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American News, New York, NY, May 31, 2024: The United States President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. has once again officially proclaimed June 2024 as National Caribbean American Heritage Month to celebrate the contributions and cultural diversity of Caribbean Americans in the U.S. In his proclamation, President Biden highlighted the deep commitment of Caribbean Americans to the nation’s core values of opportunity and freedom.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris attend a campaign event at Girard College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, May 29, 2024. (Photo credit: Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“Caribbean Americans are dreamers and doers who always find ways to move our country forward,” President Biden said, recognizing the important role Caribbean Americans play in fields as diverse as health care, education, entrepreneurship and public service. This year, he once again singled out key figures in his administration who are of Caribbean descent, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who is of Jamaican descent, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who is of Cuban descent, and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who was born in Martinique and is of Haitian descent, all of whom have rarely promoted or paid attention to the region.
But the declaration highlights the administration’s efforts to ensure equal opportunity for all, showcasing a historic economic recovery that has greatly benefited Black and Latino communities. In addition, President Biden stressed the importance of partnerships with Caribbean countries, noting significant investments in infrastructure and economic support for the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and collaboration with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). He highlighted initiatives such as the Crime Gun Intelligence Unit and the deployment of the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti. The administration also supports reauthorizing the HOPE/HELP trade preference program to promote economic growth in Haiti.
President Biden, who faces a tough re-election battle after alienating his core base of Black, Caribbean and immigrant voters, also reiterated his commitment to fixing the immigration system to make it more humane and orderly, especially for those fleeing violence in the Caribbean. He said the administration’s goal is to expand legal pathways into the United States and speed up asylum claims for people seeking protection, even as the country is closing its borders.
At the start of National Caribbean American Heritage Month, President Biden encourages all Americans to celebrate the rich history, culture, and achievements of Caribbean Americans through appropriate ceremonies and events.
Since 2006, every U.S. president has declared June as CAHM.
Read the full announcement below.
“National Caribbean American Heritage Month Proclamation 2024
During National Caribbean American Heritage Month, we celebrate the contributions and cultural diversity of the millions of people of Caribbean heritage across the country who have never swerved us from our nation’s most sacred values of opportunity and freedom.
Caribbean Americans are dreamers and doers who always find ways to push our country forward, reach new heights, and build a more perfect union. From Caribbean Americans who helped build our country from the ground up to those who have just arrived, they believe in the possibilities our country has to offer and strengthen the diverse fabric of our nation. Most importantly, Caribbean Americans are leaders—they are our beloved doctors, nurses, teachers, athletes, artists, community organizers, entrepreneurs, and our military and first responders who risk their lives to keep the rest of us safe. I am especially proud of the Caribbean Americans who serve in my administration and are working to preserve our democracy—including Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
My administration recognizes that in order to keep the torch of freedom burning that brought generations of immigrants to the United States, we must continue to ensure everyone has a fair chance. We are achieving that goal. My administration has fueled a historic economic recovery that has created 15 million jobs, achieved the fastest pace of Black-owned business creation in more than 30 years, and broken the record for the fastest pace of new businesses created by Latino entrepreneurs in more than a decade.
Caribbean Americans are also the foundation of our nation’s partnership with the nations of the Caribbean as we work to promote opportunity and security throughout the region. My administration announced that the bipartisan infrastructure bill will provide more than $275 million in funding for projects in the U.S. Virgin Islands that will provide clean and safe water, high-speed internet, public transportation, and modern roads and bridges. We launched the Puerto Rico Economic Dialogue and committed more than $140 billion in federal obligations to drive the island’s economic recovery. Since I took office, Puerto Rico has added more than 100,000 new jobs and the unemployment rate has dropped to a historic low of less than 6 percent. We will continue to work with Caribbean nations to combat climate change and support clean energy development. In partnership with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), we have established a Criminal Firearms Intelligence Unit to combat gun trafficking. Last summer, my administration appointed a Caribbean Firearms Prosecution Coordinator to lead our efforts to curb gun trafficking in the Caribbean. At the same time, we have been working with CARICOM to restore stability and security in Haiti by promoting a meaningful and inclusive political dialogue and supporting the deployment of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission. We must complement our security investments with economic support. That’s why my administration supports reauthorizing the HOPE/HELP trade preference program to promote greater economic prosperity in Haiti.
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At the same time, from day one of my Administration, we have been working to fix our broken immigration system to make it safe, orderly, and humane, especially for Caribbean communities who are fleeing oppression and trying to escape gang violence to secure a better life for themselves and their families. We are working to expand legal pathways to the United States for Caribbean individuals and to establish a more expedited process to decide asylum claims for those who credibly seek protection from persecution. My Administration will continue to do everything it can, including calling on Congress to finally act and pass critical resources and reforms.
America was founded on the idea that all men are created equal and should be treated equally throughout their lives. That promise beats in the hearts of all Caribbean Americans, who have added new meaning to our nation’s founding values. It unites us with all Caribbean nations and territories committed to building a free and democratic future. This month, let us celebrate what Caribbean heritage, history, and contributions mean to our nation.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2024 as National Caribbean American Heritage Month. I encourage all Americans to celebrate the history, culture, and achievements of Caribbean Americans through appropriate ceremonies and activities.
NOW THEREFORE, I have hereunto signed this thirty-first day of May, two thousand and twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. ”
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