Oral History Interview with Ruth Jean

Material Information

Title:: Oral History Interview with Ruth Jean
Creator:: Jean, Ruth ( Narrator )
Marcelin, Frantzso ( Interviewer )
Attilus, Rhoddy ( Translator )
Publisher:: Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center
Publication Date:: 2023-04-25
Language:: English
Physical Description:: 00:39:47

Subjects / Keywords:: Haitian Americans -- Interviews
Haitians -- South Florida
Haitians -- Migrations
Genre:: Interview
Spatial Coverage:: United States -- Florida -- Miami
Coordinates:: 25.8998854891263 x -80.1797910422029

Abstract:: This interview features Ruth Jean, an immigration lawyer, reflecting on her personal journey as a Haitian immigrant who arrived in the United States at the age of three. Conducted on April 25, 2023, the interview explores her early memories of growing up in Miami, Florida, her experiences with poverty and prejudice as a child, and the challenges of navigating her identity as a Haitian-American. Ruth shares her transition from feeling stigmatized as a "boat person" to embracing her Haitian heritage with pride. Her journey to becoming an immigration lawyer was profoundly influenced by her upbringing and the adversities she faced as a Haitian immigrant. Ruth also discusses her commitment to educating her children about their heritage, the evolution of the Haitian community in South Florida, and the importance of education and cultural pride for new generations of Haitian immigrants.
Funding:: This content is part of a Mellon Foundation-funded project coordinated by the Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab (WPHL) at FIU and eight community partner institutions titled “Community Data Curation: Preserving, Creating, and Narrating Everyday Stories.”

Aggregations:: Community Data Curation - Preserving, Creating, and Narrating Everyday Stories
Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center