North Miami Mayor extends Condolences to an Icon in the Haitian community

North Miami, FL – Local residents in the City of North Miami and throughout the Haitian

American community mourn the recent loss of a great icon and community activist, Jean-Claude Exulien, 85. Well known as Mét Zin, Exulien was an advocate for immigration rights of Haitians seeking asylum in the United States. He also fought to address the needs of the migrant population and used his position as the social services director of the Haitian American Community Association of Dade County to facilitate

assistance.

“North Miami is saddened by the passing of Mét Zin,” North Miami Mayor Alix Desulme, Ed.D. shared. “He helped so many people from Haiti secure a better life in the United States. We are forever grateful for his service and his tireless efforts to advance the Haitian American community in South Florida.”

Exulien came to Miami in 1977, fleeing the dictatorship and persecution of Haiti’s Duvalier regium. He soon became emersed in advocacy, founded local non-profits like Konbit Libéte, taught Haitian history, and instilled self-pride in the Haitian people. Even though he had bachelor’s degrees in anthropology and economics, he was quite fond of the theater and appeared in such plays as Sosyete Koukouy Miyami’s Bwa Kayiman in which he played the role of freedom fighter Boukman.

A longtime resident of Little Haiti in Miami, Exulien is survived by his beloved wife, children, grandchildren, neighbors, and a host of friends and community supporters.