Ninaj Raoul: Sick and tired of anti-Haitianism

Resistance runs in the blood of Haitian people, passed down from the revolutionaries who, from 1791-1804, fought and won the first successful slave revolt in history, forming the first Black-led republic in the Americas. The Haitian Revolution not only freed the people of Haiti from French colonial rule but also reshaped global history, and the spirit of that revolution continues. Yet, despite this legacy of triumph, the centuries of anti-Haitianism that followed continue to manifest today, seeping into U.S. immigration policies and fueling the systemic discrimination we face. After all this time, I, like the indomitable Fannie Lou Hamer, am literally “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” The violence of anti-Haitianism is not just psychological; it physically affects our health, as our bodies carry the burden of generational trauma. Ninaj Raoul In the 2024 U.S. presidential race, J.D. Vance has admitted his intention to continue “creating false stories,” perpetuating anti-Haitian rhetoric for political soundbites that has real and dangerous consequences. In Springfield, OH, for example, bomb threats have been made against government offices, schools, hospitals and even grocery stores. Schools have seen a rise in bullying toward Haitian students, creating a double burden of external threats and peer...