Res 0423-2018

By Council Members Williams, Cumbo and Treyger Whereas, New York City is one of the most diverse cities in the world and has benefitted in countless ways from the contributions of its many ethnic communities; and Whereas, The first wave of Haitian immigration to the United States (U.S.) began in the late 1950's with a significant group of educated Haitians, such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, fleeing the oppression of the Fran�ois Duvalier regime and assimilating into the social fabric of New York City, particularly Brooklyn, as well other areas of the country, such as Miami; and Whereas, The Haitian population in the U.S. continues to grow, and as of 2015, there were 676,000 Haitian immigrants, an increase from 587,000 in 2010 and accounting for slightly under 2 percent of the U.S. foreign-born population; and Whereas, New Yorkers from the Haitian community represent a significant part of the City's ever growing cultural landscape. In fact, Brooklyn has the largest percentage of foreign-born Haitian residence in the state of New York, with more than 40% of the foreign-born population residing in Flatbush, Brooklyn. According to 2015 data by the Migration Policy Institute, Brooklyn had the second highest congregation of Haitians in the U.S. with an estimated 156,000 Haitian Americans residing in New York City; and Whereas, Flatbush, Brooklyn has come to be recognized as the heart of a neighborhood that embodies Haitian culture and is regarded by many Haitian Americans as a place where they can live, conduct commerce, worship, recreate together as a community and share their cultural values; and Whereas, New York and the entire nation have benefitted from the many contributions of prominent Haitians such as Pierre Toussaint, a former slave from Haiti who was transported to New York City in 1787 and later gained his freedom in 1807, who is acknowledged and respected as one of the leading black New Yorkers of his time. He became a prominent hairdresser and used his assets to establish an orphanage for refugees and offer employment services for other poor residents. He also contributed to construction of the original St. Patrick's Cathedral in Lower Manhattan and was later acknowledged as venerable by Pope John Paul II, a step towards sainthood; and Whereas, The Haitian community is facing renewed threats from the current Presidential Administration including the threat of increased deportation and the cancellation of Temporary Protected Status for 60,000 Haitians of which 15,000 reside in New York City; and Whereas, The designation of "Little Haiti" in Flatbush, Brooklyn will serve as an inspiration to all Americans, will signify that those who trace their ancestry from Haiti deserve recognition and celebration for their historical and continuing contributions to New York City and Nation, and will encourage all who reside in or who visit the City to come to the area and experience the rich culture of Haitian Americans firsthand; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York ceremonially designates Flatbush Brooklyn, within the boundaries of East 16th Street, Parkside Avenue, Brooklyn Avenue, Avenue H and Church Avenue, as "Little Haiti." KS LS# 5683 6/22/18 4:55 PM