South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Broward’s Jamaican community celebrates Kamala Harris’ win.
The election of Kamala Harris as the nation’s next vice president was especially sweet for the large and virbrant Jamaican community in South Florida.
Harris’ father was a Jamaican immigrant to the United States who went on to become a Stanford University professor. In addition to being the first female vice president and the first Black vice president, she will be the first person of Caribbean descent to serve directly under the president.
“Everybody is just overwhelmed with appreciation for this moment,” said Calibe Thompson, 42. “Seeing ourselves reflected in that highest office of the land is huge.”
Thompson is a Jamaican-American who lives in Fort Lauderdale. She publishes a magazine called Island Origins for the large Caribbean diaspora in South Florida.
Broward County is home to an estimated 300,000 Jamaicans, with a large concentration in Miramar and Lauderhill. Among them are local elected officials such as Broward County Mayor Dale Holness, Miramar Mayor Wayne Messamand Lauderdale Lakes Mayor Hazelle P. Rogers.
But the presence of the community is perhaps best felt by their cuisine. In addition to a plethora of restaurants in the county, there are yearly events such as the Jamaican Jerk Festival and the Taste the Islands Experience.
Thompson is also executive director of Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, which will open this month and present visitors with an exploration of the history of the Caribbean and the Caribbean-American experience. “And of course,” Thompson said, “Kamala Harris is going to be part of that.”
David Muir, a Jamaican-American photographer in Hollywood who is helping to launch the museum, said that in addition to Harris making those with Jamaican ancestry proud, she also represents a leap forward for many people of different backgrounds.
“It’s just a great opportunity for this country to expand and embrace diversity,” Muir, 51, said.
He said that although the country still has morework to do in terms of diversity and addressing systemic ills, the Vice President Harris will be a big step in terms of representation on a national stage.
“We’re just so proud and so happy to be apart of the changes that are occurring,” he said. “It gives us great hope for what America will continue to be.”
Harris’ mother is an Indian- American who also immigrated to the U.S. in search of educational opportunities. Antoinette Henry, 59, said she hopes that Harris will be inspired by both of her immigrant parents to be a voice for all those that come to this country seeking to better their lot in life.
“This country is built on immigrants,” Henry said. “I believe that she will be a voice that speaks for them.”
Henry, of Lauderhill, is a director of corporate relations at the Dutch Pot Jamaican Restaurant— a chain of eight Jamaican restaurants all around South Florida.
She said the chain was started 20 years ago by two sisters from Jamaica, Cherry Marshall and Melony Gregory, who began to sell food out of their homes in Broward.
When Harris was recently in South Florida to urge voters to the polls, Henry said Harris’ staff also put in an order for a dozen Jamaican beef patties.
Henry said she never got to meet Harris, but she was happy to be able to deliver the food to Harris’ staff before their plane took off.
“It was our delight and pleasure to get those beef patties to her,” she said.
Andrew Boryga can be reached at 954-356-4533 or aboryga@sunsentinel. com. Follow on Twitter@ borywrites.