Brooklyn council member Farah Louis seeks Wyclef Jean Day and backing for Haitian TPS
Her three resolutions would also declare October Reggaeton Heritage Month and urge Congress to pass a bill re-designating Haiti for TPS.
NEW YORK, United States. New York City Council Member Farah Louis has proposed three resolutions to honour Caribbean culture and call for protection for Haitian immigrants.
The measures, introduced on September 10, would recognise the cultural impact of reggaeton, commemorate Wyclef Jean and call for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians to be restored.
"The introduction of the three resolutions speaks to the importance of protecting our people, honouring our culture, and preserving the communities we call home," Louis said.
Wyclef Jean Day
Resolution 624 would designate October 17 each year as Wyclef Jean Day in New York City, describing him as "a widely recognized artist and proud son of Haiti whose impact resonates deeply in New York City and beyond".
Jean began his career in the late 1980s with the group that became the Fugees, alongside Lauryn Hill and Pras, before a solo career spanning more than three decades. In 2001 he founded the Yéle Haiti Foundation to provide poverty relief, education and disaster assistance in Haiti.
Resolution 625 would declare October Reggaeton Heritage Month, recognising the genre's Afro-Caribbean and Latin American roots.
Call to restore TPS
Resolution 626 urges Congress and the president to pass and sign Senate Bill S. 4814, which would re-designate Haiti for TPS and allow Haitians to remain in the US rather than be deported. The bill is supported by Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer and other Democratic senators.
"Haiti is facing a profound humanitarian and security crisis, and sending Haitian families back into these conditions is unconscionable," Louis said.
Schumer said the Trump administration's decision to cancel TPS for Haitians was "cruel and counterproductive". He said Haitians under TPS are working legally, paying taxes and contributing $1.1 billion a year to the state economy, and urged Senate Republicans to pass the bill.
Louis represents the 45th Council District, covering Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Flatlands, Kensington, Marine Park and Canarsie. The resolutions were co-sponsored by council members including Mercedes Narcisse, Rita C. Joseph and Selvena N. Brooks-Powers.
"Protecting our communities and celebrating our culture go hand in hand," Louis said.
