Haitians Change the Face of Glicério, in Central São Paulo

05/05/2015 - 08h34

"Merci, Seigneur! Merci!" cries the pastor, hands raised to the heavens. It's Sunday at 9am and the Assembly of God church in Glicério neighborhood, in central São Paulo, is packed.

Sitting in plastic chairs, around 70 people sing non-stop. Were it not for the language, the rhythm would still make it clear that something here was different. With the exception of two Brazilians, everyone is Haitian.

Less than 50 meters away, 10 black youths wearing chrome belt buckles and pink shirts buttoned up to the collar welcome worshippers to another celebration. This is the Bethlehem Baptist Church.

Next to Liberdade, a traditionally Asian neighborhood, Haitians have also already changed the face of the region. São Paulo is gaining a new neighborhood of immigrants, a "black neighborhood."

"You can write there that in one more year Glicério will only have stores run by Haitians," predicts Pastor Luciano Gomes, 44, who learned French and Creole in order to meet the demand of his congregants.

There are at least three evangelical churches with bilingual services. Clothing stores, hair salons, internet cafés and a Haitian food restaurant have now opened their doors in the area.

Robson Pierre, 42, owns a hair salon, a coffee shop and a restaurant, and rents a space in order to provide free internet access.

Now in Brazil for three years, the former car salesman in Haiti rejects the title "King of Glicério."

"Everyone talks about me, but nobody knows me. I leave home early and work until late at night. So I'm not the king of anything. I just work," he says, while standing behind the counter where you can see instant noodles, cookies, CDs and shampoo, all displayed together.

Translated by JILL LANGLOIS

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