A charity event for members of the Haitian community will happen in Springfield on Saturday at the John Legend Theatre.
Michael Brun, a Grammy-winning Haitian producer and DJ, will host the benefit for the Haitian Support Center, which helps refugees and immigrants with housing, interpreting, job searches, welfare assistance and other services.
WOSU’s Debbie Holmes spoke with Brun about the event.
Debbie Holmes: Tell me about the Haitian Support Center.
Michael Brun: I first met the Haitian Support Center sometime last year, around September, and the work that they were doing. I thought it was so important for Haitian immigrants in Ohio, and also just in general for any immigrants that were looking for information on ways to integrate into their communities. And I feel like what Violet Rose and the rest of the team were doing was really important work, and I wanted to be able to be of assistance.
Debbie Holmes: So, tell me how it helps refugees and immigrants in this country.
Michael Brun: So, in particular, the work that they do is in helping them with job allocations and figuring out the process of being able to build a resume and if there's any translation services or educational services that are helpful in just assisting the transition from a newly arrived Haitian, specifically in Springfield, but also I know in the greater Ohio area. They worked really hard on making sure that it's the most seamless transition possible as they enter into new communities. And I feel like that's such an important aspect of the immigration process that usually isn't really touched on too much.
Debbie Holmes: And how long has this benefit been held?
Michael Brun: This event is actually a first. I know that we had started discussing it last year when I did a conversation with John Legend at Rose Goute Creole, the Haitian restaurant in Springfield. Yeah, we felt that it would be a really nice opportunity to continue that story from last year and continue to support the works that they had been doing.
Debbie Holmes: What do you know about the Haitian immigrants in Springfield and the pressure they're feeling from the Trump administration and others?
Michael Brun: Just through conversations, I've spoken to multiple people. I've spoken to members of the Haitian Support Center themselves. I myself am an immigrant and I think that in general, the immigrants that are there that have applied to legal programs that are doing their best to be citizens that are contributing to their communities and are working very hard to be present and just do the best things they can with their lives, I feel like they're scared, and a lot of them are unsure of what's happening.
And just that you know whenever laws are changing, or things are changing so rapidly it's really hard to know exactly what's real and what's not, so I feel like the most important thing right now is just to have accurate information. And I know that all these immigrants that I've spoken to want to be contributing members of society, and I think it's important to highlight their stories.
Debbie Holmes: So you've spoken to them directly.
Michael Brun: Yeah, one of the big ones, I think, last year, when I had this conversation with John Legend, was actually the founder of the restaurant, was with Creole. And she came in under an immigration program and was able to build this restaurant and have a successful business and is doing everything the right way. And I feel like her story is an example of a great immigrant story that I think that for the community, it's important to see that there's value coming in.
Debbie Holmes: So tell me about the event and what's going to be happening.
Michael Brun: So the event is a really good mix of music and social support. And I think that the lineup that the team had prepared was there's a historian, there's myself and Jay Perry, who are two artists from Haiti. And I know that some members of the team are probably going to be speaking there as well.
And it's also really cool to be able to do it at the John Legend Theater after we worked together on music and where (there's) mutual support for the Springfield community and the Haitian community in Springfield. So yeah, I think if you're at all interested in finding out more about the work that the Haitian Support Center does and also just how the Haitian community contributes in a positive way to the community, come and check it out if you want to learn more about Haiti.
