Op-Ed: Our Voices Deserve to Be Heard, and Our Votes Help Make That Possible
Originally published by South Florida Caribbean News Read the original
By Hedder Pierre-Joseph
MIAMI – My parents were exiled from Haiti due to political persecution. Their experience shaped my understanding of freedom long before I became an educator, a civil rights advocate, or a community organizer. In our family, the ability to speak freely and to participate in public life was something to be valued and protected.
That history informs my belief that every eligible voter deserves the information, access, and opportunity to participate in our democracy.
After more than two decades of working in classrooms and communities, I have learned that people care deeply about the decisions that affect their lives. Parents want their children to attend strong schools. Working families want to afford housing and groceries. Older adults want security and access to care. Young people want a future where their work and aspirations have room to grow.
Yet too often, people feel that the institutions making those decisions are disconnected from their everyday concerns.
Voting is one way we can help close that distance.
As an educator, I see how public decisions reach into the classroom, shaping the resources available to students, the support families receive, and the conditions under which teachers work. As a community organizer, I hear questions about housing, employment, public safety, and whether elected leaders are listening.
Those concerns warrant more than acknowledgment during an election season. They warrant sustained attention, informed debate, and accountability.
Casting a ballot helps establish accountability. It gives eligible citizens a direct role in choosing the people entrusted with public responsibility.
I understand the frustration of voters who feel overlooked. Some have participated before and seen little change. Others struggle to find clear information or to make time around work and family responsibilities. Some are navigating the voting process for the first time.
We should take those experiences seriously. Telling people that participation matters must be paired withpractical efforts to make the process understandable and accessible.
That means sharing reliable information, directing people to their county Supervisor of Elections for questions about eligibility and voting procedures, and creating space for people to ask questions without embarrassment. It also means helping voters distinguish official guidance from rumors circulating on social media and in group chats.
Community organizations, faith institutions, educators, and neighbors can all contribute to that work. We can encourage respectful discussion, help people findtrustworthy resources, and support each person’s right to make an independent choice.
As president of the Democratic Haitian Caucus of Florida, I believe leadership carries the responsibility to both listen and speak. Our commitment to transparency and inclusivity must be reflected in how we engage withpeople, including those who disagree with us.
A healthy democracy requires space for questions, differences, and honest conversations about whether leaders are fulfilling their promises.
It also requires participation beyond Election Day.
We strengthen public life by attending local meetings, following decisions that affect our neighborhoods, communicating with elected officials, and encouragingthe next generation to understand how government works. Voting is part of that larger responsibility. It is a meaningful step in the ongoing relationship between the public and those who serve it.
My family’s experience taught me to appreciate the freedom to participate. My work has taught me that protecting that freedom requires attention to the barriers people face and respect for their choices.
For every eligible voter, the invitation is simple: learn about the issues and candidates, consult official election resources, and plan to cast an informed ballot.
Our communities hold a wealth of experience, knowledge, and ideas. Public decisions are better when those perspectives are included in the process.
Our voices deserve to be heard. Exercising our right to vote helps ensure they are heard.
Hedder Pierre-Joseph is an educator, civil rights advocate, community organizer, and the state president of the Democratic Haitian Caucus of Florida.
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