Executive Summary: An Opportunity at a Crossroads
The Haitian-American community in Massachusetts finds itself at a pivotal juncture, holding a historic opportunity to translate its growing demographic presence into significant political power. A record number of more than a dozen candidates of Haitian descent are running for municipal office in Boston, Brockton, Randolph, and Everett. This wave of candidacies is a powerful declaration of a community that has matured beyond civic engagement to directly pursue electoral representation, showcasing a remarkable journey from diaspora to a political force.
This unprecedented opportunity, however, is shadowed by a critical strategic challenge: the risk of vote fragmentation. In many of the upcoming races, multiple candidates from the Haitian-American community are competing for the same seats, a dynamic that can inadvertently split the vote. This can dilute the community's collective power and potentially lead to a complete loss of representation. The outcomes in these races will serve as a crucial test of the community’s ability to strategically coalesce behind candidates and mobilize its electorate, rather than allowing internal competition to become a self-inflicted obstacle. The question now is not just whether the opportunity is there, but whether the community is prepared to fully embrace it.
Introduction: From Diaspora to Political Force
Haitian migration to the United States has been historically shaped by political instability and economic hardship, particularly during the Duvalier dictatorships of the 1960s and 1970s, and more recently, by events like the 2010 earthquake and the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. In Massachusetts, Haitian immigrants have established vibrant communities, with significant populations in Boston, particularly in the Mattapan and Hyde Park neighborhoods, as well as in the cities of Brockton, Randolph, and Everett. These cities are home to a large portion of the state’s estimated 87,000 Haitians. The upcoming elections are not merely a collection of isolated races; they are a litmus test for a community that is now poised to shift its focus from grassroots organizing to holding formal political power.
This analysis examines the strategic opportunities and challenges presented by this moment, exploring whether the community’s unprecedented political participation will lead to a new era of influence or be undermined by internal divisions.
Boston: A Blueprint for Ascendancy, or a Cautionary Tale?
The political landscape in Boston provides a compelling case study of a community's political evolution. The city’s Haitian-American candidates are working to establish a durable, multi-seat power base, with different candidates approaching the task from distinct angles.
Ruthzee Louijeune: The Incumbent and Trailblazer
Ruthzee Louijeune, the first Haitian-American to be elected to Boston's municipal government, is a preeminent example of political ascendancy. Born and raised in the city's Mattapan and Hyde Park neighborhoods, she is a product of Boston Public Schools and holds degrees from Columbia University, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Kennedy School. Her legal career has focused on fighting for families facing eviction and foreclosure, defending voting rights, and serving as a senior attorney on Senator Elizabeth Warren's 2020 presidential campaign.
After her historic election in 2021, she was unanimously elected President of the Boston City Council. Her tenure has been marked by key policy achievements, including advocating for the expansion of the Office of Returning Citizens and securing financial support for new immigrants. She also successfully led the redistricting process to pass a new map after a federal court order. Louijeune’s ability to win convincingly and her role in advocating for immigrant rights at the national level demonstrate that a successful Haitian-American candidate can build broad, cross-community support.
The At-Large Challengers: A Study in Contrasting Approaches
The other Haitian-American candidates for Boston City Council At-Large represent distinct political philosophies and professional backgrounds. Marvin D. Mathelier is a U.S. Army veteran and Marine Corps Major who has led humanitarian missions in Haiti. He positions himself as "not a politician," and his campaign is rooted in a career defined by integrity and hard work. He is a small business co-owner of Ula Café and the director of the Toussaint Louverture Cultural Center. Mathelier’s platform is focused on tangible issues such as fighting for more affordable housing and expanded homebuyer programs by taxing developers, championing a fare-free MBTA, and increasing funding for mental health and youth jobs to improve public safety. He supports rent stabilization and believes city hall should work for the people, not special interests.
Yves Mary Jean, a novelist with a master’s in Political Science, presents a different profile. He has held several positions at Boston City Hall, particularly in the education sector. His campaign focuses on being a "bridge" for the community and on issues like affordable housing, an elected school committee, and public safety. However, his past electoral performance shows the difficulty of building a city-wide campaign; he received only 123 votes in a 2019 race for a District City Council seat.
Winston Pierre: The Battle for District-Level Representation
The contest for Boston’s District 5 City Council seat pits Winston Pierre, a city planner and a son of Haitian immigrants, against the incumbent Enrique Pepén, the son of Dominican immigrants. Pierre presents himself as a grassroots candidate with a vision grounded in ethics and transparency, and his platform calls for a $25 minimum wage, expanding community land trusts for affordable housing, and investing in youth engagement. He seeks to create a District 5 Advisory Council to ensure every voice is heard and to put "real people and community voices first," framing his candidacy as a "fresh approach" and "not politics as usual". This race highlights the complex dynamics of intra-minority politics, where a shared desire for representation could be divided between different ethnic groups in the same district.
The collective effort of the Haitian-American candidates in Boston represents a mature stage of political engagement. The presence of a high-profile, established leader like Louijeune provides a stabilizing anchor. The critical question for the Boston community is whether the candidacies of Mathelier and Yves Mary Jean will be additive, securing more at-large seats, or if the competition will fragment the vote and prevent a greater victory.
Brockton: The Crucible of Unity—A Test of Collective Ambition
Brockton is home to a significant Haitian population, with Haitian Creole being the most common non-English language spoken in a large portion of the city. With two mayoral candidates and three at-large city council candidates of Haitian descent, Brockton is the central case study for the fragmentation challenge.
The Mayoral Contest: A High-Stakes Rivalry
The Brockton mayoral race pits two Haitian-American candidates against each other, a scenario that presents a significant risk of vote-splitting. Jean Bradley Derenoncourt, who was born in Port-au-Prince and immigrated to Brockton after the 2010 earthquake, has a history of both success and setback. He won a City Council At-Large seat in 2017 and 2023 but was defeated in a mayoral run in 2019. His platform is pragmatic, focusing on economic growth, education, and public safety. He raised over $21,000 for his campaign.
His challenger, Carina Mompelas, is also a repeat mayoral candidate with a history of running for various offices without securing a victory. She previously ran for mayor in 2019 and for Plymouth County Treasurer in 2020, where she garnered a notable 98,050 votes despite losing. However, public records indicate campaign finance compliance issues and reports showing zero receipts and expenditures for past races, suggesting a less-robust campaign infrastructure. The presence of a candidate with limited campaign infrastructure in a crowded field could introduce a "spoiler" effect, siphoning votes that might otherwise have gone to a more established candidate like Derenoncourt, ultimately preventing the community from securing the mayor's office.
The At-Large City Council Contest
The at-large city council race in Brockton is also crowded, with three Haitian-American candidates competing for four seats. Jeff Charnel, a commercial banker and community leader, has a professionalized campaign with strong fundraising. He is currently the Chairman of Brockton's License Commission and a member of multiple local boards. His campaign focuses on making city services more accessible and advocating for small businesses. Matthieu C. Delisme, a pastor and member of the Brockton Library Board of Trustees, appears to base his campaign on a spiritual and civic-minded approach. Alix Arthur Gayaud, a returning candidate, ran for mayor in 2023 but received a minimal number of votes. He is focused on addressing homelessness, housing, and public transportation. Records from an audit of his 2023 campaign found contribution discrepancies, adding to the complexity of the crowded field.
Brockton represents the quintessential high-risk, high-reward political play. The at-large system provides a critical opportunity for the Haitian community to elect multiple candidates and establish an unprecedented level of political power. However, the crowded field is a direct test of the community’s organizational maturity. The fact that voters often do not utilize all four of their at-large votes exacerbates the problem. For a Haitian-American candidate to win a council seat, they must not only mobilize their base but also ensure their voters don't inadvertently split their votes or fail to vote for other Haitian-American candidates.
Extending the Political Footprint: Everett and Randolph
The political efforts of the Haitian-American community extend beyond Boston and Brockton to other key cities, where they are testing different aspects of their political power.
Everett: The Incumbent’s Advantage
In Everett, the focus is on consolidating an existing political gain. Guerline Alcy Jabouin is seeking re-election as City Councilor at-Large. Her re-election effort is a test of the community's ability to not only break new ground but also to maintain and defend its established representation. Her priorities remain focused on advocating for better housing accessibility, improving public transportation, and enhancing senior care services. The community’s success in Everett will demonstrate its capacity for sustained political power by successfully re-electing a known and trusted leader.
Randolph: The Test of a Unified Front
The city of Randolph, home to a significant Haitian community, presents a unique microcosm of the fragmentation problem. Here, two Haitian-American candidates are competing directly for at-large seats on the Town Council: Natacha Clerger and Guerlince Semerzier. Natacha Clerger is an incumbent seeking re-election, who previously lost her seat by a razor-thin margin of just eight votes. This close defeat serves as a powerful cautionary tale about the critical importance of every single vote and the potential for a small amount of vote-splitting to lead to a collective loss of representation.
Her challenger, Guerlince Semerzier, distinguishes himself with a strong professional background as a non-profit consultant and executive coach who has worked with organizations like Tufts University and Massachusetts General Hospital. He has also been a guest lecturer and published articles regarding the Haitian diaspora community. The Randolph race forces voters to choose between two qualified compatriots, and the outcome will highlight whether the community can overcome internal competition to secure a seat, or if the division of votes will once again lead to a collective setback.
Conclusion: The Unfolding Opportunity
The upcoming municipal elections in Massachusetts represent a pivotal moment for the Haitian-American community. The sheer number of candidates, their diverse backgrounds, and their presence in key cities signal a historic opportunity to establish a permanent and powerful political presence. However, this opportunity is inextricably linked to the significant challenge of managing internal competition. The outcomes in Brockton and Randolph, in particular, will provide a clear measure of the community’s organizational maturity, testing whether personal ambition can be subordinated to a collective political goal.
The path forward for the Haitian-American community to become a major, permanent force in Massachusetts politics is clear, but it is not without its obstacles. The question of whether the community will fully embrace this moment—by consolidating its support and strategically navigating its internal dynamics—will be answered at the ballot box. By successfully navigating the strategic challenges of this critical electoral moment, the community can transform this wave of ambition into a lasting and influential political presence for decades to come.
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