Meet Lochard Calixte

Lochard Calixte grew up on a small farm in Haiti. A gifted student, he graduated from the State University of Haiti with a law degree and, a year later, moved to Mexico City, where he earned advanced degrees in administration and educational development and in international law. As a professor at Mexico’s Universidad Lucerna, he taught international law and French for six years.

In 2011 Lochard moved permanently to the US with the aid of relatives who lived in Lancaster City. He quickly came to love this welcoming city. At Millersville University, he earned a bachelor’s degree with a double major in government and political affairs and international studies. He became a US citizen in 2015.

In 2021, Lochard decided to run for Lancaster City Council – and won. For him, serving on the Council has been a way to give back to a community that offered him a wonderful opportunity to start a new life. “Over the past three years,” he says, “all my work has been guided by the values and ideals of the Democratic Party: equity, inclusion, justice, and economic opportunity.”

[Read Lochard Calixte’s Lancaster Online essay in response to Donald Trump’s and J. D. Vance’s baseless attacks on Haitians living in Springfield, Ohio.]

During his time in office, Lochard supported policies to expand access to affordable housing, tackle homelessness, and improve public safety. He has worked closely with the Department of Neighborhood Engagement to expand language access and keep Lancaster a welcoming city. He has also advocated for immigrant and refugee rights, as a City Councilor and as a volunteer for Church World Services. Through his work on the Council Personnel Committee, he has enabled city residents to gain greater access to city government and become a more meaningful part of the decision-making process.

In his second term, Lochard’s first priority will be fair distribution of resources, so Lancaster City can more effectively tackle affordable housing, homelessness, public safety, and economic disparity. “I’m a committed public servant who believes in the power of community to create change,” he says. “I’m proud of the work I’ve done on Lancaster City Council. I’m asking for your so I can continue to help secure the future of Lancaster City.”