Beautiful as always, Marc! I hope that Myles will grow up to see his Haitian ancestry as the source of beauty and pride that it is. This letter will surely be a powerful reminder of that.
With all due respect: we do not eat cats and dogs and YOU ATE THIS PIECE. I listened to you read it, and it felt so proud and moved to tears. I am so happy to be Haitian in the world with friends like you.
Aside from the fact that labeling certain animals "meat" and others "pets" being so hypocritical and when I heard the 🍊 say that I thought: so what if they did? You eat cows and pigs. SAME thing. They're all the same. I hate the hypocrisy and supremacy complex of the west and of whiteness. That aside (could be a whole other rant :)) this piece is wonderful. So full of adoration for your heritage and history and hope for the future. Thank you for sharing it so generously ❤️
Wow. I wish this was out there all over social media. I guess I will always be stunned at how quickly people are willing to accept empty words as solid truth, and spread them like wildfire. I'm so sorry you and all those people who fall into the categories that are used to separate us are enduring this yet again. Praying for an end to this and a waking up of the American conscience again.
Beautiful and brimming with vulnerability, as expected. I’m swimming in the depth of this metaphor: “They will hurl words like heavy brimstone—lies, racial epithets—and bully you if they can, fattening their tropes like genetically modified turkeys on Thanksgiving. .”
I am floored, as always, by your ability to take such hatred and use it to inspire a honest, devastating but also beautiful piece of writing. You are remarkable! I think you made the right decision not paywalling - everyone should read this.
@marc, thank you for writing this, I went through some of the same things as a Haitian American kid going to nyc public schools. Thank you for processing the ugly while highlighting the beauty, and showing off some of our best dishes. You got me on this R train hungry 😂
You've done it again... Please keep sharing your gift 🙏🏿
One thing I'm getting from this piece is a reminder of the strength of the African diaspora. At many points I was transported back to my childhood Ghanaian home.
And, if I may, because I too believe in the power of language and naming truths, Myles will not "be looked at as less than because he is Black"... it will be because of fear, small-mindedness, lies, silence in the face of oppression .... Never because of his Black which is and will always be beauty and strength💪🏿🫶🏿
Gosh, I don't even know where to start. But I'll say thank you. I wish people could celebrate each other's cultures instead of feeling threathened. There are a lot of haitians in France and I got to discover so much about Haïti through food and music first. Then history.
Funny fact (or maybe not that funny), but someone with the same surname as me reached out on Facebook a couple of years ago. Although she was born in the US, she is haitian and was surprised to find a white chick from France with the same surname 🤣
So, I like to say that I have haitian cousins 😆 anyway, beautiful post x
I hate that we have to write these letters or have talks with our children over and over again. Blacks, Asians, Jews, Muslims, Mexicans, Haitians, the list goes on with every minority and marginalized group that has had to contend with racist rhetoric and lies for political gain. I wish you didn't have to write this, but thank you for writing this and sharing it with us.
And sadly this won't be the last ones we will have to write. Interesting how some of us never have to writer letters like these or ever have these talks with our children. The older Myles gets, the more I realize those conversations are going to happen sooner than I think.
It does happen soon. They have questions, they hear things at school. For those who never have to have these talks with their children, empathy is how they become our allies.
Empathy is the way. After speaking with my wife, I wish I wrote this beginning differently. If empathy truly is the way, it wasn’t all that empathetic to talk about his physical appearances. It’s hard being the victim while still trying to be empathetic. Still milling over about this.
A university near me had a 'day of languages' and one of the languages they were presenting was Haitian Creole, it was such a fun class! The basic rules of Creole make so much sense, I am really tempted to try and learn it. They said they will have a course on it starting next year, I will keep an eye out.
I'm determine to preserve it so I can pass it on to Myles. Sometimes it feels like the only 'thing' of the culture that still makes me Haitian. While I know that is not necessarily true, language feels so tied to how we identify culturally.
Language is very important! There is a whole mood that goes with it, expressions, humor. Languages have personality. My kid understands our original country’s language but he doesn’t speak a lot, he’s had to learn English and French here so it seemed unfair to insist. But I hope he won’t lose it entirely.
Every single word. I love the way you approach their hate with unapologetic love, not for them, but for Myles.
I want everyone to read this.
Thank you, my friend ❤️
Yes!
Me too Noha!
Beautiful as always, Marc! I hope that Myles will grow up to see his Haitian ancestry as the source of beauty and pride that it is. This letter will surely be a powerful reminder of that.
This is the hope, Ramya!
With all due respect: we do not eat cats and dogs and YOU ATE THIS PIECE. I listened to you read it, and it felt so proud and moved to tears. I am so happy to be Haitian in the world with friends like you.
Likewise my sister so much. If this platform were to collapse, I’m grateful to be able to say I have you as friend and family.
You broke it down with this one! This should be in the New York Times!
At the same time, I am sorry you had to write this letter. I am sorry for all of us.
Thank you for the shout out.
Love to you and your family. ❤️
Your words to the editor of the NYT! Thank YOU Karen for your support. My pleasure!
Aside from the fact that labeling certain animals "meat" and others "pets" being so hypocritical and when I heard the 🍊 say that I thought: so what if they did? You eat cows and pigs. SAME thing. They're all the same. I hate the hypocrisy and supremacy complex of the west and of whiteness. That aside (could be a whole other rant :)) this piece is wonderful. So full of adoration for your heritage and history and hope for the future. Thank you for sharing it so generously ❤️
Whew get into it, Nadia! So many thoughts about this. But you put this so wonderfully - nothing for me to add here!
Came to say a very similar thing but you said it wonderfully, Nadia 🙏
E.XAC.TLY 👏🏻
Wow. I wish this was out there all over social media. I guess I will always be stunned at how quickly people are willing to accept empty words as solid truth, and spread them like wildfire. I'm so sorry you and all those people who fall into the categories that are used to separate us are enduring this yet again. Praying for an end to this and a waking up of the American conscience again.
My prayer too, Kellie!
Beautiful and brimming with vulnerability, as expected. I’m swimming in the depth of this metaphor: “They will hurl words like heavy brimstone—lies, racial epithets—and bully you if they can, fattening their tropes like genetically modified turkeys on Thanksgiving. .”
Camille, thank you so much. Ever smile at a sentence you wrote and ask “that was all me?” Thank you for uplifting those words ❤️
I know that smile very well. May you continue to experience it more and more.
I am floored, as always, by your ability to take such hatred and use it to inspire a honest, devastating but also beautiful piece of writing. You are remarkable! I think you made the right decision not paywalling - everyone should read this.
Thank you so much, Martha. Appreciate you supporting me in all the ways.
There’s no way to counteract hate but to love. Thank you for being that example for Myles, and all of us.
Appreciate you friend. Especially for spotting these typos like a heat seeker.
Hi Marc,
I'm so disgusted at this smearing of Haitians, and the ongoing desire of the west to dominate Haiti.
And I'm so sorry that people like you, Myles and your family have to wear this BS.
Thanks for speaking up about it.
Always grateful for you support, Diana. Thank you so much.
Of course, Marc. And I'm grateful for your thoughtful and inspiring posts.
@marc, thank you for writing this, I went through some of the same things as a Haitian American kid going to nyc public schools. Thank you for processing the ugly while highlighting the beauty, and showing off some of our best dishes. You got me on this R train hungry 😂
Hahah! Man what a time to be alive. Especially for me growing up in Crown Heights.
You've done it again... Please keep sharing your gift 🙏🏿
One thing I'm getting from this piece is a reminder of the strength of the African diaspora. At many points I was transported back to my childhood Ghanaian home.
And, if I may, because I too believe in the power of language and naming truths, Myles will not "be looked at as less than because he is Black"... it will be because of fear, small-mindedness, lies, silence in the face of oppression .... Never because of his Black which is and will always be beauty and strength💪🏿🫶🏿
Amen, Family! Power in the tongue!
Gosh, I don't even know where to start. But I'll say thank you. I wish people could celebrate each other's cultures instead of feeling threathened. There are a lot of haitians in France and I got to discover so much about Haïti through food and music first. Then history.
Funny fact (or maybe not that funny), but someone with the same surname as me reached out on Facebook a couple of years ago. Although she was born in the US, she is haitian and was surprised to find a white chick from France with the same surname 🤣
So, I like to say that I have haitian cousins 😆 anyway, beautiful post x
We are all cousins! Haha
I can hear Beyoncé's voice "are you my cousin?" 🤣
So true !!!
I hate that we have to write these letters or have talks with our children over and over again. Blacks, Asians, Jews, Muslims, Mexicans, Haitians, the list goes on with every minority and marginalized group that has had to contend with racist rhetoric and lies for political gain. I wish you didn't have to write this, but thank you for writing this and sharing it with us.
And sadly this won't be the last ones we will have to write. Interesting how some of us never have to writer letters like these or ever have these talks with our children. The older Myles gets, the more I realize those conversations are going to happen sooner than I think.
It does happen soon. They have questions, they hear things at school. For those who never have to have these talks with their children, empathy is how they become our allies.
Empathy is the way. After speaking with my wife, I wish I wrote this beginning differently. If empathy truly is the way, it wasn’t all that empathetic to talk about his physical appearances. It’s hard being the victim while still trying to be empathetic. Still milling over about this.
ALL of this is hard, period. I'm constantly learning and have made my share of mistakes. We're doing the best we can.
Marc, I am so glad you wrote this with your loving heart, not only for Myles but for all of us. How do we fight hate? With love. Always.
This is the way!
Wonderful text, a real pleasure to read.
A university near me had a 'day of languages' and one of the languages they were presenting was Haitian Creole, it was such a fun class! The basic rules of Creole make so much sense, I am really tempted to try and learn it. They said they will have a course on it starting next year, I will keep an eye out.
I'm determine to preserve it so I can pass it on to Myles. Sometimes it feels like the only 'thing' of the culture that still makes me Haitian. While I know that is not necessarily true, language feels so tied to how we identify culturally.
And pumpkin leaf soup for breakfast!
Language is very important! There is a whole mood that goes with it, expressions, humor. Languages have personality. My kid understands our original country’s language but he doesn’t speak a lot, he’s had to learn English and French here so it seemed unfair to insist. But I hope he won’t lose it entirely.