June 1, 2026
Contact: info@haitianbridge.org,  Paige Censale, pcensale@haitianbridge.org

SAN DIEGO, CA — Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) has sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging consideration of the visa application of Woodensky Pierre, a member of Haiti’s National Football Team, ahead of Haiti’s upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifying matches in the United States.

Pierre, a defensive midfielder for Violette Athletic Club in Port-au-Prince, is reportedly the only current member of Haiti’s national team still based in Haiti. According to media reports, he remains awaiting a response regarding his visa application from the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince.

In the letter, HBA emphasized the importance of ensuring that Haitian athletes have the opportunity to represent their country on the international stage and join their teammates for World Cup qualifying competition.

“Woodensky Pierre has earned the opportunity to represent Haiti before the world,” said Guerline Jozef, Executive Director of Haitian Bridge Alliance. “At a time when Haiti faces extraordinary challenges, Haitian athletes serve as powerful symbols of resilience and national pride. We respectfully urge the State Department to give this matter timely consideration so that he may join his teammates and compete for his country.”

Jozef noted that Haiti’s national team brings together Haitians across the globe and serves as a source of hope for many young people facing difficult circumstances.

“For Haitian families both at home and throughout the diaspora, seeing the Haitian flag represented on the international stage is about more than football,” Jozef added. “It is about opportunity, unity, and hope. Haitian Bridge Alliance will continue to advocate for members of the community whenever barriers stand in the way of their ability to pursue their dreams.”

HBA remains committed to advancing the rights, dignity, and opportunities of Haitians in the United States and around the world.

ABOUT HAITIAN BRIDGE ALLIANCE

Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA), also known as “The Bridge”, is a grassroots community organization that advocates for fair and humane immigration policies, foreign policy, and provides migrants and immigrants with humanitarian, legal, and social services, with a particular focus on Black migrants, the Haitian community, women and girls, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and survivors of torture and other human rights abuses. HBA also seeks to elevate the issues unique to Black migrants and builds solidarity and collective movement toward policy change. Anpil men chay pa lou (“Many hands make the load light”). Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook: @haitianbridge