WGBH Journal; Haitians In Boston

Good afternoon and welcome to the PBX Journal. I milk out one of the fastest growing immigrant populations in the city of Boston is the Haixun community located primarily in Dorchester and made a plan a profile of the Haitian population in Boston is the first feature they show will have an interview with a lesbian mother discussion which deals with some of the issues which are raised for a child growing up with a homosexual and to conclude the program for today. Every line comment on this week's news. You're not alone. And I mean you know the more they've all been by me I'm moved by the immigrants speaking a foreign language are faced with many problems when they come to settle in this country to be poor and black besides substantially increases the obstacles which the immigrants must

overcome with the Haitian population in the United States is confronted with these problems and in Boston a sizable Haitian community has settled and begun to cope with life in an American city. Reporter Allison 80 has more. Boston is a multi-racial multi-ethnic city. One of the most recently arrived and fastest growing immigrant groups is the Haitian community. It is located predominantly in Dorchester not palm. But there are also saws book communities in Cambridge and some of the hill. Exact numbers are impossible to pinpoint accurately. Haitian estimates vary from a low of 10000 to a high of 25000. The community is French incredible speaking poor and black. Because it is so recently arrived only within the last 10 to 15 years it still faces a problem of how to cope in a strange and often unfriendly environment. Sean more along a Haitian community leader from Dorchester explains almost everywhere. Everybody's very reluctant to give a hand to

the Haitian community with an exception of the black community that crying for help us out anyway. We are black and these countries not to bother to get it with blood. And besides that we feel that the way our background Warthen the situation black that speak other languages English that makes the situation worse for the Haitian community. We have to do to overcome the discrimination because of because of the color for you. And we have to try to do learning to make ourselves and to and to be competitive on the job market. Those patients who managed to learn English find a job buy a house and make a start. Problems are not necessarily at an end. Schonberger Nash Haitian now living in Cambridge

tells why. If I can talk about the discrimination problem. I bought the house over I cried Bob and I could have been in that house that was the communication problem that broke all my windows. You know when they find it is a black person bought that house on the roof. Don't be sorry I you know rather than that was you know group called White power. This type of harassment was particularly hard on people who are often unaware of their rights or does not have. He writes in America and therefore have no redress shawm our own police 50 percent of the Haitian community is here illegally and could be liable to deportation if discovered. Problem is even when you work out of a job it's very

hard for that. Calling it an employment opposition because if we had to to go to the employment Alfie's we have to find a way that in your in your eyes and and some time in the victim off some employer that taking advantage of that situation and use them for it Europe that most of the time would pay more for some of them are even if we had to send key the Boston school system because. Most of the trying to require question when you go to most of those public schools. So maybe you are

trying to go to private school that make the situation very complicated for them because they have a very big morning hastens in Boston facing culture shock discrimination and fear of deportation or organizing themselves into community action groups. Sure more law is the vice president's second home or a door systematic pan Haitian group founded in 1972. Sean Nash is president of the Cambridge Christian committee a Haitian group founded three years ago. Second Hama tries to mobilize the often meager resources of the Haitian community and provides services ranging from legal aid to economic assistance. Its stock has fallen tree because funding is a major problem. Applications for. It has been repeatedly rejected circa Hama that relies on workers who have full time jobs elsewhere and functions in offices that are cramped and inadequate. It does however get things done. Its latest venture is participation in the Roxbury

multiservice centers anti-crime program. Sharma The Cambridge Haitian-American Association is a similar organization to second Hama it was founded in June of last year from a coalition of three previously existing Haitian groups Youth in Action. The Haitian Parents Advisory Council and the Cambridge Christian committee Doris ABRI an American married to a Haitian Sharma's president Djama have hope. I have a dream of being here in the city of Cambridge a multiservice where we care for the needs of the Haitian community. We are hoping that we will be able to for day care all the way to our senior citizens. We did write a proposal and applied for the block where we attended

all of the. Processing meetings that were held but unfortunately we did not receive the grant and the grant was for space because space is what Chapman leaves Sharma has had some successes. It received a C to grant the Harding top terror cell WACA although I did not receive enough of the proposal writer it wanted Jake about to see to employee describes his work. I was working for whether there be work or is to go out with people who speak English. Our growth of upward or your interview all you who like to do is up with I thought

the US there. I can do the root issue. I have to go out to snowboard. I up to the office. But by the time by about. Understaffing is one difficulty. Lack of recognition of the existence of the Haitian community and its particular needs is enough for. The Haitian community and some of the is small and not of Cambridge and not a power. It has no office also the center. Joseph The reason President of the some of the Haitian group who works at Cambridge and some of the legal services on a saeter Grant is worried about the under-representation of some of the Haitians. Since I'm working I feel like you know I'm helpful to the Haitian community especially I went to public school in Atlanta for them. I want to wish and you know

to have our two for department and Social Security. Right now I live in you and you and spending an hour with us to war and that you and the first will as interpreted the second when my program would be ended in November you finish and come back you know I don't know what's going to happen. There are 23 my youth advocate birth certificate you know. If you weren't over them you know them at work in the. Haitian community in Boston is growing rapidly through its internal organization. It is beginning to make its needs felt but it still believes there was insufficient recognition of its problems among public and government agencies. When this building was there for one of its top priorities in its struggle to achieve a decent lifestyle in America the GBH don't know. I'm Alison E.D..

Mother's Day is coming up on Sunday and Boston area feminists are planning a demonstration tomorrow in support of lesbian mothers child custody rights lesbian mothers like mothers in prison and mothers on welfare face the constant threat of losing custody of their children husband or a state agency intent on acting in the best interests of the child. Now the openly lesbian mothers that do go through such a court battle on the 2 percent when Solomon is one of the very few lesbian mothers who has custody of her child. She and her former husband Paul worked out a joint custody agreement in which their 8 year old daughter Rachel spends half of her time

with her mother or their father. Solomon came into the station early this week and shared some of her thoughts on our lesbian as a matter of fact Rachel with reporter Amy sands. If I was in your position I would worry a lot about as she moves into being like 10 11 12 13 14 15 and 16 when to be called a faggot or a dyke is about the worst thing you can be called. And it's just a really terrifying time of life to have a gay parent. I think that's true. I mean I couldn't in through that particular show provide a good shield because I expect that that she will suffer a lot of discomfort around that to some extent I prepare her for that. Well I don't sit her down and give her lectures. Occasionally when she shows any discomfort or talks about dating boys or anything like that I say. You know it may be uncomfortable feeling you have to deal with other kids about my being a lesbian. I think she's somewhat buffeted by having a heterosexual care to live with a

woman and has a sense that she has. I have you know a really respectable stronghold in her life too. She spends half her time with her father and his house. Does it seem important to her to have like a male figure in her life like a father figure in her life. I've never had to deal with it as a wish that unfulfilled because she has had her father in her life consistently from her birth in fact more involved with her since we separated and before when she was my baby. I think it is much easier for me that she does have a male parent in her life because I don't have to answer allegations of what about the male model. You know it. I think if you did not exist I would have issues about that I would provide men in her life but probably merely because of understanding that those allegations exist at large. You know because I don't have a powerful sense that she needs more male models than she would have inherent in the normal course of her being in

school with them and having them as teachers in after school and having them in my family. Do you want to become a lesbian. She says I do. Sure she once said to me Mom would he want me to be when I grow up and I said a fire person. I said What are you talking about. I'm not going to use your profession she said you know what I mean. I said What do you mean. Because I really didn't but I began to see this gloom in her eyes. And finally she insisted that I say and I finally said You mean your sexuality. And she said Yeah I think you think I would use your sexuality. She does I know you say you would but what would you really like me to be when I said I can't. I don't feel like I want to put myself on the line and I don't want to say what you should be. She's not what I should be because she has all the counseling I would what you want it to be. What do you want to be she said that's not what I meant. I think I said I will. And I hemmed and hawed and I said well I suppose I have the expectation that in this day and age when there are so many well brought

up girls and boys you know kids of both sexes I get respect. I guess my fantasy is that you'll probably be bisexual you'll certainly experiment with relationships with both sexes. That didn't make it good. She said I know you want me to be a lesbian. I said I'm not even aware. And if I do want you to be I'm a little embarrassed she said. But I know you do. And I said well what does Paul want you to be. She said heterosexual is that well that you know you're going to make the choice not you she said Of course I just want to know what you want. And then she said to me very confidentially. All I can promise is that I'll probably be bisexual and I may be a lesbian. I may be straight. And I said I'm not asking you don't care what you are basically I get that. And then I was very honest with her and she may have been too young for me to say that I said. If however you really disapprove of me heavily at any time I know I'm going to have trouble with that as all parents do.

But isn't it odd to have an 8 year old keep talking about lesbianism and sexuality generally is not the kind of thing most 8 year olds have among their minds. I think you're right and it's the same as it is great and you're probably right. I think it is that it never feels odd to me because we have had to deal with my sexuality in my lifetime. She has entered school which is the real world and she has lived through it at a verbal age. My change of sexuality from heterosexual to let you know and the other thing and I've argued this with my mother and I said why does she use the word lesbian so often and I said because she used the word lesbian It doesn't mean to her what it means to you it's not shocking it doesn't bring up some disgraceful sexual picture for her. It talks about a lifestyle. You talk a little bit about your mother and I'm wondering you know grandparents were an important part of my life and I was a kid. But my mother was a lesbian I'm not too sure my grandparents would have been around.

I wondering you know whether Rachel's grandparents are still speaking to you. Our grandparents were very heavily in her life. She has a very winning and I have also managed to be direct enough about who I am but also discreet enough I suppose that I've been able to maintain relations with everybody. My parents have been very direct and I really appreciate their honesty about their discomfort. My mother says she wishes it were not so. She hopes for a day when when I'll see to some extent the error of my ways and be in a relationship with in a partnership with a man of some kind and she occasionally says she thinks it might be problematic for my daughter. My father has said the same. He said she's a little paler than his other granddaughter. Does that mean that she's under strain and that said no and had he noticed that she was. Had he noticed that you were any more anxious at or in his care with what's important and less

polite and less intelligent. You know when he said no she was the most verbal most intelligent most well-adjusted etc. etc. etc. and I said well what's the problem and he said really there is no problem I can see but I worry about what it means for her. What does it mean for her. You know what will it mean in school what will it mean when she's an adolescent and I said we don't know those answers. Should be pretty well prepared by her mother doing what she wants and having her prepare her for making separate choices and decision. She does have Paul as a model and my father is very relieved about that and she has you she has your sterling marriage to again and you know her other grandparents marriage and she has the whole world as models for her sexuality. I mean didn't devastate us with their values and I don't think I'm going to devastate her with mine. You

wind up a journal for this week here is Lynne Lyons with his commentary on the new. President has lost on four major policy decisions this week to go to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. One of the House Ways and Means Committee and one to George Meany of AFLCIO the losses to the Senate committees are of applying to the Saudis and I'm sticking to the House committee over a rollback of the Social Security payroll tax increases and the many overinflation Mr. many rejected the president's wage price guidelines on Wednesday Corp. executives have gone along with the president and a White House conference on holding down inflation of prices. Next day labor union leaders were called in to support the program on holding wage increases below the rate of the last two years. Many refused. The administration should focus on prices E.L. labor was only catching up with rising prices. Many use belligerent negatives silenced the lesser labor leaders.

The conference failed. The president reported extremely disappointed and vexed how much of the vexation applies to Robert Strauss isn't recorded whether the guidelines might have been more persuasive to labor of handled by a John Dunlop's voice of experience than by the talk campaign of Strauss. Many It's a bit chilly negative attitude will affect Labour's image at a time critical to it. Monday debate begins in the Senate on labor law reform bill that would break the blockade against unions in the new industries of the southwest. Many of them refugees from the unionized north east. The bill would reverse much of the union restrictions of Taft-Hartley to return to the Wagner law measures of New Deal days that facilitated collective bargaining. He would outlaw such tactics as have characterized the J.P. Stephens textile Empire installing and restricting procedures for union activity and ignoring National Labor Relations orders organized industry is fighting the reforms and its

senators have already lined up until about a block it. The House passed it last year 257 to 163. President Carter is given full support. He says business opposition grossly distorts the bill. Their own notoriety of the J.P. Stephens tactics had created a pro-labor sentiment which Mr. meany must have considerably abated. The administration failure to persuade Labor puts in question its pollen Tory policy for inflation control. It will undoubtedly induce the administration to seek more effective measures. The administration the feet and the Congress committees may be retrievable Ways and Means Committee voted 19 18 for a rollback in a Social Security increase in the payroll tax deductions that were set last January. The change of it passed could not wipe out the increase for this year but would have a 79 or 80. It would return the tax to last year's level of five point eighty five percent on pay up to sixteen thousand five hundred from the

six point thirteen percent set in January and would have the increase for those above that level. The cutback will be met by applying general tax revenues for the Medicare aspect of Social Security. This should pass the House will encounter strong resistance from Senate chairman long of the committee handling taxes. The action of the House committee responds to protester constituents as election year pressures rise more direct lobbying pressures account for the administration to seats on planes for the Saudis and sales to Turkey. The White House would ask the Congress remove the man on arm sales to the Turks put on three years ago on Turkish invasion of Cyprus. But the Foreign Relations Committee voted 8 to 4 to keep the man. The administration had shifted policy in part due to Turkey's threats to seize support of NATO and to keep its airfields close to American uses military bases. But the successful argument by Senator Paul

Sarbanes of Maryland to keep the arms ban was that Turkey had violated American law against using American weapons for aggression and that its recent concessions were inadequate. So bans are described in Washington dispatches a leader of the Greek lobby in the Congress the Turkish constituency as small as is that of Saudi Arabia. The more intensive invisible lobbying of the week has been against the president's proposed playing package to include Saudi Arabia and Egypt with Israel in the sale of the most modern fighter planes. The administration thought it didn't mollify its congressional critics on that by offering to increase the number of planes to Israel. Defense Secretary Brown who wrote the committee that the Saudis had agreed to accept restrictions on their use of the new F-15 planes. Your ministrations on Henry Kissinger's testimony to the committee would be persuasive that the plains of Saudi Arabia would be no threat or Israel would be in the interest of the United States and were needed by the Saudis in defense of the oil fields. But the claim of a threat to Israel proved too

strong for the most intense efforts of the administration. So the church was a swing vote. The administration believed he'd accepted the compromise but church had second thoughts. The administration then worked for Mrs. Humphries vote to offset Church the morning Times describes the campaign for her vote. Within 24 hours you had breakfast at the White House. I received two phone calls from Vice President Mondale from Asia met with Senate leader Byrd had calls from Henry Kissinger CLARK Richard and I was negotiating Paul want to keep this one revolver that exceed the tie in ministration release that the eighth time I defeated the committee resolution to disapprove all three sails was quickly quashed. That's one of the churches argument with the full Senate should bear responsibility. The committee voted unanimously to report without recommendation to the Senate where debate on vetoing one or any or all the points also opens Monday with a vote expected Tuesday.

The House committee will also be taking the issue up Tuesday. But it takes a veto by both houses to block a sale. And within 30 days that would be by May 28. So the Senate action will be decisive and remains a question mark Byrd claims the administration has a vote. But Byrd thought he had judges. Well the Congress chose to over these I'm sales the administration arms negotiators and the Russians in four days of discussions have agreed to take up the whole matter of arms sales and issue their greed in calling urgent these two are the biggest expenses to the world. The matter of Italy's moral bioterrorist and shocked the civilized world as President Carter and other government heads declared in Italy have brought a vast outpouring of denunciation of the crime but also a private denunciation by Morris family of the government for its refusal to negotiate with the terrorist demands for the release of their members now on trial two views of Italy's situation are expressed in Italy one that the reaction has been to

unite Italy's factional divisions. The other that it demonstrates government incompetence here deep in the May fragrance of our gardens the daily surprise of new blooms isolates us from such brutalities none of. The Census Bureau gives a picture of an American population that's been growing older in the 70s more all people and fewer children. This will affect the national economy in more ways than we know but it affects schools immediately. Some New England town meetings have this week modified to cancel plans for new school buildings. That population statistics suggest may not be needed. The Census finds the number of Americans over 55 has increased by five million in seven days. The number of children under 13 has declined about six million. The total population figure was two hundred sixteen and millions as of last July 6 percent growth through the 70s. The black population is growing

faster from a slower declining fertility as a census explains the number of blacks between 18 and 24 is increased at almost double the rate of whites in this decade. The Japanese population increase came between 25 and 34 million or about a third of the young adults of this age now outnumber the children of elementary school age 5. Which is a sharp reversal from 1970 and reflects of course the birth rate. That completes dbx journal called Friday the 12th of May 1978. This regional news magazine is there Monday through Friday aboard 30. Its producer editors Margaret heard today's

engineer will be a sleek And I'm Bill cavernous and watch out for the Friday police song.