In September 2024, John Legend and Garcelle Beauvais both addressed a growing controversy involving former President Donald Trump’s claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. Trump, along with Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, spread a false narrative that Haitian immigrants in the city were eating pets, specifically cats and dogs. These baseless claims created a wave of xenophobia and misinformation that caused concern among Springfield’s residents, including its Haitian immigrant community.
John Legend, a Springfield native, posted a video defending the Haitian immigrants and calling for compassion. He emphasized that these immigrants, like many others before them, came to the U.S. seeking better opportunities, particularly in manufacturing jobs that had opened up in the area. Legend urged his followers to show grace and reject the hateful, racist lies being spread. He spoke about the need to treat these immigrants as fellow humans striving for the American dream, just like other immigrant groups in the past.
Garcelle Beauvais, who was born in Haiti, also showed support for the Haitian community. Both celebrities used their platforms to combat the harmful rhetoric and promote unity and understanding(EW.com)(Peoplemag).
