Brooklyn —
Gertha Brice shielded herself from the rain beneath a narrow awning in East Flatbush. Sunday services had just ended at Zelateurs Union Baptist Church, and Brice, in a cheerful pink suit, chatted with fellow Haitian-American parishioners about the less cheerful economy.
Next door, an empty Western Union money transfer office stood as a testament to their complaints that a bad economy in New York makes for a dire situation in Haiti.
“Now the money’s gone,” Brice said, prompting nods of agreement. “But of course,” she said, “we send home what we can.”
RECESSION BLUES: For many Haitian immigrants, like Steinway & Sons piano factory worker Jean Lazarre, the recession has meant less money to wire home.
