Little Haiti Community Analysis

Little Haiti Community Analysis

Social workers have an obligation to continually evaluate the community around them and advocate for any change that would benefit society as a whole or the specific clients being served. This writer chose to study the demographics, assets, and gaps for the community of Little Haiti, located in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

History, Location, and Demographics of Little Haiti

According to Sohmer, Jackson, Katz, and Warren (2005), the city of Miami which was once the province of the white middle class, began to have a strong Haitian presence by the 1980’s. The population of Haitian individuals was highly concentrated around the Edison/Little River area, which then was christened with the name “Little Haiti”.

There are five hospitals within the general vicinity of the Little Haiti area; however, none of the hospitals are located within the actual Little Haiti area itself. There are eleven health care clinics found nearby, but as with hospitals, none of these clinics are actually located within the Little Haiti community boundaries. Seven primary family doctors were identified with the majority of them located within the Little Haiti area. Nine dental offices were located within close proximity to Little Haiti but only one of these offices is located directly in the community. Two offices were found in the area for Women, Infant, and Children (WIC). Five homeless shelters are identified within close proximity to Little Haiti. Six mental health/substance abuse centers are located within the general area, with three of the centers located in the Little Haiti area ("Yahoo Maps, Driving Directions and Traffic,"

They offer the community an opportunity for volunteerism, contributions to the local food system, and a local farmer’s market that occurs every Saturday year round ("Little Haiti Community Garden," n.d.). The Little Haiti Cultural Complex offers afterschool programs, performing arts, visual arts, mind/body/spirit classes, and Big Night in Little Haiti, a monthly night of music, art, food, and culture. The mission of this cultural center is to bring together people and ideas that will promote the Afro-Caribbean culture in South Florida ("Little Haiti Cultural Center | 212 – 260 NE 59 Terrace Miami, FL 33137 | Gain exposure to Afro-Caribbean culture, entertain and develop a new talent, and expand your knowledge of the arts," n.d.). The Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center’s mission is to empower, strength, and stabilize the Haitian community in South Florida. They do this by providing free services and resources. The center has been operating for almost fifteen years and has become an essential resource to the Haitian/Haitian American community ("Sant La,"