Directors Statement

My memories of Haiti were always great things before the earthquake.

The last time I was there was in 2009 and just one year later the 2010 earthquake hit Haiti and just last year in December of 2017 was my first time coming back home. I felt the change in the air. My people became more desperate for change and although I felt sad about Haiti’s current state, the people kept me grounded. They reminded me that this isn’t new to Haiti and we’ve been through worse (Slavery). Their resilience and determination to make it through each day and to make every hour count with integrity helped me find the beauty and spirituality in what makes the culture of Haiti so strong and everlasting.

A question that always bothered me was how the Red Cross raised so much money for the relief of Haiti and only five homes was built. Over half a million dollars with the assistance of other countries went to rebuilding Haiti and nobody knows where it all went. I went back home trying to find some answers to that question but instead found myself.

Going back home also made me remember who I am. My great, great grandfather was the first emperor of Haiti, Jean Jacques Dessaline, who lead the Haitian revolution after Toussaint L’ouverture was captured by the French. Under his leadership they beat the British, French, and Spanish army. I went back to the town that raised me, originally known as the first Black Capital of the New World, and named after my grandfather “Marchand Dessaline” . I went inside his house and saw the bed he used to sleep in, touched his candle holder that still has the wax from the early 1800s, and I saw all the gift baskets from past presidents of Haiti and other family members of the same bloodline. That moment was the most spiritually fulfilling experience I’ve ever had. There’s something powerful about standing in the room where your ancestors once stood and being at one with your surroundings, really taking it all in.

After learning more about Dessaline, I decided to go to the military fort my people built which was located up in the mountains near my grandmother’s house. At the top I saw a big cannon and cannon balls all over. There was a prison, and a few feet from it was an underground tunnel that is blocked off now but leads back into the town. Back then, the town was a fighting zone. Seeing all of the complex infrastructure my Haitian brothers built made me feel proud. I was in a new headspace with a new purpose; I decided I was ready to tell my narrative of Haiti. The story of the real Haiti, “Ayiti The Awakening Afrikan Nation” from my perspective. Since this is a story about my family, we are going to take a look at the 2010 earthquake first and then double back to the real history of Ayiti with fresh eyes and new perspectives on the troubled yet beautiful story of Ayiti.