The Miami Heat made waves across the NBA community after publicly standing in support of the Haitian community, following controversial comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump. In a powerful statement, the team not only defended their Haitian staff and fans but also condemned the harmful rhetoric aimed at immigrants.
The Heat’s message has since garnered massive attention, with fans and supporters flooding social media with messages of gratitude.
“The Miami Heat staff, like Miami itself, is a diverse and brilliant mix of vibrant cultures, including many members of our Haitian community,” read the Heat’s statement posted on Monday.
“The false narrative surrounding them is hurtful and offensive and has sadly made innocent people targets of hateful speech and physical threats. Our Haitian employees, fans, and friends deserve better. Ansanm nou kanpe fo [We stand together].”
Fans thank the team
Fans were quick to praise the team for speaking out. Comments like, “Y’all are so real for this,” and, “Thank you for standing up to hate!” poured in. One fan even urged other Miami sports franchises to follow the Heat’s example, saying, “Waiting for @MiamiDolphins, @FlaPanthers, @MiamiHurricanes to join this statement and denounce Trump/Vance blood libel.”
This groundswell of support comes after Trump, in a heated debate with Kamala Harris, made incendiary remarks about the Haitian community. Trump falsely claimed that immigrants were responsible for missing and mutilated pets in Springfield, Ohio, accusing Haitians of eating cats, dogs, and geese in the area.
These baseless statements ignited outrage across the nation, and the Heat wasted no time in stepping forward to refute such divisive rhetoric.
12 million views
The Miami Heat’s statement has resonated far and wide, amassing nearly 12 million views, 174,000 likes, and 27,000 shares in just one day. Fans are praising the team for using their platform to stand against hate, with one user writing, “The more powerful voices speak out against injustice, the better the world becomes.”
As political tensions rise ahead of the next U.S. presidential election, NBA teams and players are making their voices heard. The Heat’s stance has only solidified their place as champions of justice, while other prominent figures in the NBA, like Steve Kerr, have openly supported Kamala Harris in the race for the presidency.
The Heat’s message is clear: hate has no place in their community. And as their fans continue to show, they stand united-“Ansanm nou kanpe fo.”
