Philippe Derose (born November 22, 1952) is the first Haitian-American elected into public office in the United States of America In 1993, he was elected as a Councilman of the Village of El Portal, in Miami-Dade County, Florida. In 2000, Derose became the first Haitian-American to be elected mayor in the United States when he was elected Mayor of the Village of El Portal. He served as a Councilman for the City of North Miami Beach between 2003 - 2013 and serves as the President of his own non-profit organization, the Haitian-American Alliance Youth Foundation. Early life and education Philippe Derose was born in the commune of Liancourt, Haiti on November 22, 1952. He grew up in the town of St. Marc. His father worked in construction, helping to build roads and also worked for the Haitian government in different capacities as a foreman. His mother was a businesswoman who sold cooked food (rice, beans, etc.) that she prepared in the countryside before traveling to big cities like the nation's capital, Port-au-Prince, to sell the food. Derose is the third child of nine children, with other siblings living in Florida, Haiti, and New York. Desiring to come to America in search of a better life, he moved with his wife, Marie, from Haiti to Brooklyn, New York in 1974. He completed his high school equivalency in 1976 and in 1977-1979 Derose attended York College. He obtained his bachelor's degree in Psychology at California Coast University. Personal life Philippe Derose is married to Marie Derose, and he is the father of three children, all who hold careers in community and/or public service., Sendy Derose is a Registered Nurse in Miami, Florida, James Derose works for the United Nations in Haiti, and Frantzy Derose, a state certified Paramedic, Frantzy also heads his father's non-profit organization serving as the Executive Director for the Haitian-American Alliance Youth Foundation Inc. Philippe Derose has five grandchildren. Political career in El Portal In 1990, while he was living in the Village of El Portal, Derose noticed at the time that there was a small Haitian community in the area. When he began to attend Homeowner's Association (HOA) Meetings in his residential community, he developed his passion as an advocate for the community and after garnering support from his peers, he became a voice for the community. In 1990, Philippe Derose ran his first political race, attempting to