The Haitian Internet Newsletter

Let me tell you something that might surprise you... A recent video I watched on YouTube said that the majority of Americans who are making over $100,000 a year are living paycheck to paycheck. Yes! Six figures and still broke! Can you believe that?

Now imagine this happening to a Haitian-American family--people who come from nothing, who know what it means to boil plantain with no meat, who remember walking to school barefoot in the provinces.

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A controversial new bill is making waves in the Dominican Republic, and it's aimed directly at Haitian university and trade school students.

This bill, if passed, would require all Haitian students, whether studying on Dominican government scholarships, international aid, or even with their own money, to sign a formal document before graduating, agreeing to return to Haiti and work there for at least four years.

Yes, you read that right. Even if you pay for your education out of your own pocket, the Dominican government wants to make it law that you must leave once you get your diploma.

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"It's easier for a Haitian to find the shoes that Jean-Jacques Dessalines wore during Haiti's independence war than to get legal documents in the Dominican Republic today." That's how Misiane Bespin described the situation during a conversation with journalist Guerrier Henry on his radio show Boukante Lapawòl.

When asked how she sees life for Haitians living in the Dominican Republic today, Misiane said things were already hard before, but they've gotten much worse in recent years--especially since Luis Abinader became president.

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There's no good soup or Haitian soup pain without a handful of fey lianne panier--also known as lyann panye in Haitian Creole. This popular plant is more than just a flavorful herb for soups; many Haitians believe it holds strong medicinal power, especially for treating anemia.

In Haiti, it's widely believed that fey lianne panier can help those suffering from anemia, including sickle cell anemia, known locally as anemie falsiforme. Generations have used this plant as a natural remedy, either by boiling the leaves into a tea or adding it to food, trusting its ability to strengthen the blood and support better health.

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The vast majority of Haitians love eating their bannann miske byen bouyi. It's a breakfast favorite in the Haitian community, but have you ever stopped to think about its nutritional value?

Here's what I found out:

Bannann miske is packed with essential nutrients, much like its banana cousin. It's a good source of potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamin C. However, there are some key differences. Bannann miske has slightly more calories and carbohydrates than bananas. But don't worry--these are good complex carbs, the kind that provide lasting energy and support digestive health.

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In Haiti, the 'Carreau' is a unit of area used to measure land. One Carreau of land in Haiti is equivalent to 1.29 hectares or 3.18 acres of land.

Many Haitians are asking: What is "1 centieme de terre en metre carré"

I used to think that 'Carreau' translated into 'Acre' in English... FALSE! FALSE! FALSE!

After publishing article Land in Haiti - What is a Centieme? What is a 50 par 100? I decided to dig a little based on the comments that were coming in (thanks by the way to all who contributed)

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Jodi a m ap tande you editoryal Jounalis Jhonny Ferdinand nan Radio Caraibes FM ki di "jodi a menm mize moun m paka pase na pey a anko!" Wow... Se pa koze piti non!

(Read the English version below)

Jhonny Ferdinand ki ap pale de problem peyi, li rive sou sekte enformel la. Se tris wi sa jounalis la ap di a!

Ou paka wè ti machann dlo a k ap rele 3 dlo pou dola anko!

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Want to know the Relationship between Marvel's Movie Black Panther, Toussaint Louverture and the History of Haiti? Read this from a text by Johns Hopkins historian Nathan Connolly...

Excerpts...

Dreams of a place like Wakanda began sometime around 1512 in the Caribbean mountains and forested hills above the mines and fields of Spain's colony, Santo Domingo. Then and there, Africans in the Americas first broke away from slavery to form their own societies with indigenous island people....

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Sometimes, as a Haitian, you find yourself working late night and suddenly you get hungry. What you eat? What do you snack on?

For you Haitians in the Diaspora, don't tell me you go into the fridge and pull out the left over rice and beans and chicken and start eating away.

My mother in New York, she often has some Chokola in her fridge, and me I just love "Pen ak mamba" (bread and peanut butter).

My mom always keeps a couple of bags of bagels frozen in her little freezer. You toast one of them bagels and some peanut butter to it boy... You heat up that chokola and you have yourself a delicious late night Haitian snack.

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Starting May 7, 2025, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will begin strictly enforcing the REAL ID requirement for anyone flying within the United States. For many of us in the Haitian community, especially those of us living here with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or under the parole program, this could be one more layer of stress in a time when immigration issues are already weighing heavily on our minds.

This change means that any adult flying domestically in the United States will need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or identification card, or else you won't be allowed to board your flight.

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