The 44 Percent: Little Haiti strategic plan, 5000 Role Models, Roots Collective bookstore

My dad is a proud Marine. He’s recounted many stories of basic training to me and my brother – when it was just the two of us at the time – and often recalled how challenging it was. It was an experience that shaped him: He was strict (and in some ways still is), a stickler about punctuality (although with age and kids, he has slightly eased up on it), and imparted onto his children the value of hard work. I am always proud to call myself the daughter of a Marine.

So when I read about the erasure of the Black military history in this purported “DEI” purge, it was yet another reminder of the attempts to erase Black people’s significance to this country. I know what my father sacrificed for a country that is constantly diminishing Black people. To go as far as erasing the crowning achievements of Black people in the military reinforces the belief that we don’t matter, we don’t contribute.

It is increasingly frustrating to be treated as less than in an attempt to break us. The consistent erasure and exclusion reminds me of late poet Maya Angelou’s poem “And Still I Rise.” Our mere insistence on rising has people bothered, but still, we persist. No matter how many times people try to erase us, we know our value and worth.

INSIDE THE 305:

Little Haiti is changing. Could a strategic plan help preserve its roots?

Little Haiti is evolving. There are already multimillion-dollar developments in the works in the neighborhood which is home to more than 21,000 residents – 37 percent are of Haitian descent. But with the incoming changes, the Little Haiti Revitalization Trust wants to make sure they’re looking out for residents and business owners’ best interests. It’s why they’ve crafted a strategic plan and are seeking feedback on it.

At 5000 Role Models’ police and youth conference in Miami, conversations are key

For one day, about 1,000 young Black men and law enforcement across South Florida gathered to discuss issues and solutions to policing in their neighborhoods. The Police and Youth Conference allows students from 5000 Role Models to talk about their issues with policing and provide solutions to them.

Haitian Konpa band Carimi reunites in South Florida for final U.S. show

Fans of one of Haiti’s most popular Konpa bands, Carimi, can catch the act in the United States one last time on Friday. The band broke up in 2016 but reunited a few years ago to perform a series of concerts, Jacqueline Charles reported.

As she reports: Fritz “Fito” Hyacinthe, who for years managed Carimi, said the live reunion concert represents something larger than the music, which fuses American hip-hop, pop and Konpa rhythms with often socially conscious lyrics.

“For me, it represents our legacy, it represents the ability, even in the most difficult situations, to come together as a unit and make something work,” he said, “and hopefully our community could look at back and say, ‘Look at these guys who broke up, had issues, but are able to come together for a bigger cause and to make a difference and to continue their legacy.’ “

OUTSIDE THE 305:

‘We are all by ourselves’: Haitians warn that fall of Port-au-Prince is imminent

Is Port-au-Prince on the brink of collapse? Haiti’s capital has been marred by gunfire and gang activity for weeks as various entities have shuttered their doors, some temporarily, Haiti correspondent Jacqueline Charles reported.

As Charles reports: Austin Holmes, who has directed high-stakes humanitarian efforts and extractions for nonprofits in Haiti and lived there until the violence forced him to return to Florida, says gangs’ recent movements and assaults all point to their trying to seize control of the presidential palace or the prime minister’s office, both symbols of power. “The collapse of Port-au-Prince is imminent,” he warned. “While recent offensives have inflicted some casualties on the gangs, they have failed to eliminate any key leaders or establish any sustainable control over the battlefield.”

Caribbean leaders push back on U.S. travel-ban threats, ask Washington for clarity

Last week the Trump administration announced a proposed travel ban for countries in the Caribbean and Cuba and Venezuela. But Caribbean leaders say they’ve yet see any formal notification of it and are seeking clarity on what it entails.

As Jacqueline Charles reports: The proposal would severely restrict access to the United States, including for high-ranking government officials, and has caught many Caribbean nationals by surprise. It is creating consternation not just from a policy standpoint, but among people who have children and other relatives living in the U.S. and would be unable to travel here even if they have a valid visa.

HIGH CULTURE:

Soft Launch of The Roots Bookstore and Market

In 2023, Miami lost Liberty City business owner and activist Danny Agnew to an eight-car wreck. His legacy lives on through his grassroots organization The Roots Collective. On Sunday, his brother Phillip Agnew and friend Isaiah Thomas will do a soft launch of The Roots Bookstore and Market, which will double as a book drive and celebration of Danny for his birthday at 6610 Northwest 15th Avenue from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Where does “The 44 Percent” name come from? Click here to find out how Miami history influenced the newsletter’s title.

This story was originally published March 20, 2025 at 3:26 PM.

Raisa Habersham

Miami Herald

Raisa Habersham is the race and culture reporter for the Miami Herald. She previously covered Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale for the Herald with a focus on housing and affordability. Habersham is a graduate of the University of Georgia. She joined the Herald in 2022.