Haitian Heritage Month, Boston’s Haitian Community, Workforce Inclusion & Public Health Organizations
This is a special post written by Charles Warren, Curriculum Developer at Triangle. Charlie is also a member of Triangle’s Racial Equity Committee (REC) and Disability Justice Task Force (DJTF). As part of our commitment to the work of the REC and DJTF, we will be sharing more information with you on subjects related to racial equity and disability justice. This post continues our series dedicated to calling attention to the contributions of people with disabilities to American history.
For Haitian Heritage Month, our blog explores information about the Boston-area community and the Haitian-American Public Health Initiative, a public service organization offering a large variety of programs that are available to individuals with disabilities.
Haitian immigrants have been settling in Boston since the 1950s and represent the third-largest foreign-born population in the area. These communities contribute to local businesses and the workforce, enriching the cultural fabric of Boston. By 2017, Haitians made up 3.7% of Boston’s population, holding around 12,219 jobs and owning about 455 businesses. Their economic activities supported an additional 1,674 jobs and contributed $256 million to Boston’s gross city product in 2018. Haitians are particularly vital to Boston’s healthcare, personal care, security, and service industries.
Finding access to education and services that are culturally accessible is a challenge for many people with disabilities. The Haitian-American Public Health Initiative (HAPHI), founded in 1989, is a Mattapan-based nonprofit agency addressing the pressing public health issues confronting Boston’s Haitian community. HAPHI provides a comprehensive range of prevention education and direct service initiatives to Haitian-Americans and other community residents in Mattapan and Dorchester.
HAPHI’s Mission and Goals
HAPHI aims to provide culturally and linguistically accessible information and services to improve the health and emotional well-being of the Haitian-American community. Their goals include:
- Providing culturally sensitive, factual information about health, social, and cultural issues.
- Cultivating norms that support healthy behaviors.
- Improving access to services and economic opportunities.
Services and Programs
HAPHI is organized into three primary service departments: the Youth Department, HIV Prevention and Service Department, and Family and Community Health Department. Their core prevention initiatives focus on issues such as HIV, substance and tobacco use, sexual assault, teen pregnancy, teen violence, school failure/dropout, domestic violence, and prevalent chronic diseases like heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and some cancers. Current programs include:
- Haitian-American Prevention and Education Project
- Haitian Against Drugs (School Success Program)
- Sexual Assault Prevention Program for Youth
- HIV Services and Extended Counseling
- Haitian Men’s Health Project
- Media Outreach Program
- Haitian Tobacco Prevention Project
- Chronic Disease Prevention and Education
- Haitian Family Support Program
- English as a Second Language (ESL)
- Parenting Education Project
The Haitian American disability community in Boston has an ally in HAPHI and Triangle, Inc. Haitian Heritage Month is a great opportunity to learn more about Haitian history, support Haitian-led businesses and organizations! Click here to learn more about HAPHI.