August - Boston Haitian Reporter

BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
Vol. 10, Issue 8
August 2011
FREE
TOUGH START FOR MARTELLY
Haitian president Michel Martelly is shown at a news conference in the Little Haiti neighborhood of Miami, Saturday, June 25, 2011. Martelly toured Miami
and New York as part of Diaspora Appreciation Days, in his administration’s effort to strengthen the involvement of the diaspora in the development of
Haiti. He did not come to Boston. Martelly was dealt a second significant set-back this month when his second nominee for Prime Minister, Bernard Gousse,
was dismissed by the Haitian legislature. Page 2, 3 (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
INSIDE THE REPORTER
Forced Evictions Get
Violent in Delmas
Jean Henry Jean-Claude lies on the ground
after being beaten in the head with the butt of
a gun by the Haitian National Police on July
27, according to observers. Jean-Claude was
one of the internally displaced people living
at Camp Django in Delmas 17 who was forced
to leave the camp by the mayor. Report, page
6. Photo by Bri Kouri Nouvel Gaye
Serving community is
Villarson’s calling
Rachelle Villarson, above, was a key
part of the National Urban League
conference in Boston last month.
Page 8
Haitian flavor on tap
at poetry slam
McKendy Fils-Aime will represent Boston in
this month’s National Poetry Slam in Cambridge. Page 5
AFROPOLITAN CRUISE ON SEPT. 3 — PAGE 8
Page 2 BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
August 2011
BostonHaitian.com
Anger in Haiti as Martelly stumbles out of the gate
By Trenton Daniel
Associated Press
PORT-AU-PRINCE— Haitian President Michel Martelly has styled himself
as a man of the people, a showy former
pop star who waded easily into adoring
crowds. So the reception he received on
his latest trip to his country’s north was a
surprise: Protesters pelted his entourage
with soft drink bottles and rocks.
Martelly wasn’t injured during the
unexpected protest on July 24 in Cap
Haitien, the country’s second-largest
city, and police haven’t determined a
precise motive for the ruckus.
But it is becoming increasingly apparent in a country overwhelmed by poverty,
natural disasters, disease and decades of
unfulfilled governmental promises that
Haitians have little patience for politicians who don’t produce — even if it is a
president who has been in office for less
than three months.
“Martelly made a lot of promises —
but so far nothing,’’ said Frantz Nelson,
a 34-year-old who voted for the former
singer. Nelson said he had hoped Martelly would help get him and his family
out of an encampment across from the
National Palace where they have lived
since a massive earthquake struck the
country in January 2010.
“We are impatient and our children
are impatient.’’
One of the keys to Martelly’s success in
last November’s election was his outsider
status, which attracted voters apparently tired of the traditional, educated
elite who tend toward higher office in
the Caribbean country.
He was a popular performer of a style
of Haitian music known as compas, and
was notorious for occasionally bawdy
performances and foul-mouthed stage
antics. Though he had been known to
espouse political views, he came from a
radically different mold than the country’s usual politicians. He ultimately
won a race that at one point included
a hand-picked successor to President
Rene Preval and a former senator who
was also a former first lady.
His dearth of experience is partly what
constrains him now, however: He lacks
much of a power base beyond his music
fans, and relies heavily on a tight-knit
team of close friends who are also new
to government.
That he has failed to win over lawmakers to approve his choice for prime
minister explains in part why he so far
boasts of few accomplishments. He has
almost no support in parliament, which
flatly rejected his first pick for prime minister and appears ready to vote against
his second choice as well.
Consequently, he has made little progress on promises to build homes for the
hundreds of thousands left homeless by
the earthquake as well as to create jobs in
a country with an unemployment rate of
more than 50 percent. Martelly has also
done little to provide free education in a
country where half of all children didn’t
attend school even before the quake.
Martelly, aware of the growing signs
of disenchantment, insists he’s still
on track to achieve his lofty campaign
pledges. “I promise to do this for the
benefit of the masses and our citizens
and create conditions for the recovery
of our country,’’ he said at a meeting of
the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission
In this photo taken Thursday July 21, a security detail forms a human barricade around Haiti’s President Michel
Martelly, center, during a tour of model homes in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Martelly has styled himself as a man of the
people, a showy former pop star who waded easily into adoring crowds. Haitians are now griping that Martelly hasn’t
brought much change during his three months in office. Many young people who supported him are now having
second thoughts. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
earlier this month.
The president has made some attempts
at progress: His administration launched
a program that aims to put kids in school
with fees collected from wire transfers
and international phone calls, and presented a plan to relocate 30,000 people
from six major earthquake encampments
into repaired houses.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, the
U.N. Special Envoy to Haiti, announced
last week that his foundation would
kick in $1.25 million to help raise school
funding, but the new fees have angered
Haitians overseas because it raised the
cost of calling and sending money back
home for a largely working-class community. The administration also drew
criticism for evicting people from one
of the earthquake encampments before
creating housing elsewhere. Even if it
were to succeed, Martelly’s relocation
plan would help a mere 5 percent of the
displaced population.
Mark Schneider of the U.S.-based
think tank the International Crisis
Group praised Martelly for the housing
plan and for retaining the Interim Haiti
Recovery Commission, an international
review panel that oversees earthquake
reconstruction aid that some Haitians
view with resentment. But he also said
the new president needs to learn how to
work across party lines.
“He needs to govern with a vision of
national reconciliation and national
reconstruction,’’ Schneider said. “That
has to be his mantra.’’
Martelly’s biggest apparent misstep so
far has been his picks for prime minister.
His initial choice was rejected overwhelmingly by the Chamber of Deputies.
They accused the nominee, businessman
Daniel-Gerard Rouzier, of tax evasion
and questioned his citizenship. Many
believed the real reason for Rouzier’s
rejection was that Martelly hadn’t done
enough to win the lawmakers’ support
beforehand. There are only three people
from Martelly’s party in the 99-seat
Chamber of Deputies and none in the
30-seat Senate.
“He’s learning the hard way,’’ said Sen.
Steven Benoit. “He’s realizing parliament is the number one power.’’
Martelly’s second pick, Bernard
Gousse, has not yet come up for a vote but
faces stronger opposition. Gousse served
as justice minister under the interim
government set up by the international
community after the ouster of President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2004 and has
been accused of persecuting supporters
of the former president, who remains a
popular figure in Haiti.
“The prime minister-designate is politically dead, and when a person dies,
there’s no choice but to bury him,” JeanCharles Moses, an opposition senator,
told Radio Kiskeya.
Martelly’s problems with parliament
are not unique. Preval, his predecessor,
oversaw a revolving door of prime ministers. Six held the post from 2004-2009,
with some sacked by lawmakers.
But the stakes are higher now as the
country struggles to jump-start stalled
earthquake reconstruction.
“Martelly faces an immediate crisis in
the growing frustrations of the victims in
the camps and those with near identical
unmet basic needs who remain in the
urban slums,’’ the International Crisis
Group remarked in a report issued last
month.
Martelly planned to take a 17-day
tour through Europe to seek investment
and appeal for more aid. He cut the trip
short by a week because of the political
drama at home and visited only Spain
— a country that has not traditionally
played a large business or political role
in Haiti.
“There is a bit of a learning curve,’’ said
Thomas Adams, Haiti Special Coordinator for the U.S. State Department.
A group of business leaders in the
manufacturing sector issued a statement
Monday in which it said the absence of
a prime minister was blocking economic
development and investment needed for
creating jobs.
So far, the main source of Martelly’s
opposition had been in parliament and
not on the streets — until he showed up
in Cap-Haitien on Sunday as part of an
effort to promote the country’s north in
a weeklong focus on tourism.
Police spokesman Frantz Lerebours
said he could not comment because he
didn’t have the full report, but witnesses
said people threw rocks and soft drink
bottles as the president walked through
a shantytown near the airport.
Hansy Mars, a correspondent for the
weekly Le Nouvelliste and Radio Galaxie who was at the event, said security
guards tried to escort Martelly into one
of two slow-moving SUVs but he declined
and kept walking. Police fired several
shots in the air and, according to U.N.
spokeswoman Barbara Mertz, Chilean
troops from the U.N. military responded.
“I had to take cover to protect myself,’’
Mars said.
Mars said he saw police arrest 29
people, while U.N. police spokesman
Raymond Lamarre said police arrested
two people. Nobody was injured.
On Monday and Tuesday nights, there
were more arrests on unspecified charges
in the same neighborhood as the protest,
according to Fritz Joseph, Cap-Haitien’s
deputy mayor.
Joseph said Tuesday night that police
officers went from house to house and
arrested 15 men Monday night and five
the next.
“What the police are doing is completely
arbitrary,” Joseph said by telephone.
“What’s happening now is making the
president look bad.’’
Lerebours couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday night.
In an earlier interview, he said he
didn’t know what prompted the rock and
bottle throwing — but it’s not uncommon
in Haiti for politicians to hire protesters
and troublemakers to do their dirty work
for them.
The president dismissed his critics after
he returned from Spain, saying opponents
were simply trying to undermine him —
and he said they would not succeed. “I’m
not going to quit,” he said. “I’m here for
five years.”
Haiti cops search for man seen with gun near Martelly
By Trenton Daniel
Associated Press
PORT-AU-PRINCE— Police are searching for a
man seen holding a rifle in a crowd as Haitian President Michel Martelly walked through a busy street in
northern Haiti, a police official said on July 28.
Joany Caneus, police director for Haiti’s northern
region, said witnesses have told investigators that
the gunman was standing among people watching
Martelly pass by on foot on July 24 in Haiti’s second
largest city, Cap-Haitien.
Caneus said the man planned to assassinate Mar-
telly, but declined to say how he knew that. Saying
the investigation was continuing, he would say only
that witnesses reported the man was carrying either
an M-1 or an M-14 rifle.
Inaugurated in May, Martelly showed up in CapHaitien on Sunday to promote tourism in the northern
region. He unveiled plans for construction of a major
road and extension of an airstrip at the city airport.
No shots were reported fired at him, but the visit
turned unruly. Protesters lobbed rocks and soda bottles
at the new leader and his entourage as they walked
through a street near the airport.
Martelly’s escorts tried to get him to climb into one
of two slow-moving SUVs but he declined and kept
walking. Police fired shots in the air to break up the
crowd and people scrambled for cover.
Neither Martelly nor anyone else was injured.
Caneus said Thursday that police had arrested 32
people and brought them to the Haitian capital for
questioning on the stoning.
Authorities haven’t determined a specific motive
behind the incident. But many Haitians are growing
increasingly angry at politicians who don’t quickly improve life in this nation burdened with poverty, natural
disasters and disease — even if it is a president who
has been in office for less than three months. (AP)
BostonHaitian.com
August 2011
BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
Martelly wants changes
in recovery panel
By Trenton Daniel
Associated Press
PORT-AU-PRINCE— President
Michel Martelly announced changes
to the makeup of a recovery commission that he says will make it more
effective as it tries to rebuild from
Haiti’s devastating earthquake.
Haiti’s new leader also asked for a
yearlong extension on the mandate
of the Interim
Haiti Recovery
Commission,
which was set
up months after the January
2010 disaster to
better coordinate
reconstruction. It
is led by the U.N.
special envoy for
Haiti, former
U.S. President
Bill Clinton, and
Haiti’s outgoing
Prime Minister
Jean-Max Bellerive.
The mandate
of the panel is
due to expire in
October and Martelly’s request for its extension could
meet opposition when it goes before
Haiti’s legislature for approval.
Since he took office in May,
Martelly has been at odds with the
opposition-controlled parliament.
Lawmakers rejected his first pick
for prime minister and seem ready
to turn down his second.
At the commission’s meeting Friday, Martelly named Ann Valerie
Timothee Milfort, former chief-ofstaff for the Ministry of Women’s
Affairs, to serve as interim executive
director. He also named six members
of his inner circle as board members,
replacing members who recently
resigned as the previous administration handed over power to Martelly.
The panel was set up to give international donors assurances that
reconstruction
would be orderly
and free of the
corruption that
has long plagued
Haiti. But it has
come under
heavy criticism
for accomplishing little since its
inception.
To date, the
commission has
approved 87 projects with a total
value of $3.26
billion, of which
$1.8 billion is secured, according
the U.N.’s Office of the Special
Envoy.
Martelly advisers presented a proposal Friday
that aims to move 30,000 people
living in six tent camps back into
16 neighborhoods to be redeveloped
from the quake’s destruction.
Among the six sites is a parking
lot at a soccer stadium in downtown
Port-au-Prince that was the center
of controversy this week. The government drew criticism from the
“I want to
reiterate that
my government
is against forced
evictions that do
not respect
human rights”
- Michel Martelly
President, Haiti
United Nations and rights groups
after a mayor began to pay several
hundred people to leave the parking
lot without providing them a right
to adequate housing.
``I want to reiterate that my government is against forced evictions
that do not respect human rights,’’
Martelly said at the commission
meeting.
After the session, the Haiti Reconstruction Fund, a World Bankrun group that allocates funds to
projects approved by the recovery
commission, agreed to set aside
$30 million for the government’s
relocation effort.
``What’s important is that the
international community is showing its support for the president,’’
Josef Leitmann, manager of the
Haiti Reconstruction Fund, told
The Associated Press. ``They’re
sending a signal to the president:
We’re reserving the funds until we
see a final proposal.’’
The government’s relocation
plan is part of a larger effort to
resettle some of the estimated
634,000 quake survivors still living in hundreds of tent-and-tarp
settlements that sprang up in the
capital and surrounding cities after
the quake. The goal is to redevelop
neighborhoods by providing loans
so that residents can repair quakedamaged homes.
The Haiti Reconstruction Fund
also said that it has allocated $237
million to pay for 14 reconstruction
projects. The amount represents 71
percent of the $335 million given by
donors. (AP)
Page 3
Martelly’s second
choice for PM rejected
PORT-AU-PRINCE— Haitian lawmakers rejected
President Michel Martelly’s second pick for prime
minister on Aug. 2, delivering a major blow to the
new leader as he struggles to get a government in
place almost three months after taking office.
In a sometime raucous debate that began in the
afternoon and lasted into the night, 16 senators
voted against the nomination of Bernard Gousse, a
controversial former justice minister. The rest of the
30-member Senate refrained from voting.
The rejection of Gousse as Martelly’s second choice
for Haiti’s No. 2 official means the president will
begin the selection process all over again, which
stands to push back the potential installation of a
Cabinet by several weeks if not longer.
Martelly’s first pick as prime minister, businessman Daniel-Gerard Rouzier, was turned down by
the Chamber of Deputies because of questions over
his citizenship and taxes. But Gousse, an attorney,
seemed like a candidate who would meet even more
opposition because he was so controversial.
A local law firm filed a petition last month for the
legislature to investigate Gousse. The lawyers alleged he was guilty of false imprisonment and being
an accomplice to murder during his time as justice
minister in the interim government that took office
after a violent rebellion in 2004 drove then-President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide into exile.
Gousse resigned back then amid charges that
he was persecuting Aristide supporters. Despite
Gousse’s record, Martelly expressed confidence
that lawmakers would approve his choice for prime
minister but it wasn’t clear why.
After Martelly submitted Gousse as a nominee,
senators from different political parties got together
and called themselves the Group of 16. They united
over their opposition of Gousse as a potential prime
minister. That same sentiment played out in the Senate debate Tuesday as lawmakers debated Gousse’s
papers, qualifications, and whether he obtained a
certificate showing he had a clean record as a public
official from his time as justice minister.
Before the vote late Tuesday night, it was clear
how many of the senators felt. “The Group of 16 is
going to vote against Gousse no matter what,” said
Evalliere Beauplan, a member of the Group of 16.
“He’s not going to make it through.” (AP)
Page 4 BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
Reporter Staff
August 2011
BostonHaitian.com
English language program helps
survivors begin to rebuild
On July 27, dozens of friends
and family gathered to celebrate
67 Haitian graduates who completed the inaugural English
for Advancement program at
the Boston Missionary Baptist
Church in Roxbury.
The English for Advancement
program is a joint effort coordinated by the Jewish Vocational
Service (JVS) and the Greater
Boston Interfaith Organization
(GBIO). It started in October
2010 and is an English language
program set up to help participants secure employment, enroll
in a skills training program, or
attend college.
Patrips Fleurival arrived in the
U.S. two years ago with his wife
and son. As a result of his participation in the language program,
he recently passed the entrance
exam to JVS’ Certified Nursing
Assistant (CNA) training program
and plans to start in the fall.
“Knowing English is an essential part of advancing through
college, career training and
employment,” said Jerry Rubin,
CEO of JVS. “We knew there
was a demand in Boston’s Haitian
population and GBIO helped us
connect our services with the community. The early results have
been spectacular.”
Many Haitians have been unable to enroll in education and
skills training programs due to
their lack of English skills and
a shortage of available English
classes in the greater Boston
area. The partnership between
JVS and GBIO has leveraged the
educational resources of JVS and
the community organizing and
advocacy resources of GBIO to ensure adequate adult educational
resources in the Haitian and other
immigrant communities.
Josue Dorfeuille, who came
to the U.S. with his wife and
three children one week after the
earthquake in Haiti last January,
said the program has helped him
adjust and progress in his new life.
“When I came here, it was a
difficult situation. This class was
very important for me because it
was a first step… I want to master
the English language so I can go
to college.”
The Norwood resident would
like to continue to learn English From Left to right:
Maria Rodrigues, Marie Claire-Rose Paul,
and enroll in a higher-level class Marie Maryse Paul, Chermide Louis, Alaina Farabaugh, Gerard
in the fall, with the ultimate goal Fortune, Patrips Fleurival.
of attending Bunker Hill ComHaitian churches, including secured employment; 9 enrolled
munity College.
English for Advancement is the Boston Missionary Baptist in skills training programs; one
funded by the Smith Family Church in Roxbury; the Church enrolled in JVS’ pre-college
Foundation -- a private Boston- of God Christian Life Center program; and one enrolled in
based foundation that funds a in Dorchester; and the Voice of college. The other students will
host of issues including medical the Tabernacle and the Greater move on to higher-level English
research, education reform and Boston Nazarene Compassionate classes in the fall.
For more information, visit
workforce development. Six Center, both in Mattapan. To
date,
13
graduates
have
jvs-boston.org
or gbio.org
classes were offered at local
Hunt on for
survivors after
boat sinks; 12 die
Suspect in Jules murder
is indicted by Grand Jury
Reporter Staff
A Dorchester man who was arrested in June for allegedly murdering a 24
year-old Haitian-American woman in 2004 has been indicted by a Suffolk County
Grand Jury. Shabazz Augustine, 32, will face first-degree murder charges in
the death of Julaine Jules, his former girlfriend, who disappeared in August
2004. Her body was discovered in the Charles River more than a month later.
Augustine was an immediate suspect in the case, but was not arrested or
charged in the case until June, after the Boston Police Cold Case Unit revisited
the murder. Augustine, who had been working as a dental assistant in Roxbury
since the murder, was ordered to be held without bail during an arraignment
in June. Now that he has been officially indicted, Augustine will be arraigned
again at Suffolk Superior Court on Aug. 29.
Julaine Jules (above),
was killed in 2004.
PORT-AU-PRINCE—Authorities in Haiti say they
are looking for survivors from a sailboat that sank
off the country’s northern coast, killing at least 12
people. A July 29 statement from Interior Minister
Paul-Antoine Bien-Aime says police have rescued
at least 19 people. He says at least 21 passengers
are still missing after Tuesday’s accident. Bien-Aime
says officials are investigating what caused the boat
to sink. It is unclear whether the boat was being
used for public transportation. (AP)
Wherever you’re going, whether
it’s for business or pleasure,
we are your gateway to the
world. In fact, when you fly
American Eagle®, you’re just a flight
away from hundreds of worldwide
destinations on American Airlines.
Together, we serve more than
250 cities in 40 countries.
So really, it’s just one small world.
To book your travel, visit AA.com.
Service totals include American Eagle. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle and AA.com are marks of American Airlines, Inc. oneworld is a mark of the oneworld Alliance, LLC. © 2011 American Airlines, Inc. All rights reserved.
A0195-1_10x8.indd 1
6/9/11 4:12 PM
BostonHaitian.com
Friends of the
Orphans opens
office in Quincy
One of the educational programs in Port-au-Prince
run by Friends of the Orphans.
By Manolia Charlotin
Editor
In June, Friends of the Orphans, an international
children services network, opened a local office in
Quincy. One of their largest programs is based in
Haiti. They opened an office in the greater Boston
area in hopes to work with and benefit from the
support of the large Haitian population here.
Their first Haiti “home” was opened in 1987. Since
then, it has grown into a large orphanage called St.
Hélène Foyer. It is situated just outside of Port-auPrince in the mountains of Kenscoff and is now home
to 400 children. The program (also known in French
as Nos Petits Frères et Soeurs) has over 10 main
facilities, as it has expanded its services throughout
the years. Their large hospitals and clinics Saint
Damien Pediatric Hospital and Saint Philomena,
provides health care (including cholera treatment)
to several hundred families.Their large education
program St. Don Bosco, serves about 250 youths
who attend secondary, professional or vocational
school. Jennifer Rayno, regional director in MidAtlantic/Northeast says most of the 1600 staff and
volunteers are Haitian. Many of the former orphans
now staff and run the programs.“One of the things
that makes us different is that we raise the children
with the philosophy of shared responsibility, we
(Continued on Page 11)
August 2011
BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
Fils-Aime to represent Boston
in national poetry slam
Michael Caprio
Special to the
Reporter
McKendy Fils-Aime
first started writing
poetry “like any high
school kid does” – after being dumped by
his high school sweetheart. Now, almost 10
years after his high
school debut, he is one
of five members of the
Boston team at this
year’s National Poetry
Slam in Cambridge.
Born in New York
City to Haitian parents, Fils-Aime moved
to New Hampshire
when he was young
and attended local high
school, where he first
began exploring the
medium of poetry.
“I said to myself,
‘I really like writing
poetry, and I think I
should start taking
this more seriously,’”
Fils-Aime said of his
first experiences with
writing.
During the rest of
his high school career,
he began to hone the
craft of spoken word
poetry, concentrating
on his delivery and
performance style. He
then began to enter
poetry readings and
local “slams,” which he
continued doing when
he got to the University
of New Hampshire.
Since his debut on
the slam circuit, FilsAime has performed in
the last three National
Poetry Slams, for the
Manchester, NH team
in 2008, the Worcester team in 2009, and
the Manchester team
again in 2010. This
year, he decided to take
his craft to the bigger
Boston slam clubs and
made the Boston team,
which will compete in
Cambridge for the 2011
National Poetry Slam
on August 9.
The National Poetry
Slam, which takes place
every year in a different
city, draws dozens of poetry teams, all of which
are composed of some
of the most acclaimed
poets in their respective
areas.
For these teams, it’s
a long, strange trip on
the road to the National
Poetry Slam, with some
traveling from as far
away as Australia to
take their turn at the
Mic. To get to that point,
individuals have to perform well enough in
several regional poetry
slams and be sponsored
by a local group, all
the while footing their
own travel costs and
expenses.
For his part, Fils-Aime
McKendy Fils-Aime will
represent Boston at this
month’s National Poetry
Slam.
made a name on the poetry scene by traveling
down the East Coast last
year with his four-person
poetry group “No More
Ribcage,” hop scotching
down the Atlantic by
venues in Philadelphia,
Pittsburg, New Jersey
before ending the journey in Orlando, Fl.
“I appreciated every
part of the journey,” FilsAime said. “It was good to
see what every poet was
like, what every scene
was like on its own turf.
Sometimes there are
poems that wouldn’t necessarily be received well
on the national stage,
Page 5
but when people perform
them in their own places
… and people recognize
the poems, that’s great
to see.”
Fils-Aime draws inspiration from sources more
close to home, too. His
Haitian background has
proven a ripe subject for
exploration. Although
his niche subject is mythology - one of his main
poems is a re-telling of
the story of Pandora – he
does explore his Haitian
roots in some of his writing in an open, expository
way.
“When I do write about
being Haitian, I try to
make people understand
where I’m coming from,”
he said. “When you’re
writing something about
cultural heritage, you
have to do it precisely
and honestly.”
Fils-Aime hopes to
become a teacher, a
career choice he made
after working in a writing workshop on weekends. He said he wants
to keep writing poetry
and serve as a mentor
for up-and-coming poets as his own career
advances.
•••
Get updates about the
Poetry Slamand other
local events at bostonhaitian.com
Page 6 BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
August 2011
BostonHaitian.com
Editorial
Diaspora groups launch listening tour in Boston
On July 14, a group
of leaders from the Haitian diaspora launched
a national listening tour
in Boston. The Haitian
Fund for Innovation and
Reconstruction (HFIR)
based in New York,
Konbit for Haiti out of
Florida, the Lambi Fund
from Haiti, and Oxfam
America headquartered
in Boston with offices
in DC - collaborated
with the Boston Haitian
Reporter – to convene a
working meeting. The
goal was to hear the
diaspora perspective
on issues that can be
addressed through coordinated advocacy.
About 25 local community leaders, entrepreneurs, human rights
advocates and young
professionals gathered
to discuss priorities in
setting an advocacy
agenda. The group eagerly provided their input on the major sectors
that need to be bolstered
and prioritized, from education and governance
to the justice system and
Participants engage in brainstorm about advocacy priorities on July 14. infrastructure.
Shortly after the January 2010 earthquake,
many in the diaspora
mobilized money, supplies, and their networks into action. The
diaspora—which has
long served as a major
economic driver for the
island, sending about $1
billion a year back home
– responded swiftly to
humanitarian needs.
Over a year and half
later, the flow of international aid for reconstruc-
tion has been a slow,
flawed process. A number of organizations,
developed post-quake,
have begun advocate for
better US policy towards
Haiti. However, relatively few of these efforts
are led by the diaspora.
In March 2010, more
than 400 members of
the diaspora responded
to the Organization of
American States’ (OAS)
call for a meeting at
their Headquarters in
Washington DC. In the
run-up to the international donor’s conference at United Nations
(UN), the goal of this
three-day event was to
develop a coordinated
strategy that addressed
key issues in the recovery, reconstruction and
development efforts in
Haiti.
The diaspora has since
held a number of gatherings, dialogues and forums of Haiti’s recovery
and construction.
“This meeting is in
the context of a series
of other meetings that
have taken place,” said
Johnny Celestin, founder and director of HFIR.
“This listening tour will
[allow us] to… activate
the powerful voice of
Haitian-Americans.”
Sophia Lafontant,
lead organizer of Oxfam added this advocacy
should be targeted to
the US government,
because many in the diaspora are US citizens.
Over the next few
Photo by The Reporter
months, the tour will
visit Miami and New
York – the two cities with the largest
population of Haitians
in the US. The group
plans to follow up with
participants from these
sessions to provide advocacy trainings and
eventually craft a policy
agenda for Haitians living abroad.
— Manolia Charlotin
Commentary
Report: Government adds insult to injuries of displaced
By Etant Dupain
Special to the Reporter
The Haitian Government is violating the
rights of Haitians more
seriously than the nongovernmental organiza-
Etant Dupain
tions (NGOS). During
recent weeks, destroying
the camps of the internally displaced people
has become something
normal. And now the
Mayor Jean-Yves Jason
of Port-au-Prince has
evicted 514 families that
were living in the Sylivo
Cator soccer stadium,
without respect to their
rights or their dignity.
This is yet another
time that the Haitian
Government has violated the International
Convention on Human
Rights, which recognizes
the rights that all victims
of natural catastrophes
have to live with dignity.
Mayor Jason of Portau-Prince declared: “The
government doesn’t owe
people anything, the
10,000 gourdes ($500
U.S.) the government
gives is charity for them
to restart their lives.”
That is the kind of declaration we might expect
to hear from the mouths
of NGOs, not from those
who govern - those to
whom we have given a
mandate to govern us.
Of the 514 families
BOSTON HAITIAN
REPORTER
“An Exploration of the Haitian-American Experience”
A publication of Boston Neighborhood News Inc.
150 Mt. Vernon St., Suite 120 , Dorchester, MA 02125
Worldwide at www.bostonhaitian.com
Mary Casey Forry, President (1983-2004)
Edward W. Forry, Publisher
William P. Forry, Managing Editor
Manolia Charlotin, Business Manager/Editor
Steve Desrosiers, Contributing Editor
Yolette Ibokette, Contributing Editor
News Room Phone : (617) 436-1222 Advertising : (617) 436-2217
E-mail: news@dotnews.com
Boston Haitian Reporter Reporter is not liable for errors appearing in
advertisements beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error.
The right is reserved by Boston Haitian Reporter to edit,
reject or cut any copy without notice.
Next Issue: September 2011
Next edition’s Deadline: Thursday, Sept. 1 at noon
All contents © Copyright 2011 Boston Neighborhood News, Inc.
Mail subscription rates $25.00 per year, payable in advance.
Make payable to the Boston Haitian Reporter and mail to:
Boston Haitian Reporter,
150 Mt. Vernon Street, Suite #120, Dorchester, MA 02125
A protest by civil society organizations against the presence of the United Nations Stabilization Mission
in Haiti (MINUSTAH) was held on July 28, 2011, the 96th anniversary of the 1915 United States occupation of Haiti. Organizations are calling for justice for the UN soldiers bringing the cholera epidemic to
Haiti and for the mission to withdraw. Photo by Bri Kouri Nouvèl Gaye Haiti
that were living in the
stadium, there are 124
(about 600 people) that
the Mayor agreed to relocate in another space.
However, the other
nearly 400 families were
left in the streets with
only 10,000 gourdes and
no other assistance to
find an alternative.
The space the mayor
of Port-au-Prince designated to put these
homeless earthquake
victims is worse than
where the had been
living; it doesn’t meet
international standards
for displaced people
nor does it meet principles of human dignity. Eighteen months
after the January 12th
earthquake, the Haitian
government is forcing
people out from under
their tents to go live under other tents, creating
new camps without safe
drinking water during
a cholera epidemic. It
appears the mayor has
installed ten portable
toilets near the road
by the new camp. The
majority of the homeless
victims living there are
children and women.
In the past months,
the lives of Haiti’s internally displaced have
become increasingly
difficult and it is more
complicated than just
the bad conditions in the
camps. Authorities have
declared that the victims
actually have houses and
big businesses, or they
are criminals. The NGOs
also seek to invalidate
these homeless families
by saying they stay in
camps because they
weren’t accustomed to
getting getting the good
services such as free
water, food and health
care that they receive in
the camps now. In reality, most camps lack all
of these basic services
which are considered
fundamental human
rights.
The mayor of Delmas
and the police destroyed
the camp at the Airport
Intersection (Kafou Ayopo) at six o’clock in the
morning, they said the
camp was a home for
criminals. Yet they arrested no one and didn’t
find even one knife. If
we consider what the
government calls “social
housing” (low income
housing) and the declaration made by Mr.
Martelly, then we can
expect all 700,000 people
living in the camps today
to be evicted before long
because there is no housing for the poor.
There are victims who
explain that they prefer
the humiliation of liv-
ing in the Dominican
Republic where racism
against Haitian is frequently overt, because
in comparison the Haitian authorities are now
treating them worse
than foreigners do. This
is especially true for the
poor, who have nearly
ceased to exist in the
national dialogue beyond efforts to render
them less visible since
the election of Martelly.
Etant Dupain is the director of Bri Kouri Nouvèl Gaye, an alternative
Haitian media project.
Supported by Let Haiti
Live, a project of TransAfrica Forum, BKNG
prints and distributes a
free monthly newspaper
to residents of camps and
popular neighborhoods.
Learn more at http://
brikourinouvelgaye.com
BostonHaitian.com
August 2011
BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
Page 7
Commentary
The case against Bernard Gousse goes beyond politics
By Brian
Concannon, Jr.
On July 13, the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI) added
a legal analysis to the
debate over the ratification of President Michel
Martelly’s nominee for
Prime Minister, Bernard
Gousse, by submitting
a petition asking the
Haitian parliament to
conduct a trial of Mr.
Gousse for crimes committed during his tenure
as Minister of Justice
under Haiti’s 2004-2006
interim regime. The BAI
accuses Mr. Gousse of
serving as the architect
of a campaign of political
repression that led to the
deaths of thousands of
suspected political dissidents and the illegal
arrests of hundreds more.
In Haiti, as in the United States, the constitution protects top officials,
including Ministers, from
prosecution by the regular courts. In both countries, if a top official is
accused of a crime, the
legislative branch, with
the help of the courts,
conducts a trial. If the
accused is found guiltythrough impeachment
in the United States and
the Haute Cour de Justice
(High Court of Justice) in
Haiti – then the cases are
referred to civilian courts
for further proceedings.
The lower house of Parliament, the Chambre des
Deputés (equivalent to
the House of Representatives in the U.S.), begins
the prosecution by voting
a formal accusation with
a 2/3 majority. The case
is then forwarded to the
Senate, which acts as
the Court, assisted by
two justices of the Cour
de Cassation (Supreme
Court). If the Senate votes
for a conviction by a 2/3
majority, it can sentence
the convicted person to
loss of their political office
and a bar of up to fifteen
years for public office.
The convicted person can
then be brought before a
regular court for prosecution, which could lead
to imprisonment upon
conviction.
The BAI accuses Minister Gousse of participating in four cases of political persecution. The first
involves Catholic priest
and political activist, Father Gérard Jean-Juste,
who was arrested twice
during Mr. Gousse’s term
in office. There was never
any evidence presented of
wrongdoing by Fr. JeanJuste, yet he was held in
prison for seven months,
and denied treatment for
leukemia. Mr. Gousse
personally participated
in the prosecution, by
publicly urging the justice system to forcefully
prosecute. When one of
Haiti’s most respected
judges, Judge Jean-Sénat
Fleury, ordered Fr. JeanJuste released unless the
government could present evidence, Mr. Gousse
illegally forced Judge
Fleury off the bench,
flagrantly disrespecting Haiti’s separation of
powers (see An Prensip,
Boston Haitian Reporter,
April 2005).
The other three cases
in the BAI’s petition
involve killings by police
officers. Abdias Jean,
a journalist, was killed
in the Village de Dieu
neighborhood on January
14, 2005. Ederson Joseph,
a schoolchild, was killed
by a hooded police officer
in the yard of his home in
Fort National on January
17, 2005. Jimmy Charles,
an employee of the stateoperated telecommunications company, TELECO,
and member of the Fanmi
Lavalas party, was arrested on January 5,
2005, and imprisoned.
Eight days later, Mr.
Charles’ family found his
body in the state morgue,
riddled with bullets.
The BAI does not accuse Mr. Gousse of ordering or committing
the killings. Instead, it
asserts indirect liability
for these killings on two
grounds. First, Minister
Gousse is alleged to have
led a repressive security
force that was designed
to carry out these kinds
of killings. One study
conducted of Mr. Gousse’s
time in office concluded
that 8,000 people were
killed in political violence
in 22 months in Port-auPrince alone, and that
police officers committed 20% of the killings.
Second, Mr. Gousse is
accused of covering up
the murders by failing
to fulfill his obligation
to investigate them. The
BAI petition notes that
the families of all three
victims filed legal complaints with Minister
Gousse’s prosecutors,
and that in one case the
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
asked the Haitian government to investigate,
all with no result.
The Haitian Parliament has to date made
no response to the BAI
petition. In fact, Parliament has never instituted the Haute Cour de
Justice in the twenty-four
years since it has been
authorized by the 1987
Constitution, despite
numerous accusations
of crimes by top officials
over that span. On August 2, the Senate voted
against Mr. Gousse’s
nomination, a political
response. Ironically, one
of the Senators who voted
against the nomination,
Jocelerme Privert, was
arrested personally by
Minister Gousse in 2004
and thrown in jail, even
though, as a former Min-
ister of the Interior, he
should not have been
prosecuted by regular
courts without proceeding through the Haute
Cour de Justice.
If the Parliamentarians’ goal was merely
to stop Mr. Gousse from
becoming Prime Minister, the political response
was probably the easiest
path. Rejecting the candidacy required only sixteen
votes out of thirty Senators and did not require
proof of anything, while
conviction by the Haute
Cour would have required
twenty votes and proof of
guilt. But by taking the
easy road Parliament
missed an opportunity to
aim higher, to stop not
a person, but a practice
of political repression by
top government officials
in Haiti. A full trial of Mr.
Gousse would have allowed his accusers to pres-
© 2011 United Air Lines, Inc. All rights reserved.
Port-au-Prince.
Our latest stop on the way
to becoming the
world’s leading airline.
Nonstop service between
New York/Newark and Port-au-Prince,
starting June 9th.
ent the evidence against
him, and allow Mr. Gousse
to present his defense. Regardless of who prevailed,
Parliament would have
established a precedent
that top officials accused
of serious crimes would
be pursued, and that they
would be tried not in the
rumor mill, but in a constitutional court providing
fairness to the accuser and
accused alike.
Human rights lawyer
Brian Concannon Jr.
directs the Boston-based
Institute for Justice &
Democracy in Haiti, www.
ijdh.org. He has represented several victims of
political repression under
Haiti’s 2004-2006 interim
regime in international
courts, including Abdias
Jean and Jimmy Charles,
along with the Bureau des
Avocats Internationaux.
Page 8 BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
August 2011
BostonHaitian.com
Rachelle Villarson’s commitment
to service inspires peers
By Manolia Charlotin
Editor
Last week’s National
Urban League conference in Boston featured
many nationally reknown
figures from Soledad
O’Brien, Henry Louis
“Skip” Gates to Rev. Al
Sharpton and Bill Gates.
Many Bay State officials
welcomed conference attendees including Gov
Deval Patrick, Mayor
Thomas Menino, several
state representatives, administration leaders and
members of the Boston
city council.
However, one key group
that helped to ensure
the smooth operations of
the conference was the
hard-working volunteers.
And one dynamic leader
responsible for recruiting, training, coordination and execution for
volunteers for several
main events was Rachelle
Villarson.
Villarson, who was
born in Brooklyn and
came to Boston as a teen,
is a finance supervisor
at Partners Healthcare.
She was appointed to the
board of Young Professionals Network of the
Urban League of Eastern
Massachusetts (YPNULEM), as co-chair of the
community service committee last summer. She
Rachelle Villarson (center front) with members of YPN-ULEM doing community service at Rosie’s Place, fall 2010.
hit the ground running.
Villarson spearheaded YPN-ULEM’s first
campaign to increase
awareness about homelessness within a few
months of her tenure.
The month-long Hunger and Homelessness
Awareness Campaign in
November 2010 provided
a series of service opportunities that culminated
with 145 people served
hot meals, 100 donated
backpacks of condoms
and hygiene kits, along
with donations of over
90 pounds of chicken and
turkey, 25 pounds of rice
and beans, and 12 pounds
of vegetables.
“Rachelle came into
the role already prepared,” said Nancy Rachel Rousseau, President
of YPN-ULEM. “Rachelle
believes in community
building. She is willing to
see a project from beginning to end.”
The commitment to
serve her community
began early in Villarson’s
life.
“I first got involved with
community service as a
child. I went to Catholic
school all my life and
service to and for the
community was always a
philosophy instilled in me
from day one,” says Villarson. “My mother was
also a role model in this
aspect as she was always
willing to help anyone in
need...as evident in her
chosen profession as a
registered nurse. I [have]
essentially been involved
with community service
all my life.”
Villarson began her
studies at Northeastern
University and is now
majoring in business management at the University
of Phoenix.
Charlene Luma, LICSW, is a Clinician at
The Guidance Center’s
Children with Voices who
also currently serves as
YPN-ULEM co-secretary.
“As a child Rachelle was
always fun to be around
and a risk taker. As a person Rachelle is reliable,
committed, trustworthy,
strong-willed, and [has]
an infectious laugh that
captivates a room and
brings people into her.”
Luma recalls several of
the volunteer efforts she’s
worked with her cousin.
“Rachelle and I have
worked or volunteered
with each other in [many]
capacities, such as with
the Prevention Now program at the Hennigan
School, fashion shows at
Northeastern University,
and organizing a team
for the Annual Lupus
New England that we do
in honor of my late twin
sister.”
“Rachelle is… also the
older sister I’ve never had.
This became even more so
after losing my own twin
sister,” said Luma.
Villarson is the eldest
of two siblings. She has a
20-year old brother. She
credits her mother as her
role model and key influence in her life.
“My mother is someone who has persevered
against all odds, even
when people her told no,”
she said. “She has been
this defiant person from as
early as I can remember.
Not only has she been
defiant when it came to
her own personal life but
when it came to the well
being of her children, she
was ever more defiant in
making sure that her kids
not only got what she felt
they needed, but what
they deserved.”
Villarson’s mother, Gertrude Andre, RN, says
the respect is mutual.
“Rachelle is a leader. She
was always outspoken
as a child. I remember
one time a pastor called
her name in front of a
church congregation. He
pronounced it as ‘Rachel.’
Rachelle corrected him in
front of everyone and said,
‘My name is Rachelle!’
When asked what she
thinks of her daughter’s volunteer work, she
teared up and said, “I’m
very proud of her. My kids
are my everything.”
Andre volunteered
throughout the conference, with her daughter
as the lead volunteer
coordinator for the young
professionals events. During the 60-hour volunteer
work-week, Villarson was
in charge of 35 volunteers
who staffed about 15
events.
As she walked through
the convention center,
a steady flow of volunteers comes to her with
questions about room assignments, shift changes
and timing of meals. She
effortlessly answers each
one.
“I couldn’t do this alone.
I have a great team, especially my co-chair Kenya
[Beaman] and committee
members, who are there
to let me know when the
workload is too much or
unrealistic. Some of my
go-to people are Magalie
Jean-Michel and Erika
Inocencio.”
Under Villarson and
Beaman’s leadership,
the community service
committee had grown
from about seven to 22
members and has put
about 100 hours of planning and executing service
events. The group has led
the organization to log an
impressive 700 hours of
community service hours.
“I have worked with a
lot of people on various
projects large and small
and I would say Rachelle
is definitely on her way,”
said Beaman, who works
for Tufts University’s
School of Medicine. “I
love that she takes public
service very serious as it
is very important to give
(Continued on Page 15)
Save the Date!
Back-to-School
Jamboree!
Saturday,
August 27, 2011
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Boston City Hall Plaza
Free BACkPACkS with school supplies
for the first 1,500 BPS students!
Questions?
 617-635-9660 or -9661
b2sjamboree@boston.k12.ma.us
Sponsored by the Boston Public Schools
Thomas M. Menino, Mayor • Boston School Committee
Dr. Carol R. Johnson, Superintendent
Event Producer:
BostonHaitian.com
By Steve Desrosiers
Contributing Editor
Confirmation
Miami’s Nu-Look is
back with a vengeance
through the release of
their latest album, the
highly anticipated “Confirmation”. The album is
an independent release
featuring 11 original
compositions.
If there is one word
that captures a part the
Nu-Look experience in
music, it is drama! “NuLook”, is singer/songwriter Arly Lariviere’s
brainchild, the result of
a messy break up with
the band D-Zine, a group
for which he served as
maestro. Arly sealed
Nu-Look’s early success
by recruiting D-Zine’s
talented lead singer,
Gazzman Couleur as colead and part-owner. Of
course this move sealed
the demise of his former
D-Zine band-mates.
Arly and Gazzman
then released a modest stream of hits that
quickly shot Nu-Look to
the top. Unfortunately,
success didn’t keep drama at bay and while the
music was good, the business side of things was
troubled with reports
of Arly’s chronic tardiness to shows, mismanagement of the band’s
bookings and executive
producers forced to shell
out hefty studio fees for
albums that took Arly far
too long to finish.
In time, the worst of Nu
Look’s problems involved
rumors of building tension between the band’s
leaders. The crowd pleasing Gazzman had his fill
of apparent disrespect
August 2011
BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
Nu-Look ‘confirms’ their star status
with triumphant new release
from the Haitian Sinatra –Arly. Gazzman
eventually shocked the
industry by leaving the
group to form his own
band - Disip! Not to be
outdone, Arly quickly recruited crooner Edresse
Stanis or “Pipo” from an
up-and-coming Miami
band (Beljazz) and set
his ship asail again. The
album, “Confirmation” is
Arly’s quest to regain the
ground he may have lost
among fans of the NuLook a la Gazzman era.
Can this release bring
Nu-Look back from the
abyss?
“Confirmation” is an
album fully equipped
to meet the demands of
the battlefield that is the
Haitian music industry.
The album’s triumphs
include captivating
numbers like, “Wasn’t
meant to be” where Arly
delivers astounding performances on keys and
vocals with a melodic
progression fashioned
to affect every pore of
his female fan base. The
assault continues with
the up-tempo, “Jou’m
rencontre’w” where
co-lead “Pipo” unfurls
a stellar performance
backed by some heated
guitar work from Ralph
Conde and more fine
solos from Arly’s golden
keys! Pipo’s great potential as Gazzman’s
replacement and Arly’s
second in command is
clearly evident in the
tunes, “Li Pa Normal”
and “Destination Finale”.
Carimi’s Michael
Guirand and Mika Ben,
formerly of Krezi Mizik
join Arly in the midtempo, “Paske’m Jalou”
where the three giants
fuse their energies to
deliver one of the album’s best commercial
moments! L’union, after
all, fait la force!
Arly takes the reins on
vocals in the thoughtfully composed, “Pays,
Jeunesse, Futur” where
a fine arrangement is met
with equally fine songwriting and man oh man that
voice of pure Gold.
Nu-Look’s “Confirmation” truly lives up to the
billing. Arly Lariviere fully
confirms his command over
Nu-Look’s destiny and he
has clearly determined
that it will be marked
with success! Fans anticipated that Arly would rely
heavily on Pipo’s prowess
to pull off this come back
without Gazzman but
Arly carries the album on
the number and strength
of his own performances.
One listens and feels the
dynamic forces of Ralph
Conde, Arly and Pipo at
play here as “Confirmation” has to be Nu-Look’s
most coherent and well
performed album to date!
On this release Arly de-
livering his best on keys,
freely exploring a modest
variety of Keyboard tones,
the horn arrangements
are catchy and well placed
and although Arly’s songwriting still suffers from
extreme wordiness, this
album shows considerable improvement in that
department. Ralph Conde
performs masterfully on
lead and rhythm guitars
throughout this release
and is at his soulful best
in his feature for the song,
“Destination Finale”.
What can I say? Nu-Look
is back and the disciples
may need to bow their
heads on their way to “Confirmation”. This album’s
been flying off the shelves
and with good reason! Get
yours today!
The Reporter Thanks:
Patrick St. Germain of
International Perfumes
and Discount for availing
the CD for review. The
releases are available
at 860 Morton Street
Dorchester, MA, 617825-6151.
Tears, anger
as student
murdered in D.R.
is laid to rest
PORT-AU-PRINCE—
Mourners have erupted in anger at the
funeral of a Haitian
student who was raped
and killed in the Dominican Republic.
More than 200 people broke out in chants
of ``justice’’ at the
service in the Haitian
capital for 21-year-old
Rooldine Lindor. The
service on July 27
drew more than family and friends since
the case has provoked
outrage in Haiti.
Lindor was killed
on July 12 at a construction site in the
Dominican Republic.
The assailants robbed
her of nearly $500.
Police have detained
two men on suspicion
of murder including a
member of the Dominican air force.
An
estimated
600,000 Haitians live
in the Dominican Republic. Haitians face
discrimination and
abuse and accuse local
authorities of doing
little to protect them.
(AP)
BMC’s Shapiro Center has everything.
Including appointments with
Boston’s best doctors.
This year, 60 doctors voted Boston’s best* came from Boston Medical Center.
That’s impressive. So is our new Shapiro Center—the newest medical facility
in Boston that has many of the outpatient services you need in a modern,
convenient location. It’s also where many of Boston’s best doctors are seeing
new patients. Call 877-930-2288 for an appointment, or visit BMC.org/Shapiro
to learn more. Exceptional things are happening at Boston Medical Center.
*Recognized as 2011 Top Doctors in Boston Magazine.
Boston Medical Center is the primary teaching affiliate of Boston University School of Medicine.
Page 9
Page 10 BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
August 2011
BostonHaitian.com
‘State of Black Boston’
report unveiled
By Gintautas Dumcius
News Editor
Gov. Deval Patrick was a Harvard
University junior in 1976. The Cambridge campus was a “relatively safe
and comfortable,” he recalled. “But you
never knew then what you were going
to get when you went off campus,”
Patrick added.
“The city … was totally engrossed,
involved and riven over the question
of public school busing,” he said. “Today, Boston is smarter, more diverse,
younger, more dynamic, prettier in
many respects. There are places that
my niece and her pals hang out in the
city that were just totally off limits
in 1976.”
The sheen of optimism Patrick projected to the crowd gathered at the
Hynes Convention Center on Monday
for the annual National Urban League
conference, its first in Boston since
1976, is mirrored in the “State of Black
Boston” report which is topped off with
similar buoyancy.
“Today interracial amity prevails
in a city that is home to slightly
more residents of color than white
residents,” says the report, which was
largely compiled by researchers and
professors from UMass Boston, Tufts
University, and the Boston Public
Health Commission. “The peace that
prevails between races and ethnic
groups has social, psychological, and
economic benefits for everyone who
lives in the city.”
But the 358-page report is also filled
with grim statistics about the subjects
the report tackles, from housing to
education to criminal justice.
Over 21.5 percent of blacks over
When you NEED
care, just walk
right in.
Walk-in re
Ca
t
n
e
g
r
U
ys
a
d
7
w
no
a week!
Shapiro Center
725 Albany St. 9th Floor
617-414-4290 Option #3
During regular hours:
You have a right to
good health!
Dorchester House. The
best health care for you
and the whole family.
To make an
appointment, call
617-288-3230.
(Continued on Page 15)
KlinikPublic
Sante Piblik
Health Clinic
TèsSTD
STD/avèk
TestingTreman
& Treatment
- No/ Pa
Problem
SiNo
ou Insurance
pa gen asirans
gen pwoblèm
by Appointment
JisWalk-in
antre ouorbyen
vin sou randevou
Illness doesn’t keep
business hours which
is why our Urgent Care
is open for you 7 days
a week.
Mon-Thur 8am - 9pm
Friday
8am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm
AND, weekend hours:
Saturday until 3pm
Sunday
9am - 1pm
Lavi a
Life’s
kout
Short
Pran
prekosyon!
Play Safe
25 years old don’t have a high school
diploma, a figure surpassed by Latinos (37 percent), and Asians (27
percent). Clocking in at $33,420, the
media household income for blacks is
$30,000 lower than the white median
household income. And in Boston,
according to the report, 58 percent
of those arrested in 2008 were black.
“Too often life ends in infancy, is
spent in poverty, lasts fewer years,
or is taken by violence,” the report
says. “Student achievement lags even
with the equal access to public schools
that a federal court order guaranteed.
Few Black busi¬nesses and cultural
institutions thrive.”
Bright spots dot the report as well.
There were 717 black-owned businesses in Boston in 1972. In 2002,
there were 3,544. The election and
re-election of Deval Patrick, who lives
in Milton, is also highlighted. Black
students in Massachusetts frequently
outscore black students elsewhere in
the U.S. on standardized tests, the
report notes.
A third of all blacks in the Bay State
live in Boston, according to the report,
and make up 22 percent of the city’s
population. The “heart” of the black
community can be found in Roxbury
and Dorchester, with Mattapan having
the highest concentration.
Caritas Carney Hospital is the largest employer in the black community,
with more than 1,000 workers. The
Stop & Shop in Grove Hall is another
large employer, with 249 working
there. Other large employers include
Franklin Park Zoo, Roxbury Community College, a waste management
High quality, friendly health care
in your neighborhood.
In Fields Corner
1353 Dorchester Avenue
617-288-3230
For more information, visit us on the
web at www.dorchesterhouse.org
BostonHaitian.com
August 2011
BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
Be prepared: Disease prevention
starts with you
By Eileen Rosado, RN
Special to the Reporter
The 2011-2012 school
year begins in about six
weeks and many parents
may be wondering, “Is
my child up to date with
all immunizations? Does
my child need a physical examination before
school starts? Now is the
time to check with your
children’s pediatrician
to make sure they are
current with their immunizations and make
an appointment for their
routine physical.
The following is an
excerpt from a statement by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention explaining the
importance of childhood
immunizations:
Disease Prevention-Protect Those Around
You -- Disease prevention is the key to public
health. It is always better
to prevent a disease than
to treat it. Vaccines prevent disease in the people
who receive them and
protect those who come
into contact with unvaccinated individuals.
Vaccines help prevent
infectious diseases and
save lives. Vaccines are
responsible for the control of many infectious
diseases that were once
common in this country,
including polio, measles,
diphtheria, pertussis
(whooping cough), rubella (German measles),
mumps, tetanus, and
Haemophilus influenzae
type b (Hib).
Parents are always
concerned about the
health and safety of their
children and take many
steps to protect them.
These steps range from
child-proof door latches
to child safety seats. In
the same way, vaccines
work to protect infants,
children, and adults
from illnesses and death
caused by infectious
diseases. While the US
currently has record, or
near record, low cases
of vaccine-preventable
diseases, the viruses and
bacteria that cause them
still exist. Even diseases
that have been eliminated in this country,
such as polio, are only a
plane ride away. It and
other infectious diseases
can be passed on to people
who are not protected by
vaccines.
Vaccine-preventable
diseases have a costly impact, resulting in doctor’s
visits, hospitalizations,
and premature deaths.
Sick children can also
cause parents to lose time
from work.
Why are Childhood
Vaccines So Important?
-- It is true that newborn
babies are immune to
many diseases because
they have antibodies
they got from their mothers. However, the duration of this immunity
may last from only a
month to about a year.
Further, young children
do not have maternal
immunity against some
vaccine-preventable diseases, such as whooping
cough.
If a child is not vaccinated and is exposed
to a disease germ, the
child’s body may not be
strong enough to fight
the disease. Before vaccines, many children
died from diseases that
vaccines now prevent,
such as whooping cough,
measles, and polio. Those
same germs exist today,
but babies are now protected by vaccines, so we
do not see them as often.
Immunizing individual children also helps to
protect the health of our
community, especially
those people who are
not immunized. People
who are not immunized
include those who are
too young to be vaccinated (e.g., children less
than a year old cannot
receive the measles vaccine but can be infected
by the measles virus),
those who cannot be
vaccinated for medical
reasons (e.g., children
with leukemia), and
those who cannot make
an adequate response
to vaccination. Also protected, therefore, are
people who received a
vaccine, but who have
not developed immunity.
In addition, people who
are sick will be less likely
to be exposed to disease
germs that can be passed
around by unvaccinated
children. Immunization
also slows down or stops
disease outbreaks.
All children from birth
to age 17 may receive
their immunizations
free, especially if their
clinic or doctor’s office
receives the immunizations from the state
Department of Public
Health.
So, once again, check
your child’s immunization record to make sure
it is up to date. Make an
early appointment with
a pediatric provider at
Mattapan Community
Health Center by calling 617-296-0061 before
the school year starts in
September.
Eileen Rosado, RN,
is the Clinical Nurse
Supervisor at the Mattapan Community Health
Center.
Page 11
Friends of the
Orphans opens
office in Quincy
(Continued from Page 5)
unit in tact… taking the child as far as they can
go,” says Rayno. “We support the children’s full
education.” Some of the staff has New England roots.
Father Rick Frechette, the priest who now runs the
Haiti program, is from Connecticut.
Following the earthquake, Friends’ worked with
other international agencies including Partners In
Health, to provide humanitarian relief. According
to their reports, they serviced several hundred
thousand families and provided food, water and
distributed over 5,000 tents.
“Whenever we see a need, and there is a hole to
plug, we start a new program. Many of these programs have come after the earthquake,” said Rayno.
To expand services and keep to their mission to
support the communities they serve, Friends’ started
the Francisville Bakery — which makes bread for
the orphanages, day camps, schools and hospitals.
“[The] concept was to build a trade school, looking
at these schools as a service to the population and
other NGO’s,” says Rayno. “We’re not westernizing,
we’re there to help Haitians.”
For more information, visit friendsoftheorphans.org
Page 12 BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
For hundreds of young people from Boston, Camp Harbor View offers
an escape from the city in the hot summer months, a respite from neighborhoods struggling with violence and a chance to experience the peaceful, natural
beauty of Boston’s Harbor Islands.
The camp began in 2007 as a partnership between the City of Boston
and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, and Partners HealthCare has been a
supporter of the camp since it started. The camp’s main goal is for youngsters
to have fun, and there are many ways to meet that goal. Among the long list
of activities, campers can bike, swim, climb the rock wall, kayak to a nearby
island and tap into their creative sides with artistic activities.
Beyond the fun, a dedicated staff of social workers, nurses and youth
workers, helps campers to build critical life and leadership skills by using a
curriculum that focuses on five key areas – sports and fitness, arts/creative
expression, aquatics, a learning component called, knowledge is power and
leadership.
The leadership program, called Leaders-in-Training (LITs) is rich in positive reinforcement and peer learning. It has grown from 30 participants in 2008
to 71 this summer. The LITs must have attended the camp for at least one year
and participate in an educational component each morning in areas that focus
on English and Math. Some LITs work closely with group leaders while others
work more independently with the campers.
The LITs are teenagers who have chosen to enjoy their summer months at
camp, but also decided to challenge themselves to reach new goals, enrich their
learning and share new growth with their peers. Derrick Stone, a 17 year old
LIT said, “I come from Roxbury and have seen some things, so I want these
kids to appreciate Camp Harbor View. I don’t know where I’d be without it.”
Kyidea Bowen, a 15 year old
LIT originally from Philadelphia
said, “This job has helped me to
be more patient. I’ve learned to
understand that I can be a friend
to the campers, but I also have to
know where to draw the line and
be in charge too.”
Both Derrick and Kyidea are
working to earn spots as LITs during the Camp’s additional week Leader-in-Training Kyidea Brown
in August this year - the Partners
Health Explorers Program. The Health Explorers Program is an extra week of
camp that helps to fill the gap between the end of summer and the beginning
of the school year. The program is an opportunity for campers to participate
in typical camp activities and learn about health careers from working professionals. Campers will take part in hands-on science experiments and participate
in the Partners Health Club where they will participate in activities related to
healthy eating, fitness and stress management.
The Health Explorers Program helps kids to see the connections between
education and careers in healthcare - all while having fun. Matt Fishman, Vice
President for Community Health for Partners HealthCare said, “Our participation in Camp Harbor View, and now with the Health Explorers Program, is at
the heart of our mission of
community health. We are
committed to the young
people and the neighborhoods we serve, and hope
the skills the campers
learn this summer will enable them to make healthy
choices as they move
forward in their school
Leader-in-Training Derrick Stone of Roxbury years and beyond.”
Camp Harbor View also offers a year-round support system for its campers. Campers and their families have opportunities to connect with each other
and camp staff each month throughout the year. These connections allow for
sustained learning and growth. Ronald Carroll, Director of Leaders in Training
for the camp said, “This is like a family. Once you come in, we put our arms
around you and keep in touch.”
Camp Harbor View is the brainchild of Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino
and Philanthropist and Chairman of the Board for Partners HealthCare, Jack
Connors. It is funded through the Camp Harbor View Foundation, a non-profit
organization. To learn more, go to http://chvf.org/about-the-camp/.
August 2011
BostonHaitian.com
Boston Medical Center
awarded more than $1M to
expand HIV/AIDS services
Reporter Staff
Boston Medical Center (BMC) has
been awarded a $1.1 million grant
by the Massachusetts Department
of Public Health (MDPH) to provide
funding for HIV/AIDS patient care
services. The grant allows BMC’s HIV
clinic to expand and provide more
care to a larger number or patients.
BMC’s HIV clinic — one of the largest in the state — serves a high proportion of inner-city, low-income patients, as well as the highest number
of women living with HIV. Services
include medical care coordination, referrals, assistance processing insurance claims and counseling. Jonathan
Hall, the director of operations for the
department of Infectious Diseases
at BMC, says those services require
significant financial resources.
“This grant will allow us to continue
providing the essential, comprehensive services that our patients need,”
said Hall.
Over the past several years, patients with HIV/AIDS have had to
seek services in two locations — the
infectious diseases and primary care
departments. Last spring the Shapiro Ambulatory Care Center opened
and now houses the two departments,
which the providers saw as a great
opportunity for patients to receive
care in one location.
“We will now have a full and comprehensive continuum for HIV/AIDS
case management services,” said
Hall, who said that there will now
be a case manager within the department of primary care. “The goal is
to continue to increase the number
of patients that we serve in the new
ambulatory space , which combines
primary care and infectious diseases
into one health care support system.”
The grant also will support peer
navigation services for HIV/AIDS
patients, which enables patients to
build a support network to interact
with other patients with similar
experiences.
For more information on BMC’s
HIV/AIDS support please visit:
http://www.bmc.org/infectiousdiseases.htm
Read the Reporter online
each month at
bostonhaitian.com
Plis bagay nan
sa nou bezwen yo.
Si w se yon manm nan
MassHealth e si w gen
kesyon konsènan
opsyon plan sante w,
tanpri rele. Sant sèvis
kliyantèl MassHealth
la nan 1-800-841-2900
(Malantandan :
1-800-497-4648), lendi
a vandredi koumanse
8:00 am rive 5:00 pm.
Resevwa chèz machin pou
tibebe GRATIS nan NHP.
Kòm paran ou vle pou pitit ou an sekirite.
Nou kapab ede w fè sa. NHP pral ofri bay tout
manm yo chèz machin pou tibebe ak chèz
pou mete timoun yo chita pi wo.
Kòm yon manm w ap reseva plis bagay:
 Nimewo gratis pou yon enfimyè ba w
konsèy 24 è sou 24
 Pwogram pou sispann fimen
 Ekonomize jiska $130 sou klas pou
akouchman
 Ranbousman $50 pou yon abònman
sal jimnastik*
 Rabè sou kask pou bisiklèt ak pwodwi pou
sekirite nan kay la
 Aksè a youn nan pi gwo rezo founisè
asirans sante bon kalite nan Eta a
* Nan etablisman ki kalifye.
Si w vle jwenn plis
enfòmasyon sou gwo
benefis nou yo, ale nan
nhp.org oswa rele
1-800-462-5449.
BostonHaitian.com
August 2011
BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
Page 13
Sobering trip to homeland brings heartache, rewards
By Yolette Ibokette
Special to the
Reporter
My trip to Haiti last
month was one of the
most difficult but rewarding experiences I have
ever had. As anyone who
has travelled to and from
Haiti will attest to, such
a trip takes a physical,
psychological and emotional toll.
I must also admit that
it has been a long time
since I last visited my
native country. I was
not prepared for what
I experienced. I was a
volunteer interpreter for
a missionary organization that invites doctors
to come to Haiti to treat
patients at outdoor clinics. We were in a couple
of villages near Cap
Haitien. Since these
clinics are offered once
a year, we saw between
100 – 150 men, women
and children every day.
We always had to turn
people away because we
couldn’t see everyone who
showed up.
The most difficult aspect of the trip was
seeing people suffering
from various preventable, poverty-related
ailments. While I was
helping as an interpreter,
I wished that I could do
more, especially for the
children. They stole my
heart, these beautiful
children. Almost every
one of them was malnour-
If families manage to
survive in Haiti, it is
due to the women.
Yolette Ibokette, bottom right, is pictured with a group of volunteers from
the Evangelical Missionary Project of Par Dieux, near Cap Haitien, during
a side trip to the Citadel. Inset, right: Yolette Ibokette.
ished, with distended
bellies and diagnosed
with parasites. Some
were handicapped; others orphaned. All were
hungry.
When I was leaving,
some said, “Please take
me with you.” It was
heart-wrenching to explain why I couldn’t. It
was also very hard to
say goodbye to Peterson,
Lovely and the other
children.
If families manage to
survive in Haiti, it is due
to the women. Most are
mothers. When asked
about the father of the
children, the usual answers were: “Se mwen
k papa ak manman” (I’m
both mother and father)
or “Li nan Panyol,” (He’s
in the Dominican Re-
public).
These women dressed
themselves and their
kids in their Sunday
bests in order to come to
the clinics. If they don’t
have shoes, they don’t
come. Some showed
up as early as 6 a.m. to
make sure they receive a
much-coveted number in
order to be seen that day.
After all, there won’t be
another clinic until next
year.
Many came in the
hopes that they and
their kids would also
be fed, but we couldn’t
feed them. Others hoped
to receive some items
of clothing, but they
were also disappointed.
Many of these women
were thin and looked
much older than their
biological years. Some
care for their children
by selling home-made
foods or other items on
the side of the roads or at
the marketplace. Others
provide services such as
hair-braiding.
The women were also
selfless and supportive
of one another. The doctors insisted on parents
bringing their kids in to
ensure correct diagnoses
and to receive instructions on how to give the
prescribed medicines,
which we also provided.
However, if a mother was
working or sick — most
parents were mothers—
and couldn’t bring in a
child, a neighbor or relative claimed to be that
child’s mother to ensure
that s/he is seen. Yes,
they lied, but they saw it
as a worthy cause.
Perfect strangers also
gave up their numbers to
a sicker mother or child
who arrived after all the
numbers were distributed. The women often had
their own ailments. Yet
they soldiered on, warriors in a never-ending
struggle.
The night
before I left, I told a large
group of men, women and
children that had come to
pray for our safe voyage
that I would return soon.
I won’t disappoint them.
Yolette Ibokette is a
contributing editor to the
BHR and a monthly columnist. She is originally
from Port-au-Prince.
LE Mwen an sante,
!"#$%&'()*%+,'-,%./0'!,&/,+' '
12,'!%+,'3,4%+/$,&/
Mwen Kapab FE Tout Bagay.
5!!16789:'91;'6578197(
;,'0%<,'=/%/,>"?>/0,>%+/'#@%A&"=/@B',)*@4$,&/'
/"'0,.4'$%&%A,':.%*B"$%'%&#'3@%C,/@B'4%/@,&/=D'
5&&*%.',2,',E%$=
6,#@%/+@B'=4,B@%./2'B%+,
(4,B@%./2'B"&/%B/'.,&='F//@&A=
'7+,%/$,&/'%&#'$%&%A,$,&/'"?',2,'#@=,%=,
G4/@B%.'(0"4'>'4*+B0%=,'2"*+'A.%==,='"&'=@/,'
POSIBILITE POU OU AJI
!"#$$%&'()*(#*#+(,-#,.#/(0&/(12*%&'(&#3('40++#+(0$($-#(
5#04$-(6#&$#7(30+(#0+*(0&/(,8&9#&%#&$:;
68/)0&(<=207#(5#04$-(6#&$#7(
>?@(A87,-#+$#7(B9#C(A87,-#+$#7C(DB(EFGFH
>G@IJFFIJF@G(K((333:,8/)0&:87'
Ak èd BMC HealthNet Plan.
ChooseBMCHP.com
Kontakte BMC HealthNet Plan nan 800-792-4355 oswa sou Entènèt. Pou’ w kapab okouran tout opsyon ou genyen nan MassHealth, rele 800-841-2900,
Lendi a Vandredi, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (TTY: 800-497-4648). Pou’ w kapab okouran tout opsyon ou genyen pou plan nan Commonwealth Care,
vizite mahealthconnector.org oubyen rele 877-623-6765 (TTY: 877-623-7773), Lendi a Vandredi, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Page 14 BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
August 2011
BostonHaitian.com
In Remembrance of Lenord Fortune, “Azor”
By Steve Desrosiers
Contributing Editor
The old saying is Tanbou frappe,
Haitien kanpe —or “when the drum’s
struck, Haitians stand!” That’s been
the case for us throughout the many
years that Racine percussionist
Lenord Fortune, or “Azor”, used his
talents in music to carve a national
and international path for Haiti’s
roots tradition.
The Island does not lack for talented
percussionists but Azor - like his renowned predecessor, “Ti Roro”- could
make the drums talk, sing, scream,
shout and - sometimes, even whisper.
His amazing ability with a hand drum
was only matched by his astounding
talent as a vocalist.
His videos were celebrations of the
sounds, colors and movements of the
African in Haitians. He set his scenes
on Haiti’s lush mountains and its vibrant waterfalls and sung the trials
and tribulations of his native land in
plain-worded truths. He was a rarity
among his kind – a “tambourineur”
who was as comfortable in an “all
vocals” acoustic setting and equally at
peace with the best of Haiti’s electric
music traditions.
Azor was a musician’s musician who
never lost sight of the need to keep
his audience at the center of a performance. He could often be found in a
circle of artists that included Haiti’s
best - Boulot Valcourt, Eddy Prophete,
the Widmaer brothers and many more.
His technical prowess was such that
he completely consumed the percussive space when performing with these
heavyweights. In watching this giant
of a musician perform one could see
that a part of his playing was meant to
meet the challenge of a sophisticated
arrangement and another was for the
delight of his audience. The latter
moment often infused with the robust
spirit of his fine voice.
The world rushed to recognize this
talent from the slums of Port-auPrince’s Bel-Air neighborhood. Azor’s
recordings were celebrated and honored by the
American
Smithsonian Institute, he
received
Japan’s
Golden
Medallion
award and
performed
on stages
all over
the Caribbean and
in Europe’s
major arts
centers.
It
is
with sadness that
we join in
mourning
the passing
of this great artist. On July 16, 2011,
Lenord Fortune, the great “Azor”,
succumbed to complications arising
from years of struggle with diabetes
and hypertension. He was only 46!
He died in his native Haiti and was
honored with a State funeral. It was
just last July that we, at the Reporter,
celebrated his accomplishments with a
feature story, which we are pleased to
re-publish this month. We are lucky to
have been among those who celebrated
his legacy while he was still alive.
Azor’s drum has been silenced! We
are tempted to rest, to sit a while and
reflect on the triumphant life of this
great “Mapou”. Yet, we stand! We are
always standing really, because in
Haiti the echo of the drum never rests!
•••
In 1791, African slaves united at
a locale in the North of Haiti known
as “Bois
Cayman”.
There, a fusion of their
diverse religious traditions served
as the starting point of
the Haitian
revolution.
The African
who presided over
the meeting– Boukman - both
cemented a
liberation
movement
and helped
establish
the Haitian
Vodou tradition. In the span of a decade, Haiti
became the first and only Island to
liberate itself from several European
superpowers through diplomacy and
force. The African religious and political traditions that created Haitian
Vodou originated from the Bantus of
the Congo, Guineans from the Gold
Coast, the Senegalese who were of
Sudanese and Tuareg ancestry and
the Aradas of Dahomey. The spiritual
legacy of these diverse cultures is the
treasure of Haitians whose ancestors
numbered among those who threw
themselves before canon balls to aid
the cause of their children’s liberation.
Although all Haitians benefited from
Haiti’s liberation, only a few would
enjoy its fruits. The bitter reality today is that the descendants of those
who fought hardest to free the Island
have only the erudition and legacy of
Vodou as a reward. It may seem a small
thing but that gift includes a strong
spiritual link to their African ancestors, knowledge of their traditional
rhythms, dances and metaphysical
philosophy, as well as a supernatural
resilience necessary to survive poor,
abused, unwelcome and dispossessed
in a place like Haiti.
Vodou musician Leonard Fortune,
who is also known by his artistic
name, “Azor”, founder of the group
“Racine Mapou de Azor” comes from
Haiti’s dispossessed. He
was born in Bel-Air Port-au-Prince,
a lower class neighborhood that has
been home to many talented and self
taught Haitian artists. Azor was born
to a family of singers and performers
who based their craft on the teachings
and wisdom of the Vodou religion. The
family was itself a performing group.
By age 12, Azor was already revered
as a master Vodou percussionist.
Azor sharpened his talent by taking
advantage of every opportunity to
play percussion. He consistently took
part in Port-au-Prince’s celebrated
“walking bands” (bands a-pied) Carnival tradition where percussionists
and horn players representing their
respective “hoods” play and walk for
hours through the city’s streets airing
vibrant chants and rhythms as dancers and revelers follow. He played
Conga in Konpa bands like Scorpio
and SS-One. He played for Haitian
folklore group Bakoulou for a time.
And before starting his own group, he
played as a member of Racine group,
“Racine Kanga de Wawa” partnering
with group founder Jacques Maurice
Fortere (Wawa) to bring pure Vodou
music out of its seclusion in Houmforts
(Ceremonial huts) on the outskirts of
Haitian towns to the masses.
Azor’s time in Racine Kanga was
short but he pursued the quest to
bring pure Vodou music to the world
by founding his own group, Racine
Mapou de Azor.
Racine Mapou is probably the first
group to professionalize and popularize pure Vodou music for popular consumption. Pure Vodou music consists
of what the enslaved Boukman probably heard during the African meeting at Bois Cayman: An orchestra of
percussion instruments accompanied
by singers airing their grievances in
call and response chants. It is a style
that starkly contrasts with commercial
Vodou bands like Boukman Eksperyans which use electronic instruments,
modern song arrangement practices
and more to deliver.
Racine Mapou’s first release “Samba
Move” showcased not only Azor’s fine
drum technique but also his sonorous
voice. The album earned him immediate acclaim in Haiti for its catchy
and truthful chants. The popularity
of “Samba Move” led to a first victory for Azor and his group; Haitian
Racine was now allowed an official
spot in Port-au-Prince’s Konpa-band
dominated Carnival tradition. “Samba
Move” also earned Racine Mapou international acclaim when the group
received Japan’s Golden Medallion
(Continued on next page)
BostonHaitian.com
August 2011
award. The band has
since enjoyed the patronage of not only Japan
but Mexico, America’s
Smithsonian Institute,
Martinique, Switzerland
and France among many
other places.
Racine Mapou’s music
is all about the preservation of an outcast
but vibrant tradition.
Mapou’s releases are
made for native Haitians
and initiates of Vodou
who are used to long
running “Petro” drumming and an endless
stream of African call
and response chants.
These “arrangements”
rely on powerful voices,
powerful drumming and
heartfelt messages not
too dissimilar from those
of Haiti’s slaves: “We
come from Guinee, we
have no mother, we have
no father, Marassa Eyo!
Papa Damballah show
us Dahomey again”.
In explaining his
band’s name, Azor relates that, “Racine is the
rhythm of our culture,
while the tree Mapou
represents the strongest
of all roots, the sacred
tree whose imposing
roots accommodate the
spirits.”
Azor is renowned for
his work with Racine
JOHN C.
GALLAGHER
Insurance Agency
HOME
&
AUTO
INSURANCE
Specializing in Homeowners and Automobile
Insurance for over a half
century of reliable service
to the Dorchester community.
Mapou in Vodou music however; he has
also recorded important
works of fusion as a
solo artist with Haiti’s
best musicians. He has
recorded collaborations
with Boulot Valcourt of
Caribbean Sextet fame,
and respected pianist
Eddy Prophete in the
acclaimed live release,
“Kreyol Jazz in Japan”.
He has also worked with
the Widmaer brothers
(founders of Zekle) in
numerous international
showcases of Haitian
music. In this capacity,
Azor also serves as the
ambassador of traditional Haitian Racine
music; one sees the artist
attempting to make a
case for the compatibility of Vodou rhythms in
Jazz and other forms of
music. The release that
best demonstrates this is
“Azor et Ses Amis” a live
recording of the artist in
Japan accompanied by
Boulot Valcourt and Joel
Widmaer among others.
Azor and his band,
Racine Mapou have their
work cut out for them.
Powerful anti-African
sentiment is a lingering
legacy of the success of
the Haitian revolution.
We can recall that before
Jazz was respected by
“intellectuals” it was
called jungle music.
Seven albums after the
classic “Samba Move”,
Azor and the members
of Racine Mapou are
poised to positively influence the regard the
world will someday have
for the music of Haiti’s
“slaves.”
Steve Desrosiers has
been contributing editor
for the Boston Haitian
Reporter. His columns
have appeared monthly
in the BHR since 2001.
BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
Villarson
committed
to serve
(Continued from previous page)
(Continued from Page 8)
back.”
of kindness. And while
At the conference, the doing community service
national young profession- is always much more fun
als awarded the Boston with company, you don’t
chapter with the National have to [be] part of a group
Day of Service Award for to serve.”
the community health fair
As she reflects on her exorganized
perience, she
on June 11,
shares this.
by both the
“I am alcommunity
ways learnservice and
ing. I am alpublic health
ways trying
committees.
to improve.
“Both comI am always
mittees met
trying to
every other
grow. I have
week leadlearned how
ing up to the
to motivate. I
event with
have learned
additional
that you don’t
outreach
always have
days that
to have all
were schedthe answers
uled as the
all the time. I
event drew
have learned
near,” said Rachelle Villarson
how to be a
Jennease
leader.”
Hyatt who co-chairs the
What’s Rachelle VilPublic Health committee. larson’s favorite Haitian
“There were [about] 200 proverb?
hours of preparation for
“Sonje lapwi ki leve
this event. Through this mayi w. Remember the
process, I was able to build rain that made your corn
a closer relationship with grow. My aunt used to
Rachelle. She [stands] out say it to me all the time. I
as a person who is willing think what she was trying
to do whatever it takes to to instill in me to rememget the job done.
ber where you come from,
Ateesha Jackson, co- who you are, how you got
chair of the Public Health there, and where your
committee agrees that blessings come from.”
Villarson stands out as
a leader. “She is always
willing to step up and
lead.”
When asked what advice she has for other
young Haitian professionals looking to serve,
Villarson says, “The best
advice…is simple: just
go and do it! It doesn’t
take much to do one act
COME IN AND LOOK AROUND ... YOUR ONE STOP COSMETICS STORE
New Accounts
Welcome
1471 Dorchester Ave.
at Fields Corner MBTA
Phone:
265-8600
“We Get Your Plates”
BOOKS
LEATHER BAGS
FRENCH PRODUCTS
HAITIAN PRODUCTS
383 Somerville Ave.
Somerville, MA 02143
Phone & Fax: 617-776-5829
FRENCH PERFUME
CDs, DVDs
Compas - Evangelique
- Zouk - French - Haitian
and African Movies
}
National Poetry Slam 20
Coming to Cambridge and Boston
August 9th - 13th
The biggest competition for performance poetry is here! 76 teams of writers from all around the country will fight for the title of champion in the longest week of their lives. They will make you laugh, weep, and jeer the five randomly selected judges chosen to score their art. Will you be there to witness art in motion?
For more information visit: nps2011.com
Page 15
‘State of Black Boston’
report unveiled
(Continued from Page 9)
company in Grove Hall,
and a construction company in Roxbury.
The report also found
that the three districts
that cover the majority
of the black community
– B-2, which includes
Roxbury and Mission
Hill; B-3, which includes
Mattapan and part of
Dorchester; and C-11,
which includes most of
Dorchester – have some
of the city’s highest crime
rates.
“The three districts
combined accounted for
50 percent of violent
crimes and 28 percent of
property crimes reported
to the police in 2008,” the
report states. “63 percent
of homicides in 2008
occurred in these three
districts, along with 52
percent of rob¬beries and
51 percent of aggravated
assaults.”
While the districts
have seen declines in reported crime since 2004,
each decline is below the
city average, according to
the report.
The report bills itself
as a “statistical and
analytical snapshot” of
the black community and
seeks to offer solutions
to many of the issues it
raises.
“It will take a community-wide effort by
existing organizations,
perhaps new ones, concerned individuals, and
all levels of representative government,” the
report says. “Ide¬ally,
many will take up the
challenge and take responsibility for implementing specific recommended action steps or
launching an initiative
of their own directed
at achieving the same
goals.”
Complete Dell Computer Systems
with LCD Monitor and Wi-Fi for $175.00
For the Caribbean Market / Will pack and ship
- Includes iTunes Music Player Loaded with Caribbean
Flavored Music! (Kompa, Zouk, Reggae, Soca & More.)
- CD & Mp3 Player/Converter
- Word processing & AntiVirus Software
- Flat screen LCD monitors starting at $35.00
- Computer Dust/Clean and Tuneup while you wait $85.00
- CMOS Clock/BIOS Battery change for $25.00
- Memory upgrades starting at $40.00
E-mail: Bostondellman@gmail.com
Call or Text (617) 322-7022
Page 16 BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
August 2011
BostonHaitian.com
SummerWorks
Youth Jobs Program
SummerWorks Youth Jobs Program
ABCD 2011 Community Awards Dinner Gala!
October 27 at the Seaport World Trade Center
The Annual Celebration of People and Neighborhoods –
Honoring our Community Volunteers for 37 Years!
DON’T MISS IT!
Call today to reserve tickets, sponsorships
and advertising space
617-348-6238 www.bostonabcd.org
Give to
ABCD
HELP US KEEP PROGRAMS RUNNING AT ABCD NEIGHBORHOOD SITES!
Please donate to the ABCD Neighborhood Fund to help
the programs that support our community in so many ways.
ABCD continues to combat proposed federal funding cuts to our neighborhood programs.
Please help us stay in place, providing food pantries, fuel assistance, summer jobs,
education, elder services and so much more! Your donation can make a difference for a
child, a working mom, a frail senior who needs assistance.
You can make a donation online at www.bostonabcd.org or send a check to your
neighborhood center, cited above. Please call 617-348-6238 for more information!
Action for Boston Community Development, Inc.
www.bostonabcd.org