The United Nations has described the current state of government and society in Haiti as “cataclysmic,” as armed gangs have seized control of much of the country. Haiti has managed to create a transitional council of former and current officials, religious leaders, and at least one businessman, to chart a course toward government stability and elections. Despite the dangerous situation, the Biden administration has resumed deportations of undocumented Haitians from the United States. The World’s Carol Hills talks with Harold Isaac, an independent reporter in Haiti, about what’s happening.
The Haitian population of Miami has remained unchanged since the beginning of the century, with about 30,000 people. But little remains of the neighborhood that Maria and Viter Juste founded in the 1970s that came to be known as Little Haiti.
This week, jazz fans in Haiti will once again gather for the 17th annual PapJazz Festival. The event draws enthusiasts from across the island, as well as international jazz aficionados. Festival organizer Milena Sandler says the gathering in Port-au-Prince is “an act of resistance” amid security and economic challenges in Haiti.
Massachusetts is seeing the arrival of more migrants, and many of them have no place to live. Because it’s a “right to shelter” state, officials are providing temporary housing, often in hotels. New England Public Media’s Jill Kaufman reports that school districts, such as West Springfield, have geared up to help the new arrivals.