Hispanic Heritage Month History Makers Series: Sonia Pierre

On this second week of our Hispanic Heritage Month History Makers series we will be highlighting Sonia Pierre.

Sonia Pierre was a human rights activist who was born in 1963 in Villa Altagracia, San Cristobal in the Dominican Republic. Pierre dedicated her life’s work to dismantling anti-Haitian sentiment in the Dominican Republic, and advocating for the rights of Dominican people of Haitian descent. Pierre began her activism at the age of 13, when she organized a five day protest to draw attention to the terrible working and living conditions impacting migrant workers. At the protest, she was arrested, and the attention it brought resulted in a wage increase for the workers. This advocacy led Pierre to establish Movimiento de Mujeres Dominico-Haitianas (MUDHA, the Movement of Dominican Women of Haitian Descent). MUDHA built homes for farm workers, increased access to vital healthcare for undocumented residents, and advocated for legislative change to address the issues impacting undocumented residents who were of Haitian descent.

A large part of her work consisted of highlighting the human rights issues created when residents do not have statehood due to their ethnic origin, such as the threat of deportation and the discriminatory practices associated with the birth registration process in the Dominican Republic. Pierre’s organizing and activist career was recognized by the First Lady Michelle Obama in 2010, when she received the International Woman of Courage Award. Sonia Pierre dedicated her life to challenging anti-Haitian sentiment, and pushing for legislative reform  to ensure that all Dominicans regardless of their ethnic origin can live with dignity, respect, and equal rights. As an elected official, and policy maker I am deeply moved by Sonia Pierre’s advocacy work, and she reminds us of the change that is possible when we build coalitions to protect our communities. To read more about Sonia Pierre you can click here.