Haitians Living in the United States
Describing the Differences Among Various Haitian Groups
As the Haitian population in major cities like New York, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, San Diego, and Atlanta continue to grow, it is imperative that educational institutions and districts consider various strategies and approaches in dealing with Haitian students. Nonetheless, if they are to construct these strategies, they must first comprehend the differences amongst Haitian populations in general.
There are three groups of Haitian students, and understanding some of the key characteristics of each group is crucial in creating interventions to help Haitian students adapt academically and socially. The three groupings are American-Haitians, Haitians-in-transition, and Haitian-Americans. (The groupings were named based on their association to American and Haitian customs and culture.)
American-Haitians
A great percentage of the American-Haitians were either born in the United States to Haitian parents or came to this country when they were very young. Nonetheless, that does not mean that some individuals who come to inhabit the states much later can not be American-Haitians. This categorization as well as the others is based more on students’ association with the American culture than the number of years they have spent in the United States.
American-Haitians tend to relinquish much of their Haitian identities and are aptly immersed into the American culture that surrounds them. Because American-Haitians typically are born in the United States or came to the states at a much younger ages, they tend to have less of a pronounced accents than other Haitian groups. At times, their accents are indistinguishable. Many of them do not even speak Haitian Creole at all; and even those who speak it tend to do so with a strong English accent.
The article “American-Haitians Uncovered” provides addition information about this group of Haitians living in the U.S.
Haitians-in-transition
The Haitians-in-transition group is concerned mostly with Haitians who have just entered the United States and who have not been completely habituated with the culture. Depending on their age, their neighborhoods, and a slew of other factors, they will either transition into the American-Haitian or Haitian-American groups. Those whose parents and local communities encourage them to fully assimilate into the local culture tend to eventually transition to the American-Haitian group. Others who tend to be older when they first enter the United States and who are encouraged to maintain some aspects of their Haitian heritage tend to fit more into the Haitian-American group.
Nonetheless, the major challenges that these students face are as follows:
· a lack of mastery of the English language,
· the degradation of the educational institutions in Haiti,
· emotional distance from parents and guardians,
· and a general cultural disconnect with their new environment.
For more information on this group, the article “Challenges of Haitians-in-transition” is a great resource to consider.
Haitian-Americans
Students, who fall into the category of Haitian-Americans, see themselves as Haitians first. Unlike the Haitians-in-transition who have not truly had enough time to decide whether or not they will identify more with their Haitian background or the local environment in the United States, Haitian-Americans have had time to analyze both cultures and have chosen to continuously immerse themselves into aspects of Haitian culture.
They typically have stronger familial ties with their Haitian relatives in Haiti and in the US. Having strong relationships with their family helps them keep much of their Haitian heritage. It also helps if they live in a community where they have other Haitian individuals whom they can associate with everyday. With many of the major cities around the United States having Haitian communities, Haitian-Americans are normally found in predominantly Haitian communities like Little Haiti in Miami. For a more in-depth analysis of this group, “Haitian-Americans Uncovered” would be a great article to read.
General Haitian Challenges and Similarities
After analyzing the three main Haitian student groups, namely, the American-Haitians, the Haitians-in Transition, and the Haitian-Americans, it is imperative that one considers their differences and understands that each of the aforementioned groups though different share the same Haitian roots.
Most Haitian students living in the United States regardless of their grouping tend to face some general issues that include:
· a more profound identity crisis as they attempt to assimilate into the general United States’ culture,
· some familial and cultural disconnect between what they learn at school and their customs at home,
· and language barriers either between them and their local United States’ community or between them and their parents.
These issues amongst others are imperative to consider within the context of analyzing educational differences in Haitian students.
Haitian Student walking to school
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