As the Haitian presence expands throughout the globe, Haitian-Americans, Haitian-Canadians, Haitian-Dominicans, Haitian-Chileans and other hyphenated diasporas engage with their own sense of identity. Photo by Leonardo March.

BROOKLYN — When news broke about Karine Jean-Pierre, the recently-named White House press secretary, questions about her identify as a Haitian-American took aback some people who thought her ethnicity fairly obvious. In one TikTok video, several commenters said they are doubtful because she was born in Martinique.

Jean-Pierre was born in Martinique of Haitian parents and raised in France before her family moved to New York.

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Leonardo March is Brooklyn-based visual journalist from Puerto Rico and a Report for America corps member

Leonardo can be reached at Leonardo@haitiantimes.com