By Nadine C. When discussing immigration in America, most automatically think of those from the Spanish-speaking community. The face of the immigration debate in America is often times a Latino, mainly because of Mexico’s proximity to America. However, there are additional stories to be told, including that of the Haitian community in different states across…
By Beverly Bell Beverly Bell has worked for more than three decades as an advocate, organizer, and writer in collaboration with social movements in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the U.S. Her focus areas are just economies, democratic participation, and gender justice. Beverly currently serves as associate fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies…
By Kathie Klarreich
A United Nations presence in Haiti has become as familiar as the country’s barren hillsides. Troops of some sort have been there almost continuously since 1993, including five peacekeeping missions. The most recent, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, MINUSTAH, arrived in 2004 to provide a peaceful transition following months of armed conflict. Like its predecessors and most of the UN’s 16 peacekeeping missions worldwide, MINUSTAH, composed of troops from dozens of countries, is also charged with the protection of local citizens.
By Center for Economic and Policy Research
According to documents from USAID, 750 houses built by USAID near the new Caracol industrial park, were found to be of poor quality and will take millions of dollars to repair. The houses are part of USAID’s “New Settlement Program,” which was the subject of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) reporting October 2013 as well as a USAID Inspector General (IG) audit in April 2014.
by Michelle Alerte
If not planned correctly, traveling to Haiti can be complicated and expensive. For Jiordany Thomas, a 39-year-old employee at Long Island Auto Group, he and his friends look for any cost-saving measure that’ll ease the damage to their pockets.
By Vania Andre Gregory Mellon is used to the taxi and livery industry. Since his mid-20s, he’s navigated the landscape, dealing with some of the common pitfalls that cab drivers go through in the competitive, and at times, harsh driving industry. Unscrupulous cab dispatchers are prevalent, often bartering calls for cuts of the driver’s earnings,…
by Vania Andre Haitians struggle with perceptions of their native language. As a child, Mackens Rinchiere quickly learned he best not speak Creole in earshot of a school teacher. “If I asked a student [in Creole] for a pen in school and the teacher heard, I would have to write that sentence out 500…
By Vania Andre Once the victims of prejudice and stereotyping, Haitians today are thriving in school and careers. When Martine Charles started high school 15 years ago in a predominantly Caribbean community in Queens, she anticipated typical teenage angst like tests, homework and boys. She least expected bullying and teasing by students she thought were…
By Jessica Hsu and Jean-Claudy-Aristil A large-scale tourism project planned for the Haitian island of Île-à-Vache targets “the well-heeled tourist from traditional markets…creating a place of exquisite peace and well-being,” as described in the government of Haiti’s executive plan. The project aims to attract four character types: “the Explorers, the Lovers, the Rejuvenators and…