Born in Cap-Henry, actual Cap-Haïtien, he was the son of a high-ranking official in the regime of Henri Christophe, and Blézine Georges, Christophe’s illegitimate daughter. Alexis joined the army in the 1830s, serving under President Jean-Louis Pierrot, his father-in-law. He became President on 21 December 1902 at the age of 82. Alexis held on to power for the next six years but his regime was plagued by rebellion. During his presidency, he judged and condemned all statesmen who stole state’s money in 1904. In January 1908, he proclaimed himself President for Life. Firmin’s supporters launched a new revolt against Alexis. A famine in the south that same year led to violent food riots and a new rebellion, this time from the south, led by General François Antoine Simon. Ousted from power on 2 December 1908, Alexis went into exile in Jamaica and later relocated to New Orleans with his family, where he died on 1 May 1910. –

Né à Cap-Henry, l’actuel Cap-Haïtien, il était le fils d’un haut responsable du régime d’Henri Christophe et de Blézine Georges, la fille illégitime de Christophe. Alexis entra dans l’armée dans les années 1830, servant son beau-père, le président Jean-Louis Pierrot. Il devint président le 21 décembre 1902 à l’âge de 82 ans. Alexis garda le pouvoir durant les six prochaines années mais son régime fut en proie à la rébellion. Pendant sa présidence, il jugea et condamna tous les hommes d’État qui volaient l’argent de l’État en 1904. En janvier 1908, il se proclama président à vie. Les partisans de Firmin lancèrent une nouvelle révolte contre Alexis. La même année, une famine dans le sud du pays provoqua de violentes émeutes et une nouvelle rébellion, cette fois venant du sud, et dirigée par le général François Antoine Simon. Exilé du pouvoir le 2 décembre 1908, Alexis s’exila en Jamaïque et s’installa ensuite à La Nouvelle-Orléans avec sa famille et décéda le 1er mai 1910.
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Source: Wikipedia – Haiti Liberte (The Petro Caribe and its Historical Precedents) & Haitianphotos.com
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#haiti #hayti #istwa1804 #1804 #pierrenordalexis #president #presidentofhaiti #petrocaribe #scandal #consolidationtrial #haitian #1897 #government #tontonno

At first glance, Palm Beach millionaire Frank McKinney might be mistaken for the lead singer of a 90’s era heavy metal or rock band with his long blonde hair, and leather coat, but no, as the founder of Caring House Project Foundation, a non-profit nearly a decade in existence, he is not into show business, but in the charity business, or to hear him tell it, the human capital business, as he and his staff strives to make people in Haiti self-sufficient, shelter-wise.

McKinney straddles two worlds. A dichotomy he calls it. He has made millions as a real estate magnate, building the world’s most affluent homes for the world’s wealthiest in the most opulent and exclusive neighborhoods in South Florida, on one hand. On the other hand, the organization he created, builds shelter in the Third World for Haiti’s most impoverished. Caring House (named after a soup kitchen for the homeless where McKinney once volunteered) has built dozens of home communities in Haiti, from St. Michel to Gonaives to Cap Haitian to lesser known cities like Paroty and Makandal. When Hurricane Jeanne hit Gonaives, Haiti in 2004, McKinney and his organization’s staff were one of the first to land to provide emergency shelter, and build villages for the newly homeless.

McKinney believes immensely in what he calls RODD—Return of Donor Dollars, a type of Return of Investment (ROI) for the charity world, giving the most output for donor money.

Between his hectic schedule as the founder of Caring House, his home building business, and his work as an author (he is the author of several books, whose sale proceeds go directly to his non-profit), Mr. McKinney graciously agreed to talk to us.

Out of all the countries in the world, what made you settle on Haiti?
The way we fell on Haiti was really a funny story. But when I first moved to Florida when I was a teenager [from Indiana], I didn’t have the benefit of pursuing a formal education. I got a job, and I was a sand caster at a golf course. So I was filling those little holes with white sand. And I had to get up at 4 in the morning. I had to be at that golf course working early. And I was the only white person working maintenance on a golf course. I was really proud to have such a job.

Listen, I don’t believe in the entitlement mentality, that’s sweeping the nation. I believe in working hard for it. Because I worked alongside Haitians, I earned the nickname the White Haitian. I’m very proud of that nickname, because Haitians are known for their work ethic, really hard workers. That nickname really stuck with me. I was just a maintenance worker at the time. There was no Caring House on the horizon. So fast-forward to 8 years later when we were doing a fundraiser for a group that was raising money to build houses in Honduras.

We allowed them to use one of my houses that we were building at the time to raise the money. When we were done, the host said, “Thank you for allowing us . to use your house to build 10 houses in the 2nd poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.” That’d be Honduras. Remember, I’m a linear thinker. I’m a simpleton. Not wholly educated. My response was, “Well, what’s the first poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and why aren’t we there?” The host was like, “Haiti”. So with that white Haitian mentality, toppled with the fact that Haiti was considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere was what got us started.

Since the earthquake, does your organization find itself being really overwhelmed? Do you find that your work has doubled.
We established a Program of Work, so we work from that Program of work, so obviously we’re not stretching outside of it. We don’t take on more than the program work mandates. The only time we felt a little overburdened was when we got into a search program of rescue. That obviously wasn’t part of our Program of Work. I don’t think that I’ve been more innovative or more responsive in the fact that we were on the grounds 40 hours after the earthquake hit. We’re not in the search and rescue business, but we’re in the build villages and security business. Yet we put together a search and rescue team within 40 hours of the earthquake stopping, we were on the ground pulling people from the rubble. And that was the only time we felt burdened beyond our Program of Work, but that didn’t stop us, believing that Haiti is a country full of beautiful suffering tremendously after this earthquake, and that we needed to get over there. We weren’t bringing food; we weren’t bringing water. We were pulling people from collapsed buildings. And that was important. We’re back on task now. We’ve build 5 villages since the earthquake. And our program for 2012 will have us building 2 more villages. So we’re dedicated. We love Haiti. I go there at least twice a year. Maybe not in my lifetime will we see a big difference, but it will make a difference to those people we provide shelter to.

What was the difference between when you first went to Haiti, compared to what you had been fed by the media.
You can imagine. Nothing can you for the assault on your senses when you get to Haiti, and that was before the earthquake. If you’re used to the things that the United States provides you, you the more shocked you’ll be. After you get over that initial assault on your senses, you’re prepared to do the little good that you can. My skin is pretty thick, so I wasn’t concerned or afraid. Believe me, I’ve been in other places where people tried to kill or kidnap me. But they’d never find me again. I never felt afraid for my life. The only thing that did really get to me early, was this feeling when I came back to the United States, was this overwhelming feeling of guilt when I took my family out to dinner. I struggled with that. I told someone who had been to Haiti, “You know I feel really guilty about spending my money on anything other than my basic needs. I don’t feel like going to the movies. I don’t feel like spending money on [luxurious ] things.” They [friends] helped me get over that. [They said,] “I want you to go out tonight. I want you to enjoy yourself. That’s the life that you’re living here. You keep doing what you’re doing in Haiti, but don’t allow that guilt to run or ruin your life,” and I’m glad I listened to them.

Those two villages that Caring House is going to be building, have you determined where they’re going to be?
I can tell you that one of them is going to be in the Jeremie area. I don’t know where the other one is going to be. It may be up in Cabaret. Those are two areas that we’ve worked in before and we’ve had good success.

How do you pick the location for the villages? Do you have a staff down there that scouts locations and see where there’s the most need?
We actually don’t. We don’t have a staff in Haiti at all, because of our Return on Donation that we gotta reference. We’re constantly getting requests for proposals, and requests for assistance. Some of our partners we’ve had for years, and they’ve been working there for years, so we’ll go to them, and we’ll be like, “We want to do another village”, so that’s how we decide where to do them. It’s hard to decide because there are so many places that need help.

If someone wants to help with the Caring House mission, obviously they can make donations, but what other ways can they help?
Right now we don’t take volunteers because Haiti has a really high unemployment rate. We can’t take a job away from somebody. We don’t even export materials, because I can buy all the stuff that we need down there from the locals, so that we’re kinda helping the local economy. Really, donations is what we need. I know how to stretch donation dollars really far. There are over different 65 donation options on our website ranging from a chicken to $8.50 all the way up to thousands of dollars. I had had one 26-year old guy just donate to build an entire village–$125,000. I’m not gonna send rice there. That’s not our thing. We’ll buy the rice when we get there. So it’s really the donations, that’s our lifeblood.

To make a donation to the Caring House Project go here.

You can see a video of McKinney in action below.

While most kids his age are passing time in front of video games , watching anime, tweeting and Facebooking, 10th grader Avery Racine is overseeing the operations of Teen2Teen, a his very own non-profit, while balancing school work, volunteering, and participation in school sports (he’s on his school’s soccer, basketball, and lacrosse team). Teen2Teen is the youth branch of Phoenix Rising for Haiti, a volunteer non-profit group. The Arizona-based teen philanthropy mogul, who leads fellow teens in changing the lives of other teens in other countries including Haiti, took time out from his busy non-profit executive schedule to tell us about Teen2Teen Rise.

How did you come up with the idea for Teen2Teen Rise?
I came up with Teen2Teen while watching news coverage of disasters such as those in Haiti, Chile etc. I noticed a pattern of care and concern directed primarily at women and children. I understand and agree that they are the most vulnerable. However, the disconcerting part was that teens, which can also be a vulnerable group, were never mentioned. It was as if we did not exist. When my mother started her foundation and started going to Haiti we saw the same thing. She would come back full of tales of the “cute kids” but never mentioned the teens. When I asked her about the discrepancy she admitted that it was really not something that she thought of. So I decided that as a teen I needed to take action.

Have you been to Haiti?
Although my family is Haitian, I have yet to go to Haiti. My first trip is planned for June of this year. My goal for that trip is to hold a one week sports and peer counseling camp at Ile-a-Vache.

Do you have any plans and dreams for Haiti in the future?
My goal is that Haiti is fully rebuilt after the damage done by the earthquake, and that its economy becomes strong and self-sufficient. I would like to see teens finish school, go to university and be able to find jobs and stay on the island as adults and make it stronger.

Do you think that some kids your age take some things for granted?
Yes I feel that most kids my age do take many things for granted, including myself. Living in the United States, many are sheltered from the difficult things that happen around the world in places not as fortunate.

What has Teen 2 Teen Rise accomplished so far?
Teen2 teen got off to a great start. We launched the organization at a fundraiser for Phoenix Rising for Haiti and as our first project, we went to a half-way home in Phoenix AZ called Family Promise and had a fun day themed Make your Own Masterpiece. The event was the brain child of one of our youngest Regional Envoys, Cedric. Next, we went to an orphanage in Mexico and did electronics drive for the teens. It was fantastic. We had plenty of other fantastic people from our church bring clothing. But the teens were so happy to get true teens stuff such as MP3, video games etc. One of our Regional Envoys Danni Pietz is working diligently to set up a peer group in CA. The goal is to be a positive influence to teens in high risk areas. We are working on a partnership with another group in order to cover a wider area. We are also raising money for scholarships to sponsor students at some of the schools in Haiti and have many other short term and long term plans to really make a difference in the lives of teens affected by disaster and poverty.

When Kona Shen first visited Haiti in 2007, the Brown University graduate couldn’t help but notice how popular soccer was as a sport. She even honed her Creole skills while playing the sport with a local soccer team in the city of Léogane, where her volunteer group was operating.

When an earthquake hit Haiti, Shen was part of a Committee that her alma mater organized to respond to the disaster. She traveled with Orphans Worldwide in early Spring of 2010 to help launch social and educational programs post-earthquake. Shen observed that even while dealing with the trauma of such a devastating disaster, neighborhood kids and adults were playing soccer in the streets. It was a sight to see how much an effect the game had on people young and old, and the connection it brought for earthquake victims who were coming head-to-head with the aftermath such a catastrophic events. The award-winning volunteer (A President’s Volunteer Service Award is among the honors Shen has received for her volunteerism) knew then that she had found her calling.

By May 2 of 2010, Shen founded Global Outreach and Love of Soccer—-G.O.A.L.S for short. Since then, the organization has launched off a series of community service projects and activities—including a tree planting initiative, a daily summer camp and soccer tournaments—to help engage the youth and adults of the community in Léogane and get them involved in environmental causes and improve their lives, through their mutual love of soccer. G.O.A.L.S serves nearly 500 kids in its city of origin. Shen, who speaks Creole, French, Spanish and Chinese was happy to discuss G.O.A.L.S.

Any particular reason why you founded the organization in the city of Léogane?
Léogane is the first place I visited in Haiti and I continue to love living and working here. I think that it is somewhat unique in Haiti because it has a relatively high population but it still feels rural and accessible. People are friendly and it’s safe. A lot of times, it feels like everyone knows everyone, and that makes for a great environment to work and live.

What do you love most about Haiti?
There is a lot that I love about Haiti, from the dancing and music to the food and history. In terms of GOALS, I love that people come together for soccer. Families and neighbors come out to watch games, kids share their tattered soccer balls, and everyone follows every play like it’s the World Cup. I think that kind of passion they have for the game, and the time and energy that kids and their coaches devote to improving, is truly inspiring.

How important is soccer to the lives of young kids in Haiti, from what you’ve seen?
Everywhere I’ve been in Haiti, kids will do just about anything to play soccer. They have so much fun with it, and their talent is clear to see. I love that no matter how many obstacles are in a kid’s life, that if they put in the hard work to get better at the sport, they improve. For a lot of kids, playing soccer is an equalizing experience.

What’s the biggest satisfaction you’ve garnered since the inception of the organization?
GOALS originally started as a small project, and we have been fortunate to have a chance to expand. I’m most satisfied seeing that there are now hundreds of kids who have access to these programs, and I am committed to making sure hundreds more will have a chance to join GOALS in the future.

Did you have any obstacles along the way?
We have had some obstacles here and there, but nothing major. The fact that we work very, very closely with local communities to pursue projects that they determine are important means that our priorities are the same as those of the people we are trying to help. I think approaching the work from this perspective helps avoid a lot of potential problems.

What are your goals, no pun intended, for GOALS in the next few years?
I am working to ensure that we are able to grow the programs in the next few years, and hopefully give many more kids access to the sport, community service, and education activities in Haiti. This will take an increase in support of our programs, as well as raising awareness about what we’re doing.

For those out there who might want to help with the GOALS mission—what can they do?
Please consider making a donation to sponsor a summer camper this year. It only costs $25 and will give a child in a rural area a unique chance to benefit from our different kinds of programs. Helping spread word about GOALS is also much appreciated. For information about our programs, how to donate, or links to our page on Facebook, please visit G.O.A.L.S Haiti.

It’s time for another episode of Kreyolicious History 101…in which curious facts about Haiti and History are presented.

Did you know that a Haitian man by the name of William de Fleurville was the personal barber and confidant to future U.S. President Abraham Lincoln?

William de Fleurville was born in Cap Haitien, Haiti in 1807, and was nicknamed Billy the Barber.

Records indicate that he immigrated to the United States in 1820. What could have led him to do leave a brand new country of free black people to go to one, that was at this point, still under the yoke of black slavery in most of its parts?

Well, what was going on in Haiti in 1820? Jacques Nicolas Leger in Haiti, Her History and Her Detractors indicate that King Henri Christophe committed suicide in October of that year. De Fleurville, a native of Cap Haitien, where Christophe’s rule was based, may have had been part of the prominent families under the King’s protection perhaps?

Discussing de Fleurville in a chapter entitled “Lincoln and The Negro” in the book The Negro in Illinois: The WPA Papers, the editors maintain that de Fleurville first went to Baltimore, Maryland to be with his godmother. They go on to state that after her death, the entrepreneur hitchhiked his way to the state of Illinois in search of opportunities.

By the time he met Lincoln in 1831, either because people were having issues with pronouncing his name, or whether he wanted to gain anonymity in his adopted land, de Fleurville began to call himself Florville.

Lincoln is credited with giving him his first clients, according to historian Benjamin Quarles in the book The Negro In The Civil War. Mr. de Fleurville’s barbershop, according to historians, became a meeting place for Lincoln, and one of his favorite spots until his subsequent marriage to Mary Todd Lincoln in 1842. Furthermore, some historians speculate that many of the barber’s jokes and humor pieces found their way into Lincoln’s later speeches as president.

But de Fleurville’s barbershop wasn’t the only venture he had. Guess this Mr. de Fleurville was an early advocate of the multiple streams of income mentality so often proselytized by entrepreneurs, because, it turns out (according to Quarles) that he also had a catering business, and was a big investor in real estate. As a matter of fact, he had retained Lincoln as his lawyer and tax advisor in matters related to his real estate holdings (still according to Quarles).

The writer and historian William Loren Katz maintains that although a Catholic, de Fleurville became one of the founders of the Saint John Baptist Church in Springfield, and gave back to the community, supporting several causes (particularly religious ones). Quarles maintains that Abraham Lincoln and Mr. de Fleurville kept in touch over the years and that when Lincoln died, de Fleurville was listed as a pallbearer, but a skilled clarinet player and musician, he played in the funeral march instead.

A 1951 article in Jet magazine reported that a treasure trove of papers—including a letter exchanges between Lincoln and de Fleurville (Florville)—were among the papers released by the state of Illinois that year.

De Fleurville died in 1868, leaving a host of descendants in the United States. Katz’s aforementioned book stated that the entrepreneur had married Phoebe Roundtree, a local girl. His funeral, asserts the book Black Pioneers: An Untold Story, was cited by a local newspaper as one of the largest and widely attended send-offs the town had ever seen.

This has been another episode of Kreyolicious Haiti History 101…in which curious facts about Haiti and History are presented.

For a time in the 1980s, singer-songwriter-composer Jean-Michel Daudier was what Marvin Gaye and Bob Dylan were in the 1960s, a sort of father of the Haitian peaceful protest song. “Solèy”, a song that he wrote to lament the closing of a popular radio became an influential hit. Listening to the song before learning the back story of it, one would think that he was talking about the actual sun! “Lè’m pa wè solèy la, lè’m pa wè solèy la/Mwen pa ka rete-e/Mwen pa ka kanpe/Mwen pa ka mache/Kè’m pa kontan/Mwen pa sa viv” (When I can’t see the sun, when I can’t see the sun/I can’t stand still/I can’t hold up/I can’t even walk/I’m totally depressed/I don’t wanna live). You sit there listening and you want to say, “Calm down dude, even if you don’t see the sun, there are other ways to get your Vitamin D, supplements for one.” Well, except that “Solèy” is a reference not to the proverbial sun, but to Radio Solèy (Creole spelling), a popular radio station in Haiti in the 1980s, that was very outspoken in terms of bemoaning injustice. From what we have learned of radio in Haiti, especially from that period, it must have taken some bravery on Daudier’s part to come up with such a song.

This proved to be an exciting and fruitful time in Daudier’s career. Besides being an artist, the Les Cayes-born singer wrote and produced songs for other artists, and was part of musical projects with fellow Haitian artists like Carole Demesmin, Mario Devolcy, and Hans Peters. He was also an instrumental part in Shap Music Productions, a Haitian artist collective that tried to formulate a record label-like structure to lend some organization to the Haitian music industry in Haiti.

Solo artists were few, and perhaps because of the fact that there had been very few, and ones who didn’t necessarily create a standard path to success to follow, he was at a loss at to what to do in terms of career direction. Disillusioned with Haiti, and the direction the country was heading towards, he left the country in 1989 to join his mother in New York, and later moved to Florida. In 2008, he released an album entitled Tropical Paradise on the Creole Beat label, and is preparing its successor.

Of course we hit up this pioneer to get the goods on some Haitian music history, and to know what he’s up to these days!

Q&A

What was your childhood like?
I was skinny and shine but really active. Listening music, drawing, playing soccer and volleyball. When I [turned] 15, I found out I could sing and I stay with music only.

What was it like living in Haiti in the 1980s?
A lot of excitement. I was sharing my talent with everyone. I used to play at every school event, radio shows, TV [stations] and theaters in Port-au-Prince. It was the beginning of a new career.

Can you describe the music scene in the 1980s?
It was flourishing. I used to performed at Villa Creole on Thursdays, the Kinam Hotel on Fridays, Batofou on Saturdays and Chez Florville Kenscoff on Sundays. I was making more money than at my bookkeeping job.

Who taught you how to play the guitar?
I learned by myself. My first guitar was a broken once my half-brother Carlos Placide left over my house. He had a fight with his friends the night before in a serenade in Les Cayes and the guitar broke.

Do you remember the brand of the guitar of your half-brother’s?
The brand was Valencia—a Spanish guitar. I could not buy real strings I had to use motorcycle cables as strings.

You wrote a song called (Lè’m Pa Wè) Solèy (La), a pivotal record for that decade. Did you imagine that the song would be so influential, and such a catalyst?
I wrote the song for the Catholic Radio station Radio Soleil which supported the fight against the Duvalier regime in Haiti in 1985-1986.
At that time the government closed the radio and I felt like doing something. I toke my guitar and a piece a paper, I wrote the song and toke it to them. They said they would play it for me if the radio goes back on the air. They did but they never said who wrote the song to protect me. I had friends who were friends with the Duvaliers that never said anything either. The recognized my voice because we used to play music together. After Jean Claude Duvalier left Haiti to Paris on February 7, 1986 the radio talked about me. I did not know if my song would have such impact in that revolution. It was an inspiration from God.

Can you please tell us about SHAP Music Productions?
After I recorded “Solèy La” or “Lem Pa Wè soley La” at Audiotek, we could not find any producers in Haiti to finance the rest of the project. Robert Denis the owner of Audiotek, Mushi Wimaier, Joel Wimaier, Raoul Denis Jr, Hans Peters and I, created the SHAP label.

How did you meet with the artists Carole Demesmin and Hans Peters?
I met Carole Demesmin and Hans at the Audiotek Studios in Delmas. Hans used to jam with me at Kinam Hotel in Petion Ville on Fridays.

What do you think can be done to improve the Haitian music industry?
We need to invest money in our music. Open a big distribution company with copyrights. We are still doing business the old fashion way. Every one of us should make millions because there are enough Haitians out there to buy our music. But we can’t take advantage of the market because we are not organized. We need to give the musicians what they deserve. Time to move to the next level.

Do you have any regrets?
Not being able to live in Haiti and help my country in its difficult times. Also, not choosing to move in France after I left Haiti instead of the US. I think [they would have been] more open [to] my music in Europe and Africa.

As one of the solo artists from Haiti who started in the 1980s, do you think that you would have had better opportunities, had you been debuting in later decades?
Perhaps if our country had peace and no political crises for the last 25 years, I could stay there to enjoy my fame and my country. There is no place like home. Our ancestors died for this piece of land.

What are you most cherished memories from the time you were living in Haiti?
I have a lot good memories of Haiti. I really love my country from the bottom my heart. Even with all the problems and miseries. When you live outside your country, you don’t have any respect. You are a number. At home, they know who you are and where you came from.

Are there any special stories behind some of your other songs?
The song “Je Voudrais être un Artiste” [I Want to Be an Artist] has a story behind it. “Maman” a song that I wrote for my mother—which is a true story about my family. My mother left Haiti when I was young and I was missing her so much. I did not really spend time with her and learn who she was until in my adult life.

When your mom left Haiti, you were raised by your father? How did that affect you?
I was already a teenager at that time. It wasn’t easy for me because I did not have a good relationship with my father. I explained everything in a song that I wrote for my mother.

You say that there is a story behind “Je voudrais etre un artiste”. Would you mind discussing it?
When I was living in Les Cayes, I took my guitar with me every morning to the beach or to the pier to practice. I had friends, but I was living in solitude as well. The guitar was my real companion. My dream was to become an artist so I can sing about life, sing for the poor and my country.

What has changed over the years about the Haitian music industry from what you can see?
New emerging artists with different ideas and we promote the music better because of the Internet.

In your career as a musician, what moment stands out for you the most?
Every performance counts for me. In front of a big audience or small.

What can we expect from you? What are you working on currently?
I am working on new album the title will be “Haiti”. Also, I am planning to visit Haiti in December after 6 years. I need to reconnect with my fans and see the disaster of the earthquake with my eyes.

As far as this new album is concerned, how many songs will be on it? Will there be any guest artists?
Ten songs. A song that I wrote for Haiti and Dr Martin Luther King Jr., will be on it. There will be other guest artists as well.

If you could give some advice to some of the artists who are emerging now, what would you tell them?
Be professional. Always [show up] early to play your gigs.

Let us show our support for our Haitian artists. Be sure to check out Jean-Michel Daudier Jean-Michel Daudier’s music here and here.

The hyphenated word multi-faceted was made for people like Michèle Voltaire Marcelin. Voltaire-Marcelin has written short stories, as in the short narratives that have been highly anthologized. And then there are the paintings that have been exhibited everywhere from Port-au-Prince to D.C. to New York. The acting bug bites religiously and Voltaire-Marcelin has had roles in such films as Raoul Peck’s L’homme Sur Les Quais and Patricia Benoit’s Se Mèt Kò.

She’s most prolific as a poet. Voltaire Marcelin’s pen has churned out two volumes of poetry: Lost and Found and Amours et Bagatelles. “Stones Don’t Bleed”, one of her poetic pieces, is an unmistakeable tribute to the often-touted resilience of the long-suffering women of Haiti:

I know not the beginning nor the ending
but pain is eternal and speaks in multiple voices
Need I add mine to the chorus
when death comes and finds me alone
When I am turned to stone and bone
I will bleed a red thread in the ground

“In Defiance” pays tribute to the intrepid women over the course of the history of Haiti, who have rebelled and gone against the odds as a reaction to their turbulent world. For some reason, in reading the poem, I thought of Yvonne Hakeem-Rimpel, a Haitian feminist from the 1950s, who had been beaten and left for dead, whom I had first heard of when I read Elizabeth Abbott’s book Haiti: The Duvaliers and Their Legacy. Michèle Voltaire Marcelin obviously has women’s causes close to her heart, as seen not only by her feminism-driven work, but her choice of projects when performing. She once had a one-woman show based on Walking on Fire, Beverly Bell’s anthology of stories about the lives of Haitian women in Haiti, and in a staging of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues”.

Q&A

Do you think that the fact that you were born with that last name automatically made you a born writer?
That would be too easy- and at the same time paralyzing! Both Voltaire and Marcelin are the names of very talented writers. The French philosopher was one of the most intriguing and influential thinkers of the Age of Enlightenment and the Marcelin brothers, Pierre and Phillipe-Thoby, were Haitian poets and novelists whose work offered valuable insight into all levels of Haitian society. They were also founders of “La Revue Indigène” which motivated Haitian intellectuals to seek their inspiration from their African heritage. Writing is a gift that came very late to me and I have not the arrogance to think that what I write will have that kind of impact. But when I was an adolescent, books saved me from despair so I can only hope that my writing resonates with the reader and makes them feel less alone.  Frida Kahlo wrote: “I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it’s true I’m here, and I’m just as strange as you.” So, here’s to the one who will experience my writing and say, as a reader once did: “You are telling my story.”  

You spent some time in Chile. How’d you land there? How was that experience? Is there a large community of Haitians in Chile?
I always had a difficult love affair with Haiti- I loved her but she suffocated me. The society in Port-au-Prince was so rigidly codified, the air so rarified; it was difficult to breathe.  But even when you feel like you will die if you stay, it’s bittersweet to leave what you are familiar with at 16.  Like many important experiences and events in my life, it was purely accidental that I reached Santiago during that time. I owe that to the kindness of a brother who invited me to live with him. When I think of Chile, Violeta Parra comes to mind. Violeta who sang “Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto”, a song of gratitude, of reverence towards life and its many gifts. I think of Victor Jarra who was tortured by the military and whose hands were broken to stop him from playing his guitar – and still he sang “Venceremos!” (We will triumph). I remember the Liceo #7, the all girls’ school I attended in my navy and white uniform. I remember the theaters and museums and learning to speak Spanish by going to the cinema daily to watch dubbed films. I was in awe of the freedom Santiago offered me. Our Haitian community was so small, we knew each other by name. There were very few blacks at that time and passersby would stroke my arm and caress my Afro for luck. I left Chile in 1973 after the violent USA backed coup that overthrew Salvador Allende.  My brother and I had been detained in the infamous National Stadium, used as a detention and torture center for those suspected of sympathizing with the regime. I was one of the fortunate ones who was released unscathed. Nearly 40 years have passed. I have not returned since. 

Is it a privilege in life to write?
To write should be a right, but it is a privilege because in too many places, knowledge is withheld from a category of people. Depending on which country I was born in and my social class, I could be now be working day-in, day-out, from sun-up to sun-down on some back-breaking job. I might not have been taught to read or write. It would also be a privilege to breathe, to live, to have running water and electricity, to have legal recourse and access to education and healthcare. Any creative work would seem a blessing. Nevertheless, creative people are compelled to create and I don’t know if they view their compulsion as privilege. My experience with writing varies from feeling exalted at the moment of inspiration to doubtful and demoralized when advancing on the laborious, time-consuming work of revision. Ah, the time spent on editing…It reminds me of an Oscar Wilde quote: “I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again. I do not feel entrapped in the act of writing as it is only one of the creative activities I engage in; I am as shaped and defined by being a painter or an actress. I am an artist. It’s not a pretentious term. It is how I define myself. If I were a dressmaker or a cook, I would use these words.  I am an artist, and hopefully a decent human being.

You played the role of Madame Janvier, a big meanie in Raoul Peck’s film L’homme Sur Les Quais. How did you and Mr. Peck hook up? How did you prepare for the role? Would you play a villainess again?
As an actor, you do not label your character. You work from within – as if you were the character. You see, no one in life thinks they are the villain – they always have extenuating or mitigating circumstances to explain their actions; always pleading “Not guilty, your Honor” or  “Guilty with an explanation”!
Complex characters who make difficult life choices are fascinating. They also have better lines and I enjoy witty and sharp dialogue. It’s great fun!  I gravitate toward characters who seem unlikeable and the challenge is to make them human.  It’s not about creating a caricature but rather finding in each character the part that allows you to say – had this been me in this particular situation, perhaps I would have acted this way… It’s finding the truth in the moment – one of the multiple truths we face. To this day, people come to me and tell me how accurately I portrayed Madame Janvier.  I also played a brief part in Peck’s first feature Haitian Corner a few years before where I ended on the cutting room floor, so we knew each other. He called me and described the character he wanted me to play. Raoul has a very precise vision for his characters – what they should look like, how they should behave – even their intonation. The film was shot in San Pedro de Marcoris in the Dominican Republic. There were some scenes that were cut – one in particular where the character was caught with her lover in a compromising position in a Church’s confessional.

So you’re a poet, writer, performer and actress. How do you deal with creativity overload?
What a luxury it would be to have a creativity overload! I can imagine this cartoon character in a frenzy of action, a whirl of energy painting, writing, acting and pulling her hair out at the same time!  But unfortunately, the human brain only does one thing at a time. Distract it, overload it, do too many things at once, and creativity suffers. So I take frequent pauses to allow my wondrously inventive brain to renew itself. I love to cook and walk and laugh and spend time with my loved ones. That keeps me a very happy Mimi.

You wrote La Desenchantée, a novel. What inspired it?
La Désenchantée is a tale woven of childhood memories colored by lies and secrets. The background is Duvalier’s Port-au-Prince. The book guides us through the life journey of the narrator, an old woman who retraces her path, recalling details that provoked the characters’ loss of innocence. “All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster’s autobiography”,  Federico Fellini said.  The image that inspired the writing was the photograph of my mother who was so beautiful, she made men swoon. My father saw this image at a friend’s house and said “This is the woman I will marry.” He stole the picture and met the woman who would become the love of his life. Isn’t that passion inspiring?

What are you currently working on?
I wrote several texts inspired by the earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010 and its aftermath. They were very unlike the celebratory sensual poems of Lost and Found and Amours et Bagatelles. They were emotionally difficult pieces that I performed frequently throughout that year. I was overwrought reliving these events and it made me sick each time and last year after performances to commemorate the anniversary of the catastrophe that caused more than 200 thousand deaths – I decided to create a compilation of these poems. I want to write again from a place of love about what it means to live in the world, in all the difficulties and struggles of the world, amid the chaos of the world and still remain a decent human being.

In terms of your paintings, where do you find the inspiration for them?
Art is inspiring. I started painting because one day, I saw Rufino Tamayo’s paintings in a Mexican museum. It was a moment of epiphany. I was blown away! Beauty is inspiring – so is music. Sometimes, I’m inspired by a serendipitous collision of images, sounds, emotions – something that hits you accidentally as you turn the corner and will be translated in colors and textures on a canvas.

It’s known as Dlo Pwòp in Haiti and is unofficially known as Haiti Water, but International Action—isn’t merely an organization that operates in Haiti to bring clean water to communities in Haiti. It is also involved in other projects, like encouraging the use of solar lighting (about 10 have been installed so far in Jacmel and Port-au-Prince by International Action), providing school supplies, spreading cholera awareness, and executing an intestinal worm elimination program. For the latter program, the organization teams up with AmeriCares and International Action to distribute albendazole tablets to about 90,000 children. In terms of total reach, the organization estimates that it has positively affected the lives of 900,000 people in Haiti through its clean water programs.

International Action counts Haiti’s local churches, schools, and orphanages among its partners as well as DINEPA–the Haitian water agency—and other organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, the American Institutes for Research, Oxfam, Samaritans Purse—among others. The organization’s efforts has led 419,358 people gain access to clean, safe water in 2011 through their cholera prevention consortium. Its donation of 350 buckets of chlorine has provided clean water education to 33 different International and local groups working in Haiti. International Action is continuously working with community leaders to find additional locations locations for chlorine bank branches.

This year when Hurricane Isaac hit Haiti, the organization’s staff trucked clean, safe water to six affected communities, including those in tent cities and residents who had abandoned their homes due to the the storm. Zach Brehmer, International Action’s Director of Research, further explained the organization’s goals and achievements.

Q & A

How did the Haiti Water organization come to be?
The vision for International Action started in 2003 when Lindsay Mattison and Youngmin Chang visited Haiti with a friend. They saw that many of the community water tanks in Port-au-Prince were filled with untreated water. The water was causing children to get sick with cholera, typhoid, hepatitis and diarrhea. They thought this was a tragedy. Children were dying and unable to go to school because they didn’t have the basic need. They realized that the people of Haiti demanded cooperation and understanding, not good intentions and abandoned handouts. In 2006, Lindsay and Youngmin returned to Port-au-Prince with chlorinators and a whole lot of ambition. They immediately began forging community relationships that they’ve strengthened and expanded over the past five years. Lindsay and Youngmin also created a base of operations in Haiti, led by Dalebrun Esther, to execute the organization’s many programs and to address urgent community needs.

Your organization’s tag line is ‘Bringing Clean Water to Haiti’. Just why doesn’t Haiti have clean water?
There is a simple explanation to this, and then a complicated one to explain the simple explanation. Simple explanation: There has not been a completed central water treatment system in any of Haiti’s cities, let alone water treatment systems in rural locations. Explaining the simple explanation: Many of the current issues in Haiti are directly and indirectly related to Haiti’s tumultuous political and social past. The struggle to gain freedom in the late 1700’s destroyed almost all infrastructure in the country including hospitals, access to clean water, sanitation, and food supplies. After the Haitian won freedom, the new leaders forced share cropping because they wanted to keep the plantation system for two reasons: one, the leaders wanted to prove to the world that a plantation export-based economy could be supported without slavery. And two, because the plantation system was the only economy the new leaders of Haiti had ever known. The Haitian population wanted to be done with the plantation system and own their own land to farm on. They were forced to work the plantations, only keeping a quarter of the crops for themselves, or risked punishment.

Oppressive regimes have led Haiti until the late 80’s when Aristide took office. Aristide then disassembled many of the institutions that had been linked to oppressive behavior. However Aristide could not see his policies through and was ousted and brought back on two different occasions. This left the country crippled with very few working institutions and the countries public services fell into even worse disrepair. Throughout all of this internal conflict there were foreign countries that greatly diminished Haiti’s chances of moving forward. These foreign powers forced Haiti into debt, economic isolation, and coerced Haiti into poor tariff policies that benefitted foreign interests rather than the countries own growth.

To build a water disinfection system that supports an entire country there needs to be funds, stability, and trust. In Haiti, there has been very little of these three needs due to the aforementioned history.

Most people who work in the development field often come across challenges. What has been Haiti Water’s biggest challenges?
I’ll talk about our biggest challenge in Haiti and our biggest challenge outside of Haiti. First, biggest challenge in Haiti. Predicting the government’s behavior and enabling the chlorinators to be completely community sustained are our greatest challenges in Haiti. The unpredictability of the government was talked about earlier—highlighted by the resignation of the Prime Minister months ago. Sustainability is always an issue. For the chlorinators to be self-sustaining, the community needs to be able to buy tablet chlorine for their chlorinators themselves—donations of chlorine are not a 50 year solution. Many communities make enough money from water sale to pay water station staff, buy more water, and buy chlorine. However, there is not an establishment in Haiti that sells chlorine tablets at an affordable level.

Second, biggest challenge outside of Haiti. Raising awareness and fundraising is our greatest challenge outside Haiti. It is a constant battle. It takes a long time and a lot of work to help a community reach the point where they can sustain a project on their own finances. Multi-year support and patience is very important.

You’ve no doubt reach several milestones with Haiti Water. What accomplishments is it most proud of?
We have reached 110 various community water stations and nearly 250 schools throughout Haiti. The estimated total population we are helping to provide clean water to be 900,000. Being able to help 900,000 people is amazing.

One of our most important accomplishments is that the communities we work with truly own their chlorinator system — they can test the water, calibrate the chlorinator valve, educate their neighbors about clean water and the chlorinator, and know when to retrieve more chlorine tablets. After two months of training they do all of this without our help.

What does Haiti Water need the most at this point? Lots of people might want to help. So how can they best do so?
There are many ways an individual can help. Our biggest challenge in country is finding a way to make each water station and chlorinator completely self-sustainable — meaning that the community can test their water, adjust the chlorinator so they have the proper amount of chlorine residual, and can buy their own chlorine from a non NGO source. The most difficult of these to accomplish is the latter.

We are working with Haitian communities to create a locally-owned chlorine distribution system — we call this system the Chlorine Bank Network. In order to achieve sustainability there needs to be more exposure of the issue, more funds, and a wide range of ideas discussing ‘community-led funding and community income generation possibilities.’ Anyone can help with the first two needs. If one is not able to donate, it always helps to introduce our group and the work we do to other people. International Action is always very happy to assist people interested in organizing a awareness or fund raising campaign – in some cases we may send staff to help or speak at an event. We are also going to be beginning an in-Haiti volunteer program. It will be focused around clean water education in Haiti and the Chlorine Bank Network.

Fans who followed petite broadcaster Corhinn Brunot once looked forward to hearing the vivacious voice on the Radio Mega radio station show “Chit Chat With Corhinn”. When Brunot’s unique style earned her a TV show—Chit Chat With Corhinn Unplugged—loyal viewers got served with a bit of classy sass. The Corhinn of the present is a popular blogger, who doesn’t mind speaking her mind about events in Miami involving Haitians. Not bad for a girl who moved to Florida, with little certainty of how things would come out. Brunot credits her friend Alex Sanon, for pulling her into broadcasting. Sanon was hosting a relationship show “Matters of the Heart”, and was looking for a foil as a co-host. He was convinced that Brunot would fit his style well. An employee of the station heard a segment featuring Brunot, and offered her her own show.

What Brunot’s followers like about her is her non-nonsense, fun style. But she’s got her own ideas about things. Here’s what the young radio maven had to say about her life in radio and blogging, and overall entrepreneurship.

Q & A

Why do you think your show is so popular?
The fact that the show took a life on its own makes me feel very proud but it’s really about connecting with people and I believe if I can do that, even if it impacts one person at a time, I would be satisfied..

Cathy Hughes is regarded by many as a radio pioneer. Do you look up to her?
I’m not going to lie, actually no—I don’t. Radio wasn’t a dream of mine; it was just an opportunity that fell on my lap and I ran with it. My ultimate dream was to own my own company and I believe I have started my journey doing just that.

Do you see yourself more like a Wendy Williams?
You know what I have heard this so many times it’s crazy hahaha…actually yes I love her personality, she is not afraid to tell you like it is and I happen to be the same way…so much that I get yelled at from my mom telling me “Toute verité n’est pa bonne a dire” [French for “Some truths are better off not being told”], yet in my mind I’m thinking, “Somebody better tell the truth before it goes too far.”

You’ve had so many guests on the show. Is there one that stands as your favorite?
I would have to say the one on my recent segments “Following Corhinn Chronicles” on blip.tv—the day I met Tanya Marie a celebrity stylist at the Funkshion Fashion Week. It was such a wonderful moment for me for meeting a big celebrity…but don’t tell anyone.[Laughter]

Do those wanting to have a future in radio still have a chance?
I believe no matter what your dream is, you will achieve it. I don’t think radio will disappear anytime soon, but because of so many personalities out there that person has to make sure they really stand out.

Do you think that radio will become obsolete in decades to come?
I don’t think so. Perhaps the shows will have to really step up their game to remain interesting, but radio will be here to stay. For example I used to listen to [Miami’s] Power 96 every morning when DJ Laz was there but the minute he left it’s never been the same—not that the morning show team is not doing a good job, but it has become so repetitive that I had to switch to Y-100—for shaaaaaaame. [Laughter]

Is broadcasting indispensable to a radio personality’s success?
Um, yes…I guess. [Laughter] I mean then again with Blog Talk Radio people these days can become very popular without the help of the traditional route of broadcasting. You just need to be creative that’s all.

What’s next for Corhinn Brunot?
Corhinn is doing huuuuuuge things at the moment! Watch out world!! I have decided to create my own company called The CCWC Network Corporation which encompasses not only any production that I am involved in, such as for example co-hosting the radio show “Chit Chat Nan Paradi” on Radio Paradis FM with Bogard; co-producing the very popular show “5 Sur 5 TV”, and also where small businesses can come to me and use our marketing services and utilize my connections. Moreover, I also own a woman’s club; too many times I have seen other women’s club prosper. Why? Because other nations have no reservations in sharing their resources. Why can’t our community have that also? So I took it upon myself to offer this opportunity to my community, where women can network, share their resources, learn from each other and grow financially and socially.