Black Caribbean Immigrant Makes History As Next White House Press Secretary

By NAN STAFF WRITER

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, May, 5, 2022: A Black, Caribbean born immigrant has been named as the next White House Press Secretary by President Joe Biden.

The Martinique-born, Haitian roots former deputy press secretary, political campaign organizer, activist, political commentator, author, and lecturer in international and public affairs at Columbia University, Karine Jean Pierre, will be the principal deputy press secretary as of later this month.

She will replace Jen Psaki in the post. Psaki is set to depart the White House on May 13th.

The president announced Jean-Pierre, who has been serving as principal deputy press secretary, will also serve as an assistant to the president.

“I am proud to announce that Karine Jean-Pierre will serve as the next White House Press Secretary,” the president said Thursday. “Karine not only brings the experience, talent and integrity needed for this difficult job, but she will continue to lead the way in communicating about the work of the Biden-Harris Administration on behalf of the American people.”

Biden added: “Jill and I have known and respected Karine a long time and she will be a strong voice speaking for me and this Administration.”

The president went on to praise Psaki for having “set the standard for returning decency, respect and decorum to the White House Briefing Room.”

The proud gay immigrant who previously served as the chief public affairs officer for MoveOn.org also served as the chief of staff to then Democratic vice-presidential candidate and now vice-president, Senator Kamala Harris, whose roots also extend to the Caribbean through her Jamaican father.

Jean Pierre was raised in Queens, New York by Haitian immigrant parents and received her MPA from the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University in 2003.

She later joined the Columbia University faculty in 2014, where she is a lecturer in international and public affairs. Jean-Pierre lives in the Washington, D.C. area with her partner, CNN correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, and their daughter.