I Meet Haitians Every Day in Springfield. Now I’m Scared for All of Us

As a resident of Springfield, Ohio, I am saddened by the rhetoric being spread after the presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

I don’t usually comment publicly on politics as I feel it is a personal decision and everyone has the right to their own opinions and to vote for the person they think is the best candidate.

More importantly, I don’t believe our politics should be played out like a reality TV show. However, this isn’t just about politics anymore, it’s about people’s lives—and I can’t stay silent.

My husband and I met in Okinawa, Japan while on active duty in the Air Force. I am originally from Texas, and he was born in Washington and grew up in California. Between us, we have lived in and visited more than half of the states in the US and about a dozen countries spread across four continents.

We are well-versed in being the outsiders of a community or in a place where you are unfamiliar with the culture and don’t speak the language. We have always viewed it as an opportunity to learn about other people and to grow as individuals.

So, when I received a job opportunity, we packed up and moved the family to Ohio, a state we had never visited before.

We spent time getting used to the differences living in Ohio as opposed to our previous home in Tucson, Arizona. We gradually fell in love and decided to stay and put down roots.

In the process of searching for our new home, we came across Springfield, Ohio. We found a beautiful home on an idyllic street and decided we had found what we were looking for.

We were surrounded by neighbors who were welcoming and a community that took pride in its history and was dedicated to preserving that while keeping the city relevant.

Springfield has had a large influx of legal Haitians who have moved to our community since 2020, estimated by city officials to be between 10,000 to 20,000 in number.

They initially flocked here because they heard of the low cost of living and an abundance of blue-collar jobs that paid well and needed to be filled. Springfield was welcoming in the beginning, and we were learning how to live with our new neighbors.

Then, an 11-year-old boy, Aiden Clark, died in an accident that involved a Haitian driver, and things began to change.

I feel that in the beginning, people were understanding of differences and the learning curve that comes with uprooting your whole life and moving to a new place. But now there seems to be no tolerance for any misstep.

Most American cities are not conducive to living and working without a car, and there are more vehicle accidents now and many do appear to involve unskilled Haitian drivers.

Nathan Clark, the father of the young boy who was killed, has tired of his son being pushed back into the spotlight and has stated we need to live like Aiden and accept everyone.

He stated in a recent city meeting: “I wish that my son, Aiden Clark, was killed by a 60-year-old white man. I bet you never thought anyone would ever say something so blunt. But if that guy killed my 11 -year-old son, the incessant group of hate-spewing people would leave us alone.”

Recently, when my mother and I were struggling to load a chair in our car, a Haitian man stopped and spent 15 minutes helping us, simply because he felt it was a kind, neighborly thing to do.

I interact with Haitians every day and all I can say is that they are only humans who are working, living, and trying to learn to exist in a new place.

Anyone who has lived in the US their whole lives, with American privilege and the safety that entails, should imagine what it would be like if they had to flee a war-torn country for a better life and try to “assimilate” quickly with a whole nation watching you, judging you, and now hating you for being different.

We do have issues that need to be addressed and resolved to accommodate our growing city. Springfield has a lack of infrastructure, housing, and social services due to the sudden population increase.

However, I have seen no substantiated reports of Haitians stealing pets and eating them. It’s tragic that public figures would choose to spread fear, hateful gossip, and rumors because they think their policies can’t stand on their own.

In the five years I’ve lived in Ohio, I haven’t ever been afraid to let my daughter walk to school or play outside with her friends—until now.

Now, days after the presidential debate, our city’s government buildings and schools are being evacuated and closed due to bomb threats.

I’m scared for myself and my family, but I’m more afraid for Haitians and the hate they are experiencing because they were brave enough to leave a horrible situation and search for a new beginning.

For any politician or person talking about Springfield, Ohio, the only thing I want to say is to start focusing on actual solutions to the real problems we are facing in our community.

Let’s all find some grace for those struggling to make a better life, and help where we can. Stop using our community as the base to launch racist propaganda!

Vikki Campbell is a resident of Springfield, Ohio.

All views expressed are the author’s own.

Do you have a unique experience or personal story to share? See our Reader Submissions Guide and then email the My Turn team at [email protected].