and Black and Indian and Mestizo and Mulatto. And at one point they had dozens of terms. But that created the society in which people who were social climbers wanted to be considered Spanish. And to this day, some people will say that I'm Spanish. And doesn't mean… it's fine if someone's like, if someone immigrated from Spain to Mexico that's great. But we're not talking about that. We're talking about like, no one in their family has been to Spain like in 400 years.So Spanish is sort of, saying I'm Spanish is like a MAGA person saying, “Well, I'm White,” or something. It's like this, it can be. Not always so extreme, but now imagine someone that comes from that context in say Mexico, I can speak for my own context. They come to the US, they find a different racial hierarchy, and they wanna fit in with power. So you become Ted Cruz.Jonathan Walton: [laughs]. This is true.Robert Romero: You become Marco Rubio. Where you're willing to sort of just like… Actually, this is the term, this is another use of the term enculturation. You enculturate yourself fully to the dominant White racist narrative so that you can gain acceptance. And that's what happens. And so I think that some of those Latino Trump voters, again, if they're doing it, I mean, there's other reasons too. But if they're doing it because as an explicit endorsement of anti-immigrant policies, then I would say this is a lot of what's going on. Now, to be fair, some Latinos, and not without reason, are kind of scared off by, like they come from socialist countries that have really in a lot of pain and hurt. And they hear someone on the extreme left of the Democratic party reminding them too much of what it was like in Nicaragua [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: Or Cuba or whatever.Robert Romero: Or Cuba. Yeah, I mean, I remember I was talking to a Cuban taxi driver who had just come to the US five years ago, and he said, “I'd rather someone shoot me than send me back to Cuba.” That's what he said. So it's like, I think there's that going on too. Again, not that that's a hundred percent right or whatever, but it's understandable and I get it too.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah, right.Robert Romero: So yeah. Some people just vote Republican no matter what, because of those reasons, and those are not just for no reason.Jonathan Walton: Right. Right, right. There's a history and a context there too that all, all that makes sense. All that makes sense.Outro and OuttakeSy Hoekstra: Thank you so much for that question and all the other insight you've given us. If people want to follow you online or see some of your work, where would you point them?Robert Romero: Sure. So my full name is Robert Chao Romero, C-H-A-O. And if you use that name, you can find me in all the usual places.Jonathan Walton: There aren't a lot of Chao Romeros out there, you sure? [laughs].Robert Romero: Yeah [laughs]. There was one. One person wrote me actually [laughs], but other than him, I think I'm the only one. [laughter].Sy Hoekstra: A guy wrote you just to say we have the same name, I can't believe it [laughter]?Robert Romero: Yeah He was in Brazil or something and he is like, “Is this a coincidence?” But anyways, it's neither here nor there, but, so if you look up my name, you can find me in the usual places, social media.Sy Hoekstra: Great.Jonathan Walton: Nice. Nice.Sy Hoekstra: They'll find all your books [laughs]. And we've put some of them in our newsletter and some of the other stuff, and we highly recommend all of it.Robert Romero: Thank you.Sy Hoekstra: So thank you so much for being with us on the show today. We really appreciate it.Jonathan Walton: Yeah, thank you so much.Robert Romero: It's my pleasure.[the intro piano music from “Citizens” by Jon Guerra plays briefly and then fades out.]Sy Hoekstra: Thank you all so much for listening. Please remember to support what we do and keep this work going beyond this election season. Go to KTFPress.com and become a paid subscriber. Get all the bonus episodes of this show, access to those monthly subscriber chats we were talking about earlier and a lot more. You can also get the anthology and read Professor Romero's essay and everybody else's essays at keepingthefaithbook.com. Alright. Our theme song as always is “Citizens” by Jon Guerra. Our podcast Art is by Robyn Burgess, transcripts by Joyce Ambale, editing by Multitude Productions. We thank you all so much for being here, and we will see you in two weeks.[The song “Citizens” by Jon Guerra fades in. Lyrics: “I need to know there is justice/ That it will roll in abundance/ And that you're building a city/ Where we arrive as immigrants/ And you call us citizens/ And you welcome us as children home.” The song fades out.]Jonathan Walton: Welcome to Shake the Dust, sheaking Jesus... What? Sheaking?Sy Hoekstra: Sheaking Jeshush.Jonathan Walton: I don't even know what that means. Okay, [Sy laughs]. This is a public episode. 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Melissa Jean-Baptiste, financial educator and author of "So This Is Why I'm Broke” is a first-generation Haitian American and former NYC high school teacher. Melissa joins us this week to recount her journey of paying off $102,000 in student loans and buying her first home, all on a teacher's salary. As the founder of Millennial In Debt, she creates a shame-free digital platform dedicated to helping Millennials and Gen Z restructure their relationships with money, obtain financial freedom, build generational wealth and become future millionaires.  In this episode, we discuss:  How Melissa's student loans grew from graduating with $50K owed to $80K in 3 years due to an interest-only payment plan she didn't fully understand and how she successfully paid it all off in 2018 through selling her teaching lesson plans as a side hustle.  Her venture into homeownership and the challenges encountered during the home buying process. Melissa underlines the importance of obtaining an independent home inspection alongside the bank's appraisal. How she transitioned from teaching to dedicating herself entirely to content creation and entrepreneurship within her "zone of genius". The significance of having a supportive community, both online and offline, to navigate significant life and career transitions effectively + much more! Other Links Mentioned in episode: Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp for FREE Check out my personal website here. Join The Weekly Newsletter List Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Melissa: Website Instagram: MillennialInDebt Facebook: MillennialInDebt YouTube: MillennialInDebt Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide Get The Budget Bootcamp for FREE

Sandy Fleurimond, a first generation Haitian-American student at Temple University in Philadelphia, was looking forward to her senior year of college. She dreamed of studying abroad and graduating in a field full of friends and family. But being a college student in 2020, meant that many of these long-awaited milestones didn't go according to plan. In collaboration with Philly Audio Diaries, Sandy shares her story of loss and growth after the pandemic flipped her senior year of college upside down. This episode originally aired in September of 2021.