Preconsidered Res. No. 423
Title
Resolution ceremonially designating Flatbush Brooklyn, within the boundaries of East 16th Street, Parkside Avenue, Brooklyn Avenue, Avenue H and Church Avenue, as "Little Haiti".
Body
By Council Members Williams, Cumbo and Treyger
Whereas, New York City is one of the most diverse cities in the world and has benefitted in countless ways from the contributions of its many ethnic communities; and
Whereas, The first wave of Haitian immigration to the United States (U.S.) began in the late 1950's with a significant group of educated Haitians, such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, fleeing the oppression of the Fran?ois Duvalier regime and assimilating into the social fabric of New York City, particularly Brooklyn, as well other areas of the country, such as Miami; and
Whereas, The Haitian population in the U.S. continues to grow, and as of 2015, there were 676,000 Haitian immigrants, an increase from 587,000 in 2010 and accounting for slightly under 2 percent of the U.S. foreign-born population; and
Whereas, New Yorkers from the Haitian community represent a significant part of the City's ever growing cultural landscape. In fact, Brooklyn has the largest percentage of foreign-born Haitian residence in the state of New York, with more than 40% of the foreign-born population residing in Flatbush, Brooklyn. According to 2015 data by the Migration Policy Institute, Brooklyn had the second highest congregation of Haitians in the U.S. with an estimated 156,000 Haitian Americans residing in New York City; and
Whereas, Flatbush, Brooklyn has come to be recognized as the heart of a neighborhood that embodies Haitian culture and is regarded by many Haitian Americans as a place where they can live, conduct commerce, worship, recreate together as a community and share their cultural values; and
Whereas, New York and the entire nation have benefitted from the many contributions of prominent Haitians such...
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