Garcelle Beauvais is another star who has denounced the false claims made by Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, about the Haitian American community. 

During last week’s presidential debate, the Republican candidate said that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were involved in abducting and consuming pets. "In Springfield, they're eating the dogs, the people that came in," he said. "They're eating the cats. They're eating the pets of the people that live there. This is what's happening in our country, and it's a shame."

In response, on Sunday night (Sept. 15), the “Black Girl Missing” star took to Instagram with a detailed video condemning this statement. “Staying silent in the face of racism and hate is something that I refuse to do,” she said. “This past week, the lies that have been spewed about the Haitian community, about my community, have been disgusting, deeply hurtful and dangerous.”

She continued, “This is not about politics. It’s about humanity. We must condemn this kind of hatred, this kind of racism for anyone. I have always been a proud Haitian immigrant. Coming to America, working hard, that’s what we do, coming from gratitude. And I will not sit by and let people talk about my community in any way they want for their own gain.”

Beauvais added, “The power we have is the power to vote. To register and vote and stop this madness, this chaos. I am not gonna sit by,” Beauvais said. “It’s just not OK to treat people like this. We’re supposed to be uplifting each other. From our leaders to our neighbors, this has got to stop, and we have to do something about it. We can’t just sit by. Thanks for listening, register to vote. We have 50-something days. Go out and vote. We need to stop this chaos.” The actor also delivered part of her video in Haitian Creole. 

Beauvais, who made her film debut in the 1988 hit movie Coming to America alongside Eddie Murphy, moved to the United States from Saint-Marc, Haiti, with her family when she was 7 years old. She published her memoir, “Love Me As I Am: My Journey from Haiti to Hollywood to Happiness,” in 2022.