Politics

#GrowingUpHaitian 😩🇭🇹 ⁠ 🎥 @Henyvbaby⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican #haitian #caribbean

Marly Metayer’s bid to fill the Coral Springs City Commission seat once held by her daughter ended Tuesday night when voters chose retired police Sergeant William “Bill” Capplis. In a five-candidate race for Seat 3, Capplis received 15,561 votes. Metayer finished second with 13,984 votes.⁠ ⁠ The seat became vacant on April 1, when Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer, 38, was found dead in her Coral Springs home. Police charged her husband, Stephen Bowen, with first-degree premeditated murder and evidence tampering. Nancy Metayer was the first Black and Haitian-American woman elected to the Coral Springs City Commission. She won the seat in 2020, was reelected unopposed in 2024, and was appointed vice mayor in 2025.⁠ ⁠ Metayer, a political newcomer, entered the race months after her daughter’s death with a clear purpose: to continue Nancy’s legacy of public service. In statements and on her campaign site, she described the decision as turning profound personal loss into service for the community that had supported her family for decades. Her campaign manager noted that she had taught her children never to leave a job undone.⁠ ⁠ Born April 17, 1969, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Metayer immigrated to the United States as a teenager. She graduated from Dillard High School and built a nursing career spanning more than 35 years in mental health, hospice care, patient advocacy, infection control, home health, and staff development. She and her family settled in Coral Springs in 1999, drawn by its neighborhoods, diversity, and sense of community. ⁠ ⁠ The family endured successive tragedies. In December 2025, Metayer’s youngest son, Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer, 26, died by s**cide after a years-long battle with schizophrenia. Donovan, a graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was a survivor of the 2018 Parkland school shooting. Nancy publicly announced her brother’s death and the family established a mental health fund in his name. These losses shaped Metayer’s emphasis on mental and behavioral health as a core campaign priority, alongside public safety, economic opportunity for small businesses and working families, and community unity. ⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican

A Robinson R44 II helicopter crashed into Biscayne Bay near Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park off Key Biscayne on Wednesday morning, killing one person and critically injuring two others, authorities said.⁠ ⁠ Miami-Dade Fire Rescue initially reported units en route to a “helicopter down” around 11:26 a.m. near Nixon Beach. Video from local news helicopters showed the aircraft upside down in the water, with its yellow emergency flotation devices on the landing skids visible at the surface.⁠ ⁠ Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said the helicopter was a chartered flight conducting aerial photography and filming boats on the water at the time of the crash. All three occupants were adult males. The two survivors were transported to a trauma center in critical but stable condition. The third person, identified by U.S. Customs and Border Protection as the pilot, was pronounced dead at the scene.⁠ ⁠ Flight tracking data indicated the helicopter departed North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines and was over Biscayne Bay when it experienced a sudden drop in altitude. The aircraft is registered to Global Aerials Inc. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash, while the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is leading the death investigation. Officials said it remains unclear whether weather conditions, thunderstorms, light rain, and winds in the area played a role. Identities of the three men have not been released pending notification of next of kin.⁠ ⁠ The helicopter remained partially submerged as investigators worked the scene. Divers were deployed to confirm there were no additional victims. This is a developing story.⁠ ⁠ Source: @nbc6⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican

Haitian culture and storytelling will be in the spotlight at the 2026 @MiamiBookFair, with three special discussions celebrating Haiti’s literature, history, spirituality, and language.⁠ ⁠ On Sunday, November 22, the fair’s ReadCaribbean program is scheduled to bring together writers and cultural voices at Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus in downtown Miami.⁠ ⁠ The day begins at 11 a.m. with “What We Carry,” a conversation about Haitian history, family memories, identity, and the stories passed down through generations.⁠ ⁠ At 1 p.m., “Beyond the Veil” will explore Haitian spirituality, Vodou traditions, dreams, and ancestral beliefs. The final discussion, “Ayiti nan Nouvèl,” begins at 3 p.m. and will focus on Haitian journalism, media representation, and an important question: Who gets to tell Haiti’s story?⁠ ⁠ Language will also play a major role in the program. The morning discussion is scheduled to be held in English with Haitian Creole interpretation, while both afternoon sessions will be presented in Haitian Creole with English interpretation.⁠ ⁠ The event is advertised as free and open to the public, giving the Haitian community and visitors an opportunity to connect through literature, history, and meaningful conversations.⁠ ⁠ Lang nou. Kilti nou. Istwa nou. 🇭🇹⁠ ⁠ 📅 Sunday, November 22, 2026⁠ 📍 Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus, Downtown Miami⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican #miamibookfair

South Florida’s Haitian-American community celebrated significant victories in the November 3 elections, expanding representation in the Florida Legislature, county school boards, and municipal offices.⁠ ⁠ Daphne Campbell (Democrat) returned to the Florida Legislature after winning House District 108. Born in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, Campbell previously represented the district from 2010 to 2016 before serving in the Florida Senate from 2016 to 2018.⁠ ⁠ State Senator Mack Bernard (Democrat) won reelection to Senate District 24. Born in Port-au-Prince, Bernard previously served as a Delray Beach city commissioner, state representative, Palm Beach County commissioner, and county mayor before joining the Senate in 2024.⁠ ⁠ State Representative Berny Jacques (Republican) won reelection to House District 59 in Pinellas County. Born in Port-au-Prince, Jacques previously served as an assistant state attorney, and was first elected in 2022.⁠ ⁠ Linda Cothiere became the 1st Haitian-American elected to the Miami-Dade County School Board. Born in Cap-Haïtien, she earned an education degree from St. Thomas University.⁠ ⁠ Christina L. Romelus became the 1st Haitian-American elected to the Palm Beach County School Board, winning District 4. Born in Port-au-Prince she previously served as a Boynton Beach city commissioner and vice mayor and taught at Palm Beach State College.⁠ ⁠ Cynthia Alceus Dominique secured the Broward County School Board District 7 seat during the August 18 primary.⁠ ⁠ North Miami Vice Mayor Kassandra Timothe won reelection to City Council District 2. A North Miami native, she holds a political science degree from the University of South Florida and a master’s in public administration from Florida International University.⁠ ⁠ North Miami Councilwoman Mary Estimé-Irvin secured reelection to District 3. Born in NYC, she is a businesswoman and former president and CEO of a South Florida staffing agency.⁠ ⁠ North Lauderdale Mayor Samson Borgelin won reelection. Born in Haiti AND 1st elected to the City Commission in 2016, Borgelin became North Lauderdale’s first Haitian-American mayor in 2022. ⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican #haitian

The family of 15-year-old Javits Frimpong has shared pages from his personal diary with the New York Daily News, offering a glimpse into the future the Ghanaian teenager hoped to build.⁠ ⁠ Frimpong, a 10th grader at DreamYard Preparatory School in the Bronx, had moved from Ghana roughly a year earlier to live with his father, Thomas Frimpong. On October 29, he was walking to school when he was fatally injured near East 171st Street and Crotona Place. He was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died. The investigation remains ongoing.⁠ ⁠ In the handwritten entries released by his family, Frimpong described himself as shy and still finding his place. “I am a shy person,” he wrote. “I am doing good on my journey and figuring out who I am.” He called his family “treasure” and said they encouraged him to stay away from “bad kids.”⁠ ⁠ Education was central to his plans. “I want to go really far with education because you will earn money,” he wrote. He noted that school felt better in the United States than in Ghana, where he said students faced harsh treatment that made learning more difficult. He also wrote about his love of reading and exploring nature, and about his faith, describing worshiping God as the most important thing to him and Christmas as a cherished time because it marks the birth of Jesus.⁠ ⁠ His family said he had been saving money to help friends back in Ghana with school costs. His sister, Millicent Frimpong, described him as a smart and caring young man who loved people and wanted to help others. He had dreamed of becoming a doctor. Frimpong had been in America for just one year and one day. The words he left behind now stand as a record of the life he hoped to live.⁠ ⁠ Rest in peace, Javits Frimpong. 🕊️⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican

CONGRATULATIONS THE WINNERS ARE IN!⁠ ⁠ Congratulations to all our winners of our BAYO 10-Year Anniversary Ticket Giveaway!⁠ ⁠ Each winner has won TWO tickets to BAYO Miami on November 22 — one for you and one for a guest of your choice!⁠ ⁠ WINNERS, CHECK YOUR DMs!⁠ ⁠ 🏆 CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS!⁠ ⁠ @s.xxgge⁠ @prettygirl_darrie⁠ @iamkerine⁠ @thereal.saskya⁠ @lovelyp523⁠ @oli_vier_barthelemy⁠ @sunshaayy⁠ @iamleoncelumajr⁠ @krafty_kompa⁠ @vicktoriax⁠ @zomimi509⁠ @belfanm_mo⁠ @vicky_precious_ @thee_deee⁠ @thaliacordeliaa⁠ @guaptheguru⁠ @iszadora777⁠ @lourdenie⁠ @artlaurea⁠ @msjennx0⁠ @samirasabatinni⁠ @mr_rochy⁠ ⁠ Our team will be contacting you TODAY to collect your full name and email address to finalize your tickets.⁠ ⁠ Your tickets will be delivered directly to your email on November 5-6 once your information has been confirmed.⁠ ⁠ IMPORTANT DEADLINE: You must respond and claim your tickets by November 4, at 10 PM ET. If we don't hear from you by the deadline, another winner may be selected.⁠ ⁠ A huge thank you to @BayoTour everyone who entered and participated in our giveaway! We appreciate your support and enthusiasm as we celebrate 10 years of BAYO. To our winners, get ready for a celebration of Haitian music, culture, and community! 🇭🇹⁠ ⁠ SEE YOU NOVEMBER 22 IN LITTLE HAITI, MIAMI!⁠

Former Pétion-Ville deputy Jerry Tardieu submitted his presidential candidacy documents on Monday, November 2, to the West 1 Departmental Electoral Office (BED) on the Frères road, according to a press release from the En Avant pour Haïti (EAPH) political group.⁠ ⁠ Tardieu, the candidate of En Avant pour Haïti (number 85), was accompanied by supporters carrying the party’s colors and the Haitian national flag. After completing the filing formalities, he spoke to the press and sought the confidence of citizens by highlighting his background as an author, entrepreneur, and parliamentarian.⁠ ⁠ “I have credit with the Haitian people for my journey, my fights, my ideas and my values,” he stated, according to the EAPH communiqué. He recalled writing his first book on Haiti in 1991 at age 22 and said his writings and reflections have since focused on the country’s political, economic, social, and cultural realities. He also pointed to his private-sector investments and job-creating businesses, as well as legislative proposals and reform initiatives during his time in parliament.⁠ ⁠ Tardieu emphasized that Haiti needs competent, honest, courageous leaders who are respected nationally and internationally and who love the country. He referenced his family’s long engagement in politics, education, scouting, cooperatives, and sports, and called on former national team soccer players, including his brother Patrick Tardieu and Donet Désilus, to join the effort. He encouraged young people to get involved in public life, urged the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) to facilitate voter registration, and asked the government to remain impartial in the electoral process.⁠ ⁠ Tardieu first announced his candidacy on October 21. The filing comes as Haiti’s electoral calendar has been pushed back; the CEP has set the first round for July 18, 2027, after earlier plans for December 2026 proved unworkable amid ongoing security and logistical challenges. The definitive list of approved candidates is expected in January 2027.⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican

President Donald Trump congratulated Democrats on their string of victories in Tuesday’s midterm elections while insisting the outcome was not a referendum on his administration.⁠ ⁠ In a late-night call with Fox News, Trump acknowledged the Democratic gains that handed the party control of both the House and Senate. “Congratulations to the Democrats. They did a good job. They’ve been looking for this one for 11 years, and they finally got it,” he said. He added that Democrats “fought hard” and “worked very hard,” noting they had been competing against him for years.⁠ ⁠ Trump rejected the idea that the results reflected dissatisfaction with his record. “I don’t view it as a hit on me,” he told the network. “I think we’ve done … We’ve had the greatest two years in the history of the presidency.” He repeated a claim he had posted earlier on Truth Social: that Republicans would have won “IN A LANDSLIDE” if he had been on the ballot.⁠ ⁠ Democrats flipped multiple Republican-held Senate seats in states including Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio, and Iowa, while also securing a House majority. The results marked a significant shift after two years of unified Republican control of the White House and Congress. Analysts described the night as a broad rebuke of the president’s agenda, with cost-of-living concerns and the ongoing conflict involving Iran frequently cited as factors.⁠ ⁠ Trump, who had urged voters throughout the campaign to treat the midterms as a referendum on his leadership, later distanced himself from that framing. He also blamed Fox News coverage in social media posts even as he called into the network. Democratic leaders celebrated the outcome as a mandate to check presidential power in the final two years of Trump’s term.⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican #haitian

In his election night speech, Florida Governor-elect Byron Donalds addressed President Donald Trump directly, saying, “Mr. President, I want you to hear from Florida that we are still red.”⁠ ⁠ Donalds, a Republican U.S. representative, defeated Democrat David Jolly in a close race that the Associated Press projected shortly after 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday. With nearly all votes counted, Donalds led with roughly 50 percent to Jolly’s 48.7 percent. The win makes him Florida’s first Black governor and the first Black Republican elected governor of any U.S. state. He will succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis.⁠ ⁠ Speaking to supporters, Donalds said the second call he received after the race was called came from Trump. “Mr. President, I also want to tell you thank you for your support and thank you for being in my corner,” he said. He noted that the first call was from Jolly, whom he congratulated for running a hard-fought campaign.⁠ ⁠ Donalds also praised DeSantis’s tenure. “Governor DeSantis has done a great job leading Florida these last eight years,” he said, adding that as the next governor he would work to keep Florida “the very best state in all of America.” He pointed to priorities including lowering costs, reducing insurance premiums, and making housing more affordable.⁠ ⁠ The remarks came as Donalds celebrated with supporters at a watch party in South Florida, where the crowd responded with applause. The contest was tighter than recent statewide Republican margins, including DeSantis’s nearly 20-point reelection in 2022.⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican

In a stunning midterm election night on November 3, Texas voters delivered a political earthquake. Democrats won the governorship, a U.S. Senate seat, and other major statewide offices for the first time in a generation, ending more than three decades of Republican dominance in the nation’s second-most populous state.⁠ ⁠ State Representative Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term Republican Governor Greg Abbott, becoming Texas’s first Latina governor and the first Democrat to hold the office since Ann Richards left in 1995. In the U.S. Senate race, state Representative James Talarico defeated Attorney General Ken Paxton, securing the first Democratic Senate seat from Texas since Lloyd Bentsen’s reelection in 1988. Democrats also won the lieutenant governor’s race (Vikki Goodwin over Dan Patrick), the attorney general’s race (Nathan Johnson), and other statewide contests.⁠ ⁠ These results reverse a long Republican streak. No Democrat had won a statewide race in Texas since 1994. Just two years earlier, in 2024, Donald Trump carried the state by roughly 13–14 points (about 56% to 42%).⁠ ⁠ Texas holds 40 electoral votes. Its status as a reliably Republican state in presidential years has long been a cornerstone of GOP strategy. With Democrats now holding the governor’s office and a Senate seat, both parties are expected to treat the state as more competitive heading into 2028. Control of the Texas House was also in play, with Democrats making gains despite Republican-led redistricting.⁠ ⁠ Whether the shift represents a lasting realignment or a strong midterm wave driven by national conditions remains an open question. Texas remains a diverse, growing state with a large conservative base, and future elections will test whether Democrats can hold the gains. For now, the 2026 results mark the clearest break in Republican statewide control in Texas in a generation.⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican #haitian

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has delivered another message to the Haitian people, this time in Haitian Creole, comparing those who support Haiti’s armed gangs to the people who betrayed and killed Jean-Jacques Dessalines.⁠ ⁠ In a statement shared on Tuesday, November 3, Bukele accused gang members, their financial backers, and those supplying them with weapons of contributing to Haiti’s suffering. He argued that while foreign powers have played a role in Haiti’s struggles, some Haitians have also helped criminal groups gain control of communities.⁠ ⁠ Bukele also addressed concerns about the presence of Salvadoran soldiers in Haiti, insisting that his forces are there to help, not to invade the country.⁠ ⁠ “We are not invaders,” he wrote in Haitian Creole, before promising to stand alongside Haitians as they work to regain control of their communities.⁠ ⁠ His message comes as El Salvador has deployed more than 2,000 troops to Haiti, initially to help search for four Salvadoran aviation personnel who disappeared following an armed attack near Port-au-Prince on October 18.⁠ ⁠ Bukele ended his message by promising to help Haitians reclaim their country from those he described as betraying Dessalines’ legacy.⁠ ⁠ His latest remarks raise important questions about the role of foreign troops in Haiti and what their involvement will mean for the country's security and future.⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican