There is a need for a movement. It begins with a single idea; a Hatian youth program that gives Haitian American students the opportunity to return home, know their culture and know themselves. This summer, Adrien Tofighi, a Peach member visited the University of Fondwah. Lawrence Gonzalez, President of UHSF also visited Haiti. Both came back with a renewed sense of determination to help Haiti. Adrien created a fanpage to help bring awareness to a one of a kind University that holds many promises for Haiti;
Lawrence has been quoted, in the Miami Herald expressing the needs for a Haitian youth peace corps program that brings Haitians to Haiti so that Haitian Americans can learn to stand in solidarity with Haitians in Haiti, but most importantly know their history, their culture, and their identity.
The fact that both of these individuals came back more determined to help answer the need for more involvement of the Haitian Diaspora adds to the argument that one way to increase the Haitian Diaspora’s dedication to helping Haiti is by getting them reacquainted to Haiti.
It seems the Haitian youth at the Diaspora’s conference was looking for a cause to unite itself behind. This is it! I’m writing this email as a representative of HaitiPeach,(in collaboration w. Haiti2015) to call you guys to join forces and collaborate so that we can achieve the goal of increased Diaspora correspondence with Haiti by the year 2015.
The season is ripe. The opportunities are here. It may divine luck. It would seem that there is a woman, who has just recently written a draft to enact a program to send Haitian students to Haiti for awhile. I do not want to pretend to know the specifics. Her name is Carolyn Rose Avilla. I am not sure of specifics at this point and time of her project. But I would like for us to offer to help with fundraising, increasing awareness on the project, and ways to make it national. I would also like to know how similar her plan is to what Lawrence Gonzalez described. I’ve created a Haitipeach closed discussion, where we can discuss ideas on how to help her make this a national effort through fundraisers, increasing awareness and bring things to a national level. There are also other experts working with this topic, whom I feel would be great alliances as far as creating a national marketing campaign. They include Professor Robert Maguirefrom Washington, Professor David Elcott, from New York. I’m sure we’ll be able to recruit many more.
I want to point out to you guys that anyone of us could contact these people,work into some sort of partnership with them, and have a working relationship with them. However, this mustn’t be the sole goal of the members involved in this effort. While I’m sure, any one of us can take this idea, and try to do it on his own, the effectiveness of this idea belongs to the fact that this is an inclusive operation at the national level. There’s enough lonely wolf operators out there trying to help Haiti, and we all know how that battle’s going.
We have a unique opportunity; a cause we can unite behind, human resources in many different states, and technological tools necessary to make it happen. But if we only consider the human resources available to us and how they can be used to this end.
Lawrence Gonzalez and Dukens Labaze have proven themselves as leaders in their community. They are heavily embedded in the Florida community and are positioned to organize any sort of fundraiser/ awareness event, or coordinate any sort of P.R effort. Lawrence also considers himself an encyclopedia of information and contacts in Haiti.
Rodney Alteon plays the role of youth community organizer in New york. He is professional, capable and delivers a New York youth league as a community organizer. He can also be a close contact to Professor David Elcott, whom resides in New York. He has a lot to say on this issue, and would be tremendously helpful.
Between the states represented by these gentlemen leaders up here. We have almost half of the Haitian population in the U.S. Let’s not forget that the United League Congress of Haitian is located in New York also. I’m certain they’d be more happy to help with this campaign. Of course, it’ll be important that we make sure they understand, this is a youth movement, and not ‘their movement.’ We dictate the direction, and scope of this effort.
Axelle Latortue delivers another high Haitian population state; Washington. Also important is the fact Professor Robert Maguire resides in Washington. I believe professor Maguire has made recommendations before to the United States Officials on behalf of the need for a Haitian Peace Corps. Recruiting such high profile figures to our effort can only make us more viable.
Franscesca Guerrier, and Sandra Charite both play a unique role in our effort. Franscesca is an activist, a fighter for the cause. Sandra plays a more impartial role as a reporter, but complement Guerrier by providing the necessary marketing tools to promote the efforts and give voice to the cause.
But who should lead this campaign? Manoliaof Haiti2015 has had experience working on a campaign before. She worked in Barack Obama’s campaign, gained valuable experience. In fact it only makes sense to me that Haiti2015 since they are a social movement would help guide this movement.
Yvecar Momperrouse is the former president of NHSA, the National Haitian Student Alliance. The National Haitian Student alliance was founded by Wycleff Jean at the request of Yvecar. The organization is located in many different states, and seeks to empower Haiti by unifying Haitians through one organization. It’s been said that ever since Yvecar left the organization has lost its sense of vision, and is more or less inactive. Yvecar Momperrouse would be a helpful addition to this endeavor given her experience at the national level, as well as the immediate possible adaptation of Miss Carolyn Rose Avilla and Lawrence’s version of it through a revived nationalist NHSA.
Haitipeach will work in the Western Mass Area, increasing awareness around the area, fundraising for the cause and planning a trip to the University of Fondwah for this fall. We would hope to share the experience of visiting this most unique University with you all. I was told there’s a possibility to accommodate fifteen of us. If you need more detail, please contact Adrien Tofighi of Peach on facebook. I believe you would only need to pay for your plane ticket. , but Adrien will correct me if I’m wrong.
I hope to hear from you all. If you want me to invite you to the closed group discussion of how we can mobilize, please get back to me as soon as possible. I would appreciate if you would allow me to moderate our conversations at the onset. But then will make admin whoever else has had experience moderating a group with so many people, and allow them to moderate instead. Or maybe it could be someone who’s had experience with project development. Thank you!
~Jean ARnaud
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