Haitian Lawyers Association

🇭🇹 Haitian Heritage Month Legend Spotlight: Marleine Bastien ✨

Today, we honor Marleine Bastien — a Haitian-American advocate, licensed clinical social worker, founder of FANM, Miami-Dade County Commissioner, and one of South Florida’s most powerful voices for immigrant families, women, children, workers, and marginalized communities.

Born in Haiti and rooted in service, Marleine Bastien transformed compassion into action. Through FANM, originally founded as Haitian Women of Miami, she helped build a movement centered on strengthening families, empowering women, protecting immigrants, and ensuring that vulnerable communities have access to dignity, opportunity, and support.

Her work has touched immigration reform, housing justice, health access, education, gender equity, climate justice, human rights, and civic engagement. From grassroots organizing to public office, she represents the strength of Haitian leadership — leadership that does not simply speak for the people, but stands with them. 🕊️🏛️

For the Haitian people, Marleine Bastien represents courage, advocacy, resilience, and community power. She reminds us that Haitian excellence is not only found in individual achievement, but in the ability to lift families, defend dignity, and build lasting change for generations. 🇭🇹❤️

💡 A fact many people may not know: Marleine Bastien formed the Justice Coalition for the Haitian Children of Guantanamo and appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to speak about the devastating impact prolonged detention had on Haitian children. Her advocacy reached beyond South Florida and became part of a larger national and international fight for human rights and immigrant dignity.

Today, we celebrate a Haitian-American advocate whose courage turned community service into a movement for dignity and justice. ✊🏾🇭🇹✨

🇭🇹 Haitian Heritage Month Legend Spotlight: Jean Baptiste Point du Sable 🌊✨

Today, we honor Jean Baptiste Point du Sable — a free Black pioneer of Haitian and French descent, widely recognized as the Founder of Chicago and remembered as the Father of Chicago.

Born in Saint-Marc, Saint-Domingue — present-day Haiti — around 1745, Point du Sable became a skilled trader, entrepreneur, landholder, and builder whose vision helped shape one of America’s greatest cities. In the late 1770s, he established a prosperous trading post and homestead near the mouth of the Chicago River, creating a center of commerce, community, and growth long before Chicago became the city we know today.

For the Haitian people, his legacy is powerful. He represents Haitian brilliance, Black entrepreneurship, resilience, diplomacy, and foundational impact in American history. His story reminds us that Haitians have not only contributed to freedom movements and culture — we have also helped build cities, shape economies, and leave lasting marks on the history of nations. 🇭🇹🏙️

Through his relationships with Indigenous communities, his marriage to Kitihawa/Catherine, a Potawatomi woman, and his success as a frontier businessman, Point du Sable’s life reflects connection, vision, and leadership across cultures. He stands as a reminder that Haitian greatness has been present in American history from the very beginning.

💡 A fact many people may not know: Point du Sable’s settlement was far more than a simple frontier cabin. His estate included a substantial home, barns, a horse mill, a bakehouse, a workshop, a dairy, a poultry house, and a smokehouse — showing that he was not merely surviving on the frontier; he was building a thriving commercial and family life.

Today, we celebrate a Haitian-descended pioneer whose vision helped lay the foundation for the city of Chicago. 🇭🇹✨🌊

🇭🇹 Haitian Heritage Month Legend Spotlight: Father Gérard Jean-Juste ✝️🕊️

Today, we honor Father Gérard Jean-Juste — a Haitian Catholic priest, human rights advocate, defender of refugees, and prophetic voice for peace, justice, and human dignity.

Father Jean-Juste was more than a priest; he was a servant of the people. From his work with the Haitian Refugee Center in Miami to his ministry at Saint Claire’s Church for the Poor in Port-au-Prince, he stood beside those too often ignored — Haitian refugees, immigrant families, children, the poor, political prisoners, and communities fighting to be seen and heard.

His ministry was faith in action. He fed the hungry, defended the displaced, challenged injustice, and reminded the world that human dignity is sacred. For the Haitian people, Father Jean-Juste represents courage, compassion, spiritual resistance, and the power of standing with the vulnerable even when it comes at great personal cost. 🇭🇹🙏🏾

He became known as a “people’s priest” because his work was never confined to the altar. His faith lived in the streets, in refugee centers, in prison cells, in food programs, and anywhere Haitian people needed protection, advocacy, and hope.

💡 A fact many people may not know: Before becoming one of Haiti’s most recognized prophetic voices for justice, Father Gérard Jean-Juste studied engineering in the United States and became the first Haitian ordained as a Roman Catholic priest in the United States. His spirit of nonviolence was captured in the powerful phrase: “My rosary is my only weapon.”

Today, we celebrate a Haitian priest whose faith became a fearless voice for justice, peace, and human dignity. ✝️🕊️🇭🇹

🇭🇹 Haitian Heritage Month Legend Spotlight: Nancy Metayer 🌿✨

Today, we honor Nancy Metayer — a Haitian-American public servant, environmental scientist, Coral Springs Vice Mayor, and civic trailblazer whose leadership reflected compassion, courage, and a deep commitment to community.

Nancy made history as the first Black and Haitian-American woman elected to the Coral Springs City Commission, opening doors for greater Haitian representation in local government and reminding us that leadership begins where people live, work, raise families, and seek to be heard. Her work centered the belief that every voice matters and that public service should be rooted in dignity, access, equity, and care.

As an environmental scientist and advocate, Nancy’s leadership extended beyond titles. She championed environmental justice, water quality, public health, sustainability, climate resilience, community empowerment, and inclusive governance. Her service showed that protecting the environment is also about protecting people — especially communities most impacted by inequity, disaster, and limited access to resources. 🌎💧

For the Haitian people, Nancy Metayer represents the power of purpose-driven leadership. She reflects the excellence of the Haitian diaspora, the strength of women in public service, and the importance of building communities where people are seen, valued, and represented. Her legacy reminds us that Haitian leadership continues to shape South Florida through service, stewardship, and justice.

💡 A fact many people may not know: Before becoming Vice Mayor, Nancy’s work was deeply rooted in science and community care. She worked as an environmental scientist focused on water quality, public health, sanitation, and disaster response, blending technical expertise with a heart for equity-centered leadership.

Today, we celebrate a Haitian-American trailblazer whose leadership made space for every voice at the table. 🇭🇹🌿🏛️

Today, the Haitian Lawyers Association pauses to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States. 🇺🇸🕊️

Memorial Day is more than a day off—it is a day of reflection, gratitude, and remembrance. We recognize those who answered the call to serve, who stood in defense of freedom, and whose courage and sacrifice continue to shape the liberties we enjoy today.

As attorneys, advocates, and members of our community, we understand that justice, opportunity, and democracy are sustained through service and sacrifice. Today, we honor those whose names may not all be known, but whose legacy lives on in every generation that benefits from their courage.

To the fallen heroes and the families who carry their memory—your sacrifice will never be forgotten.

May we remember.
May we honor.
May we continue to serve with purpose. ❤️🤍💙

🇭🇹 Haitian Heritage Month Legend Spotlight: Dr. Yvonne Sylvain 🩺✨

Today, we honor Dr. Yvonne Sylvain — Haiti’s first female physician, a pioneering OB-GYN, public health advocate, educator, and trailblazer for women in science and medicine.

Born in Port-au-Prince, Dr. Sylvain broke barriers at a time when women were often excluded from highly specialized professional spaces. As the first woman accepted into Haiti’s medical school and later the first female physician in the country, she opened a door that would change what was possible for generations of Haitian women.

Her work in medicine went beyond personal achievement. She dedicated her career to improving women’s health, strengthening public health, expanding medical access, and advancing care for Haitian communities. Through her service, advocacy, and leadership, she showed that Haitian women belonged in laboratories, hospitals, classrooms, leadership spaces, and every field where knowledge could serve the people. 🏥📚

For the Haitian people, Dr. Yvonne Sylvain represents courage, brilliance, compassion, and progress. She reminds us that Haiti’s legacy is not only found in revolution and resistance, but also in healing, science, education, and women who dared to step into rooms where history had not yet made space for them.

💡 A fact many people may not know: Before fully devoting herself to medicine, Dr. Sylvain was also deeply connected to the arts. She painted, wrote, engaged in art criticism, and by 1932 had already exhibited more than 30 oil paintings and drawings. She was not only a medical pioneer — she was a woman of culture, creativity, intellect, and vision.

Today, we celebrate a Haitian woman whose courage and excellence helped open doors for women in medicine, science, and professional leadership. 🇭🇹🩺✨

🇭🇹 Haitian Heritage Month Legend Spotlight: Pascal Desroches 📊✨

Today, we honor Pascal Desroches — a Haitian-born business executive, corporate finance leader, and Chief Financial Officer of AT&T, whose journey reflects discipline, education, resilience, and excellence at the highest levels of corporate America.

Born in Haiti and brought to the United States as a child, Pascal Desroches represents the power of immigrant ambition and the legacy of Haitian perseverance. From his early foundation in accounting and finance to leadership roles at KPMG, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Time Warner, WarnerMedia, and AT&T, his career shows what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

As CFO of one of the nation’s most influential telecommunications companies, Desroches helps guide major financial strategy, investment, growth, and long-term corporate leadership. His work is not just about numbers — it is about vision, stewardship, discipline, and helping shape the future of connectivity in a world that depends on communication.

For the Haitian people, Pascal Desroches represents executive excellence, quiet power, and the strength of the Haitian diaspora. His story reminds us that Haitian greatness does not only live in history books, courtrooms, stages, or politics — it also sits in boardrooms, leads global companies, shapes financial strategy, and makes decisions that impact millions.

💡 A fact many people may not know: Before becoming CFO of AT&T, Pascal Desroches built a strong foundation in public accounting and federal financial regulation. He became a partner at KPMG and also served as a professional accounting fellow in the Office of the Chief Accountant at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission — experience that helped shape the executive discipline that later carried him into top corporate leadership.

Today, we celebrate a Haitian-born executive whose journey reflects resilience, leadership, and the power of excellence built one step at a time. 🇭🇹📈🏛️

🇭🇹 Haitian Heritage Month Legend Spotlight: Karine Jean-Pierre 🎙️✨

Today, we honor Karine Jean-Pierre — a Haitian-American political advisor, author, public servant, and historic White House leader whose voice helped make history at the highest level of American government.

Born in Martinique and raised in New York by Haitian immigrant parents, Karine Jean-Pierre’s journey reflects the power of resilience, preparation, and purpose. From local government and national campaigns to the Obama-Biden administration and the Biden-Harris White House, she built a career rooted in advocacy, communications, public service, and representation.

In 2022, she made history as the first Black person and the first openly LGBTQ person to serve as White House Press Secretary. That moment was bigger than a title — it was a powerful reminder that representation matters, visibility matters, and the children of immigrants can rise to spaces their ancestors once could only dream of entering. 🇭🇹🏛️

For the Haitian people, Karine Jean-Pierre represents excellence, possibility, and barrier-breaking leadership. She stands as a symbol of the Haitian diaspora’s impact on American public life and reminds us that Haiti’s legacy continues through voices that inform, lead, advocate, and open doors for others.

💡 A fact many people may not know: Before stepping onto the national stage, Karine Jean-Pierre began her public-service journey in local New York City government, working in legislative and budget affairs and serving as deputy chief of staff. Her rise shows that history-making leadership is often built step by step — through service, persistence, and purpose.

Today, we celebrate a Haitian-American trailblazer whose voice made history at the White House and whose journey continues to inspire generations. 🇭🇹🎙️✨

🗳️ Democracy is strongest when communities remain informed, engaged, and willing to show up.

Recent developments surrounding voting rights and redistricting have raised important questions about representation, electoral access, and what these changes may mean for communities across Florida. As outlined in HLA’s latest press release, shifts in how voting protections are interpreted may create new challenges and reshape future conversations surrounding fair representation.

But awareness must lead to action.

That is why we encourage our community not only to read the full decision and press release, but also to join the conversation.

📖 Read the full decision using the link in our bio.

💻 Then join us for “Protecting Our Democracy: A Virtual Town Hall on Redistricting, Voting Rights & Representation”
📅 Tuesday, May 26, 2026
🕕 6:00 PM
📍 Zoom

Hear directly from attorneys, advocates, civil rights leaders, and community organizations as they discuss what these developments could mean and how we can remain informed, engaged, and proactive in protecting one of our most fundamental rights.

Your voice matters. Your vote matters. Our democracy matters. 🇭🇹🇺🇸✨