Dufirstson Neree '96 did not plan on a future in politics while he was at Brown. But today, he's breaking new ground as the first Haitian immigrant ever to run for Congress.
In the 10 years since he graduated, Neree has started two non-profit organizations, founded a credit union that serves his Haitian-American community in Miami and earned two graduate degrees along the way. His commitment to solving economic inequality has often focused on Little Haiti, the Miami neighborhood in which he grew up. But after fostering economic equality through non-profits and work in the private sector, Neree now seeks to effect change in his hometown from the floor of the House of Representatives.
His race against incumbent and member of the Congressional Black Caucus Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Fla., is turning heads, but Neree said support for his candidacy has been forthcoming from both Little Haiti's citizens and his former Brown classmates.
While Brown may not have directly propelled him towards his congressional campaign, Neree credits his classmates and the "spirit" of Brown for inspiring him to pursue his dreams of changing the world for the better.
From Haiti to... Little HaitiNeree was born in Cap-Haitian, Haiti and immigrated to Florida at age five. Though his memories of Haiti are scarce, he does recall peaceful images of a good life - sitting on his grandmother's lap, walking along the beach and going to kindergarten wearing his bright yellow uniform shirt.
But in Miami, daily life was more complicated. In the 1980s, the diverse community of the city was extremely segregated among Haitians, African-Americans, Cuban-Americans and Caucasians. Neree witnessed his first public riot as an elementary school student.
"It was an intense environment," he said.
To earn money for his private high school tuition, Neree began working at Ben Photo Express 54, located in the center of Little Haiti, Miami's Haitian community. Young Neree would help Caribbean immigrants and farm-workers fill out paperwork, only to eventually realize that they could not even sign the application. Neree said he then realized why he, a 13-year-old boy, was filling out the forms for them.
Lessons and learningAn honors student and football star at Curley Notre Dame High School in Little Haiti, Neree was recruited for Brown's football team by Coach Bob Barton. As an economics concentrator at Brown, Neree said he thrived on the University's spirit of independent learning and his classmates' eagerness to effect change.
"Everyone wanted to do something for a better future, and there was the constant pull of positive energy," Neree said.
Neree said Brown's "spirit of changing the world" encouraged his own dream to alleviate poverty in the world after graduating from Brown. The dream was feasible in his mind, Neree added, because he felt every Brown student shared that kind of vision or hope for the future. "It was truly empowering," Neree said.
A bright ideaIn his senior year, Neree began applying for service awards and fellowships that would allow him to work in public policy. In January 1995, he spotted a flyer for the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. Seven months later, Neree was awarded the fellowship, which would finance his future graduate study in public policy and international affairs.
Only a few months later, Neree spotted an article in Brown Alumni Magazine about Mark Winston Griffith, a Brown alum who had founded the Central Brooklyn Federal Credit Union. Neree thought to create a credit union back in Little Haiti, where limited banking and economic disenfranchisement were hurting the community. Neree arranged a meeting with Griffith, who advised Neree to begin the project right away.
Neree turned to his favorite instructor, professor emeritus of engineering Barrett Hazeltine, for advice. Together, the two worked to create a business plan for Neree's credit union.
"(Neree) was a very quick-thinking and dedicated person," Hazeltine said.
He added that his former student's political ambitions are not surprising. "He always had a great sense of responsibility, and he was genuinely concerned about people."
Before graduating, Neree received the Samuel Huntington Public Service Award and chose to defer his enrollment at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government to spend a year working in public policy.
After walking out of the Van Wickle Gates, Neree founded The Credit is Due Project, Inc., a non-profit organization that actively supported increased financial services, small businesses, youth leadership and home ownership in inner-city communities. Neree began gaining momentum behind his credit union idea.
Double degrees and public projectsWith one non-profit under his belt, Neree began pursuing a Master's in Public Policy at the Kennedy School. Five years later, Neree had earned not only an M.P.P. but also a Master's in Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
During his first year at Harvard, Neree formed the Little Haiti Community Alliance - a coalition of various community-based organizations to encourage conversation within the Little Haiti community and fight against economic discrimination by federally insured banks.
In his third year at Harvard, with the combined efforts of his two non-profits -The Credit is Due Project, Inc. and the Little Haiti Community Alliance - Neree finally fulfilled his dream, establishing the Little Haiti-Edison Federal Credit Union.
But he didn't stop there. In 2001, Neree established Freedom Trust Company, LLC, an investment firm that promotes diversity in telecommunications and seeks to increase minority control and ownership of radio stations in media markets.
After graduating from Harvard, Neree started work with the Inter-American Development Bank, where he helped finance Latin American infrastructure.
Time for a ChangeWith three Ivy League degrees and the success of three non-profit organizations behind him, Neree said he could look back and see that he had certainly accomplished a lot. But while he knew that his efforts were helping his community, Neree said he still believed he could do more.
The 2004 bicentennial celebration of Haitian independence sparked Neree's interest in Haiti. As Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned after the February coup d'état, Neree understood how Americans might view Haiti simply as a third world country marked by suffering and insecurity. He said his first response was to question whether there was "anything that I could do."
Neree said he believed serving in the U.S. government - specifically as the representative for his home district, which at 30 percent has the highest concentration of Haitian-Americans in the country - would be the most effective way to create change.
The district's current rep-resentative, Kendrick Meek, is the son of Carrie Meek, the first black woman to represent Florida in Congress, who fought for refugee and minority rights in Miami. But Neree said his own research suggested that Little Haiti voters perceived Kendrick Meek as out-of-step with the community. Moreover, Neree said he disliked the fact that Meek was never really elected, but rather "inherited the position from his mother." Meek had never been challenged, Neree said, and consequently never had to articulate his own platform or visions for change. Neree said he decided it was, in fact, time for a change in Little Haiti.
In May of 2005, Neree declared his candidacy to represent the 17th Congressional District in the House of Representatives.
In the raceNine months into the race, Neree said he is beginning to feel the pressure of the campaign. As the first Haitian immigrant ever to run for Congress, Neree said he feels he has to run his campaign the "right way."
"People are all watching closely because I'm the first of my kind trying to accomplish this objective," he said. "People all of a sudden associate me with being a champion for a group of people who haven't yet necessarily accepted me as a leader."
Neree also acknowledges, however, that the publicity he has garnered as the first Haitian congressional candidate is beneficial.
"I can stay focused because I can see that this isn't just for myself," Neree said. "If I succeed, I can help to elevate the status of a whole class of people."
So far, Neree said his campaign is going well. He began campaigning early and efficiently and said he tried to illustrate differences between himself and Meek. Through radio interviews and interaction with the people of the community, Neree said he is building a stronger connection with his voter base.
"Volunteers are showing up now saying, 'Hey, I heard you on the radio, and I was moved. I don't have a lot of experience, but I want to help,'" Neree said of his growing campaign team, featured on his campaign Web site GoNeree.com.
Brown alums are also offering their support. Neree's former classmate and close friend Tanya Jones '96 read about Neree's campaign in an article in the Miami Times.
"After reading the article, I was so proud of Dufirstson for his courage and his character ... and his understanding that the country needs new leadership - young leadership," Jones said.
She told other alums about Neree's candidacy and even e-mailed Neree to offer her help. Jones is now Neree's campaign chair. Other Brown alums are also helping with the campaign, and the local Brown club is arranging for Neree to speak at a meeting of Brown alums. Neree said he also hopes to hear from current students interested in joining his campaign team for the summer.
As election day, September 5, 2006, draws near, Neree said he is focused on his campaign.
"I want to make my mark on the district," Neree said.
If he does not succeed in this year's elections, Neree plans to continue his work with public service projects. But Neree did not dwell on the possibility of losing the race and said he is set on winning.
"First and foremost, I want to win for the people," Neree said.
