Myrvine Bernadotte is of that generational segment born in Boston, and raised by Haitian parents, who came to the United States in search of a better life. Dr. Bernadotte contends both her parents were born and raised in Haiti under extreme poverty. Upon their arrival in the United States, they stepped on the grounds of the land of the free, with almost nothing in their pockets. Her father arrived first, and left his wife Rosita and oldest daughter in Haiti. Dr. Joseph H. Bernadotte was more fortunate than most, however, having battled poverty on the streets of Arcahaie and earned his medical degree from Haiti’s Faculté de Medicine (Haiti’s medical school).

But as usually is the case with individuals who have medical degrees from a foreign country, Dr. Joseph H. Bernadotte could not practice medicine in the United States. So he worked several factory and odd and end jobs in the state of Massachussetts before he was able to learn enough English to pass the U.S. Medical board exams. Dr. Bernadotte’s wife arrived with a high school diploma, worked as a hotel maid and a factory assembler, and went to school and graduated as a registered nurse.

Now with such an inspirational family history, Myrvine Bernadette could not help but give her best in life. There were no excuses whatsoever. If two people past their 20s, who arrived in the United States practically penniless and not knowing any word of English could rise professionally, how much so for their seed—a daughter of the land?

From Massachussetts, the Bernadottes moved to Brooklyn, where they lived for nine years. Bernadotte’s family was so vast, that in the apartment complex where she lived, solely relatives occupied each wing. Every day, she was reminded through the Haitian customs and culture that were part of routine life that, yes, she was a Bostonian, an American for sure; but she was Haitian. “I have always strongly identified with my Haitian roots, even when it wasn’t always popular to do so in Brooklyn in the 1980’s,” she recalls.

Like most upwardly mobile-minded Haitian families in New York, the Bernadottes moved their family to Long Island, where Myrvine attended high school. She later attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for college and Michigan State University for medical school. She’s since had a long career in emergency room medicine, but she has never forgotten about Haiti. Fast-forward to 2009, when she saw it fit to launch Inspire Haiti, a non-profit organization that provides medical care and medical supplies to the needy in Haiti.

Q & A

When was the first time you visited Haiti, and what were your impressions?
The first time I went to Haiti was in the late 1980’s. I was about eight years old. I was entirely put off by the country. I was appalled by the poverty, lack of clean water, adequate water pressure and electricity. It seemed all the daily necessities I took for granted in the United States were nonexistent. It was a real culture shock! Furthermore, my sister and I were devoured by mosquitoes. We both swore we would never go back. However, years later, just prior to entering medical school, I returned to Pignon, Haiti with my mother to volunteer our time and I fell in love.

Do you remember the first time you were inspired to become a doctor?
As a result of my parent’s educational background, I was always surrounded by medicine. I can recall at a young age listening, while my mother gave advice to relatives and community members. I learned to take blood pressure measurements before entering high school and quickly became the go to person in the family for this task. However, the spirit of philanthropy and uplifting humanity came from my maternal grandmother. My grandmother, Meme, lived with us until the day she died at 88 years old. She was the caretaker all of our cousins, as well as my sister and I. I can remember when she would return to Haiti for visits, she would have a small bag for herself and two extremely large suitcases full of items to give away to those less fortunate than we were. My Uncle would predictably complain, as he would be assigned to help her lift them to get to the airport. Nonetheless, she would always remind us of the importance of reaching back and lending a hand.

How did Inspire Haiti take shape?
Inspire Haiti was formed in late 2009, just prior to the devastating earthquake on January 12, 2010. Inspire Haiti was founded by eight individuals who met after endeavoring on an unrelated mission to Haiti in May of 2009. As a group, we were startled to find that there were several areas of need that remained collaboratively unmet by any organization.

During the next several months, we engaged in continued dialogue about the patients we’d seen and treated in Haiti, in particular, a five-month old baby girl born with congenital syphilis. She initially presented with two broken arms and several other signs of abuse and neglect inflicted by her abusive mother. We repeatedly discussed the solutions that could prevent the insensible acts imposed on this child. From those repeated discussions, the extensive background experience of all individuals involved and our love for a country in utter despair, Inspire Haiti was formed. Our objective is to improve the living conditions for the majority of Haitians: one person at a time, one community at a time.

You have a team in Haiti correct? Or do you just travel with a team from the USA?
Among our many long-term goals, Inspire Haiti envisions developing a community center in Haiti to provide medical education and services, after school activities, nutritional guidance, and social services. Currently, we organize mission trips to Haiti whereby groups of volunteers travel from the US to Haiti for a week at a time. We have collaborated with community leaders in Cite Soleil, Hospitals in St. Marc, Paillant and Port Salut to conduct mission trips. During each mission trip, we travel with a team of medical doctors, nurses and community volunteers. We provide the patients with medication they need and clothing for adults and children. We also make an effort to educate each patient on his or her health issue and preventative measures.

Within 4 days of the devastating earthquake of 2010, two members of IH and I were in Haiti volunteering our time and efforts to those in need. Additionally, those members remaining in the states mobilized themselves to gather supplies such as walkers, wheelchairs, clothing and medical supplies to send to Haiti. Since that time, we have returned to Haiti with groups of volunteers and served in various communities. Currently, we are in the processes of building relationships with other organizations in order to grow and provide broader services to one community. In the near future, we would like to become more involved in the social aspects such as clean water projects, school building etc. Additionally, although Haiti is a markedly impoverished country, we firmly believe there is tremendous beauty in the land, vibrant and rich culture, food and language. As a result, we strive to expose our volunteers to all of this during the week we are working in Haiti. Our volunteers are fed various classic Haitian dishes the entire week in Haiti. We often end the long and difficult week of working and living in harsh conditions with a visit to a beautiful location to decompress. As a result, our volunteers have a different prospective of Haiti than what they may have seen in the media or heard of prior to visiting. In fact, many of them are eager to return to Haiti with us in the future.

How many people have benefited from Inspire Haiti so far, and how many towns have you served in Haiti?
We have visited several towns in Haiti including Paillant, St. Marc, Carpentier, Mason, Port Salut and several areas in Port-au-Prince. Although it is difficult to give an exact number of how many people have benefited from IH’s services, I would say we have been fortunate enough to serve approximately 1000 people.

Haitian parents are always scolding, but they also like to give advice. What’s the best advice that’s ever been given to you by your parents?
My parents were definitely very strict with my sister and I. They were never reluctant to place us ajenou and the rod was never spared. In addition, they believe it takes a community to raise a child. Our Brooklyn community of Aunts and Uncles, were all entitled to discipline us at any time. At the same time, although they were strict disciplinarians, they were also wonderful counselors to my sister and me. My father would always say, “Piti, piti, zwazo fè nich li—little by little the bird builds its nest. Every time, I hit a bump in the road, my father would remind me of this and say nothing worth having comes easily. He taught me that obstacles are a part of life and should not always be avoided. Overcoming obstacles builds character, strength and integrity.

How did you make it through medical school?
Like all journeys I’ve faced, I made it through medical school by the grace of God and the support of an amazing family and circle of friends. Several are surprised to hear when I say that medical school was fun. I was fortunate enough to go to an exceptional school that focused intently on patients as human beings rather than a disease states. I was also blessed to go to a school that recognize the importance of diversity in medicine and created an environment where I could feel comfortable and flourish. I met the most amazing friends in medical school. Without them and the community we created together, I am certain I would not have made it through.

For those out there who are going into medicine, what words of wisdom do you have to offer?
For those going into medicine today, I would urge them to have a real understanding of our healthcare system and what being a doctor entails. Medicine has become a lot more than simply helping people. There are several ways to make an impact on community without practicing medicine. healthcare in the US is rapidly changing and we must be prepared to change with it. Beyond that if one were still determine to pursue a career in medicine, I would say to stay grounded and make sure you know who you are and what is important to you. Medicine can be all consuming if allowed to be so the act of prioritizing becomes paramount. Be certain to create a balance in your life.

Dr. Myrvine Bernadotte (in blue scrubs) and her staff attending to some patients during an Inspire Haiti medical mission trip.

You’re an ER physician. How do you maintain your cool in stressful situations happening constantly in the emergency room?
There is no other field in medicine that suits me more than emergency medicine. Working in the Emergency Department can at times be stressful. The only predictable thing about it is its unpredictability. During times of stress, I stay calm by relying on God to guide and direct me. I also remain confident in my training and always stay humble. During my residency, I did a rotation in the pediatric intensive care unit, and would be on call at night alone (my supervising physician was always available by phone and would come in from home if I needed). At times, I would be afraid to take a decisive action for fear I would be wrong and cause a critically ill child to deteriorate. A physician I admired told me to never be afraid to help. He said that no matter what, a critically ill patient has a better shot of living with me, as a provider, than without, so do not hesitate to do something. He told me he would never be disappointed in me for being wrong but would be disappointed if I did nothing. I am never done learning. My classroom is my colleagues, nurses, staff and patients. I realize that I don’t always have to have all the answers but I must know where to find them.

Few people will say that they have had it easy in life. What obstacles did you have to overcome?
My life has indeed not been without its fair amount of curve balls and windy turns, however, all things work for good and have helped to shape who I am today. Yet, certain aspects of my life have been more difficult than others. The unexpected death of my beloved grandmother was extremely difficult for me. For me, she epitomized everything good in my world.

Additionally, my path to medical school was not a traditional one. I was initially not accepted into medical school from college. As a result, after college graduation, I worked and went back to school to improve my chances of getting into medical school. I also obtained my Emergency Medical Technician license and volunteered with my local fire department. I entered medical school 3 years after graduating college. Initially, I felt as though my entire identity was in question. I was devastated by the prospect of never being a doctor because it was how I always envisioned myself.

In both of these instances, I ultimately came through it by remembering what my Father has told me, “Piti, piti….” So often in life, God’s plan is not clear to us or seems inexplicable. Nonetheless, I firmly believe that although I don’t understand, there is a reason for a storm or obstacle. I therefore lean on my family and friends for support to get myself through. I realize that I cannot and will not be easily broken.

Last October when the Center for Latin and Caribbean Studies at NYU wanted an expert on the subject of healing, twenty-something Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Dr. Naika Apeakorang was the obvious choice. The Brooklyn resident was the sole headliner for a discussion entitled “Mother Tongues United: What Healing Looks Like for the Caribbean and Its Diaspora”, and drew a healthy crowd at the University. The Bastyr University graduate impressed attendees with her knowledge on the subject.

A definite self-starter, Dr. Naika Apeakorang has launched her own practice, runs a blog, and creates custom herbal blends for her clients. Less than two months later, she executed a workshop of her own, and attracted so many attendees that it became sold out before the event date.

The daughter of Ghanian and a Haitian, the Naturopathic Medicine Doctor was born in New York, where she currently practices. Well-traveled, she brings a world’s view to her practice. Whether she’s creating nutritional formulas for her patients, assisting them with pain management, detoxification, and other issues, her passion for herbal medicine and helping them shines through.

Kreyolicious: Medical school. Your own practice. And now seminars and workshops all over. Where do you get your drive and sense of direction?
Dr. Naika: I have always felt that I have a purpose to realize; something higher, greater, and bigger than myself. Something to be shared with people (despite being quite introverted!). Realizing this purpose means working really hard. Luckily, my passion is my life’s work and my work is my life’s passion, so everything I do feels purposeful. The closer I get to that purpose, the more fuel I get. I just keep my gaze forward and up. I trust in God’s plan. I watch out for signs that I’m on the right path, and I respect the natural cycle of things. We’re all on our way, everything happens for a reason, and it will all work out in the end.

Kreyolicious: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned so far as a business woman?
Dr. Naika: “Follow your heart and trust yourself”, is probably my biggest life realization, and that has definitely translated to my business world. I have learned that the road is long, so it’s more of an endurance test, so slow-steady-determined-intentional, wins the race. Also, patience-patience-patience; all things come in time. I’ve learned that being myself and building something based on good principles matters both to me and to my clients. At the end of the day, we all want to connect with something real and meaningful.

Kreyolicious: How did you first learn about herbs and their uses?
Dr. Naika: Besides picking up gems of knowledge from family and family friends, I first learned from traveling. I feel very blessed and grateful to my parents, for exposing me to so many different cultures while growing up. We were always traveling and I loved it! I am half-Haitian and half-Ghanaian, and both cultures have strong herbal medicine traditions. So, when I visited those two places, as well as dozens of others, I always observed how effective herbs were at treating people. The first place I learned about herbal medicine from a trained herbalist in a formal setting was in Peru, where I spent some time when I was 17. From there, I was mostly self-taught, indulging in many books about herbs and nutrition, especially during my year off in between college and medical school. It was then that I actually started my blog, “Naika in Balance”, which would eventually become the brand you know today. Once I decided to pursue Naturopathic medicine, my love for herbs solidified and intensified. Herbal medicine is one of the many tools Naturopathic Doctors use for whole-person healing. So, my many years of formal education in herbal medicine helped bring everything together. I remember sitting in class or being in clinic, realizing, “Wow, these herbs that have been scientifically researched and clinically-proven are the same herbs I heard about as a kid!”. I just thought that was the most amazing and beautiful thing.

Kreyolicious: Do you have a favorite herb?
Dr. Naika: I feel like a finally get why parents say they can’t have a favorite child! Ha! I don’t have a favorite herb, but I do gravitate towards different ones at different times. Right now, I’m really into lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), known as Melis in Haitian Kreyol. It tastes wonderful, and is very soothing.

Kreyolicious: What are some non-medical stuff you learned while there that have helped you navigate life?
Dr. Naika: So much that I can easily write a book! Maybe I should? I’ll just list them out. Everything happens for reason. Some days are tough, but you keep on keeping on. Always do your best, and your best will always be enough. Work hard for what matters to you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Faith and trust will always carry you through. And, of course, follow your heart and trust yourself.

Kreyolicious: Where do you see your career heading?
Dr. Naika: I see my life’s work headed in the direction of Haiti, of elevated consciousness and healing, and collective liberation for all. In the near future, I want to continue working with my local communities, and to build solid foundations in Haiti. I also want to explore what my work will look like in a global context. I see myself constantly improving myself, working on my craft, helping create a better version of the world for future generations, and spreading love and good energy along the way.

To purchase Dr. Naika’s herbal blends CLICK HERE. | Book a session with the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine | Dr. Naika everywhere! | Dr. Naika’s website | | Shop from Dr. Naika’s store |