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Caribbean-americans (28 found)
Note: These stories are from Represent and its sister publication, YCteen, which is written by New York City public high school students.
On January 12, 2010, Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake. More than 300,000 people died and a million were made homeless. The shockwaves were felt around the world, especially in Haitian communities. Cassandra Charles, living in New York City, describes the events and feelings she experienced in the first few days following the quake. (full text)
When she enters 7th grade as the only black student in her class, Desiree is thrown into confusion about her racial identity. (full text)
Edwidge describes the bewilderment, culture shock, and stereotypes she faces on arriving in the U.S. from Haiti at 12. She will later credit this essay with helping to inspire her novel Breath, Eyes, Memory, which became a New York Times bestseller. (full text)
After Elie fights his tormentors they stop picking on him, but he loses friends because he acts hard with everyone.
Kaela reviews Brother I’m Dying, an account by the writer Edwidge Danticat of growing up in Haiti and the United States, and the tragic death of her uncle while in the custody of U.S. immigration officials.
Marsha never really thinks about being Haitian, until one day in class when she is made painfully aware of some of her classmates’ misconceptions.
David’s family is relatively well off in Haiti, and some members even flaunt it. Some other people in their community are resentful, and use voodoo or wanga, to let David’s family know their feelings.
Marsha’s parents, like many immigrant parents, want her to become a doctor. A career in medicine becomes her dream too—until she realizes that she prefers writing to science.
As a child, David had a severe crush on Mishland, a girl at his elementary school. He never saw her after she moved to another part of Haiti and he emigrated to the U.S. As a teenager, he realizes that Mishland represents a simpler life he has left behind forever.
David recalls his childhood in rural Haiti, where he received a goat for his 7th birthday.
At first, Kaela does not want to move from Haiti to the United States, and she has a hard time adjusting to the new country. But eventually she loses her fear of change.
Raelle’s mother gives her a pair of gold earrings as a keepsake, but she loses them when she comes to the United States.
As a girl in Haiti, Raelle loves to express herself through dance. She finds new ways of doing so after moving to America.
Desiree is thrown into confusion when her father rejects her desire to become an anthropologist, because it doesn't pay enough. She wants to find a happy medium between making money and pursuing a career she loves.
Natalie’s faith in her newly adopted country is temporarily shaken by police mistreatment of a Haitian man.
Cassandra’s high school is diverse, but students rarely mix in the cafeteria.
Fanny is treated like a tourist when she visits the Dominican Republic.
In Haiti, students are deeply respectful toward teachers and are well-behaved at school. The fighting and disrespect in American schools are a shock for Sabrina.
When she comes to the U.S. from Haiti, Sabrina feels pressure to look and act like the girls in her school.
Natalie attends a Haitian rally protesting the torture of Abner Louima and feels a new sense of pride in her culture.
This is a winning essay from a 1994 contest in which teens were asked to write about a woman they admire. Gerty Jean-Louis picks her mother because of her courage and persistence.
Daniel struggles mightily as a new immigrant who does not speak English. But when he realizes that numbers are a universal language and discovers his own resilience, he begins to find a path in America.
Karina likes to wear miniskirts and listen to heavy metal. Does that mean she isn't proud of her Dominican heritage?
Jillian now lives in New York City, but grew up in Antigua and misses almost everything about it: the blue-green water and white sand beaches, the wonderful variety of fresh foods, the openness of the people. The only thing it lacks is economic opportunity.
As a Puerto Rican growing up in New York City, Jennifer feels part of both worlds. She speaks English at home and feels Americanized, but on trips to Puerto Rico she enjoys connecting with the culture and traditions of the island.
Claude moves to America as a teen and feels that everything is different, from religious practices, to attitudes about dating, to how teens and parents talk with each other.
The history of Haiti and the United States have intersected in many important ways in the past 220 years.
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