Standing with the Haitian Community
The Maplewood Memorial Library is an institution devoted to strengthening community and nourishing the mind. As a public library, we represent the highest democratic ideals of our country and uphold the virtues of equality and community. When these principles come under assault by a rising tide of racism and xenophobia, we must speak out forcefully to defend core principles of US democracy.
In the past weeks, the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio has come under malicious attack, in a poorly concealed effort to sow national division about immigration. That these malicious lies are absurd makes them no less dangerous. Stripping people of their humanity, these rumors create a baseline of what is permissible. We have already seen bomb scares and other threats levied against the Haitian community in Ohio. In the words of Haitian author, Edwidge Danticat: “Despite more than two centuries of Haitian vilification, this moment feels particularly dangerous. People have been empowered to attack us with both words and deeds.” The odious rumors thus directly threaten members of our own community and cause unnecessary suffering.
We encourage members of our community to continue to embrace literacy. Every week our Haitian brothers and sisters come to the library to build their English skills and adapt to a new society. Those of us who are not Haitian can mirror these efforts by picking up a book by a Haitian author or reading about Haitian history as the first Black republic in the Americas, and as the only successful slave revolt in human history. Haiti’s history has always been intertwined with that of the United States and we can show our solidarity by taking the time to learn and appreciate more about our neighbors.
As an institution devoted to creating a more just and literate society, the Maplewood Memorial Library will redouble our efforts to correct misinformation, to deepen historical understanding, and to build empathy and understanding through literature, media and art. Our library continues to play a vital role in fostering knowledge and understanding, and catalyzing dialogue, reflection and deliberation.
Katherine T. McCaffrey
President, Board of Trustees
Maplewood Memorial Library
September 23, 2024
Bibliyotèk Memorial Maplewood se yon enstitisyon ki devwe pou ranfòse kominote a ak nouri lespri a. Kòm yon bibliyotèk piblik, nou reprezante pi gwo ideyal demokratik nan peyi nou an epi defann bèl kalite legal ak kominote a. Lè prensip sa yo vin anba yon atak k ap monte nan rasis ak ksenofobi, nou dwe pale ak fòs pou defann prensip debaz demokrasi ameriken yo.
Nan pliziè semèn ki sot pase yo, kominote ayisyen an nan Springfield, Ohio te vin anba atak move, nan yon efò mal kache pou simen divizyon nasyonal sou imigrasyon. Move manti sa yo absid, danjere anpil, Dezonore moune, rimè sa yo kreye yon baz kòm sa ki akseptab. Nou te deja wè bonm ak lòt menas yo tap voye sou kominote ayisyen an nan Ohio. Nan pawòl otè ayisyen an, Edwidge Danticat: “Malgre plis pase de syèk vilifikasyon ayisyen an, moman sa a santi l patikilyèman danjere. Moun yo te gen pouvwa pou yo atake nou ak pawòl ak zèv." Rimè detestab yo menase dirèkteman manm pwòp kominote nou an epi lakòz soufrans initil.
Nou ankouraje manm kominote nou an pou yo kontinye anbrase alfabetizasyon. Chak semen frè ak sè ayisyen nou yo vin nan bibliyotèk la pou yo devlope konpetans yo nan lang angle epi pou yo adapte yo ak yon nouvo sosyete. Nou menm ki pa ayisyen, nou ka reflete efò sa yo lè nou pran yon liv yon otè ayisyen oswa li sou istwa ayisyen an kòm premye repiblik nwa nan Amerik yo, epi kòm sèl revòlt esklav ki gen siksè nan listwa limanite. Istwa Ayiti te toujou mare ak istwa Etazini e nou ka montre solidarite nou lè nou pran tan pou nou aprann ak apresye plis sou vwazen nou yo.
Antanke yon enstitisyon ki devwe pou kreye yon sosyete ki pi jis e ki pi alfabetize, Bibliotèk Memorial Maplewood la pral redouble efò nou pou korije move enfòmasyon, pou apwofondi konpreyansyon istorik, ak pou devlope senpati ak konpreyansyon atravè literati, medya ak atizay. Bibliyotèk nou an kontinye jwe yon wòl enpòtan nan ankouraje konesans ak konpreyansyon, ak katalize dyalòg, refleksyon ak deliberasyon.