A key topic was the denouncement of a small Neo-Nazi protest on Aug. 10 and the subsequent comments of the protest’s leader at Tuesday’s city commission meeting, in which he identified himself by a racist pseudonym and said “savagery” would increase with more Haitians coming to the community.
“Why did they come to Springfield?” John Young, NAACP political action committee chair, said of the hate group. “Who drew them to Springfield? What’s been going on in Springfield that the Nazis think this is fertile ground?”
One community member, Jen Casto, said she was concerned to see some people on social media agreeing with the Neo-Nazi group leader’s comments at the commission meeting, from which he was removed after Mayor Rob Rue said he appeared to be threatening violence. Casto said she was disturbed by the Nazi group’s presence and concerned for the safety of her children after hearing them chant hateful messages and carry weapons.
“I may not walk in a Black person’s shoes, but I’ll always walk right beside you,” Casto said.
More than 10 community members, including two Haitian immigrants, a white woman married to a Haitian immigrant, lifelong Springfielders and a concerned Clark County resident addressed the forum, sharing needs and concerns related to racism and xenophobia against Haitian immigrants.
Springfield has seen a large influx of Haitian immigrants in the last five years or so, with estimates varying largely between 10,000-15,000 currently living in the area. The vast majority come through the parole immigration process and receive Temporary Protected Status, a legal status.
Temporary Protected Status allows an eligible person who receives approval to remain in the U.S. for a designated period of time, but does not provide a direct path to citizenship. Those under TPS can apply for lawful permanent residence through several means.
The large number of immigrants has largely dominated public discussion in the last year at city commission meetings, leading the NAACP to create the forum, titled Welcome to the Table: Let’s Talk Racism. The first discussion was held Aug. 8 and was largely focused on the need for solutions. There was also an emphasis on creating a safe space for attendees to share their thoughts.
Local resident Lenny Argueta, a former New York City police officer, said he is working with the NAACP on a driver education program, as safe driving by Haitian immigrants has been a chief concern of many Springfielders.
Williams said she hopes to launch the program at the start of 2025.
Vilès Dorsainvil, president of the Haitian Community Help and Support Center, gave attendees a mini history lesson on the instability in Haiti that has led people to leave the country. The country has been plagued by natural disasters and issues related to high crime rates, corrupt government and poverty.
“If you want to help us, it’s not asking us to leave,” said Dorsainvil, a pastor. “If you want to help us, make a petition with us and tell the government to leave the country alone and if you do that, you won’t see us coming to your shores.”
Dorsainvil said that Haitians are here already and ready to work, giving examples of his brother who was a physician in Haiti now working at Mercy Health as a nurse, as well as his electrician and social worker friends.
Credit: Jessica Orozco
Credit: Jessica Orozco
Diana Daniels, a frequent speaker at city commission meetings, said some people’s critical perspective of Haitians is not based on their race, but rather their culture.
Williams objected to this, saying the issue is about race, and that non-Black individuals don’t understand racism. She said she will set up a meeting in September with Daniels and other white community members to better understand their perspective and work together.
“It is nothing but race; it is all about race. Nobody knows about race if you don’t look like me because you ain’t never experienced it ... until you have experienced that, until you have walked in a Black person’s shoes, until the door has been slammed in your face because you’re Black, until the restaurant tells you you will not be served until you’re Black,” Williams said. “Please don’t tell me about race.”
Williams also addressed a concern brought up at an Aug. 13 city commission meeting about her having members of the Nation of Islam present. She emphasized that they were there to provide security and nothing else.
The meeting was also attended by Amy Cox, Democratic candidate for U.S. House District 10, who told the News-Sun she is happy to see people using empathy to move forward and sow community building.
“If we don’t try to understand these folks and where they’re coming from — because we were all migrants at some point along our family line — if we don’t do that, it’s always going to be chaos,” Cox said.
Her opponent, incumbent Rep. Mike Turner, has been working with city officials on obtaining federal funding to support systems impacted by the high migration, like schools, healthcare and safety forces.
Throughout the meeting, Williams asked several community members to get in contact with her to work on specific issues. She emphasized coming together as a community and representing Springfield properly.
“We are here to bring the community together, we are here to bridge that gap,” Williams said. “We don’t care what you look like, who you love, where you’re from. We’re going to love you anyway.”
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