A Brooklyn-based Haitian-American entrepreneur is on a mission to lead her fellow country folk living abroad to invest in the city of Cap-Haitien, commonly known as Okap — Haiti’s bustling northern city. Maritza Boudoir spearheaded “Thriving Okap,” — an initiative that encourages the economic revitalization of her home city from other Haitians interested in investing in the Caribbean nation. She says the city is open for business and if Haitians wanted to seek out a location in Haiti outside of Port-au-Prince.“There are lots of opportunities for Haitians in the Diaspora to get involved. Okap has a rich history and a growing tourism industry which could be very lucrative for the local economy and entrepreneurship,” said Boudoir. “There are risks but the opportunities are also there, with hard work, faith, dedication, and tough skin — we can thrive as a community.”Thriving Okap aims to present the issues and possibilities the city have, connect prospective investors with major players in the city, and analyze the various industries and find ways those problems can be resolved with business creation. And the prospects the country overall can offer is abundant.“The land in Haiti is very fertile so there are opportunities to expand in several areas such as agriculture, environment, and manufacturing,” she said.To jumpstart on bringing the initiative’s efforts forward, she connected with fellow Haitian-American and founder of the Haitian cultural site L’Union Suite, Wanda Tima. She says the pair share similar aspirations on Haiti’s improvement, and Tima’s influence within the Haitian Diaspora could raise awareness about the project.“We are both from Okap and I always admired her work in promoting our culture and her drive as a social entrepreneur, so when I had the intention of launching “Thriving Okap,” I knew she would be an effective media partner,” said Boudoir. “Her company does a fantastic job at bridging the gap between the locals and the Diaspora.”Other than Okap being Boudoir’s place of birth, she chose the city as the location for this initiative because of it being the country’s urban hub in the north, its fascinating past, and her established connection to it.“Okap is the second largest city and it’s rich in history, and as we are talking about Haiti being the first black independent nation — most of that history stems from the north,” she said. “‘Why Okap? Why not Okap?’ I had to start somewhere so I went with what I love and know best. If there’s any social, cultural and economic revolution to take place in Haiti, Okap is definitely the nucleus.”She says very often Haitians living abroad show little interest in going back to create economic development because they may view the country’s problems as challenges, but Boudoir wants to shift those attitudes and show that there are favorable options.“I am an entrepreneur at heart and a woman who is deeply connected and committed to her country, and instead of focusing on the problems, I decided to focus on the possibilities which is why I launched Thriving Okap,” she said.One of Okap’s biggest economies is self-employment through the strong presence of vendors, according to Boudoir. And the existence of such an industry shows the desire the city’s locals have finding work for themselves. She said that other emerging industries such as technology is growing rapidly and helps ease the way business owners connect.With Thriving Okap, Haitians interested in starting a business in Haiti should make visits to the city to assess what is there, and the team will make contact with established businesses they are in collaboration with, to determine the avenue one can delve into.Boudoir added that Okap was like any city across the globe and with an uptick in investment and job creation, the city will grab more interest that will benefit its growth.“Part of the reason the economy of any country works is when people have the opportunity to buy, and part of that is creating jobs, and in order to create jobs, we need thriving businesses. With “Thriving OKAP,” the focus is on local entrepreneurship,” she said. “When we create jobs, we decrease poverty and elevate the standard of living. But if we can educate people, we can change their mindset, and let them know that they are valued because feeling valued is at the core of every human being.”By: ALEXANDRA SIMON | Caribbean Life | August 21, 2018
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Like roughly a quarter of Haiti’s children, 11-year-old Franchina has spent much of her short life without parents.Her mother dead, her father in prison, Franchina was placed in a state-run orphanage as a toddler, remaining illiterate year after year and seemingly destined for a hard life in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation.But this year, Franchina’s fortunes took a hopeful turn.She has benefited from the newfound resolution of Haiti’s government to improve the deplorable status of the country’s children, and more specifically from a partnership between the state child welfare agency and several international child-service organizations.In a country and region with no tradition of formal foster-care systems, they are recruiting and training Haitians who buy into the idea that being a foster parent is a noble mission.“There’s a certain satisfaction to it,” said Jeannes Pierre, 61, a Baptist pastor in Port-au-Prince who is now Franchina’s foster father. “It’s doing something extraordinary.”In her orphanage, Franchina shared a bunkroom with many other children. Now she has a bedroom to herself, small and simple but enlivened by a colorful stack of books. To her delight, her foster parents taught her how to read within weeks of her arrival.“It’s like removing the darkness from the eyes of a child,” Pierre said.The Pierres do not know how long Franchina will be with them. “We want to keep her as long as possible,” Pierre said. And Franchina, it seems, would agree.Asked what she likes best about her new life, at first she was too shy to respond.Then she confided: “I like everything.”
Many of Haiti’s youths live on the streets; hundreds of thousands are domestic workers in other families’ homes. Franchina was among the 30,000 or so consigned to orphanage-like institutions ranging in quality from adequate to abominable.By itself, foster care won’t come close to resolving the plight of Haiti’s children. Long-term solutions are needed that for now are beyond the government’s financial reach — notably, better educational opportunities and social supports so poor families don’t feel compelled to place their children in orphanages or domestic servitude in the first place.But the new program is cited by Haitian and foreign experts as evidence of the government’s determination to modernize and strengthen an array of child-oriented policies and practices — and lessen reliance on foreign-based charities and mission groups.“There’s no magic bullet, no one solution,” said Marc Vincent, who heads UNICEF’s operations in Haiti. “But it’s important to recognize the steps the government is taking — it is passionate about making things better.”Some of the changes derive from the island’s devastating 2010 earthquake, which fueled a surge of international adoptions, primarily to the United States. Some Haitian children were airlifted to the U.S. even though they were not approved for adoption; an Idaho church group leader was convicted of arranging illegal travel after trying to take other children out of Haiti without government approval.Such incidents prompted Haitian authorities to sign an international convention setting ethical standards for international adoptions. Regulations were tightened and the number of international adoptions from Haiti fell sharply, from more than 1,300 a year to around 300 or 400.The child welfare agency — known by its French initials, IBESR — also is trying to beef up oversight of Haiti’s roughly 750 orphanages. Most are privately run and financed, operating with little or no government regulation to rein in abuse and neglect.Thus far, just a few of the orphanages have been shut down, but IBESR officials say about 400 are targeted for closure unless they meet a deadline for swift improvements. Large-scale closures will increase pressure on the government to reunify affected children with their biological parents, and to find foster homes when reunification proves impossible.“We can’t go on placing kids in institutions,” said Vanel Benjamin, IBESR’s foster-care coordinator. “The answer is family.”UNICEF estimates that 80 to 90 percent of the children in orphanages have one or two living parents. Lumos, the nonprofit founded by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, is among several groups seeking to reunite some of those children with their biological families, but the work is slow and the orphanage operators — often recipients of donations from well-meaning foreigners — are not always cooperative.
“They don’t want to change,” said Eugene Guillaume, the Haiti program manager for Lumos. “Orphanages are their business.”Even at competently run orphanages accredited by IBESR, heartbreak is the norm, as Dallye Telemaque Bernard, director of the Nest of Hope home in Port-au-Prince, makes all too clear.She oversees the care of about 50 children, ranging in ages from 5 months to 13 years. Some are brought in by government social workers, or by police who find them in the streets. But most are dropped off by their impoverished parents.“Some children come here very sick, from families in very bad economic situations,” said Bernard. “Ideally, there should be a program to help the children stay with their own families, but there isn’t.”Sections of her orphanage are cheerful, including a courtyard where children take art classes around brightly colored plastic tables. But the upstairs bedrooms, with sets of four or five bunk beds lining the walls, are spartan — including one bedroom set aside for infants.Bernard said the babies generally arrive from Port-au-Prince’s largest shantytown, Cite Soleil, dropped off by heartbroken mothers.“It’s difficult for them,” she said. “But they don’t have a choice.”Over the years, the goal for most children at the orphanage has been to arrange their adoption by families in Europe or North America. On a bulletin board in the entryway, there are photos of children posing with their adoptive families in France, Canada and elsewhere.With Haiti now cutting back on such adoptions, Bernard wishes there were ways to reunify more children with their biological families — and she’s also intrigued by the new foster-care program.One recent visitor was a 23-year-old woman from Cite Soleil who had placed her son in the orphanage six years ago, when he was 2. He was adopted by a family in France last year, and the mother, Kenia Tunis, came by to see some photographs of her son sent to Haiti by his new family.Tunis began to cry as she told her story, glancing at the photographs. Someday, she said, she hoped she might see her son again in person.
Would she have preferred him to be adopted by a Haitian family? She chose not to reply.The foster-care program began three years ago in Port-au-Prince and the southern city of Les Cayes. This month, at a modest resort hotel, about 100 government officials and social-service providers gathered to extend the program into the northern region around the city of Cap Haitien.“Today is a day of victory,” declared Antonio Jean Louis of Children of the Promise, a Christian-oriented mission. “There’s now an option besides international adoption.”Among the attendees was IBESR’s Vanel Benjamin, who said the program will keep expanding to other regions of Haiti, with a goal of having 200 foster families accredited by the end of this year.International adoption “should be the last resort,” he said. “Foster care is a better alternative.”In the United States, there’s a constant struggle to recruit foster parents even though they’re generally paid many hundreds of dollars a month. In Haiti, the plan is to build a foster care system exclusively with parents willing to take on the task at their own expense.One of the groups recruiting and training foster parents is Bethany Christian Services, which for decades has been a leading adoption agency in the United States. Recently, it has helped countries such as Ethiopia and Haiti develop their own foster-care systems.Bethany’s recruiting in Haiti focuses on a network of Protestant churches where pastors extol foster-parenting as a Christian act of love.“People in the churches have responded positively even if they don’t have a lot of financial resources,” said Vijonet Demero, head of Bethany’s Haiti operations. “For them, it’s a calling, not a job.”Jeannes Pierre and his wife Nelia have an adult daughter who recently became a physician. Over the years, they have provided a temporary home to other children on an informal basis. Never had they received the type of formal training that was required to become foster parents.As the foster-care program took shape, some advocates for children expressed concerns related to Haiti’s huge population of child domestic workers. UNICEF estimates that roughly 400,000 children — called “restaveks” by many Haitians — live away from their parents in households where they’re expected to perform work on a regular basis in return for lodging and food.Some of these children are treated well and included in the family life of the home; others suffer various forms of abuse, prompting some advocacy groups to depict such arrangements as “child slavery.”
Aspiring foster parents are screened to ensure they’re psychologically and economically capable of caring for foster children without exploiting them. Demero said the foster families recruited by Bethany are visited at least every three months — and in some cases every week — by social workers from Bethany or IBESR.Terre des Hommes, a Swiss-based nonprofit also working on the foster-care program, said the lack of payment to the foster parents complicates recruitment efforts but serves as a deterrent to families who otherwise might sign up for financial gain.Even in the absence of regular payments, foster families can be provided with emergency funds to meet medical needs or cover the costs of school uniforms and supplies.Among the earliest batch of new foster parents were Ezekial Isme, 32, and his wife, Guerna, who heard about the program at their Port-au-Prince church, where Vijonet Demero is pastor.“Our hearts were opened,” said Ezekial Isme, who teaches at a church-run school.Two and a half years ago, when the Ismes took in a girl from a troubled orphanage being closed by the government, they had no children of their own. They now have two sons, 1 and 2 years old, along with Michelene, who’s now 10.According to Isme, Michelene was 3 when her parents gave her to the orphanage. She was the youngest of her family’s nine children.When Michelene arrived in her new foster home, she was very withdrawn and had a bothersome skin disease. With attentive care, she’s healthy now, and doing well at school, although still not up to the normal grade level for her age.The Ismes would be willing to adopt Michelene, but don’t know if or when the government would allow that sometimes difficult process to begin.“She’s our girl — she feels at home with us,” Isme said. “Our hearts have already adopted her.”By: DAVID CRARY, Associated Press | July 26, 2018
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) — Former Haitian coup leader, Lieutenant General Henri Namphy is dead.Namphy died on Tuesday in the neighbouring Dominican Republic following a battle with lung cancer.Namphy, who lived in exile in the Dominican Republic, headed Haiti's military-dominated government after the fall of the Duvalier family dictatorship.He became head of the interim National Council of Government that took charge of Haiti in 1986 when Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier fled into exile in France.He also served as president before he was ousted in a coup in 1988.His presidency lasted only last three months, and after being ousted he fled to the Dominican Republic.He was 85.By: JamaicanObserver.com | June 27, 2018
Wesley Laîné MAIPS ’14 has spoken at the Clinton Global Initiative, delivered the graduation speech at the Sciences Po Law School in Paris, and appeared on the front page of the New York Times with his classmates when he participated in Harvard’s first commencement for black graduate students. But if you are to ask him what place or moment in his life matters most, he will always return to his native Haiti.
In the fall of 2012, a student turned a class exercise about a love triangle and alligators into a passionate but playful debate on the morals of intervention and neutrality. The student was Wesley Laîné, and it was his very first day at the Institute; the exercise was a part of new student orientation. Despite the weighty direction of the conversation, the debate never got hostile or contentious, but felt meaningful and open.Laîné lived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, until he was 12 years old and his family moved to Oklahoma City. His father, a minister who had put himself through law school in the evenings, had deep ties in the community, and the family decision to leave was not an easy one. “He bet on us,” Laîné says. “Like most parents in Haiti, my parents dreamed their kids would have it better than they did.” He says that his family had “crawled” its way to the middle class by the time they left, but violence was increasing, and going to school was a daily struggle, if there was school at all, because of frequent strikes. In many ways, he says, it was the typical immigrant story once they got to the United States: his dad worked lots of odd jobs to make ends meet and made ambitious plans for the children to get quality educations and make better lives for themselves. “My dad worked so much I used to hide his shoes so he wouldn’t have to go.”
Like most parents in Haiti, my parents dreamed their kids would have it better than they did.
Returning to Haiti after the devastating earthquake in 2010, Laîné worked there for two years before enrolling at the Institute. His foundation, Haiti Philanthropy, became heavily involved with clean water projects in the Southeast Department of Haiti as a response to the outbreak of cholera brought by UN peacekeepers from Nepal. The foundation has expanded to include a rainwater harvesting reservoir and projects to help women and children. Last summer he visited many villages where the foundation serves beneficiaries and spent time “bearing witness to the daily struggles.” He adds: “Anyone who aspires to political work has to be aware of what life is really like. It is so easy to get out of touch with what is happening on the ground.”He credits his love of history, politics, and historical figures such as James Baldwin for inspiring him to go to Paris through Middlebury Schools Abroad while he was a student at the Institute. Like the author, he felt the City of Light offered him the chance to “just be a person, anonymous. There is a degree of liberation in anonymity that I craved during this part of my journey.” In the U.S. most of the time, he says, the daily injustices that American society levies on black citizens does not allow for that. “The U.S. is also my home, and I love it, which is why I have strong feelings about the current state of American society. The sad fact is that many of the things Baldwin talked about are still true today.” He particularly hates when people use him as an example in order to turn a blind eye to the systemic injustice that exists today. “In many ways, I am the exception. I feel very fortunate. America’s promises are not available to everyone. If two or three things had gone differently, I would not be here. Many of my friends are stalked by the justice system.”
The U.S. is also my home, and I love it, which is why I have strong feelings about the current state of American society.
Laine lives in Paris now, where he is a lawyer with a top firm. The distance between his home and Oklahoma City, where his family still lives, can seem great, both literally (4,820 miles) and figuratively, the distance traveled reflected in his achievements. Laîné earned two law degrees; his classmates at Sciences Po elected him to give the commencement address, and he was part of the inaugural black commencement at Harvard.“It was truly an affirmation of everything we and our families had gone through to help us get there.” He feels strongly that the only way forward is to face the past.He says that every action, degree, career choice he takes is to lay the groundwork for a political career in Haiti, where he wants to shepherd transformative change for the impoverished country. All of the character traits that served him well that first day at the Institute—a quick wit, nimble intellect, and warm demeanor—are sure to be an asset to him as a politician promoting progress. “Like all Haitian parents, mine are strict and hard to please,” Laîné says with a chuckle, “but this visit my dad told me that I would probably accomplish what I want to do in Haiti.”
She first travelled to the Cité Soleil neighbourhood where she visited the Educational Centre of the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul, in which Spanish Co-operation is financing several projects and, in particular, one on the sanitation of the complex.
Afterwards, Queen Letizia was received by the President and the First Lady of Haiti to have an official lunch at the Presidential Palace. The First Lady and the Queen then visited the National Museum of the Haitian Pantheon where the Queen of Spain held a meeting with a group of prominent Haitian women, to learn about the situation of women in that country.
At the Liceo Alexandre Petion, Queen Letizia attended a meeting with students and Spanish teachers, who will perform various performances before the Spanish delegation. This was the last event of the trip as the Queen then departed from Port-Au-Prince to travel back to Madrid.
Haiti is considered as Country of Association by the Spanish Co-operation. The Spanish Co-operation in Haiti focuses mostly on water, sanitation, and education. In addition to these, other essential intervention sectors have been established that have a large volume of funds: Economic Growth for the reduction of poverty, Rural Development and Fight against hunger, Environment, Democratic Governance and Culture, and Development. The Spanish Co-operation has concentrated its interventions in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and in the southeast of the country, especially in the city of Jacmel. During her co-operation trip, Queen Letizia had the opportunity to learn about all of the Spanish Co-operation’s work in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.This was Queen Letizia’s third co-operation trip since becoming Queen in June 2014. Before that, Queen Sofía was the one taking part in those cooperation trip.By: Heaven Leemiller for Royalcentral.co.uk | May 24, 2018
WTOC-TV: Savannah, Beaufort, SC, News, Weather & SportsBENNING, GA (WTVM) - Those of us born in the U.S. take our freedom for granted, but what if you are not a native of America? Well, you learn to appreciate what comes your way.Case in point is a U.S. soldier from Haiti.Jean Jeudy was a radio announcer in Haiti, an occupation that rebels in that country saw as a threat.Jeudy was rescued in 1994 through the U.S. military’s Operation Uphold Democracy, and he is grateful.“When I came to the United States, I looked at myself and says if it wasn’t for the U.S. government, I should be a dead person at that time, and I say what shall I do to give back to this country?” said Jeudy. “I look at the U.S. military, and I joined the Army, and that was a noble decision I made when I joined the United States Army.”Jeudy says his role in the 12th Armored Division has allowed him to learn the teamwork and love for one another that comes with serving in the U.S. military.By: Alex Jones, Digital Content Producer for WTOC.com| May 23, 2018Copyright 2018 WTVM. All rights reserved.
The Pro Bowl quarterback visited the country for the second time in as many years this offseason
After his second trip to Haiti in as many years, Carson Wentz is putting his own imprint on the country, and he's doing it by donating up to $500,000 for the construction of a sports complex that will bring ball fields, dormitories, lights and Internet access to hundreds of local residents.The Philadelphia Eagles' third-year quarterback first paid a visit to underprivileged areas of the Caribbean country in the 2017 offseason, when his AO1 Foundation announced a $500,000 commitment to a multipurpose complex. Now, having recently joined teammates Zach Ertz, Nate Sudfeld and Rashard Davis in starting work on the facility back in Haiti, Wentz has announced via Twitter that he'll match every dollar -- up to an additional $500,000 -- pledged to his foundation for the completion of the complex.
Earlier this offseason, some #Eagles players took a trip to Haiti to help build a new sports complex and much more. pic.twitter.com/ZyFOZ8Qe7i
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) April 30, 2018
The sports complex is a product of Wentz's partnership with Mission of Hope Haiti, a nonprofit that "seeks to bring life transformation to every man, woman, and child in Haiti" through everything from orphan care and nutrition programs to leadership training and Christian church advancement.As reported by NBC Sports Philadelphia, it's set to feature "10 soccer fields, two indoor basketball courts, six outdoor basketball courts, (a) 5,000-shaded-seat track and field, dormitories for 200 people, locker rooms and a community park with Wi-Fi, a play space and lighting" -- most of which area residents do not currently have at their disposal.by: Cody Benjamin for CBSSports.com | May 1, 2018
Sabbat x Related in Haiti-Building Connections That Go Beyond Bloodlineshttps://youtu.be/tw1gfEPhMBoVideo via https://youtu.be/tw1gfEPhMBoAmerican fashion designer Luka Sabbat has teamed up with the Los Angeles–based luxury men's undergarment brand Related Garments for a collection to benefit the charitable organization Help Haiti.Luka's father, Clark Sabbat, is a first generation American, born in Haiti, and the father-son duo decided to use this 12-piece collection as an ode to their heritage. The collaboration was inspired by a seven-day trip to Haiti, where they met and interacted with local people. The culture and warm nature of Haiti's residents prompted the collective to seek out Help Haiti as the beneficiary for the project's revenue.The collection contains both men's and women's undergarment pieces, as well as men's socks. On the retail site where the collection is available for purchase, the "Sabbat x Related" line is described as "more than marketing, or the casual exchange of design ideas. For Clark, it means nostalgia and the unbreakable bonds of family. For Luka, it means paying homage. For Mike and David, it means extending the brotherhood of their brand beyond bloodlines."Mike and David, the brother duo behind Related Garments, have looked to create a line of stylish basics for men, and now women as well. The team sought out a charity that would give opportunities to local Haitians, and allow them to find success, and keep that positive momentum going. They eventually decided to partner with Help Haiti, whose mission is to "create, through merit and needs based scholarships, a community of young professionals and leaders who will promote a more just society in Haiti."The collection is available for pre-sale now on Related Garment's website, and 12 percent of the net proceeds will go to Help Haiti.By: Nora-Grayce Orosz for Complex.com | April 23, 2018
Referring to herself as "a proud daughter of Haiti", Nedgine Paul Deroly attributes much of who she is today to her family, faith, and the community that has surrounded her since birth. Born in Haiti and raised in Connecticut, Nedgine played an active leadership role in community service and youth development programs within the Haitian community.She has earned earned a B.A. in History from Yale University and an Ed.M. in International Education Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has also worked with Achievement First and Partners In Health which were particularly transformative in cementing her passion for equal educational opportunity and social justice grounded in community relationships. In 2014, she was named among the top global social innovators by Echoing Green, and she was selected for the Forbes Magazine “30 Under 30” Social Entrepreneurs in 2016.She joins the game changers of the world in the inaugural Obama Foundation Fellowship as the co-founder & CEO of Anseye Pou Ayiti, which is an organization that seeks to dramatically raise education outcomes in underserved and rural areas in Haiti by promoting teacher excellence and student success—all rooted in Haitian culture, customs, and community.The Obama Foundation Fellows exemplify the many ways one can improve our communities. These individuals are leaders working hand-in-hand with their communities to build better futures.This lifetime and life-changing opportunity includes guidance, skill-building and training courses, individual coaching and mentoring, participation in a global cohort of leaders, exposure to opportunities provided by other Foundation programming, and participation in four expense-paid gatherings (more details here).Over 20,000 people applied from 191 countries. Nedgine was selected as one of 20 inaugural Fellows who represent 11 countries around the world.By: Tammy for Haitiville.com| April 17, 2018
(Sources: Obama.org/fellowship and https://naahpusa.org)
Illustrating breathtaking views of and from La Citadelle Laferrière, a beautiful castle on the northern part of Haiti, Jason Derulo (whose real name is Jason Joel Desrouleaux), released the official music video for “Colors,” Coca-Cola’s anthem for the FIFA World Cup this summer. With shots also from Derulo's hometown in Miami, Florida, the video's intent is to bring individuals together from around the world to celebrate their respective flags and nationalities. A guitar-strumming Wyclef Jean, also of Haitian descent, also represents his “colors” in a cameo as well.Derulo said of the song that, “Through my years of travel, I’ve been able to see the beauty in our cultural differences and I wrote Colors to celebrate that diversity and be a part of the amazing energy that sports fans around the world give to their teams.”"There’s beauty in the unity we’ve found.We’re inundated everyday with negative news and it’s hard to remain positive... That’s why it’s more important than ever to unite with people in your community to try and make a difference. As a Haitian-American, I’ve become more and more invested in giving back to where my family is from. To that extent, this song is a bit of a launch of plans that I am excited to reveal soon…”
IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW...
If you aren't very familiar with Jason Derulo, here are some cool facts:
He is a multi-platinum powerhouse who has generated over 9 billion audio streams.
His breakout single “Talk Dirty” [feat. 2 Chainz] has reached 7-times platinum status
Want To Want Me” and “Wiggle” [feat. Snoop Dogg] went quadruple-platinum.
“Trumpets,” “Ridin’ Solo,” and “In My Head” went triple-platinum
"Swalla,” “Marry Me,” and “It Girl” earned double-platinum certifications.
Platinum singles include “The Other Side,” “Get Ugly,” and “Don’t Wanna Go Home.”
Cumulative streams continue to soar, exceeding 9 billion overall and nearly 5 billion YouTube view
At radio, his music has impacted 20 billion-plus listeners with a staggering 3.5 billion spins.
Derulo was also a featured performer for the Monday Night Football theme
His clothing line LVL XIII launched in Bloomingdales last Fall
He has a label in partnership with Warner Bros. Records and a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music.
He is an investor in many enterprises, including Catch L.A. and Rumble Boxing with Sylvester Stallone and Ashton Kutcher.
By: Tammy for Haitiville.com | April 13, 2018(Photos from "Colors" music video)
TEMPE, Ariz. -- In 2010, the most destructive earthquake in Haiti's history struck the Caribbean island, killing over 100,000 people and leaving approximately 1.5 million people homeless.Sixteen miles from the 7.0 magnitude earthquake's epicenter, Spc. Carl Denis and his family, natives of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, were among the people suffering in the aftermath.More than eight years later, he was one of four Soldiers in the entire 7th Infantry Division to receive this year's Green to Gold Scholarship, which will give him an officer commission in the U.S. Army upon college graduation."It was my own determination that helped me out and my initiative as well," said the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter repairer from the 2nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment. "When I finally got the letter, it was pretty much like an impossible feat that came into reality."Denis will enroll at Arizona State University this fall to major in information technology and focus on cyber security, he said."When I commission I plan to enter the cyberwarfare field, which is a pretty new career field in the Army," said Denis.The competition to receive a Green to Gold Scholarship is high and it takes commitment and dedication to earn the scholarship -- both common concepts to Denis.From his humble life in Haiti, at the age of 16, Denis moved to the United States shortly after the natural disaster.As a teenager, Denis struggled to speak English, because he wasn't accustomed to the language."It wasn't a language I spoke regularly in Haiti," said Denis. "I knew some English but I wasn't as proficient as I am now."Despite his initial struggles, Denis took advantage of his bilingual skill, joining the Army through the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest program."I enlisted under the MAVNI language program because I speak Creole," said Denis. "I received my citizenship when I graduated (Basic Combat Training)."Despite living in an earthquake-stricken country, and immigrating to a country with an unfamiliar language, Denis continues to strive forward."It's great to see a young Soldier like Spc. Denis, receive the Green to Gold (Scholarship)," said Sgt. 1st Class Sakpraneth Khim, Denis' flight platoon sergeant. "We always want our Soldiers to do better than us, [and] he is a shining example of that!"As a leader and a future officer, Denis hopes to show what a good leader he can be."It just takes that self-start and knowing where you want to go," said Denis. "You'll never know, you might get there, you might not get there. If you don't get there then try again."By: Sgt. Maricris McLane | U.S. Army | April 9, 2018
MILWAUKEE -- There are always a lot of smiles in and around the baseball fields at spring training, and maybe the biggest for the Milwaukee Brewers is from Brett Phillips.Every day that he's out on this field, Phillips is trying to make a difference while working to make the Brewers roster, but when he's away from baseball, he's making a huge difference for the people of Haiti."For me, it's just a matter of working hard, continuing to get better on a daily basis," said Phillips.The approach Phillips with his profession is the same he takes away from the field."Whether it's small or big, when an opportunity comes about, I just have to take advantage of it. It's just a matter of staying humble and not forgetting where I came from, and regardless of how much money I make in my career or my trophies I have in my trophy case, it's just a matter of staying humble, remembering where I came from and just being a good person overall. Loving people is what I do," said Phillips.In January, Phillips was showing his love for people by visiting another country."It was a mission trip down to Haiti," said Phillips.He joined fellow Major Leaguer Adam Wainwright and the Pittsburgh Pirates' chaplain Brad Henderson for something much bigger than just a foreign trip."We went down to a children's orphanage, and it was an absolute blessing. It puts things in perspective in my life," said Phillips.In spring training and throughout the season in the Major Leagues, Phillips and his teammates live a very special and privileged lifestyle, something far removed and even unknown to the kids he was with in Haiti."That's the glory of it. They don't care who you are as a person or what you do. They just want to hang out. They just want attention and love and affection. You know, that's something I can give them. We played soccer. You know, just be able to talk with them. It's just something they really enjoy. They climb on you. They're kids. They're little kids, so they just love the attention, and they don't get that because they don`t have parents and that's something that we go down there to do," said Phillips.Something else he's able to share with them is his belief in Jesus Christ, the true mission of this trip."Voodoo is actually the number one religion down there, where they believe that evil outweighs good, so they just believe evil's like, that's all there is instead of good, so for me, I hope I changed the process, the thought process. Just that God is good. People are out there trying to help you and there is good in the world, and I hope to be that good just to show them when they grow up that they can be good in the world too," said Phillips.For the guy with the most contagious personality on the baseball field, he's hoping it works as well for the kids at this orphanage in Haiti."I can't give them all the money in the world. I can't get rid of their problems, but for the day, I can hang out with them and make them smile. You know, that goes a long way to them and it goes a long way to myself. I think I gained more out of it than they did, so it was super eye opening, but I'm definitely going to do it again and continue to on a consistent basis," said Phillips.Phillips hopes to recruit other players to help those kids in Haiti next year and for the years beyond.The organization Phillips worked with is the Pittsburgh Kids Foundation.By: BRANDON CRUZ | Fox6 | MARCH 4, 2018,
"Bayo" is what Haitian born artist Michael Brun's new music is all about. In Haitian Creole, the term is associated with generosity and a responsibility the country's contemporary musicians have to give back and represent their culture on a global level.
With his latest music video drop last Friday of the same title as his musical concept, that's exactly what the 25-year-old rising star is on his way to do. He's switching gears from his EDM background and is focusing on tracks he has a greater personal connection to. Through his music, he hopes to combat all the consistent negative misrepresentation of his native country and it's safe to say, Brun is off to an impressive start.
From the colorful dancing to the infectious melodies influenced by Haiti's traditional Rara music, you'll instantly be hooked on the video's visuals and unique sound. Brun also collaborated with Haitian pop star J. Perry along with the king of Haitian hip-hop Baky, and rapper Strong G who came through with strong verses in Haitian Creole.
It's his specialty to bring all kinds of people together, which made him the perfect first non-jazz performer to close out this year's 12th annual Port-au-Prince International Jazz Festival, also known as PAPJAZZ. Right before his set last month, we chatted with Brun about the inspiration that resulted in his one-of-a-kind sound and what we can expect from him next.
Isis Briones: How does it feel to be back in Haiti performing at PAPJAZZ?
Michael Brun: "It's actually my first time taking part in it and I'm so excited. My family and girlfriend are here with me, and I'm super happy to be back home."
IB: Of course, this is where it all started, right? What led you to take inspiration from your background?
MB: "I've been working for about a year and a half, almost two years on my new album. It's an all-encompassing project that shows music and visuals that come from the same place. It's Haitian music as a base, but it's in combination with electronic music, pop, and more — all of that with a Michael Brun twist."
IB: Can you elaborate on what Haitian influences will be incorporated in your upcoming tracks?
MB: "I would say a lot of the sounds that I'm working with now were things that I grew up hearing. Some of that was Rara music, which is parade type tunes based on drums, horns, and a lot of people with high energy. That was a big part of my life as a kid every Sunday and it was awesome. My dad had a band, too, and my mom played the piano. It was a natural progression of everything I was hearing internationally and the local classics I was around, all I ever wanted to do was mix the two together."
IB: Got it, so you always wanted to be a musician?
MB: "Kind of. I always really liked it. First, I was a fan and as a producer, it was a hobby. I never really approached music as a job because I wanted to be a doctor since I was a little kid. I hoped to be a pediatrician. Music was something I enjoyed a lot, but I didn't start making it until I was around 14 or 15.
Then I went to college and had a few songs that started picking up online, which set off this whole Pandora's box of really amazing things that came up. As I was working with more music, I was reaching the same people I wanted to reach through medicine on a larger scale. I felt the core thing about being a doctor that I always gravitated towards was to help people and give back what I received in my life. Music let me do that. I could see all these different opportunities come up where I could use things what I learned from my family and growing up here."
IB: Who would you say have been your biggest musical influences?
MB: I would say, people that influenced this upcoming album is a combination of classic 70's and 80's Haitian artists. What I did was use a bit of what they had in mind of taking local sounds and merging them with influential international genres of their time like rock. For me, electronic and hip-hop are big right now. On one end, it's learning from great artists in the past along with modern stars who are transforming the industry.
I'm also a fan of the development of Latin music. To hear a Spanish song on the radio in the U.S. that's kept as is, I think that's a testament of how the world has evolved. I've been working with Maxwell, so that's a cool collaboration because we've known each other for a while and we've worked on a few projects together before. There's more, too, because I'm in the process of finishing some things up. I can say that I'm teaming up with some Latin and Afrobeat artists, too. The sound is really exciting for me, some of these musicians are are accomplished in their own right, so I think it's interesting for them to come into this new world of Haitian music. It seems like it's kind of getting them out of their comfort zones as well, but in a really good way."
Steve Baboun
Michael Brun on set of his music video "Bayo."
IB: Since you're so comfortable experimenting with different genres, were you intimated at all being a non-jazz musician performing at a jazz festival?
MB: "I've always loved jazz. Those are the chords and progressions that make you aware of music. There are so many different forms and ways to express it though and that's the point of view I'm taking with my set. I believe the music I'm working on is truly a combination of many different genres and that's what I want to do with all my performances."
IB: What's one message you hope people will take away from your work?
MB: "My music is about working hard and putting the best possible sounds out. That's something I heard my whole life from my family. They've been a huge support system for me. Even if I failed, my parents taught me everything happens for a reason and what matters is what I learn from it. You learn from experience and if you do your best, you won't live with regret.
There's so much beauty and potential in Haiti that has been around since the foundation of the country, but it's really coming back in the youth today. I see so many artists and business owners thinking outside of the box to tackle problems that have been present for many years along with making the country a better place. You only get to that by giving it your all."
IB: Now that you found your inspiration, released your newfound sound, what's next?
MB: "I'm planning a U.S. tour that we're going to be doing in the next few months. It's going to be in a few cities I'm excited to go back to. We just did this New York show in the Music Hall of Williamsburg that sold out. The album is going to be called Bayo and all of the tracks are going to be coming out as singles, but they're interconnected, so the shows as well is going to be the same concept.
These shows are going to be exciting because it's going to be a block party feel. I guess a big part of it is the Haitian street sound mixed with something that you would find at something like Diplo's Mad Decent show. It's going to have a unique flavor and I can't wait for people to experience it."
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Oxfam hid information about sexual misconduct from authorities in Haiti, a senior official in the Caribbean nation said on Monday, and he vowed to launch a wide-reaching investigation into charities operating there.Oxfam officials met Haiti's planning and external cooperation minister, Aviol Fleurant, in Port-au-Prince on Monday to hand over a copy of a 2011 internal report which states that the British charity's former Haiti country director had admitted to using prostitutes during a relief mission following a devastating earthquake that hit the Caribbean island nation in early 2010.It was the first meeting between Oxfam, one of the world's biggest disaster relief charities, and the government in Haiti since a recent Times of London report that said some of Oxfam's staff paid for sex, triggering a scandal that has seriously damaged the charity's reputation in the UK and abroad."What hurt me at the end of the meeting is that they admitted that Haitian authorities had, at no time, been informed by Oxfam about the commission of such crimes," Fleurant told Reuters in an interview."According to the law, someone who is aware of the perpetration of a crime is obliged to alert the nearest authorities," the minister said.Prostitution is illegal in Haiti. The minister also said he was looking into reports, denied by Oxfam, that one of the women was under age.Former Judge Claudy Gassant said that under Haitian law it could be considered illegal to not report a crime to relevant authorities.After the meeting, Simon Ticehurst, Oxfam International's director general for Latin America and the Caribbean, said he apologized to Haiti's government and people for what happened, and said the organization was willing to collaborate "as much as we can" in further investigations.WIDE INVESTIGATIONOxfam earlier on Monday released the 2011 internal report documenting accusations against Roland Van Hauwermeiren, who ran the charity's operation in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and resigned in 2011. Hauwermeiren has denied paying for sex with prostitutes or abusing minors."We have taken a lot of measures to improve our internal safeguarding measures. We have given, as best as we can, explanations as to what happened in 2011," Ticehurst said.Fleurant said the government wanted all charities operating in Haiti to reveal more about sexual misconduct by their missions in the country."An investigation has been launched into the functioning of all non-governmental organizations, regarding sexual crimes and abuses," he said, without giving more details.Last week, Haitian President Jovenel Moise said sexual misconduct by staff of Oxfam was only the tip of an "iceberg" and called for investigations into Doctors Without Borders and other aid organizations which came to the country after the earthquake.On Monday, Doctors Without Borders said it was unclear from Moise's remarks what specific cases he was referring to, and said it was seeking to gain a better understanding of the Haitian's government's concerns.By Reuters | February 20, 2018
The wild story of a 12-year-old American Revolutionary drummer boy who went on to rule Haiti.
Once upon a time, even the wild story of a 12-year-old American Revolutionary drummer boy becoming King of Haiti couldn’t interest Americans because he – along with his fellow soldiers – was black.As with America in Vietnam, the British Army dominated militarily during the Revolution—until it lost. And like Vietnam, a local fight for independence from colonial rule became a global war.In 1778, the British surprised American troops in Savannah and captured the city. Georgia was important enough strategically that French forces joined with their American allies to try liberating Savannah. On September 23, 1779, Admiral Charles-Hector Theodat d’Estaing, fresh from failing to dislodge the British from Newport, Rhode Island, demanded Savannah surrender. Four thousand French troops from the West Indies on 37 ships backed up his demand. Foolishly but nobly, he gave the British 24 hours to consider. The British fortified the ramparts and deployed reinforcements.Among D’Estaing’s men were gens de couleur, French for people of color. On March 12, 1779, Laurent Francois Le Noir de Rouvray had organized ten companies of 79 light infantry soldiers apiece, divided into two battalions, consisting mostly of, free Haitians of African descent. Some slaves who would earn their freedom through service joined too.This black marquis, born in the French-controlled island of Saint-Dominigue, fought his way up to becoming a Colonel during the Seven Years War in Canada. He knew that most blacks sided with the British against the American slaveholders.Still, calling his unit the Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Dominigue, the Volunteer Hunters, the Marquis rallied his troops. “I must make whites blush for the scorn they have heaped on me,” he proclaimed, “and for the injustices and tyrannies they have continually exercised over me with impunity. I must prove to them that as a soldier I am capable of at least as much honor and courage and of even more loyalty.”
By fall, dozens of desertions shrank the troops down to about 550 soldiers. They still represent the largest black unit to fight for the patriots. To boost morale, they had two drummers, one, a former slave named Henri Christophe.
Unfortunately, d’Estaing’s dithering, along with his drunk troops’ bad aim, made it impossible to shake the British -- although 3000 more Americans joined as well. The French and Americans squabbled. And conditions aboard the French ships deteriorated. One sailor would recall: “The scurvy rages with such severity that we throw daily into the sea about thirty-five men….The bread which we possessed, having been two years in store, was … decayed and worm-eaten.” The Franco-American invasion failed on October 18, 1779— under a vicious fusillade of British fire.
Although officially only trench-diggers, the Haitian soldiers mobilized to help evacuate the survivors. The Haitians fought so furiously they lost 25 men, a disproportionate share among the 168 French soldiers killed - -with dozens of others wounded, including their little drummer Christophe. With 231 dead Patriots that day -- and only 18 British killed – military historians deem Savannah, the allies’ “bloodiest battle of the war – a Bunker Hill in reverse.”In 1780, in conquering Charleston, the British imprisoned sixty of the Chasseurs. The British intercepted others of them sea – and sold them into slavery as war booty.Nevertheless, for decades, Americans ignored these sacrifices. The ideological blinders required to so dehumanize people you can enslave them – or even tolerate such evil -- prevented whites from acknowledging blacks’ contribution to the American Revolution. Ralph Ellison’s 1952 novel Invisible Man got it half-right. African-Americans have been America’s “invisible men”—and women—often overlooked, consciously ignored, consistently disrespected. But they have also been America’s most visible men and women, standing out, defined, disrespected, due to the color of their skin. Blacks became so central and visible in the South, even non-slaveholding Southerners ultimately went to war to keep blacks unfree in the land of the free.So, historians beware. We shouldn’t overcompensate by overstating. The Haitian troops had a marginal role in a losing battle – but they deserve respect and their role now takes on symbolic – and political -- significance.It took 120 years for what the historian Bernard Bailyn called the Revolution’s spillover effect to start doing its magic. In 1899, the black army chaplain Theophilus G. Steward finally acknowledged these heroics, writing “How the Black St. Domingo Legion Saved the Patriot Army in the Siege of Savannah.” In the era’s hyperbolic style, Stewart claimed these troops “saved the retreating army” in “the most brilliant feat of the day, and one of the bravest ever performed by foreign troops in the American cause.”When freedom rings, it resonates in unexpected ways. Freedom rang when many of these troops returned home, then rebelled against the French in 1791, creating Haiti on part of their island. And freedom rang less clearly when the 12-year-old runaway slave turned corps drummer turned rebel general, Henri Christophe, declared himself president of Haiti in 1807. In liberating Haiti from the colonials, he and his men specialized in slitting the throats of townspeople caught in the crossfire.By 1811, Christophe declared himself Haiti’s king—having previously worked, one portrait details, “as a billiard-maker, mason, sailor, stable-hand and waiter.” Those modest pursuits didn’t make him a modest man. He crowned himself “Henry, by the Grace of God and the Constitutional Law of the State, King of Haiti, Sovereign of Tortuga, Gonave and other adjacent Islands, Destroyer of Tyranny, Regenerator and Benefactor of the Haitian Nation, Creator of her Moral, Political and Martial Institutions, First Crowned Monarch of the New World, Defender of the Faith, Founder of the Royal and Military Order of Saint-Henry.”While Trumpian in his grandiosity, Christophe was Washingtonian in his nationalism. Mobilizing as many as 20,000 workers, he built the formidable Citadel of Laferrier, the lavish palace of Sans Souci, eight other palaces, fifteen chateaux, many forts, and lovely summer homes on his twenty plantations. Pompee Valentine, the Baron de Vastey, Christophe’s secretary, said the Sans Souci palace and its neighboring church, "erected by descendants of Africans, show that we have not lost the architectural taste and genius of our ancestors who covered Ethiopia, Egypt, Carthage, and old Spain with their superb monuments."Despite his heavy hand, as one of the first blacks to reign in the Western Hemisphere, Henri championed Black African dignity. Typically, he helped institute the rule of law – but in the most aggrandizing way – imposing what he called “Code Henri.” In 1820, depressed by his fading power, debilitated by a stroke, he shot himself, supposedly with a silver bullet. Ten days later, rebels bayonetted his son and heir to death.In 2007, the city of Savannah unveiled a statue honoring the Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Dominigue. The sculptor, James Mastin of Miami, depicted five now-bronzed black soldiers and a hatless drummer boy. Henri Christophe’s expression, Mastin explained, is “recognizing the consequences of combat as his friend has just been shot."Haiti’s Culture and Communications Minister Daniel Elie said the monumentputs “together the stories of these two countries.” "This is a great day for Haitian-Americans," Isaac Fils-Aime of Morristown, Pennsylvania, told reporters, more pointedly. “It shows that we are much more than just boat people.”By: GIL TROY | Daily Beast | February 17, 2018
The Canadian singer’s striking new album is themed around the US occupation of her parents’ homeland – but is a lilting, joyful record about omens, civil treachery and sexuality
On a dull January afternoon, Mélissa Laveaux arrives at her record label’s Paris office apologising for her lateness. Disorganisation is, she says, a lifelong affliction.But the 33-year-old is in the middle of so many self-directed projects that it’s hard to take her claims too seriously. It takes a polymath to simultaneously mastermind a play about Haitian spirits, a multimedia project about a 19th-century sculptor and an album about the American occupation of Haiti in the early 20th century.The album is Radyo Siwèl, Laveaux’s third: a lilting, burnished, joyful full-band collection that combines Haitian kompa guitar with calypso and soca, courtesy of Toronto-based Trinidadian guitarist Drew Gonsalves.Laveaux moved to France 10 years ago when Paris-based label No Format offered to release her music. Born to Haitian parents in Ottawa, she describes her childhood as traditional, though with one missing aspect – her parents wanted Laveaux and her sister to assimilate and speak perfect English and French, so refused to teach them Creole. “All the cool Haitian kids spoke Creole. It felt like a sorority we didn’t have access to,” says Laveaux. “It felt like something was missing.”Immersion in Creole culture was one of the prompts to make this album. The other was a childhood love that Laveaux’s parents did foster, of the Haitian singer and activist Martha Jean-Claude. Laveaux first heard her aged six, and started playing her songs after she got her first guitar following her first trip to Haiti, aged 12. “When I moved to Paris, one of the artists that still carried me was Martha Jean-Claude,” she says. An invitation to perform her songs at a benefit for the 2010 Haitian earthquake didn’t pan out, but it did turn into an obsessive research project.But the more she learned about Jean-Claude, the bigger the project got. She hadn’t known that the country was under American occupation between 1915 and 1934. “Nobody had told me!” Laveaux says. “I felt very cheated by my parents.” She decided to make her second trip to Haiti, researching at institutions including the Centre d’Art, still in a state of disrepair following the earthquake. “I was afraid I wouldn’t be claimed by other Haitians, but people kept thinking I was somebody’s daughter, and urging me to speak Creole. I felt claimed,” she says. She took pride in finding that her music had been bootlegged, distributed and stored in the National Archives.Laveaux returned to Paris overwhelmed with books and CDs of traditional songs: voudou spirituals such as Legba Na Konsole, and folk songs, including Kouzen, which Jean-Claude recorded during her exile in Cuba. She decided to parse the “chaos”, as she calls it, by taking inspiration from sci-fi and refashioning her own narrative of the US occupation from the songs she found, referencing omens, civil treachery and voudou’s exuberant, complex depiction of sexuality, which the occupiers had tried to suppress. The album contains one track of her own, Jolibwa, about the population protesting the imprisonment of journalist Joseph Jolibois by dancing outside his cell (Jolibois died in jail in 1936). She was pleased by recent footage from New York that saw a group of Haitians protesting outside Trump Tower by dancing in the streets after news emerged that the President had allegedly called Haiti a “shithole”.Despite its heavy historical themes, Radyo Siwèl is a beautifully light record. Levity is key to sustaining the energy to fight, says Laveaux, who calls France “a super-sexist country” and says she wasn’t at all surprised by the recent backlash against #MeToo by certain French actresses. “This meme keeps going around online, ‘I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams’ – and I’m like, I hope I am! They couldn’t have gone through all that sacrifice without thinking something better’s gonna come.”Laveaux struggles with her place in an industry where she doesn’t see herself represented. “There’s not a lot of visibility for black women with guitars unless you’re playing blues or singing gospel. And if I wasn’t playing guitar, then people are like: ‘Cool, R&B!’ If I don’t make R&B, do I have any longevity in my career?” But she keeps the faith that “if I just make really good work, people will listen to it”.In the absence of contemporary peers, Laveaux is looking to history for inspiration. She recalls as a child seeing an image of Sister Rosetta Tharpe. “Without that, I wouldn’t have thought I could play music.”Last summer, she participated in a Rome residency to pursue a project related to Italian culture. She chose as her subject Edmonia Lewis, a black, queer, Ojibwe sculptor who moved from New York to Rome in 1866 and became a noted artist, despite being fetishised and tokenised by the locals. “That resonated with me so much,” says Laveaux, who interviewed other black artists working in Italy for a film that will accompany an eventual record. “They had similar hurdles to what I read in Edmonia Lewis’ diary. In 150 years, nothing had changed.”She laughs as she says this, more bemused than crushed. On her right arm is a tattoo of Cleopatra in tribute to a Lewis sculpture, surrounded by a Kara Walker image of a young girl setting herself on fire, and Tina Turner astride Ike, inspired by the tarot card for strength. “That card is about taming your demons and having guidance from the spiritual world to overcome a great fear,” says Laveaux.Until the gods stage a divine intervention, she has another idea of how to challenge racism and cultural imperialism. “One of my dreams is to write a song for Eurovision.” she says. “You can influence millions of people’s ways of listening to music.” If anyone can fit it in, she can.An EP featuring the first three tracks of Radyo Siwèl is released today. The album is out on 23 March on No Format. Mélissa Laveaux plays Richmix, London, on 13 April.[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZl7GwhanaY[/embedyt]By: Laura Snapes | Thu 1 Feb 2018
After Gonaïves, Jacmel City Council decided in turn, in a note dated January 29, not to allow the participation of the group "Sweet Micky" at the carnival carnival of Jacmel 2018 which will be held next weekend around the theme "K-naval chanjman : jakmèl tout moun ladan l".In this note bearing the signature of Mayor Marky Kessa and the two deputy mayors Benissoit Jean Pierre and Lourdie Cesar, it is stated that this decision was taken after consultation with the sectors of civil society, including university, religious, women's organizations, teachers, academics, human rights and the Association of Southeast Mayors (AMASE).The note explains that the Carnival must not be "[...] a moment of debauchery, violence, revenge, incitement to debauchery, even less offense to morality [...]"However, the note mentions that the former President Michel Martelly and his family are welcome as festival-goers at the Carnival of Jacmel.By: ICIHAITI | January 30, 2018
“I am a woman first. And then a strong Haitian woman.”
“I’m very comfortable with my femininity and my assertiveness. In Haitian culture, women are the center of the household; providers and caretakers. Just because I can cook at home doesn’t mean I can’t run a multimillion dollar business. Feminism, to me, is the freedom to be a complex, multidimensional individual without living my life in silos."
Guelmana Rochelin
Guelmana Rochelin, Founder & CEO of Mana S.A.
Johaida Jean-Franois
Johaida Jean-Franois, Labor & Delivery RN at Boston Medical Center
From government officials to late night comedy hosts, there has been a lot of conversation around Haiti. But, hearing from those who know it best may offer other narratives on Haiti and on identity. Meet Guelmana Rochelin and Johaida Jean-Franois. One is a Haitian immigrant who returned home to build a company, Mana S.A., in Port-Au-Prince. Another is a first-generation Haitian-American who deftly weaves her values into the work she does as a Labor and Delivery Registered Nurse at Boston Medical Center.A Tale of Two LivesGuelmana tells a story of growing up in an idyllic community in Côteaux, Haiti. “…Tranquil, warm, and family-oriented…My great-grandmother lived with us and the entire extended family all lived a stone’s throw from one another.” Even after her family immigrated to the United States and put down roots in Philadelphia, her passion and love for Haiti never abated. In fact, she was so certain of her future, upon becoming a naturalized citizen, she told her parents, “You guys are taking something from me. I can never be President of any country now.” Luckily, she had other ideas of how to impact Haiti. After attending Villanova University and Harvard Business School, she worked at Goldman Sachs and co-founded a healthcare company with her sister, Affinity Healthcare Solutions. But the lure of Haiti always beckoned. Eventually, on a visit back to Haiti, she realized it was time to return and began to build a venture that would provide economic opportunity to the Haitian community, Mana S.A. The idea came from Guelmana’s realization that the small purchasing power of most Haitians made it hard for many to buy a box of cereal. She also observed some very enterprising merchants buy a box of cereal and then sell individual servings of cereal on the side of the road. And with that, Mana S.A. was born. Guelmana imported machines from around the world, built her own production line, created the cornflakes at the facility, and began to make individual servings of cornflakes. And as we learned on Conan O’Brien, many find the cornflakes pretty tasty. Guelmana’s hope is that by providing employees a living wage – one that enables them to not only feed their family, but also invest in their children's education, she will help lay the foundation of Haiti’s future.Johaida’s story begins in Everett, Massachusetts with deep roots firmly entrenched in Haiti. Her mother worked in the telecommunications industry in Haiti and upon immigrating to the U.S., transitioned into healthcare. As the matriarch of the family, her mother served as a spiritual pillar, as well as a constant source of inspiration. According to Johaida, “I have never seen her struggles, but I have always seen the result of her struggles. And they were always good.” Growing up, Johaida was reminded in ways glaring and subtle that she was different. Sometimes it was the bottle of Malta in her lunch as opposed to her fellow students’ Capri juice pouches. Or the incredulous remark when a person with long hair and light skin was discovered to be of Haitian descent. She channeled her frustration and anger in those experiences towards her education. Johaida graduated from Rivier University, successfully passed the NCLEX-RN, her nursing boards, upon first attempt, and following her mother’s footsteps, entered the healthcare industry. She wanted a community focused on the care of others, not dissimilar to the community her mother experienced in Haiti. Johaida chose to work at Boston Medical Center because as the largest safety net hospital in New England, BMC serves a very diverse population. According to their website, 57% of patients are from under-served populations and 32% of patients do not speak English as a primary language. Despite the numerous languages heard throughout the halls of BMC, as Johaida says, she speaks a universal language: comfort in holding a patient’s hand, care in rubbing a patient’s back, and safety in reassuring eye contact.
Being Haitian, Being a WomanI am always curious to see how women live their multifaceted identities. And it was not surprising to see that Johaida and Guelmana had differing views on how to live their complex identities.For Johaida, she emphatically said, “I am a woman first. And then a strong Haitian woman.” Much of our conversation centered around her work caring for so many new women and newborns. Being surrounded by such diverse women going through a common experience drives her strong gender identity.Guelmana’s answer was more complicated. “I’m very comfortable with my femininity and my assertiveness. In Haitian culture, women are the center of the household; providers and caretakers. Just because I can cook at home doesn’t mean I can’t run a multimillion dollar business. Feminism, to me, is the freedom to be a complex, multidimensional individual without living my life in silos."Both emphasize the importance of choices and the refusal to be categorized and put into a box. And despite their different professional paths, both live lives infused with passion, surrounded by community, and guided by family. Johaida and Guelmana approach their multifaceted identities differently, but one common aspect of their narratives holds true – they have a lot of pride in the strength and resilience of the first black republic, Haiti.By: Peggy Yu for Forbes.com | February 1, 2018
Today's United States is a land rife with cultural divide, but Haitian DJ/producer Michael Brun comes bearing a message of love and unity.Hailing from Port-au-Prince, the 25-year-old knows the prevalent narrative of his homeland. Haiti is often seen as a poverty-stricken, disaster-prone afterthought, but it has always been much more. As a musician, Brun has worked tirelessly to share the beautiful resilience and importance of his culture while giving back to his country through charitable initiatives.Following reports that President Donald Trump referred to Haiti as a "shithole" in a White House meeting last week, Brun was understandably upset but tried to channel his frustration into inspiration to share the truth about his homeland.Provided exclusively to Billboard Dance, read Brun's thoughtful and powerful response to Trump's comments below.I grew up hearing that Haiti was a shithole my whole life. The narrative of Haiti didn't change last week, it's a narrative that has been forced upon our country for decades, by outsiders, by the media, by the world at large and by a bigoted president. Negativity reinforces negativity, and to impressionable youth who don’t know their true worth, these words became reality.But instead of feeling pity or remorse, myself and a new generation of Haitians saw it as a call to action. A call to reconnect with the principles in which our country was founded, principles based in unity, bravery and respect. A call to elevate our standards in education and cultural preservation, and to create a new paradigm for our nation and our youth. A call to take the narrative of our country into our own hands.We will determine how people perceive our country. A country that served as The Mother of the Americas, who’s people liberated themselves from colonial rule in 1804 and aided both the United States and the rest of the Caribbean in their battles for freedom.A narrative of failure is not Haiti's national anthem, it is 'La Dessalinienne', an anthem retelling the Haitian Revolution and the mantra that unity and strength of mind can overcome insurmountable odds. These are the stories that must be heard by the youth of Haiti. The stories of perseverance, ambition and responsibility for one’s country.Today a new generation of artists, empowered by technology, is taking control of the languages of hip-hop and electronic music, infusing them with Haitian culture and traditional rhythms, and speaking to millions of people in Haiti and around the globe. We are writing our own Haitian anthems. These are the voices that will be heard by the next generation of Haitians and these sounds will define Haiti to the rest of the world in the years to come.By: Kat Bein | 1/17/2018
Steve Baboun
Henri R. Ford, MD, MHA, FACS, FRCS, FAAP: The Vice President and Surgeon-in-Chief at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Haitian-born medical maven who has dedicated his life to not only helping the many kids that walk through CHLA's doors, but also the children and people of his home country.These are the top things you need to know about Ford.1. He’s an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, and President of the American Pediatric Surgical Association.
More: Children's Hospital Los Angeles Surgeon-in-Chief Receives Two Prestigious Honors2. He attended Princeton University for his undergraduate degree, earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School, and received his Master of Health Administration degree from the University of Southern California.More: Henri R. Ford, MD, MHA, FACS, FRCS, FAAP3. He is an expert in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which is a severe and often life-threatening intestinal inflammation in pre-term infants.
More: Ford's Laboratory4. He was presented with the National Humanism Award by American Association of Medical Colleges, which recognizes his mentorship to medical students and the discovery and implementation of surgical alternatives for several pediatric disorders.More: American Association of Medical Colleges Will Present National Humanism Award to Henri Ford, M.D. of Keck School of Medicine of USC, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles5. When the devastating 7.0 earthquake hit in his home country of Haiti, he quickly moved to lead a humanitarian mission there.
More: Humanitarian Efforts in Haiti6. He helped organize a huge donation of used medical equipment to Haiti from CHLA.
More: Children's Hospital Los Angeles Donates to Haiti's Kids7. He’s a member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons.More: Henri R. Ford, MD, MHA, FACS, FAAP, Elected to the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons8. He led Haiti’s first conjoined twin separation surgery during a medical mission trip in 2015.
More: Children's Hospital Los Angeles Leads Historic Medical Moment 3,000 Miles Away9. He’s helped lead efforts to establish critical care and trauma facilities in Haiti. 
More: Children's Hospital Los Angeles Surgeon Helps Lead Effort to Develop Critical Care and Trauma Facilities in Haiti10. He's working to save more babies' lives through research.
11. Dr. Ford was just appointed as the Dean of Miami University's Miller School of Medicine,Congratulations Dr. Ford!!!Thank you Dr. Ford for your dedication and determination in helping kids here and around the world!By: CHLA.org
Illustrating breathtaking views of and from La Citadelle Laferrière, a beautiful castle on the northern part of Haiti, Jason Derulo (whose real name is Jason Joel Desrouleaux), released the official music video for “Colors,” Coca-Cola’s anthem for the FIFA World Cup this summer. With shots also from Derulo's hometown in Miami, Florida, the video's intent is to bring individuals together from around the world to celebrate their respective flags and nationalities. A guitar-strumming Wyclef Jean, also of Haitian descent, also represents his “colors” in a cameo as well.
Derulo said of the song that, “Through my years of travel, I’ve been able to see the beauty in our cultural differences and I wrote Colors to celebrate that diversity and be a part of the amazing energy that sports fans around the world give to their teams.”
"There’s beauty in the unity we’ve found.We’re inundated everyday with negative news and it’s hard to remain positive... That’s why it’s more important than ever to unite with people in your community to try and make a difference. As a Haitian-American, I’ve become more and more invested in giving back to where my family is from. To that extent, this song is a bit of a launch of plans that I am excited to reveal soon…”
The approach Phillips with his profession is the same he takes away from the field."Whether it's small or big, when an opportunity comes about, I just have to take advantage of it. It's just a matter of staying humble and not forgetting where I came from, and regardless of how much money I make in my career or my trophies I have in my trophy case, it's just a matter of staying humble, remembering where I came from and just being a good person overall. Loving people is what I do," said Phillips.In January, Phillips was showing his love for people by visiting another country.
"It was a mission trip down to Haiti," said Phillips.He joined fellow Major Leaguer Adam Wainwright and the Pittsburgh Pirates' chaplain Brad Henderson for something much bigger than just a foreign trip.
"We went down to a children's orphanage, and it was an absolute blessing. It puts things in perspective in my life," said Phillips.In spring training and throughout the season in the Major Leagues, Phillips and his teammates live a very special and privileged lifestyle, something far removed and even unknown to the kids he was with in Haiti."That's the glory of it. They don't care who you are as a person or what you do. They just want to hang out. They just want attention and love and affection. You know, that's something I can give them. We played soccer. You know, just be able to talk with them. It's just something they really enjoy. They climb on you. They're kids. They're little kids, so they just love the attention, and they don't get that because they don`t have parents and that's something that we go down there to do," said Phillips.
Something else he's able to share with them is his belief in Jesus Christ, the true mission of this trip.
"Voodoo is actually the number one religion down there, where they believe that evil outweighs good, so they just believe evil's like, that's all there is instead of good, so for me, I hope I changed the process, the thought process. Just that God is good. People are out there trying to help you and there is good in the world, and I hope to be that good just to show them when they grow up that they can be good in the world too," said Phillips.For the guy with the most contagious personality on the baseball field, he's hoping it works as well for the kids at this orphanage in Haiti."I can't give them all the money in the world. I can't get rid of their problems, but for the day, I can hang out with them and make them smile. You know, that goes a long way to them and it goes a long way to myself. I think I gained more out of it than they did, so it was super eye opening, but I'm definitely going to do it again and continue to on a consistent basis," said Phillips.Phillips hopes to recruit other players to help those kids in Haiti next year and for the years beyond.The organization Phillips worked with is the Pittsburgh Kids Foundation.By: BRANDON CRUZ | Fox6 | MARCH 4, 2018, 
Guelmana Rochelin
Johaida Jean-Franois
