#haitian-american groups

[baldwinheights]

[sukibenders]

People on Twitter are now debating whether or not it was "morally right" for Haitians to revolt against their oppressors. Some of y'all should have been left behind.

[roipecheur]

Reading the kidnapping arc with Tim's parents like. Kinda rooting for the Haitians here, sorry ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[vague-humanoid]

n childhood, I was taught the importance of seeing Black faces in government positions and political power. At school, I learned how integral specific Black political leaders were to the Black Revolution—especially during the Reconstruction era and the Civil Rights Movement. I understood from a young age that the presence of Black faces in political institutions was necessary for community advancement. 

I still remember learning about Hiram Revels, who in 1870 became the first Black elected official to serve in Congress. This was shortly after slavery was abolished, and Revels’ presence in U.S. politics was a watershed moment for Black American communities. 

Our presence in these institutions that sought to exclude us did indeed make a difference. Now, even after witnessing the election of a Black president in 2008 and seeing more and more Black people in spaces of political power and privilege, I’m not so sure.

When Barack Obama became president in 2008, I remember the joy felt across my community and this understanding that if a Black person could reach the highest level of power in the U.S., change had certainly come.   

That was the beginning of a harsh reality check for me. What good is Black political representation in a system meant to maintain the subjugation of marginalized people? What positive change does that representation bring when people with Black faces are complicit in the same oppression and violence that continue to devastate communities like ours?

Communities like Gaza, whose devastation we continue to see every day.

The death toll in Gaza is more than 37,000, and the U.S. has repeatedly vetoed a life-saving ceasefire for the Palestinian people and voted against the effort to recognize Palestinian statehood. 

The U.S. has left Palestine and its people in the path of fire and destruction. The world has watched the U.S. ambassadors for the United Nations silently raise their hands to veto ceasefire resolutions. Their silence speaks volumes.

U.N. ambassadors Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Robert A. Wood are Black Americans in high-ranking government positions, two Black Americans who ostensibly represent our ability to overcome a history of slavery, genocide, and racism, the relics of which continue to plague our communities today. They are two Black Americans choosing to subject another group of oppressed people to genocide and displacement, not so different from what our ancestors faced when they were stolen from their lands, slaughtered, and enslaved. 

Before you assume otherwise, let me say that I do understand nuance. Yes, Ambassadors Thomas-Greenfield and Wood do carry out Washington’s decisions, and they do not act on their own behalf; they are the voice of the U.S. government. But for me, the question remains: Why are you there? As Black Americans, why are you choosing to work as conduits for colonization, imperialism, and genocide? What does this do for Black people in America right now? Because existing in places of power and privilege does not inherently equate to uplifting and serving the Black community. 

Another example is White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. The daughter of Haitian immigrants, Jean-Pierre is the first Black and openly gay woman to hold her role in the White House. She is a Black woman I once looked up to—until I began to pay close attention to the way she speaks of Israel’s war on Gaza. 

In one press conference, Jean-Pierre could not even acknowledge why Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab organizations rejected meetings with President Joe Biden. I’ve watched Jean-Pierre dismiss journalists’ questions regarding the safety and protection of Palestinians in Gaza. Of course, Jean-Pierre is the White House’s mouthpiece, and we do not know her thoughts on the genocide in Palestine. But again, I ask: Why is she there? What is she willing to co-sign to have proximity to power? What personal excuses are used to justify being complicit in oppression not so different from what our own people face?

How many times will we exempt Black political figures from accountability while holding up their representation as some sort of community good? Do we not realize the harm this does when we uplift Black leaders who merely act as conduits for white supremacy? As a Black woman, I find this hard to accept. 

more at link

[literaryvein-reblogs]

I love your writing tips 🫶🫶🫶tysm.....I wanted to ask how you write a black character

Writing Notes: Black Characters

What terms to use? Terms used to refer to racial and ethnic groups continue to change over time.

One reason for this is simply personal preference; preferred designations are as varied as the people they name.

Another reason is that designations can become dated over time and may hold negative connotations.

When describing racial and ethnic groups, be appropriately specific and sensitive to issues of labeling.

Race - physical differences that groups and cultures consider socially significant. For example, people might identify their race as Aboriginal, African American or Black, Asian, European American or White, Native American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Māori, or some other race. 

Ethnicity - shared cultural characteristics such as language, ancestry, practices, and beliefs. For example, people might identify as Latino or another ethnicity.

Be clear about whether you are referring to a racial group or to an ethnic group.

Race is a social construct that is not universal, so one must be careful not to impose racial labels on ethnic groups.

Whenever possible, use the racial and/or ethnic terms that your participants themselves use. Be sure that the racial and ethnic categories you use are as clear and specific as possible.

For example, instead of categorizing participants as Asian American or Hispanic American, you could use more specific labels that identify their nation or region of origin, such as Japanese American or Cuban American.

Use commonly accepted designations (e.g., census categories) while being sensitive to participants’ preferred designation.

People of African origin. When writing about people of African ancestry, several factors inform the appropriate terms to use. People of African descent have widely varied cultural backgrounds, family histories, and family experiences.

Some will be from Caribbean islands, Latin America, various regions in the United States, countries in Africa, or elsewhere.

Some American people of African ancestry prefer “Black,” and others prefer “African American”; both terms are acceptable.

However, “African American” should not be used as an umbrella term for people of African ancestry worldwide because it obscures other ethnicities or national origins, such as Nigerian, Kenyan, Jamaican, or Bahamian; in these cases use “Black.”

The terms “Negro” and “Afro-American” are outdated; therefore, their use is generally inappropriate.

Example of bias-free language. Description of African American or Black people.

Problematic: "We interviewed 25 Afro-American people living in rural Louisiana."

Preferred: "We interviewed 25 Black people living in rural Louisiana." or "We interviewed 25 African Americans living in rural Louisiana."

Comment: “Afro-American” and “Negro” have become dated; therefore, usage of these terms generally is inappropriate. Specify region or nation of origin when possible to avoid the impression that all people of African descent have the same cultural background, family history, or family experiences. Note that “Black” is appropriate rather than “African American” to describe people of African descent from various national origins (e.g., Haitian, Nigerian).

How to Write Characters of Color Without Using Stereotypes

Creating characters that belong to a different racial group than you are can be down-right difficult.

You don't want to rely on stereotypes to describe them that can be offensive, harmful, or cliche.

In response to that apprehension, authors often avoid it; they take the easy way out and you don't describe them at all, but is that what's best?

Example. A basic and rudimentary physical descriptions of primary or secondary black characters:

she had chocolate brown skin and big, round eyes

By itself, there is nothing wrong with this description.

It's not necessary for every character to have a full, detailed description.

It's only problematic when this description is compared to the description of a primary or secondary white character:

his brown hair was in a military crew cut and he had icy blue eyes and pale skin

The white character is described more richly and the reader can form a picture in their mind, the black character's description is incomplete in comparison, therefore, the reader is forced to fill in the gaps.

Tips for writing deep character descriptions:

Find a picture of a real person who looks similar to your character (you may need more than one person) and use that as your guide.

Free write. Write out every single detail of the description. Whatever is in your mind just write it out.

Edit. Trim it down so it is more concise and note the words that you feel are stereotypical. Use a thesaurus to exchange those words for others.

You don't have to avoid all racial description. Yes it's ok for your black character to have an afro (some black people have afros).

Here's where the hard work comes in:

Remember that real person you were basing your character description on? Imagine reading your description to that person aloud. Try it. Pretend like that person is in front of you and read your description.

If you wouldn't feel comfortable saying it to that person's face then it shouldn't be on your page.

Finally, be creative and if it doesn't feel right keep editing and ask for help.

3 Warning Signs you can use for your work to determine if you should “avoid that Black character.” As in, rethink, reimagine, and rewrite.

If most of their scenes involve them giving a pep talk because they understand the main character or MC’s struggles better than anyone else due to their “unique” identity, you should avoid that Black character.

If the character has an aggressive, angry, or hypersexual* personality that constantly has to be tempered or simmered down, usually by a fairer-skinned, ‘morally superior’ individual, you should avoid that Black character.

If the character is either (A) the MC’s moral compass because they are especially good or (B) so morally corrupt that they eventually lead to their own demise, you should avoid that Black character.

*On top of Black characters often being depicted as hypersexual, there is a related issue that is almost the inverse of this: Black characters being hypersexualized, or turned into something to be observed and objectified. Sexual thoughts and actions are thrust upon them even if they are doing nothing to provoke it. In this way, their mere existence is turned into something sexual just because they are a Black person in a Black body. Descriptions associated with their body will—for absolutely no perceivable reason—begin to be described with animalistic language. For example, let’s say, in a book, that every other character smiled or smirked. But then when it gets to the Black character, it’s suddenly, “He grinned wide with his canines showing.”

In media, Black characters seem to live at the extremes of the moral spectrum.

They either live on a holy pedestal or are so far in the trenches of depravity that, at some point in the book, they have to be “put down like an animal” for the greater good of the world (which is so harmful).

In other cases, the MC has to cut all ties with them, showing that the MC has “risen above” their lowliness and corruption (usually in the form of breaking out of an abusive friendship or relationship, breaking a drug addiction, leaving ‘the hood,’ cutting ties with a gang, choosing peace over revenge, etc.).

Regardless of which extreme the Black character exists at, both serve the function of dehumanizing the character. They are pushed into the margins of humanity, either morally above or below the common person. Either way, they have reached a place beyond humanity, somewhere that is usually painted in these cases as hard to sympathize or empathize with. It often makes them two-dimensional and rigid.

Consider the moral compass Black character who will, more often than not, preach forgiveness and love at the most inappropriate times, and is ready to help wash the MC clean of their sins or warn them about what lies ahead on the “dark path” if they so choose it. And for the morally corrupt Black character, they typically spit every negative stereotype about the Black community back into readers’ faces without context, compassion, or tenderness, which is uncomfortable and heartbreaking.

Ultimately, tread carefully—carefully—in your pursuit of diverse voices in your work. If you do not take this venture with deep consideration and caution, you will run into trouble achieving the rich representation you’re aiming for in your writing. However, just caring about having better representation is important in itself.

Representation is a powerful tool that can inspire communities and amplify the voices of marginalized groups across the globe.

Reading is a tool that allows us to expand our minds and explore the world through written word. When we see ourselves represented correctly in texts, it gives us the space to imagine our futures, learn new things about ourselves, and challenge how we view the world around us.

When we see characters like ourselves become the hero of their own stories, it can give us the power to find that courage and bravery within ourselves.

But just like healthy representation can make our dreams and sense of self flourish, inaccurate or incomplete representation can limit our imaginations and impair our ability to know where and with whom we may belong.

Black people have been excluded from and misrepresented in retellings of history for centuries.

Due to hateful societies and racist conditions throughout time, much of Black history has been forgotten, denied, or stolen.

Because of this, traditional methods of research may not always show the full picture.

Sometimes, a story can capture the truth better than a graph.

Alternative Ways to Write Characters and Plots

Write multiple characters from the same group, so there isn’t one token representative. Additionally, people are often friends with those whom they can relate to. So for instance, rather than having a single gay character in a group of straight characters, a friend group might be made up of multiple LGBTQ+ individuals.

Write BIPOC characters who have agency, complexity, and the ability to fight their own battles. Instead of having a white character advocate for, speak for, and fight for people of color, give characters of color the opportunity to speak and advocate for themselves.

Give BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals their own character arcs, with their own goals and desires, rather than making their entire lives revolve around white and straight characters.

Run your book by a sensitivity reader. Sensitivity readers will read unpublished manuscripts and give feedback on cultural inaccuracies, biases, and stereotypes.

Don’t make your villain the sole BIPOC person in the entire story. Similarly, don’t make your villain the sole gay character or sole disabled character.

Don’t kill every BIPOC, LGBTQ+, or disabled character. This sends the message that these characters—and by extension real-life people who are members of these groups— are unimportant.

Overall, make sure that your characters are complex, realistic individuals who are not defined by stereotype.

Should white people write about people of color? "If you’re thinking about writing outside your culture and you’re afraid to get it wrong, be honest with yourself. Ask yourself why you want to do it. That’s where you start." (author Malinda Lo).

It takes much more consideration than omitting obvious, familiar stereotypes. Instead of focusing on the fact that you need to ensure that your audience knows the character is not white, focus on their inner lives.

Think of their humanity beyond the constrictions of race as a complete signifier, not as the driving force behind the character’s existence, but a puzzle piece.

If you’re not ready to acknowledge and confront your white privilege, it will certainly cloud the creation of your character.

If you are a white writer and you wish to inhabit the consciousness of a POC, do not base their narrative around noble suffering. Sometimes it’s the seemingly mundane details that make a character feel alive.

When whiteness is the standard in literature, “Otherness” becomes defined by easily available tropes and cliches. When race is involved, many writers cling to the mantra “write what you know.”

More excerpts from Malinda Lo's answer:

Anyone who wants to write outside of their culture has to remember this: Books are personal, and one person’s reaction does not mean that everybody is going to react the same way. In fact, it’s likely that every single reader will have a different reaction.

This doesn’t mean that it’s okay to blithely write whatever the hell you want about a culture that isn’t yours. Writers who are writing outside of their culture do have to work extra hard to research that culture, because they have much farther to go to get to the kind of instinctual knowledge of it that allows someone to hear my Chinese name and feel that it sounds poetic.

Writing outside your culture is a complicated endeavor that requires extensive research, being aware of your own biases and limitations, and a commitment to delving deeply into the story. However, writing any fiction requires this. There are no shortcuts to writing fiction truthfully and well. There really aren’t. The writer must put in the time so that they become confident in their decisions, and there are a million and one decisions to make when writing a novel.

If you’re a white writer who wants to write about a culture not your own, go for it. There’s no reason you shouldn’t do it. Some people will prefer that you don’t, but those people don’t speak for everyone. On the other hand, if you’re terrified of writing outside your culture, you don’t have to. There’s not necessarily any reason for you to do something that makes you that uncomfortable. I believe that writing is a personal thing, and you should write what you personally want to write.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ⚜ More: References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

Thank you for your lovely words. I'm not exactly the best person for this question, so here are some references I found for you. Learned a lot from these as well, so thanks for the request. Hope this helps with your writing!

[blackfilmmakers]

Now that I have y’all’s attention:

Let’s talk about how the Trump administration moved their targets from general brown immigrants to specifically Black(immigrants) ever since Kamala joined the race

This isn’t to say other brown groups aren’t still getting locked up in cages and experiencing hate-crimes. But ever since Kamala, someone of Jamaican descent, started running for President Trump’s campaign have been very open to reblogging and creating posts that focus primarily on demonizing Black immigrants

I’m bringing this up because I’ve been seeing a lot of people address the rise of Haitian hate-crime as an anti-immigrant only matter.

This is specifically about anti-black racism. The only reason the Klan would show their faces like this is always when Black people are involved in some way (case in point: the Charlottesville riots kicked off because white supremacists wanted to stop plans to remove a Confederate statue)

It’s ironic considering Kamala is just as cruel against immigrants, and her (self-proclaimed)Top Cop status got plenty of Black people killed and imprisoned. Regardless, Trump’s administration relies on these anti-black sentiments of immigrants now, because he can’t openly say African-Americans are dangerous people. It’d be too on the nose. So, like with Obama, he attacks Kamala’s foreign Black ancestry to pose that as the “bad dangerous Black people”, but also still just be openly anti-black about it

Already the anti-Haitian hate-crimes have been branching off to anyone of the Black Diaspora in general. Because that was the intent here. So I don’t want to hear “Kamala is Jamaican not Haitian” because most of y’all didn’t care to make that distinction

[angered-box]

Hello! I am opening up commissions for those who donate to any organization or gfm that helps those in Palestine, Congo, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon, Haiti, Ukraine, Hawai'i and Valencia.

5 dollars will get you a basic sketch with no color, 10 dollars will be a sketch with color 15 will be a more clean sketch+ color, anything above 20 will get you at least a rendered half body drawing!

examples of my art below:

All you need to do is send me confirmation of your donation along with the character you want me to draw (can be an oc or a character from a series!)

don't know where to donate? I have some links that you can choose from!

Palestine

Children Relief Funds

Doctors Without Borders

UNRWA

eSIMS

Congo

Emergency Relief for Displaced Children

Displacement in Kivu

Sillage Association Malaïka ️️️

Friends of the Congo

Sudan

Darfur Women Action Group

Hadreen

Sudanese American Physicians Association

Yemen

Yemen Food Appeal

Yemen Emergency Appeal

Yemen Crisis

Lebanon

Help Students in Lebanon

Redcross Lebanon

Lebanese Foodbank

Save the Children

Haiti

Haitian Health Foundation

Hope for Haiti

Help Repair Haitian Refugee Shelter

Food for Tabarre School

Ukraine

Hospitallers

Come Back Alive

United 24

Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation

Okhmatdyt Foundation

Hawai'i

Maui Foodbank

Hawai'i Community Foundation

Valencia

Help a Family living in Horta Sud

Food Bank

Hambre Cero

if you have any other places to donate to, please share them!

[democratthatlovesguns]

"It's NOT RACIST"

To be clear, a prejudice is an OPINION that is not based on any facts (verifiable evidence) nor on actual (verifiable) experiences.

A racist, is someone that holds a prejudice against a race of people.

The case of Mark Robinson makes it very clear that one can be racist against their own race - a la Boyz n the Hood.

To be clearer, even if there was one Haitian person found, red-handed so to speak, eating someone's pet, that is only one person from a group of people - NOT THE ENTIRE GROUP.

I know how dangerous prejudice can be; so you won't find me calling all republicans couch fuckers, just because one of them might be.

Case in point: "Sadly, because president Obama has done such a poor job as president, you won't see another black president for generations!" - Donald Trump

What Donny the Racist is stating there is that in his opinion having experienced the presidency of only one African American man, he believes most people agree with him that electing another black president will be equally disastrous. That is, we can expect the same level of disaster from ANY black president, without having to consider anything beyond race.

For this, and many other statements, Donald Trump is a bona fide racist. And if you vote for him, yes, at the very least you believe his racism is "okay" (not disqualifying as president).

[theafroamericaine]

My Perspective on Black Culture in the USA

I am highlighting my people and our culture for those who seem to lack understanding about it. I have seen countless derogatory comments coming from our own and others pertaining to us. I will never understand how someone can say we don't have a culture, no social practices, no traditions etc.... or only shine light on negative stereotypes grouping us all together. Black people are not a monolith. It's ridiculous to observe the behavior (esp. the negative part) of a person or group then project that image onto all of us. To cherry pick which parts of our culture are "cool" or "trendy" then completely erase us out of the picture and try to gaslight us into thinking the style never originated with us. AAVE in media is looked at as "internet slang" or "Gen Z slang" nothing to be taken seriously. Our signature styles, rather it be hair or clothing are looked at as trends or streetwear. It seems as if when it's deemed popular our style is no longer apart of us.

The whole "Black Americans don't know where they come from," topic is old and tiring. I have never questioned my identity nor was confused about where my family comes from. For many Black Americans their families have been in North America for centuries, why is it so confusing as to where we come from? When someone says that they are Jamaican, Haitian, Bajan or any other group in the diaspora, do you question who they are and their families origins? Is it skeptical to you then? I take great pride in my ancestors for persevering and fighting for us to be recognized as citizens of this country and I have no problem with calling myself a Black/African American, those are my family roots here. We do know where we come from and we do know who we are.

Google is one second away if you are actually curious about our culture and trying to get a better understanding. Stating that we have nothing of our own and aren't unique is low vibrational. Just because a group of people doesn't fit your definition or interpretation of what a culture is and what it should look like, doesn't mean that they don't have one. A people's culture isn't based off of what you understand or your feelings. Research and reading helps.

Thanks for coming.

[blackstarlineage]

Diaspora Wars: A Garveyite Perspective on Why They Are Harmful, Counterproductive, and Unintelligent

From a Garveyite perspective, the so-called "Diaspora Wars"—the conflicts and divisions between Black people from different regions, including Africans, African Americans, Caribbeans, and Afro-Latinos—are one of the greatest obstacles to Black liberation. These internal conflicts are harmful, counterproductive, and completely unintelligent because they weaken Pan-African unity, make Black people easier to exploit, and distract from real issues like economic independence, nation-building, and global Black empowerment.

Marcus Garvey’s vision of Pan-Africanism was based on the idea that all Black people—regardless of where they were born—belong to one global African family and must work together to build a united Black world. Divisions based on nationality, culture, or colonial differences only serve white supremacy and prevent Black people from achieving true power.

This analysis will explore:

The origins of diaspora wars and why they were created to divide Black people.

Why diaspora conflicts benefit white supremacy and prevent Black progress.

The historical unity of Africans, African Americans, Caribbeans, and Afro-Latinos in resistance movements.

Why diaspora wars are based on misinformation and colonial brainwashing.

How Garveyism provides the only real solution to ending these divisions and building Black unity.

1. The Origins of Diaspora Wars: Divide and Conquer

A. Colonialism and Slavery Separated Black People on Purpose

The African diaspora exists because of slavery, colonialism, and forced migration, yet instead of seeing a shared struggle, many Black people have been programmed to see differences rather than commonality.

European colonizers and enslavers deliberately divided Black people by language, nationality, and region to prevent unity and resistance.

Black people were indoctrinated to believe that their struggles were unique and separate, rather than part of the same global fight against oppression.

Example: After slavery, Black Caribbeans were told that they were superior to African Americans because they were educated under the British system, while African Americans were told that Caribbean immigrants were outsiders taking their jobs. Meanwhile, both groups suffered under racist laws and economic oppression.

Key Takeaway: The division between Black people was never natural—it was created by white colonial powers to keep Black people weak and disorganized.

B. Nationalism Without Pan-Africanism Leads to Division

Many Black people today hold strong national identities (Nigerian, Jamaican, Haitian, African American, etc.), but these identities are often based on colonial borders that were drawn by white European powers.

Some Black people take pride in their specific nationality but reject Pan-African unity, which weakens the global Black struggle.

White-dominated countries encourage immigrants from different Black regions to assimilate into Western nationalism, causing them to see their fellow Black people as “foreigners” rather than family.

Example: Many Black people in the U.S. identify as American first, rejecting their African or Caribbean roots, even though America was built on the enslavement and exploitation of their ancestors.

Key Takeaway: Colonial borders and national pride should never come before Pan-African unity and global Black power.

2. Why Diaspora Wars Benefit White Supremacy and Prevent Black Progress

A. Black People Fighting Each Other Keeps Them Distracted from the Real Enemy

Instead of focusing on white supremacy, economic inequality, and global anti-Black racism, many Black people waste time attacking each other over accents, food, culture, and nationality.

While Black people argue over who has the “better” culture, white elites continue to control the global economy, media, and political systems.

A divided race can not fight for reparations, sovereignty, or economic independence, which is exactly what white supremacy wants.

Example: Instead of organizing for global Black wealth and political power, Black people spend time arguing about who suffered more—Africans under colonial rule or African Americans under Jim Crow. Meanwhile, both groups are still economically oppressed today.

Key Takeaway: While Black people fight over differences, white supremacy continues to win.

B. White Media Fuels Diaspora Wars to Keep Black People Divided

Hollywood, social media, and mainstream news intentionally amplify stereotypes and conflicts between Black people from different regions to promote division.

Films and TV shows often misrepresent African, Caribbean, and African American cultures, creating hostility instead of understanding.

Many social media influencers and celebrities promote division for attention and clout, rather than encouraging unity.

Example: When an African or Caribbean immigrant becomes successful in America, the media often promotes the narrative that African Americans are “lazy”, even though systemic racism affects all Black people. This fuels resentment and deepens division.

Key Takeaway: The system profits from Black division and will always promote stereotypes that make Black people hate each other.

3. The Historical Unity of Africans, African Americans, Caribbeans, and Afro-Latinos in Resistance Movements

While diaspora wars exist today, history proves that Africans, African Americans, Caribbeans, and Afro-Latinos have always worked together to fight oppression.

A. Pan-African Unity in Liberation Struggles

Haitian Revolution (1791-1804): Enslaved Africans from different tribes and regions united to defeat the French and establish the first Black republic.

Marcus Garvey’s UNIA (1914-1940s): Garvey built a movement that united Black people from Africa, the Caribbean, and America under one vision of Black sovereignty.

Anti-Colonial Movements (1950s - 1970s): Black leaders like Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana) and Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya) worked with African Americans to support liberation movements.

Example: Malcolm X travelled to Africa and the Caribbean to build alliances, proving that Black liberation is a global struggle, not just a national one.

Key Takeaway: When Black people unite, they win. When they divide, they lose.

4. Why Diaspora Wars Are Based on Misinformation and Colonial Brainwashing

Many of the stereotypes and insults used in diaspora wars come from colonial lies.

A. Stereotypes About African Americans, Africans, and Caribbeans Are False

“African Americans are lazy.” → FALSE. African Americans built America through slavery and fought for civil rights against extreme white violence.

“Africans sold other Africans into slavery, so they are responsible for the slave trade.” → FALSE. The transatlantic slave trade was organized, financed, and expanded by Europeans. African leaders who resisted were killed or overthrown.

“Caribbeans and Africans don’t care about racism in America.” → FALSE. Black Caribbeans and Africans have fought for Black rights in the U.S. for generations (e.g., Stokely Carmichael, Shirley Chisholm).

Example: The entire concept of “ADOS” (American Descendants of Slavery) and other groups with a similar ideology are created to divide Black people, making them reject Pan-African unity and reparations for all Black people.

Key Takeaway: The enemy is not other Black people—the enemy is white supremacy, colonialism, and economic control.

5. How Garveyism Provides the Only Real Solution to Ending Diaspora Wars and Building Black Unity

Marcus Garvey’s message was simple: Black people, no matter where they are from, must unite as one global nation.

A. Black People Must Prioritize Race Over Nationality

Being African, Caribbean, or African American should never come before being Black first.

The only way to defeat white supremacy is through global Black unity and power.

B. Focus on Black Economics, Not Petty Arguments

Instead of fighting online, Black people should focus on building Black businesses, investing in Africa, and developing Black-led economies.

Final Takeaway: Diaspora wars are a waste of time—true power comes from global Black unity.

Conclusion: Black People Must Unite or Stay Divided and Weak

Garvey said it best:

“Africa for the Africans, those at home and those abroad.”

It’s time to end the foolishness.

[snoozify]

WHAT’S GOING ON IN HAITI 🇭🇹

Haiti is a country in the Caribbean and Latin America that has been exploited and oppressed by colonial powers and imperialist forces for centuries. Its people have suffered unimaginable horrors and atrocities. Haiti was the first Black republic in the world, and the second independent nation in the Americas and the first Latin American country It achieved its independence in 1804, after a successful slave revolt against France. Haiti's independence was a threat to the racist and capitalist system that dominated the world. It inspired other enslaved and oppressed people to fight for their freedom and dignity. Haiti was also punished for its independence by the colonial powers. It was forced to pay a huge indemnity to France, and faced trade embargoes, diplomatic isolation, and military interventions.

Haiti was also exploited by multinational corporations and NGOs, who profited from its cheap labor, natural resources, and humanitarian aid. They also imposed their agendas and policies on the Haitian people, undermining their sovereignty and democracy. Haiti was also devastated by natural disasters, such as earthquakes ( a earthquake they are still recovering from that happened in 2010 and then a earthquake that happened in 2021 that killed 1,419 people) hurricanes, and floods, which worsened its already dire situation. Haiti was also victimized by diseases, such as cholera, malaria, and COVID-19, which ravaged its population and health system. The diseases were often introduced or exacerbated by foreign actors, such as the UN peacekeepers who brought cholera to Haiti in 2010. Haiti was also marginalized and silenced by the mainstream media, which portrayed it as a hopeless and helpless case, ignoring its history, culture, and achievements. The media also spread misinformation and stereotypes, fueling racism and stigma.

Haiti was also betrayed and abandoned by its allies and neighbors, who turned a blind eye to its plight, or worse, contributed to its misery. The United States of America, in particular, has a long history of meddling and undermining Haiti's sovereignty and stability. Taking 500,000 dollars from Haitian banks and still collecting money. The United States of America has invaded, occupied, and intervened in Haiti numerous times, imposing its political and economic interests. It has also exploited Haiti's labor and resources, and blocked its development and trade. sugar refining, flour milling, and cement and textile manufacturing, clothing, scrap metal, vegetable oils, dates and cocoa are all things given to other countries by Haiti. The United States of America has also supported and funded the Core Group, a coalition of foreign powers that has interfered in Haiti's internal affairs, manipulating its elections, constitution, and government. The United States of America has also failed to protect the human rights and dignity of the Haitian people, both in Haiti and in the US. It has deported and detained thousands of Haitian refugees and asylum seekers, and discriminated and criminalized them.

Here are a list of countries who agreed to help the United States and Canada evade Haiti:

Germany

France (the same country that we had to pay just to be free)

Benin

Jamaica

Kenya

Yes I am Haitian my dad side is from Haiti. My fathers family moved up here to Seattle because Haitian was going through a small silent genocide and have been since they have been free from France in 1804, France took my countries money and told them that they have to pay reparations just for existing and they had to pay France just to be free from the French. And then America jumps onto the bandwagon and decides to take billions of dollars from Haiti. Haiti was once the richest country but became the most poorest because of ignorance.

My people are being killed everyday just for speaking out against their government, my people are being killed because nobody was their for them when the 2010 and the 2021 earthquake happened because “Haiti is a bad country and helping them won’t do anything” and they are still recovering from that to this very day. Families are being displaced, the violence is getting worse, innocent people are dying and are fighting trying to stay alive, women and children are being r$ped and kidnapped. I have family that live in Haiti that I lost all contact with because they are fighting everyday, and who knows if they are even alive.

Here are some important links to help you get a better understanding on what’s going on in Haiti and stuff to donate to

Donations:

Haitian Health foundation

Partner in Health: Haiti

Hope For Haiti

Haiti Aid

Haiti Children

Haiti Twitter Link for More Donations. P2 P3

Videos

FYI a lot of these videos are from last year but a lot of them speak really well on what is always going on and why they are going through it

Haiti Debt

What is Happening in Haiti

Haiti and the Rice

Listen Part 2

Free These countries as well

What we want to free in Haiti

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TAKE THE TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO AT LEAST LOOK AT THESE LINKS. For the sake of My dad and the sake of my family I want to see them happy they wanna go home but won’t be able to until Haiti is free I will update this if I need to and please Like, comment, reblog anything is appreciated

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Claire Wang at The Guardian:

Those who failed to produce papers were arrested. More than 400 people were detained and forced on a train back to Mexico, a place many had never been.

It’s a scene many fear will come to pass in president-elect Donald Trump’s second term, especially after he doubled down on a campaign promise to “launch the largest deportation operation” in US history, and confirmed he would use the military to execute hardline immigration policies. But this particular episode happened in 1931, as part of an earlier era of mass deportations that scholars say is reminiscent of what is unfolding today. The La Placita sweep became the first public immigration raid in Los Angeles, and one of the largest in a wave of “repatriation drives” that rolled across the country during the Great Depression. Mexican farm workers, indiscriminately deemed “illegal aliens”, became scapegoats for job shortages and shrinking public benefits. President Herbert Hoover’s provocative slogan, “American jobs for real Americans”, kicked off a spate of local legislation banning employment of anyone of Mexican descent. Police descended on workplaces, parks, hospitals and social clubs, arresting and dumping people across the border in trains and buses.

Nearly 2 million Mexican Americans, more than half US citizens, were deported without due process. Families were torn apart, and many children never again saw their deported parents. Hoover’s Mexican repatriation program is, among mass deportation efforts in the past, most similar to Trump’s stated plans, said Kevin R Johnson, a professor of public interest law and Chicana/o studies at the University of California, Davis, School of Law. [...] Since his first presidential run, Trump has invoked President Dwight D Eisenhower’s mass deportation program as a blueprint for his own agenda. During the second world war, the US and Mexican government enacted the Bracero program that allowed Mexican farm hands to temporarily work in the US. But many growers continued to hire undocumented immigrants because it was cheaper. In 1954, the Eisenhower administration cracked down on undocumented labor by launching “Operation Wetback”, a yearlong series of raids named after a racial epithet for people who illegally crossed the Rio Grande. [...] The politics of deportation have always contained an important “racial dimension”, said Mae Ngai, a historian whose book Impossible Subjects explores how illegal migration became the central issue in US immigration policy.

Trump has deployed racist tropes against various ethnic groups, including Mexicans as drug-dealing “rapists” and Haitians as pet eaters, while lamenting a lack of transplants from “nice”, white-majority countries like Denmark and Switzerland. Last month, sources close to the president told NBC News that he could prioritize deporting undocumented Chinese nationals. “He’s been very clear about going after people of color, people from ‘shithole countries,’” she said, referring to a 2018 remark from Trump about crisis-stricken nations like El Salvador and Haiti. Trump could plausibly deport a million people using military-style raids of the Eisenhower-era, Ngai said, but it is unlikely that he can expel 11 million undocumented immigrants. (According to an estimate by the American Immigration Council, deporting 1 million people a year would cost more than $960bn over a decade.) Still, Ngai said, his rhetoric alone could foment fear and panic in immigrant communities. But Eisenhower’s immigration approach also differed from Trump’s in notable ways, Ngai said. Though the administration did launch flashy raids, it also allowed farm owners to rehire some deportees through the Bracero program, essentially creating a pathway for authorized entry into the US. So far, Ngai said, Trump has hammered down on deportations without providing an option for legal immigration or naturalization. “He doesn’t know the whole story of ‘Operation Wetback’,” she said. Deportations also appear to have harmed the local economy.

Donald Trump’s mass deportation proposal hasn’t been the first time the US conducted mass deportations of Mexican-Americans, as it happened during the Herbert Hoover and Dwight D. Eisenhower’s presidencies. The deportations were ruinous to economies and were a human rights disaster, and Trump’s plan repeats that but turbocharges it.

[starrlikesbooks]

Behold! The books I'm most excited to get to read in 2025!

Check for links and details under the cut!

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire is the newest Wayward Children book! This one takes place in a Drowned World, with giant turtles.

I Am Made of Death by Kelly Andrews is a horror romance starring the signing interpreter of a selective mute who is also an heiress! I loved Andrews' last book, which hd lush folk horror vibes, and this one has a gorgeous cover and involves curses and a spiritual exorcism, so I'm IN.

Love Points to You by Alice Lin is about someone making a dating sim! And the MC being hired as character designer. This is an Asian-led sapphic romance, and as a dating sim fan, I'm super pumped.

They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran is a horror novel full of mutated monsters, and a cult-ish submerged town where the MC and her mother are stuck, where the people believe their dead family have reincarnated as sea monsters. The summary also heavily implies the MC has monstrous qualities.

What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch involves malevolent souls trapped in bells and fighting gargoyles! This sounds like an exciting fantasy world with a really fun adventure.

I Am the Swarm by Hayley Chewins is a trauma-centric horror with a magical bloodline and the power/curse of summoning insects. This one really leans into female rage, and I'm really interested in the magic.

Holy Terrors by Margaret Owen is the third (and I think final!) book in the Little Thieves series! Fairytale-retelling fantasy with a snarky, morally gray, damaged MC (whom I love)

Roll for Love by M.K. England is one of my favorite kinds of books coming out lately- a D&D based romance! This one involves a new campaign & roleplaying group after a big move, and a no-dating rule giving some tension.

The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite is Haitian-American Hannibal story! It's also a zombie story.

The Floating World by Axie Oh was pitched as an amnesiac sword-for-hire teaming up with a theatre troupe performer with mysterious powers, and I don't need to know any more than that!

Don't Let Me Go by Kevin Christopher Snipes is Snipes' second book- and I was absolutely gut punched by the queer tenderness and mental revelations of his first book. This one will also break me, as it's about two boys trapped in a reincarnation cycle.

And They Were Roommates by Page Powars should need no further explanation than the title!! But in case it's not- this is an MLM story of a stealth trans boy coming to a new school, where- unbeknownst to the roommate- he's roomed with his former, pre-transition fling.

Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales is a royalty romance at a boarding school, and it's sapphic! This has a disgraced princess falling for the new girl pianist 😍 As a big believer in Gonzales, I am lined up.

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater is not my normal kind of read! This is historical fiction, taking place at a hotel/spa in the 1940s- but Stiefvater wrote one of my favorite series, The Rave Boys (and The Dreamer Trilogy!), and she'd super excited about it, so I'm just looking forward to seeing her spectacular writing coming at a new angle.

Love Misha by Jam Aden has been on my list for a LONG TIME. Why? Because it's promoted as A Goofy Movie meets Spirited Away with a nonbinary main character. SAY NO MORE.

If We Survive This by Racquel Marie is a apoclaypse survival horror. Lesbian zombie stories are surprisingly not that hard t find right now, but I'm definitely interested in seeing more of them!

Predatory Natures by Amy Goldsmith has one of my favorite things- TRAIN SETTINGS. The MC is working on a luxury train during her gap year, but the trip is derailed by the arrival of a mysterious greenhouse and a pair of odd, enigmatic siblings. This is fantasy horror.

Evil-ish by Kennedy Tarrell is about disillusioned teen trying to become a supervillain. I love supervillain fiction, and this one sounds really fun and with surprising characters!

Villain by Natalie Zina Walschots is the very longwaited (for me, at least) sequel to the wonderful villain-led, radicalization story Hench. I'm so looking forward to seeing Anna as a full supervillain!

Mistress of Bones by Maria Z. Medina stars a necromancer trying to resurrect her sister, and getting caught in a game of cat and mouse with the Emissary of Death. This one sounds really magical.

Hollow by Taylor Grothe is YA horror with an autistic (and trying to deny her diagnosis) teen in Upstate New York. I, personally, seeing book in Upstate NY and love autism rep, and this is queer!

The Cuffing Game by Lyla Lee has one of my favorite fluffy queer romanc writers tacking reality show romance by the way of Pride & Prejudice! There's also (no surprise) going to be K-drama vibes.

For No Mortal Man by Keshe Chow stars a girl who can resurrect herself, traveling the Underworld to find her grandmother, and being haunted by a former betrayer.

We Were Never Here by Sophie Hannan is a heist story! This is about ghost hunters being blackmailed to do a heist, stealing a haunted painting. I love weird heists, I really do.

You Weren't Meant to Be Human by Andrew Joseph White is probably my most anticipated release of 2025! I love AJW's autistic, trans horror, and this one has aliens and pregnancy horror. I see no way this won't be weird as hell, and therefore no way this isn't gonna be amazing.

[transgenderer]

both haitian vodou and brazilian candomble (sources: metraux's voodoo, wafer's the taste of blood) supply an additional social structure on top of the usual familial, economic, and social bonds between people, in a way im not really aware of outside of it. obviously churches around the world provide a *community*, but even when tight this is fundamentally nebulous in nature, its a bond between all the members of a large group. but while vodou and candomble can provide community like any religion, they *also* add another structure, that of the initiate-headpriest relationship.

in vodou the head priest is obligated to quarter the initiate if they fall on hard times, and in turn the initiate has certain ritual obligations to the head priest (there's all sorts of work involve in making these rituals and festivals work). it seems similar in candomble but less economic, but jim wafer likens it to a sort of non-sexual polygamous mariage which i think is not inaccurate, these are intense relationships, the headpriest has a lot of influence over the initiate. the closest analogue in american society i think is what is generally considered a cult but thats more negative than it sounds. these arent that high control, people can and do leave, disagreement is very much allowed, etc. its idk, its a type of relationship we dont have the terminology for. i guess theres also like...deacons? idk. i dont think theres that intense emotional aspect towards the priest. and then of course theres people employed by the church but that's a different thing

anyway, its interesting. im not sure if there's a word for this category

[episodeoftv]

Round 3 of 8, Group 1 of 2

propaganda and summaries are under the cut (May include spoilers)

Merlin (BBC): 4.06 A Servant of Two Masters

cw there is a scene where Merlin gets a snake shoved into the back of his neck (which can then control him because magic) and obviously various failed attempts at assassinations

When Merlin falls into Morgana's hands, he becomes a deadly weapon in her fight for supremacy. Using ancient magic, she pits friend against friend to create the perfect assassin. An oblivious Arthur is in great danger. Will anyone notice Merlin's unusual behavior before he does the king some serious harm?

merlin (whose main role in the show is saving arthur's life over and over again) is enchanted to try to kill arthur. he makes a hilariously bad assassin and it's fun watching other characters react to the personality change, as well as getting to see some badass merlin and the whole scene with morgana in the beginning was so interesting to watch. he disguises himself as a mean old man so he can say what he really thinks! and the costumes are fantastic in this episode particularly

The West Wing: 2.22 Two Cathedrals

As the Haitian army continues their seizure of the American embassy there, Bartlet and the staff prepare for the announcement that Bartlet has M.S. and the President must decide whether or he will seek re-election. As the funeral for Mrs. Landingham takes place and the announcement draws nearer, Bartlet thinks back to his past in search of the answer to the question everyone is asking: Will he seek re-election?

This episode is such a tour de force. It makes me cry, it’s amazing. Also the casting of the flashbacks is so well done?? Idk, no clever thoughts, it’s just really good

Per Wikipedia, “widely considered to be one of the greatest episodes of The West Wing and one of the best episodes in television history.“ If you watch this episode and don’t have feelings all through Bartlet’s monologue then did you even watch it? No, you didn’t. If you haven’t seen this show, and this episode specifically, then you need to.

[poorrichardjr]

Just How Much?

I know a lot of people aren't as familiar as I am about how some politicians try to use othering to get ahead. They aren't as familiar with how this eventually goes to an extreme that is used to demonize a group of people who aren't the primary group to any political sphere. The best known instance of this was just before WWII by the Germans, though they were playing into long believed hatreds and stereotypes.

The reason I bring this up is because we have seen this repeated time and time again in history, and today we are witnessing a constant stream of it in our own nation. Just listen to major republican politicians and you will hear denigration of "illegal" aliens. But they are far from the only target. Listen to Donald Trump and you will constantly be inundated with hate for "illegals, liberals, Haitians, foreigners (especially Chinese)", and anyone else who doesn't subscribe to their version of history or America.

The rhetoric is going through the roof. Haitians are eating your pets. Illegals are taking over buildings in Colorado. Liberals are forcing sex changes on students in school or trying to make them gay. Take your pick of othering in politics. The whole point is to make you think these people are less human than you. It is designed to make you fear these "people" enough that you will agree to vote for the person who is spewing constant lies.

The more they can make you believe these individuals are undeserving and less than you, the more likely they will willingly take action if you are foolish enough to put them in power. The Jews of Europe aren't the only people who have this used against them. Armenians in Turkey, The ethnic minorities of Cambodia, and the Tutsi's of Rwanda can all tell you how politicians used charged words to make citizens hate their fellow countrymen.

Ask yourself when you hear these people talk about all the evil people here in America, how far are they willing to go? How much further are they going to take this? If this person comes to power, will he send the police into American homes to root out all these people he seems to hate? Will they use those militarized police forces to force other groups in this country to conform to their ideals? When will it end, or would it?