North Texas organization addresses pet-eating falsehood, real-life challenges for Haitians
– Community is significant to members of Dallas Haitian United . That's why supporting fellow Haitian Vallery Jean-Bart's "Val's Blue Label" this Wednesday night was important.
Coming to the South Akard Street location for his tempting cheesecake and some member-made Haitian cuisine may have been what they needed.
"It's just sad the lack of humanity that there is," said Marla Jolicoeur, a first-generation Haitian American born in the United States to Haitian parents.
She said the location has nothing to do with the impact of what's being said about what Haitians eat on social media and even in the presidential debate by former President Donald Trump.
"In Springfield (Ohio), they're eating the dogs. The people that came in, they're eating the cats," Trump said. "They're eating — they're eating the pets."
Officials in Ohio have repeatedly said the claim has no merit. But the baseless theory still breathes outside the debate, prompting bomb and death threats against facets of the Haitian community.
"We eat goat, chicken, and other meat — definitely not pets," Jolicoeur said. "We nurture and love our pets. We don't eat them."
Magdala Augustin came to the United States in 1994 and has lived in Texas since 1999. The Haitian-born leader is also the president of Dallas Haitian United.
"We're not savage. We're not criminals," Augustin said.
She said it's not the first time Trump has levied disparaging remarks against her country. During a bipartisan meeting in 2018, Trump reportedly called Haiti, Africa, and El Salvador during immigration talks.
"Why are we having all these people from s**thole countries come here," Trump allegedly said.
The former commander-in-chief denied the remarks. But the stigmas are not limited to Trump.
"And in the '90s, we were accused of being the ones to bring AIDS to the United States when basically it was a baseless claim," Augustin said.
None of the Dallas Haitian United members CBS News Texas spoke with had been threatened about the pet-eating falsehood. The members said North Texans have approached with apologies and curiosity.
"People know the issue is out there. We're working to continue to elevate the word about the Haitian community and, you know, even now more than ever," Miguelina Pierre-Louis said.
Pierre-Louis is an ambassador for Dallas Haiti United. The organization is a non-profit that assists Haitians in settling in North Texas. Learning how to drive, speak English, find housing, jobs, and all the things to live a better life is what they aim to do.
The group formed in 2019 and has helped close to 1,000 Haitians. Each day, they work with migrants, refugees, and those who are now Haitian-American citizens.
"One of our main mottoes is, L'Union fait la force, is like, in unity there's strength. And we believe that," Pierre-Louis said. "We believe that our voice will be heard."
The members said they've been using their voices to tell people about their food and culture. Griot, a Haitian national dish, is marinaded fried pork.
Augustin said the meat gets placed on a plantain with pikliz.
"It's fire (good)," she said.
The cuisine is on the menu in Arlington at Perle des Antilles Caribbean Market and Eatery, and very likely at the Haitian Creole restaurant in Springfield, Ohio.
Augustin said she reached out to the restaurant to offer support as the Ohio eatery receives threatening calls and other intimidating factors daily.
"And we know that no one wants to feel the pressure of racism, you know, the xenophobia that they're experiencing," Augustin said.
Patrons from all over have come to support the business, too.
In the meantime, Dallas Haiti United prepares for its first gala as an organization, a chance to celebrate who they are and where they're from.
"We're a resilient nation. We're a hardworking nation, and when push comes to shove," Augustin said. "We always say Haiti's going to, Haiti will rise again."
The group estimates that 3,000 to 5,000 Haitians live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with most residing in Fort Worth.
