Jean-Claude Sanon: A call for Haitian solidarity

Jean-Claude as a teenager gains inspiration while he visits with his dying father in Mass General Hospital.

Can you tell me about your experience growing up in Haiti and later in the US?

Why did you leave and how did you find your way here?

I’m the only child on my father’s side who, in the 60’s was among the first of our family to take a boat to the US. On his first attempt he realized, arriving in the Bahamas, that he was in the wrong place, so went home and tried again and was successful. Because of this history I often say, ‘I can never fill the shoes of my father who tried twice’.

Before leaving he took me away from my mother, preferring to have me staying with my aunts – then every time one of the aunts would travel to the states, I would be handed off to one or the other. I had many cousins who were like siblings which was important as I was an only child. I didn’t experience much misery or poverty at all.

In 1975 my dad became very sick and was admitted at Mass General Hospital so some of my aunts made an effort to bring me to the states to see him fearing he would die. I was told that at one point while in the hospital they even put him among the dead, but someone checked his pulse again and he ended up surviving. It was his impending death that brought me here to the US.

I started out at a school called English Learners near the Arlington subway stop – all newcomers would go there. Following that I transferred to English High in the Boston Public Schools graduating in 1978.

If at some point you were undocumented how did that fact impact your psyche and sense of a future?

When I first came in 1975 it was on a visitor visa, and I then applied for the Cuban refugee program as Haitians were supposed to be eligible through the same route. Finally in 1980 I got married and got residence status through my wife, rather than awaiting my father’s process which was dragging on. But I did not become a citizen until much later since the price kept increasing and it took some time. Finally, my wife and I decided we would go through the citizenship process together.

What is your professional background and what kind of career have you established in the US?

I went to Newbury College as a computer science major, but I was really a jack of all trades and ended up in radio and TV. In this same time, I opened a small insurance business with Leo Desoree and eventually opened 3 branches as we broke into the mortgage industry. I also worked as a legal assistant but primarily I focused on marketing and hosting the Haitian community radio program that included educating people about their legal rights and responsibilities. Another way I supported the community was teaching English with HAFI (Haitian American Foundation) while attending an ESOL apprenticeship at UMASS.

In 1993 there were Haitian programs on radio, and I embarked with WMEX 1150 which became Radio Concord, and we are now celebrating our 30th anniversary.

Wherever Haitian populations mushroomed, I would be there reporting from Worcester to Newton. My coverage went far beyond legal issues to include news about Haiti which was very important in those days without social media. We had many guests on the programs from Haiti as well as from here in the US.

With my media skills I’ve also been doing PR for IFSI, really ever since its birth. I know of their mission, labor, and have produced and talked on their behalf mostly through a company called Avant Guard Multi-Services that I established in 2005 in Mattapan.

I understand you have run for public office. Can you tell me about that experience and your motivations?

I have run from public office many times mostly to increase the participation of Haitian voters. First, I ran for Boston City Council against Teto Jackson. There were 15 candidates and I lost. I tried again in 2013 coming in close second to T McCarthy by 11,000 to 10,000 votes.

Then I tried for City Council again in 2015. This was the year after Baker was elected as governor. To make a long story short, during the campaign Baker tried to understand our community. He had learned that if you don’t consult with Haitians, they won’t vote for you, so he asked to meet with me. I agreed and we met, he listened and asked for my endorsement. Of course, I was hesitant as he was a republican, so I reached out to Martha Coakly, the democrat he was running against, yet despite my attempts she never came to meet with me - so I endorsed Baker. This endorsement was used against me in 2015 when I lost again.

In 2019 I ran yet again this time for district 5 city council coming in 3rd. Though I have not won, I continue to be involved, to endorse people and most important of all I’ve been able to mobilize and engage the Haitian community in local politics. Previously I endorsed Duvalle Patrick who like Baker also went to Milton Academy which is just down the road from us. Most recently I endorsed Michelle Wo.

I have had a big political life – turning the Haitian community out has been my forte. When we first started to talk about politics it was a struggle to even get them to want to become citizens. I do believe I have helped empower them. That has become one of my missions as I’ve seen such a flow of migrants coming from my homeland. I have the powerful tool of the media to educate, to inform, and help navigate them towards that next step.

I have also done a lot of interpreting and translating in courts, (as court interpreter), around other legal matters and as a medical interpreter. This has been another way I serve the Haitian community.

What is your perception of internal challenges within the Haitian community here and how might that relate to similar challenges back in Haiti? Are there perhaps some common unrealized opportunities for improving conditions in both settings?

Back in 2004, which was the 200th year of Haitian independence, I met a doctor who said to me that we will never succeed until we pull together and get organized. Yet this has still never been done! Consider how in order for the Irish to be free they got organized here in the US and that helped them not only secure themselves here, but also to get organized at home. I say I think we need to bring ourselves together here in the US and put our money where our mouth is. But this organizing factor has not taken place – it is just being brainstormed.

The Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative emerged from the pandemic and became a powerful coalition supporting immigrants including the Haitian community. What is your experience with coalitions and is that a possible avenue?

In terms of consortiums of the past there was the HIV aids coalition which was effective and supportive of the Haitian community. There was also Haitian American Public Health where one of my assignments was dealing with multicultural organizations. We brought 6-8 together to form a coalition which was helpful and lasted a few years. These days I think groups (like MIC) can flourish but also fade if not continuously worked on and evolving.

Are there key lessons, innovations or adaptations you feel have helped with your career and which light your path?

Our flag – and its symbolism ‘unity is strength’. If as Haitians, we can unite we can do a lot more here in Boston as well as in Haiti. For instance, what if there were a strong Haitian voice within a chamber of commerce? Ever since we formed Radio Concorde it was always about a demonstration of power in our unity and through that building stronger agencies and coalitions. IFSI is an example. So, it's about coming together.

Yet a problem we have is too much self-interest. We need to cut back self-interest, but a challenge is how it is provoked by poverty. Misery makes the weakest links possible especially in Haiti. But here in the US, since we don’t worry as much about hunger and are hard working, that should give us enough ground to really build towards the collective. From there a question is how our growing collective here can also influence more unity in Haiti?

Can you speak to the role of IFSI and the Boston Haitian community if fostering Haitian unity?

Two elements at IFSI have been very helpful to the community. Supporting the education of young people is one. This takes them to another level and brings families together as well. I think the after school and music programs are especially powerful. When there are fewer problems with children, unity is easier to achieve. Then there is the huge impact on immigrants coming in providing them with services. I tell the Haitian diaspora that the troubles of Haiti are in the lap of IFSI. If there was no IFSI we would be in a much different place.

I also think Haitians in the US need to not message families in Haiti that everything in the US is good and encourage them to leave. No, we need to help people in Haiti gain some control over their political discourse for a stronger democracy – and we need to model that here. Democracy is how to approach unity.

But we are struggling against forces that are greater than us – the international community including the US have not been so helpful. Consider that we don’t make guns yet there is all this killing in Haiti with guns from the US. We are also still fighting the consequences of our history – as if we are still being punished for having put down slavery and gaining independence. It could be argued that all this is being done to dissuade Haiti from developing – today we have no real governance, no effective parliament, and no sustainable presidency.

The earthquake 10 years ago was the last definitive statement that I would say demonstrated how no one, as far as governments are concerned, are really operating in Haiti’s best interest. While people of the US opened their hearts to restore Haiti, that was not the case for governments - and even some of the biggest international agencies have done little. Their aid too often becomes an opportunity for people to run away with the money. Unfortunately, we don’t ask enough questions or use methods of prevention. Why let these problems go without questioning?

So, we need to wake up. Enough is enough. Haitians need to come together, to take matters into their own hands. I think it can be done. It does take money due to lobbies that are required to convince politicians to do the right thing. So, efforts do need to focus on influencing Washington. Just as in 1803 we need another revolution, a change in mindset.

Navigator lessons:

Registering to vote and building a visible, vocal community is a powerful way for Haitian Americans to participate in the democratic process and bring more of their concerns to the table.

Greater unity and diminished criminality are possible in Haiti and increasing Haitian unity in the US can support that kind of progress.

Immigrants who flee their country of origin to create a new life elsewhere still have a foot in their homeland and a role to play in its rebuilding.

By entering local politics and running for office immigrants can raise the profile of their country and diaspora, influence other politicians around related public policy, and favorably impact public perceptions of immigrants and their abilities to integrate and contribute within their new US communities.

Sanon believes that just as in 1803, Haiti needs another revolution - but this time a change in mindset focused on unity along with redirecting self-interested politicians and criminals.

Immigrant services organizations like IFSI have a huge role to play in support of immigrants, yet an even more integrated approach is needed so as to fully engage government, other non-profits, and schools and media.