BHR 2-12 - Dorchester Reporter

Transcription

BOSTON HAITIAN REPORTER
Vol. 11, Issue 2
FEBRUARY 2012
FREE
Cartoonists capture post-quake realities
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Reporter is pleased to introduce our readers to a new section
featuring the work of talented Haitian cartoonists and journalists who are bringing us a
new depiction of post-Jan.12 Haiti through their unique, ground-level perspective.
The Reporter is the first US newspaper to print their work in partnership with Cartoon
Movement. For more on this series and the creators, please see pages 8-9.
Prajje’s
fashions
inspired by
Haiti roots
Rights groups blast judge’s
Duvalier ruling
By TRENTON DANIEL
Associated Press
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Human rights
groups harshly criticized a Haitian judge
last month after he recommended former
dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier face trial
only on corruption charges — and not for
rights abuses during his brutal 15-year rule.
The organizations, both Haitian and
foreign, said Investigative Magistrate
Carves Jean ignored critical testimony
that would’ve given weight to a prosecution
of the once-feared ruler known as “Baby
Doc” for crimes that include torture, false
imprisonment and murder.
“The Haitian people deserve their day in
LEFT: A design by Prajje, a court to prove Duvalier’s culpability, which
Boston bred designer who is an essential part of any meaningful recwas born in Haiti. photo onciliation process,” said William O’Neill,
by Evgenia Eliseeva.
Acclaimed designer
Prajje Jean-Baptiste,
known simply as Prajje,
was born in Haiti and
moved to Boston at age
13. Today, his work keeps
him largely in New York,
but his sensibilities are
informed in many ways
by his Haitian roots.
Prajje talks fashion and
the future with the BHR
this month. Page 4
director of the Conflict Prevention and
Peace Forum.
Mario Joseph, a lawyer whose Haitianrun firm is representing some of the Duvalier regime’s victims, said the judge “made
so many errors” that they compromised his
pre-trial investigation. He said the judge
disregarded testimony from eight people
who wanted to file complaints alleging
torture and false imprisonment.
Jean decided that Duvalier should go
before a special court that handles relatively minor crimes. Duvalier, the former
“president for life” who has been free to
roam about the capital since his surprise
return from exile last year, would face no
more than five years in prison if convicted
in that court.
(Continued on page 12)
Page 2 Boston Haitian ReporteR
February 2012
BostonHaitian.com
State House ceremony marks 2nd anniversary of quake
Focus on contributions from Mass, lobbying President Obama
By Melissa Tabeek
Special to the
Reporter
Elected officials from
across the Commonwealth rallied their support for the Haitian
Family Reunification
Parole during a State
House memorial event
on Jan. 30 that also
marked the two year anniversary of the Jan. 12,
2010 earthquake. The
Humanitarian Parole
program— which has
been stalled for more
than a year now—would
allow 112,000 Haitian
beneficiaries with Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) approved family-based
immigrant visas to wait
in the United States for
their documentation.
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick
and State Representative Linda D. Forry (DDorchester) were among
the large contingent who
gathered for the Monday
morning event to reflect
on Haiti two years after
the 2010 earthquake
and to recognize the
work that has been done
throughout the state
to help the rebuilding
effort.
While the focus was
on celebrating Haiti and
those who have worked
to support the country
in the post-earthquake
era, there was a call for
action by state officials
as well. Rep. Forry invited
attendees to sign onto
a petition addressed
to President Barack
Obama that urges him to
recommend implementing the Humanitarian
Parole program to Secretary of the Department
of Homeland Security
Janet Napolitano.
Rep. Linda Forry, Governor Deval Patrick, and Speaker Robert DeLeo, above, were among the officials on hand for the official
State House commemoration ceremony to mark the second anniversary of the Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake.
House Robert DeLeo
was also in attendance
at the memorial event
and voiced his support
for the Humanitarian
Parole petition. Members of the state’s Congressional Delegation
have also advocated for
the program, along with the Massachusetts Black
and Latino Legislative
Caucus, who have written letters in support of
the proposal as well. In
his own letter, Governor
Patrick has pointed out
that the parole program
would mirror the Cuban
Family Reunification Parole Program (CFRPP)
that was enacted under
the Bush administration
Rep. Forry asked attendees to sign a
petition to President Barack Obama
urging the implementation of the
Haitian Family Reunification and
Humanitarian Parole program.
Calling the letter an
“opportunity to mobilize
and ask for that support
from our government,”
Forry also expressed
her concern for Haitian
citizens who are living
in conditions that are
unstable and potentially dangerous while
they wait for their visas. Currently, the wait
list is on average 3 – 11
years. Under the Family Reunification and Parole
program, Haitians with
visas already approved
by the Department of
Homeland Security
(DHS) could wait in the
United States, which
would allow them to
spend the time before
they receive their visa
out of Haiti and with
their petitioning families.
In addition to Governor Patrick, Massachusetts Speaker of the
in 2007.
Steven Forester, the
Immigration Policy Coordinator for the Institute for Justice and
Democracy in Haiti, believes that state officials
that have championed
the proposal, such as
Patrick and Senator
John Kerry, have to do
more than write letters. Forrester suggested
“privately weighing in
behind the scenes with
President Obama, VicePresident Biden, or a senior White House official
to urge them to instruct
[Secretary] Napolitano
to act.”
Forester said that at
this point, the responsibility is on those with
political clout to persuade President Obama
of the importance of the
HFRPP.
“We need a champion.
That’s what the Haitian
community has always
needed. Haitian Americans don’t have a lot
of political clout,” said
Forester. “The letters
are one thing but we
haven’t brought it over
the top yet. We need to
bring it over the top.”
The petition letter
can be viewed at lindadorcenaforry.org
The Jan. 30 event at
the State House’s Grand
Staircase included remarks from Governor
Patrick, who presented
a proclamation recognizing the earthquake
and promising to continue the state’s efforts
to help refugees and
their families who have
since arrived in Massachusetts. Other speakers
also honored Rutland
builder Leonard Gengel
and his wife, Cherylann,
who lost their daughter
Britney Gengel during
the earthquake. The
couple is now building
an orphanage in Haiti.
“Rebuilding is no easy
process for any nation,
which is why it’s so important for the Commonwealth to help out where
it can,” DeLeo said.
Minister Marjorie Brunache, of the Haitian
consulate, called Haiti
an “untapped market”
just three-and-a-half
hours from Boston by
plane.
“Come see the opportunities. Haiti is open
for business,” Brunache
said.
Asked after the event
whether he would take
Brunache up on her offer, Patrick said, “Yes.
Of course. Anxious to go.”
“I don’t think I’ll be
able to do it this year,
but I hope in the fullness
of time to be able to go
and see the good work
that the people of Massachusetts have done and
are doing on the ground
A group of young violinists awaited their turn to perform on the Grand Staircase of the Massachusetts State House.
Massachusetts Governor Deval L. Patrick presented a citation to Haitian
Consulate Minister Marjorie Brunache during a Jan. 30 ceremony in the State
House in Boston. All photos courtesy Meghan Dhaliwal/Governor’s Office
to help Haiti rebuild,”
Patrick told reporters.
Last year, the Massachusetts National Guard
deployed the 125th battalion out of Worcester
and the 220th detachment out of Bridgewater
to Haiti for water purification infrastructure
assistance. The state has
also provided food assistance, emergency housing, medical services,
immigration assistance
and access to schools to
Haitian refugees who
have come to Massachusetts seeking shelter.
A State House News
Service report contributed to this story.
BostonHaitian.com
February 2012
Boston Haitian Reporter
Page 3
Split verdict in Les Cayes prison riot trial
By CJ LOTZ
LES CAYES, Haiti —
A judge convicted eight
police officers last month
in a landmark trial for
their role in a prison
riot that saw at least 10
prisoners shot to death
in the chaotic aftermath
of the January 2010
earthquake.
The successful prosecution, concluding two
years to the day after the
uprising, was considered
at least a small victory
for the court system of an
impoverished Caribbean
nation where criminal
cases seldom reach trial
and law-breaking officials walk with impunity.
Judge Ezekiel Vaval
said six other police officers were innocent as
he ended a three-month
trial in the southwestern
town of Les Cayes.
One of those convicted
was a senior officer who
fled before the trial and
was convicted in absentia after witnesses
testified he took part in
the killings and ordered
others. The seven others
convicted were present
during the trial.
The police officers were
accused of murder, attempted murder and
other crimes after they
allegedly opened fire on
inmates during a prison
riot in Les Cayes one
week after the quake.
Suspect
sought in
double
murder
of sisters
Boston Police issued
an appeal for the public’s
help this month in locating their chief suspect
in the double murder of
two sisters, Stephanie
and Judith Emile, who
were found shot to death
in their Harlem Street
apartment on Nov. 14.
Jean Weevens Janvier, 30, of Dorchester,
has been “identified as
the person responsible
for the homicides of the
sisters,” according to a
police statement. The
Emile sisters were 21
and 23 years old when
killed. According to Boston Police, “This investigation has included
numerous interviews,
along with the recovery
of forensic evidence,
which ultimately led to
the issuance of an arrest
warrant for Janvier.”
Anyone with information is asked to call
the Homicide Unit at
617-343-4470 or call the
CrimeStoppers Tip Line
at 1-800-494-TIPS. Text
the word ‘TIP’ to CRIME
(27463).
Sentences ranged from
two years to 13 years
of hard labor. The defendants had faced the
possibility of up to life
in prison.
“The decision of the
judge is his expression
of the truth,” Vaval said
as the power flickered
on and off in a packed
courtroom under tight
security. “There are
other versions that exist
but this is mine. And that
is the law.”
Vaval said he reached
his decision based on
dozens of witness testimonies. He said officers
even gassed inmates who
couldn’t have posed a
threat because they were
unarmed and choking on
tear gas.
Shouts of joy erupted
from supporters of both
the defendants and the
prosecution when the
judge read aloud the split
verdict in the Catholic
community center being used as a makeshift
courtroom.
For the son of one of the
inmates killed, the ruling didn’t go far enough.
“A part of me is satisfied,
but there are no damages
to compensate me for
losing someone so dear,”
said Jackson Theze, 23.
Lawyers for the officers had argued that
the police officers were
trying to break up a
riot under difficult circumstances and it was
unclear who actually
shot the prisoners, saying some may have been
killed by fellow inmates.
The trial itself was a
rare occurrence in Haiti,
a country where the
judicial system barely
functions and public officials are rarely held to
account. The judge told
The Associated Press
before the verdict that he
had received threatening
phone calls and carried
a gun for protection
because he feared for
his life. He traveled to
New York in December
to mull safely over his
decision.
The last time Haiti’s
beleaguered justice system showed it could handle tricky cases involving
high-profile defendants
was in 2001. Dozens
of former military and
paramilitary leaders
were tried for their role
in a seaside massacre in a city north of
Port-au-Prince. But the
convictions were later
overturned in another
reminder that impunity
has long been the norm
in Haiti.
“This is a good step to
fight against impunity,”
said Pierre Esperance,
executive director of
Haiti’s National Human Rights Defense
Network. “We’re not 100
percent satisfied, but
(the authorities) made
an effort.”
Twenty-one other officers fled before the trial.
One of them, police
commissioner Olritch
Beaubrun, was sentenced to 13 years of hard
labor because witnesses
testified that he also ordered the killings as well
as participated in them.
Vaval said the other 20
defendants who evaded
prosecution will be tried
in abstentia later and
will have an extra year
tagged onto any sentence they may receive.
The verdict was “not
satisfying but I have no
comment beyond that,”
said lead prosecutor
Jean-Marie Salomon.
Defense attorney JeanEugene Pierre-Louis
said it was good that a
verdict was reached, but
he planned to appeal.
“I have the right to be
dissatisfied with the convictions,” Pierre-Louis
said. “But the fact that
we had a verdict at all
is a big deal for Haiti.”
Associated Press writer CJ Lotz reported this
story in Les Cayes and
Trenton Daniel reported
from Port-au-Prince. AP
writer Evens Sanon in
Port-au-Prince contributed to this report.
New ambassador picked
by President Obama
WASHINGTON –Pamela Ann White, a Maine
native and career diplomat at the Department of
State, has been nominated by President Obama
to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Haiti. White
currently serves as the U.S. Ambassador to The
Gambia.
Prior to serving in The Gambia, she was United
States Agency for International Development
(USAID) Mission Director in Liberia, Tanzania, and
Mali, according to a White House statement. She
holds a B.A. from the University of Maine, an M.A.
from the School for International Training, and an
M.S. from the Industrial College of Armed Forces.
M ap okipe pwoblèm dyabèt
ak tansyon mwen...
pou m ka kontinye fè bagay men renmen fè yo.
Mwen konnen si m okipe pwoblèm dyabèt ak tansyon mwen, m ap gen plis chans pou m jwi
lavi lè mwen vin gen anpil laj. Kidonk, mwen manje sa ki bon pou sante m, mwen fè egzèsis avèk
moderasyon, epi mwen pran medikaman m. Li pi fasil pou m okipe tèt mwen, pase pou m kontre
ak tout konsekans ki ka rive si m pa fè sa: konplikayson tankou pwoblèm ren, kriz kè, ak konjesyon
serebral. Pale ak doktè w, pou w konnen kijan ou ka viv byen avèk dyabèt la.
Pou plis enfòmasyon, gade nan adrès www.nhp.org/diabetes
OIQPSH
Se sante w.
Se pwomès
nou.
February 2012
BostonHaitian.com
Prajje designs inspired by daily life in Haiti
By Manolia Charlotin
Editor
Prajje Jean-Baptiste, known
simply as Prajje, is a Boston-bred
designer making waves in the
fashion industry. Prajje was born
in Haiti and moved to the greater
Boston area at age 13, where he
attended Cambridge Catholic High
School. He founded design house
Prajje 1983 (P-1983) in 2004 – five
years before completing a Fashion
Design degree at Massachusetts
College of Art and Design. Though
Prajje 1983 is based in New York,
Prajje remains a regular fixture in
Boston’s fashion scene. He’s dressed
local personalities like Fox 25 anchor
Sara Underwood and his designs
have been worn by celebrities from
Bianca Golden of America’s Next Top
Model, to internationally renown
musician Wyclef Jean. Prajje 1983
will celebrate its tenth anniversary
next spring.
In a recent interview with the
Boston Haitian Reporter, Prajje talks
about his sources of inspiration and
discusses his aspirations for P-1983.
Boston Haitian Reporter:
Your designs, which feature many
elements of Haitian culture, have
been showcased in numerous Haiti
awareness, fundraising events over
these last couple of years. What is
your connection to Haiti and how
does the island inspire your work?
Prajje: The past two collections
were inspired by Haiti. The Spring
2011 one was called Peyizan and
happened before the quake. It was
inspired by the mashann in the mar-
kets. I wanted to showcase every day
life in Haiti. I wanted to go deeper,
to show how the merchants live, the
bags they wear, like the makout (bag)
they carry. So I took that and added
it to collection. I didn’t want to show
it in the most cliché ways.
BHR: Yes, the makout has become
a signature mark of your designs.
What else in the culture do you draw
inspiration from?
Prajje: Haiti is such a bright place.
As a Haitian designer, I wanted to
do more to represent my heritage.
We did a lot of stuff that looked like
burlaps, head wraps, textures and
vibrant colors… Sometimes you see
that I use jean fabric, ruffles... I
wanted to show the lower class, per
se. The people many of us look down
upon. I wanted to show the stylish
parts of their lives, that there is
beauty in poverty. That we should
look deeper beyond the class, beyond
how many houses someone owns and
find what’s beautiful about them.
BHR: Are you planning to visit
Haiti?
Prajje: I’m going to Haiti in the
next couple of months. I hope to take
a first trip for personal reasons. I
want to see the country, to experience
it… I haven’t been back since I was
a child. And we’re planning a second
trip, hopefully in May, for opening
of the Oasis Hotel… We made the
decision to outsource in Haiti. At
some point I want my headquarters
to be in Haiti, for our clothes to be
made in Haiti.
BHR: You have an upcoming
spring collection. What should we
expect from this collection?
Prajje: Spring 2012 is more
fairytale-like. I wanted to show as a
kid who grew up in Haiti what was
beautiful to me. With all the news
coverage of Haiti showing certain images, I wanted to focus on the beauty.
I wanted to showcase the beauty of my
childhood, growing up in Haiti. Each
color represented something. Blue is
Saut D’eau. Jacmel was represented
by the print because of the art. The
turquoise represents the beaches in
Haiti, specifically Kaliko beach, one of
the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever
been to! Every part of this collection
represents something beautiful.
BHR: Donna Karan is quite involved in Haiti now. Her recent collection was inspired by Haiti and the ad
campaign for it was shot there. What
do you think of her involvement, as
a designer?
Prajje: As a designer, I think the
line is playing it safe. There’s more
to Haiti than that. It’s quite dark. We
are in a dark space, but we are not a
dark people. We are a vibrant people,
we love color we love to live life. For
the kind of line I would like to do,
that would be inspired by Haiti, it
would’ve cost about $100,000. If only I
had the kind of backing Donna Karan
does… But in terms of what’s she’s
doing to promote Haitian culture, it’s
a good thing. However, it shouldn’t
take Donna Karan to do this. Other
designers and people with means
should be doing it.
BHR: So, do you think there is a
lack of engagement of designers of
Haitian descent, designers of color
to really promote Haiti and Haitian
culture?
Prajje: I think that they can do
more, that we can do more. We are
one of the richest countries when it
comes to culture. And I have seen a
few designers who have showcased
African culture in a positive way in
their collections. For instance, DVF,
Diane von Furstenberg just did a
beautiful show inspired by Africa.
BHR: There’s a lack of diversity
in the industry, with the models
that are chosen to represent different lines. As a black designer, as a
Haitian designer, how do you tackle
that challenge?
Prajje: I just shot my line and I had
an African male model and a white
female model. I showcase an array
models. But you don’t know what a
Haitian [woman] looks like. You can
only really know a Haitian woman
through her journey, her culture, the
struggles she been through.
BHR: Have you had any challenges
with how your designs, your art is
received in the industry?
Prajje: As a designer, you don’t
follow [someone else’s] lead. You lead
through your designs. Of course, I
follow industry standards, but I’m
in charge of where the designs go. So
far I haven’t had any issues with me
being to eccentric.
BHR: What are your plans for
P-1983?
Prajje: As of March, April, we’re
opening an online store. Right now,
we are mostly client-based. We hope
to expand that through our online
store. We only do spring, summer
collections, for now. There’ll be accessories as well.
BHR: What are some of the challenges you face as a designer, as an
entrepreneur?
Prajje: Financing is a major issue.
Our expenses are growing. For example, it cost $10,000 to produce the
last spring collection, and the shows.
If someone were to come and say they
want to back me, that would make a
(Continued on page 5)
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BostonHaitian.com February 2012
page 2
Protesters call into question
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By TRENTON DANIEL
Associated Press
president,’’ he said.
The street demonstration came shortly after a
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti —A small band of pro- smaller one during which about 50 people staged a
sit-in
in front of the Justice Ministry to criticize a
testers called for Haitian President Michel
Martelly
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about their experiences in Matfrom page 4)
tapan Adult- Ed. Enjoy homemade food and refreshworld of difference.
ments and get more information about how to enroll
BHR: What’s the best
in classes, along with educational materials. Books
thing about being in the
industry?
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What’s your favorite
saying
or proverb
1471
Dorchester
Ave.
in Haitian
Creole?
at Fields Corner
MBTA
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have one. But I grew up
knowingPhone:
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Perle des Antilles (the
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mash
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in Boston
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of all in one step. The sauce
did look a little different from the traditional version but it was as delicious and satisfying. If it is a
weekday and your taste buds are craving sos pwa
frans, you can have it. Simply cook it by following
this easy recipe, if you can’t buy it, make it!
Enjoy!
Do you have a question for Ruith- or maybe an idea
for a recipe? Send an e-mail to Ruth at ruthsrecipes@
yahoo.com.
Literacy day in Mattapan Sq. on May 19
Prajje
g
J
c.
and games for the kids will be available.
The public in invited to participate in this free
event, part of the citywide adult education and
literacy week, which begins May 15 with a celebration at Boston City Hall Plaza at 11 a.m. For more
information or to volunteer, contact Brunir O. Shackleton at the Mayor‚s Office of Jobs & Community
Services at 617 918-5244 or brunir.shackleton.jcs@
cityofboston.gov.
Page 5
Cambridge Health Alliance
Interpreter Services
Helping you feel
welcome at CHA.
By Avlot Quessa
As a Network Service
Manager and Cultural
Educator, I have been
helping the Haitian community at Cambridge
Health Alliance since 1995.
Avlot Quessa
A native of Haiti, I have
spent the past 15 years working as a Medical
Interpreter, Translator and Cultural
Competency Trainer. Today, I would like to
tell you about the great experiences Haitians
have with our system.
Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) helps
thousands of local Haitians stay healthy
each year. In fact, Haitians are the third
largest immigrant group at CHA. Our history
of serving the Haitian community dates back
to the early 1980s and we now see patients
from Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Malden,
Chelsea, Revere, Everett, and beyond.
We understand how important it is to feel
comfortable with your care team. Many of
our staff members are Haitian or speak
Haitian Creole, and all patients have access
to our trained interpreters.
Haitian Creole interpreters are part of CHA’s
Department of Multicultural Affairs and
Patient Services, recognized as the largest
professional medical interpreter team in the
country. They help bridge linguistic and cultural gaps by providing:
• Professional medical interpreting face-toface, via telephone, and videoconference
• Professional written translation services
for forms, signs, and patient materials
• Cultural and linguistic education for clinical and non-clinical staff
• Language proficiency testing for bilingual
providers
Be a part of Cambridge Health Alliance
To become a new patient, call the CHA
Doctor Finder Service at 617-665-1305.
If you have questions about the benefits of
being a CHA patient, please email me at
[email protected].
Cambridge Health Alliance is an award-winning
health system with three hospital campuses
(Cambridge Hospital, Somerville Hospital, and
Whidden Hospital) and a network of primary
care and specialty practices. We have been
named one of the top hospitals in the country for
providing culturally appropriate care by the
American Hospital Association Institute for
Diversity.
GR12_105
Editorial
Duvalier ruling sends
a chilling message
On Jan. 30, Investigative Magistrate Carves Jean
handed down a ruling on the Jean-Claude Duvalier
case, recommending that all human rights charges
against Duvalier be dropped and that he be tried
instead in a lesser court on charges of financial
malfeasance, but not on the accusations of misappropriation of public funds. The judge did not explain
his reasoning.
Human rights advocates responded with a forceful
outcry against the ruling, claiming that humanrights crimes during Duvalier’s regime are amply
documented, and under international law, there is
no statute of limitations on crimes against humanity.
The United States has offered technical support
should the Haitian government mount an appeal,
but has maintained an ambiguous position on the
Duvalier prosecution overall. In fact, the international donor community has been deafeningly silent
on the subject.
A few days before the ruling, Haiti’s president Michel
Martelly hinted a possible
pardon for Duvalier and
members of his regime at a
conference in Davos, Switzerland.
“You cannot forget those
who suffered in that time,
but I do believe that we need
that reconciliation in Haiti,”
said Martelly.
The era referenced by President Martelly saw the
largest exodus of the professional middle class from
Haiti to the United States, Canada, France and
several countries across the Caribbean and Latin
America in Haitian history. More than a quarter
of the Haitian population lives outside of Haiti (an
estimated 4 million Haitians live abroad, with 1.5
million in the United States).
This unprecedented migration, which started
under the rule of Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier, occurred over the 30 year Duvalier regime. A principal
legacy of Duvalierism is that scholars, engineers,
doctors, teachers, lawyers, entrepreneurs and artists
left Haiti to seek refuge from political oppression
and a societal structure where government-backed
crimes went unpunished.
This ruling continues that legacy of impunity. It
also begs the question: Will the diaspora ever return
to a country where justice is not served? For that
matter, will anyone else want to visit or do business
in a country in which the rule of law is so flawed.
While the recent conviction of 8 police officers tried
for a 2010 prison massacre in Les Cayes provided a
rare victory for the rule of law in Haiti, this ruling
reinforces the confidence gap that exists.
In the same speech Martelly beckoned diaspora,
as he had during his campaign, to return to Haiti
and help rebuild after the earthquake.
“The diaspora will be put back to work. We need
them,” the president proclaimed.
Yes, Haiti will need all the resources and assets
it can get to rebuild for a better future. However,
it is inconceivable to think that the diaspora would
leave countries with functioning justice systems to
return to a land of impunity.
President Martelly and all who call for reconciliation should understand that the only path to reconciliation isn’t forgetfulness. And if Haiti is to have
a brighter future, it must reconcile the injustices of
the past and hold Jean-Claude Duvalier accountable
for all crimes committed under his watch.
-Manolia Charlotin
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
Patrick Sylvain, Contributing Editor
News Room Phone : (617) 436-1222 Advertising : (617) 436-2217
E-mail: [email protected]
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: March 2012
Next edition’s Deadline: Wed., Feb. 29 at 5 p.m.
All contents © Copyright 2012 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
February 2012
BostonHaitian.com
Commentary
Time to work on state’s ‘skills gap’
By Governor Deval L. Patrick
We have 240,000 people looking for work and nearly
120,000 open jobs today in Massachusetts. How can
we have so much opportunity available and so many
people still looking for a chance? Business leaders tell me over and over again that
it is because the people looking for jobs don’t have
the skills required. Many of these openings are for
“middle skills” jobs that require more than a high
school diploma but not necessarily a four-year degree:
jobs in medical device manufacturing or lab technicians or solar installers, for example. And a lot of
those forced by the economic downturn to make a
change in their careers, people in their thirties or
forties or fifties, don’t have the proper training for
those jobs. We have a “skills gap.”
We can do something about that. We can help
people get back to work. And our community colleges
should be at the center of it. For the work they do,
community colleges rarely receive proper recognition, let alone adequate funding. I have visited
many of our community colleges and seen their good
work. They are an important resource, and we must
ask more of them.
At Roxbury Community College right now, students
in the biotechnology program complete an internship to prepare for jobs at biotechnology companies,
hospitals, clinics or labs in the greater Boston area.
This is good — but we need more of it and we need
it everywhere. We need that kind of sharper mission across the
Commonwealth, so that community colleges become
a fully integrated part of the state’s workforce
development plan. Our colleges must be aligned
with employers, voc-tech schools and the Workforce
Investment Boards in the regions where they operate; aligned with each other in core course offerings;
and aligned with the Commonwealth’s job growth
strategy. We can’t do that if 15 different campuses
have 15 different strategies. We need to do this together. We need a unified community college system
in Massachusetts. I have proposed a $10 million increase in state
funding for community colleges to help them meet
this mission – and I have challenged the business
community to come up with a match to help make
this a reality. It is not unreasonable for community
colleges to ask for more resources to support their
mission; and it is not unreasonable to ask for them
to be more accountable to our workforce development
strategy in exchange.
Given how important community colleges are to
their local cities and towns, some are concerned
that this proposal would mean Beacon Hill is telling their campus what to do. I don’t want that any
more than you do.
The goal of this proposal is to ensure that community colleges have the tools they need to be as
responsive as possible to the job openings in their
region. Creating a more unified system is not about
losing local control; it is about connecting every city
and town to the full range of economic possibilities
in the Commonwealth. It’s about making sure a
large employer in Framingham knows that there is
a skilled workforce in Roxbury and reason to expand
there. It’s about making sure the small business in
Dorchester has a convenient, locally focused, fully
supported resource to help its workers build careers
in Greater Boston and grow the economy there. The challenge facing people looking for work,
people in doubt about the future of their American
Dream and their place in the workforce belongs to
all of us. We can meet that challenge if we work
together. For the good of the Commonwealth and
the sake of our future, we must.
Commentary
Debunking Haiti’s AIDS origins myth
By Yanick Sanon Eveillard, Linda Marc-Clerisme and Eustache Jean-Louis December 1, 2011 marked the 30th anniversary
of the AIDS epidemic. Recent estimates suggest
that there are 34 million people living with AIDS
worldwide. Over the years many advances have
been made to better understand the virus and its
antiretroviral treatments. These investments have
significantly improved the survival of people living
with AIDS.
However, even after 30 years of progress, Haitians
are still inexplicably linked to the origins of this
epidemic as mentioned in a recently published book
entitled The Origins of AIDS. The New York Times
Review of Books review cited its description of AIDS
as “a virus, against all odds, appears to have made
it from one ape in the central African jungle to one
Haitian bureaucrat leaving Zaire for home ...”
The mysteries of HIV’s origins are intriguing, but
to most Haitians the idea is intolerable because the
linkage of HIV to Haitians is déjà vu. It parallels
the same accusations linking the origins of syphilis
to Haitians in the 15th century. It would not be
until 510 years later in 2002 that a group of German anthropologists would invalidate this theory
with fossil material collected from around the world
which contains the organism that causes syphilis
and pre-dates the Columbus voyage.
Now 30 years later, we are still discussing the
origins of HIV, and also trying to dispel the myth
that Haitian immigrants have a higher AIDS rate
than all other ethnic groups in the US.
The National Haitian-American Health Alliance
(NHAHA) tackle the origin myth by conducting an
interview with Dr. Max Essex, a renowned AIDS
researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health.
NHAHA also responds to the myth associating “H”
in HIV to stand for Haitian.
For readers who are unaware, in the early days
of the AIDS epidemic before the syndrome had a
scientific name, the illness was sometimes called
“the 4H disease,” named for four groups thought
to be at highest risk: homosexuals, hemophiliacs,
heroin users, and Haitians, which Charlene Galarneau details in her acclaimed policy paper, The H
in HIV stands for Human, not Haitian: Cultural
Imperialism in US Blood Donor Policy.
In the interview, NHAHA asked Essex to reflect
on claims that HIV-1 Subtype B likely moved from
Africa to Haiti in or around 1966, then to North
America, which is the myth linking Haitian to the
origins of AIDS in the US. From this interview
NHAHA learned that HIV-1 Subtype B is predominantly found in South Africa amongst Caucasian
men who have sex with men; and Essex states that
HIV-1 Subtype B has never been shown to exist in
the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire)
where Haitians lived in the 1960s and 70s.
Historically, after the independence of Zaire,
many Haitian professionals moved to Zaire to work
in the field of education and others. Following the
fall of the Duvalier regime in 1986, many Haitians
returned to Haiti. NHAHA then asked whether it
is possible that the Subtype B virus was introduced
to Haiti by travelers from other countries.
“There is no evidence of where Subtype B exists
in sub-Saharan Africa other than in Caucasian men
who have sex with men, living in South Africa,”
responded Essex. “Amongst heterosexual couples
in Africa, Subtype C is prevalent.”
Findings show that the AIDS rate amongst Haitian immigrants is slightly lower than trends in the
African-American population. However, the major
concern for Haitians diagnosed with AIDS is that
they are diagnosed at a much later-stage than all
other ethnic groups, which is likely due to social,
cultural and economical (health insurance) factors.
What have we learned? These myths are social
propaganda that openly discriminate against a minority group. Haitians have been too easily made a
scapegoat for the lack of facts in the origin of HIV. We
hope that new researchers would stop rummaging
through old, inconclusive and speculative theories
that unfairly put Haitians at the origin of AIDS.
Yanick Sanon Eveillard, MPH is Co-Chair of
the National Haitian-American Health Alliance
and an Administrator at the New York State AIDS
Institute. Linda Marc-Clerisme, Ph.D is a NHAHA
Board Member and a Social Epidemiologist at
the Harvard School of Public Health. Eustache
Jean-Louis, MD.,MPH is the Chair of the National
Haitian American Health Alliance and Executive
Director of Center for Community Health, Education & Research.
BostonHaitian.com
February 2012
Brazil’s President, on visit to
Haiti, offers visas for 6,000
By EVENS SANON Associated Press
for which Brazil gave $2.5 million to
carry out several studies. Repairs to
the 54-megawatt Peligre facility are
expected to begin this year and are
expected to restore the power plant to
full capacity in 2015.
The United Nations says Brazil has
pledged $164 million for quake recovery
projects and has spent about threequarters of that.
All together, donors have pledged
$4.5 billion to help rebuild Haiti, but
only about half of that has been released, the U.N. Office of the Special
Envoy to Haiti says.
Haitian President Michel Martelly
said he hopes Rousseff will help him
lobby other countries to meet their
pledges.
“We ask the president of Brazil to help
retrieve the money that was promised
to Haiti,” Martelly said.
Rousseff said Brazil will soon begin
a gradual withdrawal of troops it has
in the United Nations peacekeeping
force, reducing its contingent to 1,900
soldiers. Brazil currently provides
almost a quarter of the 11,000 peacekeepers, more than other country, for
the U.N. mission that arrived in 2004
in Haiti in the aftermath of a violent
rebellion. (AP)
PORT-AU-PRINCE— Brazil is offering 6,000 visas to Haitians over a
five-year period as one of several efforts
that look to help the troubled Caribbean nation get on its feet, Brazilian
President Dilma Rousseff said on Feb 1.
She was visiting to showcase Brazilian efforts helping Haiti recover
from the devastating earthquake two
years ago. In one project, a commission
formed by Brazil and Cuba is helping
train 2,000 Haitian health workers
and building three hospitals, she said.
Rousseff said her country would issue 1,200 visas annually to Haitians
during the next five years while also
seeking to crack down on smuggling
operations.
“We want to stand on the side of Haiti
so that Haitians can have a better life,”
Rousseff told reporters on the grounds
of the National Palace, which is still a
pile of white crumbled cement since
the 2010 earthquake.
Brazil has been a major funder of
reconstruction efforts after the 2010
quake.
One of the projects Rousseff highlighted is the renovation of a hydroelectric dam in the heart of Haiti
H.A.U. announces leadership changes
Haitian-Americans United, Inc.
(H.A.U.) said last month that its longtime board chairman, Eno Mondesir,
as his post and as a member of the
organization. Marie Auguste, the
group’s secretary, said Mondesir “has
been instrumental in the development
of H.A.U. and has made countless
contributions to H.A.U. activities
for the last eleven years.” Mondesir
announced in late December that he
intends to run for U.S. Senate.
Nesly Metayer has been chosen
as interim chair by the Board until
the election of a new chairman. “The
H.A.U. board is confident that Nesly
will be successful in launching a renewal process for the organization
and is counting on the cooperation
of H.A.U.’s friends in the Greater
Boston Community.” Auguste said in
a statement.
Page 7
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pri tikè ak sèvis.
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listening devices are
ki avèg ou byen ki
available at all public
gen pwoblèm pou
workshops
tande,
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Alllocationsare
reyinyon
piblik yo.
accessible
persons
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lokaltoyo
gen aksè
with moun
disabilities.
pou
ki andikape.
Thursday, February 2
Wednesday, February 8
Thursday, March 1
Dorchester House
Multi-ServiceCenter
1353DorchesterAvenue
Multi-PurposeRoom
1:00–3:00P.M.
ShrinersHospital
51BlossomStreet
Auditorium
4:30–6:30P.M.
QuincyHighSchool
100CoddingtonStreet
Auditorium
6:30–8:30P.M.
Government Center
119SchoolStreet
Auditorium
6:00–8:00P.M.
Writtencommentswill
•• Si
w vle ekri kòmantè,
alsokabevoye
accepted
through
ou
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nou.
March
6,
2012,
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MBTA,10ParkPlaza,
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MBTA, Attention:
Boston,MA02116,
Fare
Proposal
Attention:FareProposal
Committee,
Committee. 10 Park
Plaza, Boston, MA
• 02116,
Youmayalsosubmit
your comments
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w vle voyeatemail,
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(617) 222-3200,
(617)
222-3200,
TTY(617)222-5146.
TTY
(617) 222-5146.
Lowell
Boston (Dorchester)
Boston (Dorchester)
Dorchester House
Multi-ServiceCenter
1353DorchesterAvenue
Multi-PurposeRoom
6:00–8:00P.M.
Monday, February 6
LowellCityHall
375MerrimackStreet
Council Chambers
5:00–7:00P.M.
Tuesday, February 7
Lynn
City Council Chambers
3CityHallSquare
6:00–8:00P.M.
MBTA
disponibiliza
infurmasons
importanti na sê página di internet sobri
kês prupostas di aumentu di tarifas y
riduson di servisus. Por favor nhos
vizita mbta.com pa lê kês informasons
publikadu. Si bu mesti di ajuda pa
traduzi kês informason, favor kontata
MBTA pa telefoni 617-222-3200 ô
(617) 222-5146 pa pesoas surdu.
Boston (West End)
Quincy
Waltham
Tuesday, March 6
Town Hall
210CentralStreet
CentralMeetingRoom
6:00–8:00P.M.
Malden City Hall
200PleasantStreet
City Council Chambers
6:00–8:00P.M.
Massasoit Community College
1 Massasoit Boulevard
LiberalArtsBuilding
LectureHallLA560
6:00–8:00P.M.
Hingham
Malden
Monday, February 13
Tuesday, February 28
BostonPublicLibrary
700BoylstonStreet
BostonRoom
6:00–8:00P.M.
SomervilleHighSchool
81HighlandAvenue
Auditorium
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liên hệ với MBTA theo số điện thoại
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February 2012
BostonHaitian.com
Tents beyond tents
l
d
.
SAVE THE DATE: MAY 10, 2012
BOSTON HAITIAN HONORS
Please plan to join us for the 2nd annual
Boston Haitian Honors luncheon on Thursday,
May 10, 2012 at Boston Seaport Hotel.
“I think this is really a unique
newspaper and it’s one that I regard as
a very important contribution, not just
to the Boston Haitian community, but
to Boston and to Haiti as well… This
is important journalism that gets done
here. It provides space for acknowledging
the successes of local people, including
young people who really need that and
deserve that.”
- Dr. Paul Farmer
2011 Keynote Speaker
Above, the winners of the inaugural Boston
Haitian Honors, held in May 2011; right: our
2011 keynote speaker Dr. Paul Farmer
For tickets and sponsorships, call 617-436-1222 x22
BostonHaitian.com
EDitor’s
Note
The Boston Haitian Reporter is pleased to introduce our readers to a new
section of the newspaper
that will feature the work
of Haitian cartoonists
and journalists. Their
work has been brought
to our attention through
a groundbreaking project
led by an international
organization called the
Cartoon Movement.
We encourage our readers to learn more about
the background of Cartoon Movement and their
Haiti project by going to
their website, CartoonMovement.com. You can
also view more work from
very talented Haitian artists, cartoonists and journalists who have teamed
with Cartoon Movement
in recent months. There
is also a video that documents the month that
the Cartoon Movement’s
editorial team spent in
Haiti last July.
On January 12, 2012,
the second anniversary of
the earthquake, Cartoon
Movement published the
first chapter of the 75page comics journalism
project focused on life in
Haiti— the first section
of which is printed here
in the Reporter.
Written by Port-auPrince reporter Pharés
Jerome, and illustrated
by Chevelin Pierre, Tents
Beyond Tents takes us
down to the Champ de
Mars in front of the
crumbled presidential
palace to the squalid
conditions in tent camps
on the outskirts of town.
Jerome tells us of the
forced evictions by state
authorities and the modest progress that is finally
allowing some families to
relocate.
Cartoon Movement will
be publishing installments throughout 2012
written by various Haitian journalists, focusing
on such issues as Haitian
politics, the role of NGOs,
and what exactly happened with all the relief
money that came flooding
in after the earthquake.
The entire series will
be drawn by perhaps
the most talented comic
artist working in Haiti
today, Chevelin Pierre.
“This is an opportunity
to express my frustrations, and those of my
countrymen, with the
recovery after January
12 through my drawings,”
says Pierre. “And comics
journalism lends itself
perfectly to the subject.”
The Boston Haitian Reporter will publish more
panels over the coming
months.
“We are very excited
to team with Cartoon
Movement to bring our
readers a new Haitian
perspective on life in the
post Jan.12 world,” said
Managing Editor Bill
Forry. “This is exceptionally good work, done
by Haitians living and
working in Haiti. We are
pleased to bring them to
an American audience for
the first time in a U.S.
publication.”
February 2012
Page 9
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February 2012
BostonHaitian.com
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BostonHaitian.com
February 2012
Page 11
Make 2012 the year for great financial planning
by Kenia Selamy
Special to the Reporter
The past couple of years have been
challenging and we are
still not out of the woodworks yet. If you are like
me, you’ve made some
2012 new year’s resolutions that include getting
your finances in better
shape. Included in my long
list of new year’s resolutions is a goal to improve
my finances, pay off my
debt and save more in
2012. I’ve had these same
goals for some time now
and I want to share some
things that have worked for me in the
past as well as other good ideas that
I’ve come across through the years.
Build a Budget- The point of setting a
budget is to figure out what you spend
compared to what you take home in
wages and other earnings. It is a living
document that needs to change and
reflect your financial reality. Use a
spreadsheet or simple platform that
is easy for you to track your expenses.
Start with major monthly expenses
like rent and or mortgage, credit card
payments and student loans. Add what
you pay for a cell phone, a home phone,
gas, oil to heat, electricity and any
other utilities that you pay during the
month. Don’t forget to include expenses
like dining out, entertainment and
shopping – these small
expenses add up. Once
you have a complete list
of expenses, add them up
to get your total spending.
This amount should be
lower than what you take
home after taxes and other
deductions from your
paycheck. If this isn’t the
case, then now would be a
good time to review your
spending and find ways
reduce expenses.
Open a savings account
that is not easy to get to. If your savings account is easy to get to, then
you will always find an excuse to use
it. Have the money sent directly to
your savings account. Your employer
may offer direct deposit. You can also
open an account with a local credit
union. I currently use an ING account
as a savings account where it takes
a couple of days to have the funds
transferred – this helps a lot. Start
saving a small amount and increase
it over time. That way, it is easier to
start and keep up with it.
Another good option is to put away
your raise before you can start spend-
ing it. For example, if you have an
additional $30 in your paycheck because you are one of the lucky few to
get a raise in this economy, increase
your savings by that same amount.
You won’t miss that money because
you did not give yourself a chance to
increase your spending because of the
raise. Before you know it, you have
an additional $720 in savings if you
get paid twice a month and 24 times
for the year. Even if you end up using the funds later on for something
important, you would have saved it
over time and will not need to go into
your paycheck for such a large sum.
Spread the cheer throughout the
year. It is easier to give if you spread
out the expense. Gift giving does not
have to be done just once a year. You
can use your savings account to fund
gift purchases or spread over the expense by giving gifts to kids, friends
and family members during the year.
Hosting a dinner party or a backyard
barbecue is a good alternative to purchasing gifts. You’d be amazed how
much fun it is and how much less you
have to spend.
Use cash or your debit card. I
highly recommend using a debit card
whenever possible. It makes it easier
to track where and how you are spending your money. It’s also a good way
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February 2012
BostonHaitian.com
Haiti’s justice system under fire for Duvalier ruling
Continued from page 1
Jean said the statute
of limitations has run
out on any human rights
crimes committed during Duvalier’s 1971-86
regime but not on accusations of misappropriation of public funds.
He did not explain his
reasoning, although Duvalier is widely thought
to have used money from
the Haitian treasury to
finance his life in exile.
The judge declined to
give reporters a copy of
the 20-page order that he
held in his hands in his
office at the courthouse.
The decision, based on a
yearlong investigation,
must first be reviewed by
the attorney general as
well as by Duvalier and
the victims of his regime
who filed complaints
against the former leader, Jean said.
Duvalier’s lawyer,
Reynold Georges, had
argued that all charges
should be dismissed,
and he said he would
appeal Jean’s finding as
soon as he received the
paperwork.
“We’re going to appeal that decision ... and
throw it in the garbage
can,” Georges told The
Associated Press. “I’m
very sorry he did that —
everybody will condemn
this decision.’’
Human Rights Watch,
which has helped push
for a trial, also called
for an appeal — to overturn the judge’s decision
against a trial on abuse
charges.
“Those who were tortured under Duvalier,
those whose loved ones
were killed or simply disappeared, deserve better
than this,” Reed Brody, counsel for Human
Rights Watch, wrote in
an e-mail. “This wrongheaded ruling must be
overturned on appeal if
Haitians are to believe
that their justice system
can work to investigate
the worst crimes.”
Brody and O’Neill both
argued the statute of limitations hasn’t expired on
alleged rights violations
because they wouldn’t
take effect until the
victims’ whereabouts or
people who disappeared
under the regime were
identified.
O’Neill added that if
the decision isn’t appealed, he hopes to see
the case taken to the
Inter-American Court
of Human Rights. Last
May, the Inter-American
Commission on Human
Rights urged Haiti’s
government to “investigate and punish those
responsible for the numerous violations of the
right to life and physical
security.”
Amnesty International
researcher Gerardo Ducos said he was puzzled
by the judge’s findings,
saying the “investigation
was a sham and its conclusion a disgrace.” He
said that only a handful
of victims were interviewed and that there
was no effort to collect
testimony from victims
and witnesses outside
Haiti.
Others said Haiti has
an obligation under international law to put
Duvalier on trial.
“Just as courts in Chile
and Argentina have addressed past atrocities
by their former military
dictators, Haiti’s courts
are fully capable of bringing Duvalier to trial,
and of seeking international support to do so,
if needed,” said James
A. Goldston, executive
director of the Open Society Justice Initiative.
Duvalier has posed a
challenge to Haiti since
his return from 25 years
in exile in France. Haiti
has a weak judicial system, with little history
of successfully prosecuting even simple crimes,
and the government is
preoccupied with reconstruction from the devastating January 2010
earthquake.
A majority of Haitians
are now too young to have
lived under Duvalier,
who was only 19-yearsold when he was tapped
by his feared father,
Francois “Papa Doc”
Duvaler, to assume the
presidency. But many
still remember his government’s nightmarish prisons and violent
special militia, known
as the Tonton Macoute,
which killed and tortured
political opponents with
impunity.
More than 20 victims
filed complaints shortly
after Duvalier’s return.
Some were prominent
Haitians, including Robert Duval, a former
soccer star who said he
was beaten and starved
during his 17 months of
captivity in the dreaded
Fort Dimanche prison.
On Jan. 30, Duval said
he was stunned when he
was notified about the
judge’s decision.
“I don’t understand
how he could’ve done
that,” Duval said by
telephone. “If that’s the
case, that’s an outrageous decision.”
Since its inception, the
case has stumbled along.
Prosecutors have been
fired and the defendant
has made few court
appearances, despite
pressure from advocacy
groups saying a successful prosecution would
mark a turning point for
Haiti’s weak judiciary.
The United Nations
peacekeeping force in
Haiti said it was eager
to see the case go to trial,
but Western embassies in Port-au-Prince,
including the United
States, remained largely
mum on the matter,
saying it was up to the
Haitian government.
A spokesman for the
U.N.’s High Commissioner for Human Rights
says Duvalier must be
tried for “very serious
human rights violations”
during his 15-year reign
that were “extensively
documented.”
Rupert Colville said
the U.N. is “extremely
disappointed” by Jean’s
decision. He says that
under international law
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Since his return,
Duvalier has traveled
around the capital and
countryside, hobnobbing
with friends, dining at
high-end restaurants
and even attending a
memorial service for
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BostonHaitian.com
February 2012
Tantan: Haiti’s answer to Michael Jackson?
Page 13
By Steve Desrosiers
Contributing Editor
The talented artist, Stanley Toussaint or “Tantan,” is back on the
scene with his latest creation. The
long awaited album, “The Boss” is an
independent release showcasing 10
original pieces.
Tantan’s achievements in Haitian
music are interesting for a host of
reasons. As a vocalist, he is perhaps
Haiti’s answer to Michael Jackson.
Among Haitian artists, he is a rare
multi-instrumentalist fully capable
of manning his own albums. These
albums are often distinct presentations, dressing Konpa’s rhythms with
just enough of the latest American
pop trends to make them palatable to
young Haitian-American audiences.
He demonstrated this flare with his
first hit album, “Ole, Ole” in the early
1990s and about 10 years later, at a
time where he was a relative old school
artist to a younger set of listeners he
blazed by his old competition (bands
like Zin) and newcomers including the
likes of CaRiMi, T-Vice and Djakout
Mizik with the album “Pam, Pam,
Pam.” Unfortunately, the outstanding
popularity of that album has become
the standard by which anything from
Tantan/Lakol is judged these days and
he has been hard-pressed to surpass
that opus.
“The Boss” finds Tantan keeping true
to the melodic innovations that have
made him a star among Haitians. The
promising numbers on this release
include the aggressively arranged
“Kitemele’m yon dam” armed as it
is with a superbly variated rhythm
section and the busy guitar picking
that are hallmark to the Lakol sound.
This song showcases the precise and
fast paced vocal technique Tantan has
developed to make up for the limitations of his high pitched and rather
thin tone. The very catchy “Tyeker”
immediately grabs the listener with
a simple but sick synth hook leading
to a series of exceptional synth/guitar
based grooves in an arrangement featuring enough starts and stops to either
please or frustrate the modern dancer.
The equally captivating “Tralala” is a
melodic marvel led off by a percussive
guitar intro that serves as a plank from
which we plunge into the deep recesses
of this artist’s symphonic inspirations.
In terms of Tantan/Lakol releases,
this album lives up to the standard.
Tantan is still “The Boss” of his particular brand of pop-Konpa. Having
said this, “The Boss” does not defeat
“Pam, Pam, Pam” but you saw that
coming, I’m sure. Nonetheless, this
is quite an album instrumentally and
harmonically speaking. The overall mix
is a bit sparser than previous Tantan
releases, leaving lots of room for all
manner of vocal machinations. The
arpegiatted synth sound that “everyone
and dey mama” is abusing these days
is a feature of most songs and does aggravate the nerves after a while. And
yes, there are moments where the artist
overdoes it with hit after hit of melodic
crack per song. However there are so
many great moments tucked into this
collection of songs, it would be a shame
to over accentuate these indulgences.
And well, while we’re forgiving do
overlook the album’s intro track, s’il
vous plait! I do recommend “The Boss”
as another good but distinct album from
our quirky genius. Give it time to carve
its own niche in your heart.
J-Beatz
Our Own World
New York based producer and beatmaker J-Beatz or more formally Jean
Pluviose makes his debut as an artist in his own right with the release
of the album, “Our own world.” The
independent release, from one of New
York’s most sought after producers, is
14 songs long.
J-Beatz has probably worked with
most if not all of Konpa’s heavyweights. He was sought out by Alan
Cave for a remix of the popular hit “Se
pa pou dat” and has worked with the
likes of CaRiMi and many others as a
result of his flair for bringing a certain
American street edge to his work in
Konpa. He will likely be among the
many Haitian American producers
to force the trend that will someday
produce a distinct Haitian-American
Konpa sound. He is among a generation
of producers steeped in the work of the
best modern American R&B beat makers and the best Haitian practitioners.
Their output is beginning to result in
hybrid products that are not easily
categorized.
“Our own world” is a release that
boldly serves the needs of dancers and
their DJs! One could say it is an album
made for DJs who are almost free to
choose any song on the release to spark
up a dance floor. The best of this work
includes Konpa-Manba styled ballads
like, “Baby Come Back” laced with
heavy synths, soulfully sparse guitars,
sweet melodies and robust vocal performances. There are also heavy handed
pieces like “Our Own World” where we
are graced with J-Beatz’s own vocal
stylings and stocky commercial flavors
on various instruments. World beat
heads will find their groove in the
trance inducing “Dance Attack” as
J-Beatz teams up with rappers YungRich, Blackdadda and TopAdlerman
to great effect. And there are the great
moments in tunes like “Kondane’m”
showcasing the unforgettably moving
vocals of one Roserbie Theoc. Hearing
is believing!
The genius of “Our Own World” lies
in its hybrid nature. It is as Haitian
as it is American and fully flaunts
its diverse influences. Rhythmically,
the album’s sound borrows from the
Konpa Manba tradition developed
by Coupe Cloue and modernized by
Women Drum and Dance
Company of Guinea
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Tickets are also available at the Harvard box office
Presented by World Music/CRASHarts
Canada’s Black Parents. J-Beatz definitely flexes his muscle as a producer
of memorable if predictable melodic
pieces. The cast of supporting artists
chosen for this venture (Vilx, Richard
Cave, Top Adlerman and more) really
complement the confident spirit of the
work. The one setback of a heavily
formulaic, synth based release like this
is at times one has the creepy feeling
that the same song has been playing
for a really long while. Aside from
this, the album is really well mixed,
well performed and the only one of its
kind and quality on the market today!
Let your curiosity get the best of you
and check out “Our own world”. You
won’t be sorry.
The Reporter Thanks: Patrick St.
Germain of Parfumerie International
for availing these albums for review.
The CDs are available at 860 Morton
Street, Dorchester or by calling 617825-6151.
February 2012
BostonHaitian.com
Warning: Dire consequences await those who hit kids
By Yolette Ibokette
Contributing Editor
There’s a proverb that
says, “When in Rome, do
as the Romans do.” In
other words, when you’re
in a foreign place, behave
as those around you.
But what if you don’t
know how those around
you behave? And what
if you don’t know how
serious the consequences
might be if you don’t
behave as those around
you?
That’s the dilemma
that many immigrant
families face when they
discipline their schoolage children by hitting
them.
Classrooms in Boston
and surrounding communities are seeing a huge
influx of immigrants
from countries where it
is acceptable and legal
for families to discipline
children by hitting them.
These families can come
from African, Caribbean,
Asian, Middle Eastern,
Latin American and
European countries.
This is not to say that
parents who are born in
this country don’t also
hit their children. These
parents and guardians
are unapologetic and say
they’re simply disciplining the way they were
disciplined themselves.
“Look at me,” they say,
“I turned out just fine.”
They don’t see hitting as
a form of abuse, insisting that they love their
children.
This form of discipline,
they’re convinced, will
prevent their kids from
becoming gang members, drug addicts or
criminals. Additionally,
these families readily
admit that they don’t
know any other way to
discipline. So, imagine
the shock when they
receive a call from their
child’s school informing
them that their son or
daughter complained of
getting hit at home and
that a 51A is being filed
with the state’s Department of Children and
Families (DCF; formerly
known as DSS).
The school has no
choice but to contact the
state agency. Everyone
who works for a school
is a mandated reporter.
That means if a student
tells any staff member
that he or she is getting
hit at home, this staff
member must inform
school administrators
and/or counselors immediately.
The law
mandates that school
staffs contact DCF to
report the complaint
if there is “reasonable
cause to believe that a
child is suffering physi-
cal or emotional injury...”
DCF alone determines if
it will proceed with an
investigation.
At times a school staff
decides there isn’t reasonable cause; therefore,
DCF is not contacted.
Sometimes DCF concludes that it doesn’t
have enough evidence to
proceed with an investigation. If mandated
reporters don’t contact
DCF when necessary,
under the law, they can
be fined, imprisoned or
lose professional licensure.
Regardless of the outcome of DCF’s investigation, this experience
can be quite traumatic
to these families. Many
feel angry and betrayed
by school personnel,
believing falsely that
the school and DCF are
working together to take
away their children. For
Voices of
Boston
many of them, it’s the
first time they’re hearing
about DCF.
That’s why school districts have to do more to
try to prevent families
from getting involved
with DCF in the first
place. School administrators can start by in-
Aplikasyon pou Lekòl Piblik MATCH Community Day Charter
Pitit gason / fi mwen v le patisipe nan lotri pou enskripsyon nan Lèkol MATCH Community Day la pou elèv ki ap rantre
nan dezy em ane Septanm 2012. Pitit mwen kounye a se y on rezidan leta Massachusetts epi piti mwen nan premye ane
lekòl . Si choizi, pitit mwen ap ap rantre nan MATCH kòm y on elèv dezyem ane lekòl. Mwen konprann non y o tire o aza
pou ranpli apeprè 50 plas pou elèv ki fèk ap rantre , pou chak niv o lekòl . Non ki pa chwazi pou ranpli plas ki louv ri yo, y
ap mete y o nan lòd sou y on lis.
Petit m wen v le patisipe nan:
□ Lotri pou PreK an (y on timoun ki pral gen y en laj 4 ans av an premeye septanm 2012)
□ Lotri pou Dezy em ane lekòl (yon timoun ki nan premy e ane lekòl kounye a)
Non elèv la: ____________________________________________ Sèks: Gason/ Fi
Siy ati
Non
Dezy em nom
(tanpri ensèkle y on sèl)
Dat nesans elèv la: (Mwa/Dat/Ane): __/__/__
Kote li fèt (Vil / Eta / Pey i): ____________
forming all families at the
beginning of every school
year that staff members
are mandated reporters. However, that’s not
enough. They should
also educate families on
alternative ways to discipline that will not cause
physical or emotional
injury to their children.
This outreach cannot be
done only through notices
sent home or on a website.
Schools must provide
tools to parents through
culturally respectful
workshops organized by
trained individuals. If
necessary, conduct workshops in families’ native
languages.
There’s a good local
resource that schools
can utilize. The Family Center in Somerville
has a Parenting Journey
Training Institute that
can work with schools to
teach skills to families
to help them raise their
kids in a caring and nurturing way while focusing on how the parents
themselves were raised
and disciplined. Schools
should make such workshops mandatory for all
families. If schools fail to
provide this valuable and
critical information, they
shouldn’t be surprised
if they lose the trust of
families.
Yolette Ibokette, a Portau-Prince native, is a
veteran educator in Massachusetts.
Adrès:______________________________________________________________________
Rue, Apt #
Cité, Eta
Kod Postal
Non Manm an/Gadyen:___________________________________________________
T elefon lakay: ________________T rav ay : __________________ Selilè:__________________
Non Papa/Gady en:_____________________________________________________
T elefon lakay: _________________T rav ay : __________________ Selilè:_________________
Eské élèv la gen y on frè ou sè nan MAT CH Community Day School? Wi ou Non (ansèklé y on-n)
Si-w di wi, ékri non li: ______________________________________________
MAT CH Community Day bay anpil en potans nan lang elèv ak fanm iy yo pale.
Nan ki lang ou ta v le nou kominike av ek ou?? ___________________________
Akò elèv ak paran / Gady en elèv signen (tanpri tcheke bwat pou ou bay konsantman’m):
(Konprann ke konsantman ou bay pa gen okenn efe sou antre oubyen rezilta lotri a)
 Mwen dakò ke apre lotri a, pase ak fiti akademik, nòt egzamen, prezans ak dosye lòt elèv ki aplike nan ak / oswa
ale lekòl nan Lekòl MATCH Community Day pouvwa pou konfidansyalite yo jwenn nan lekòl ki sot pase y o oswa
nan lav ni pitit mwen nan Lekòl MATCH Community Day la oswa chèchè deziyen y o. Enfòmasyon sa a pral pa gen
okenn enfliy ans sou fason lotri an fet pou admisy on, men y o pral itilize sèlman pou mezi pwogrè nan Lekòl MATCH
Community Day la.
 Mwen dakò ke non mwen ak / oswa non pitit mwen kapab afiche sou sit intenet lekòl la anv an tiraj lotri a nan lis
aplikasy on ki te resev wa ak apre tiraj lotri a pran plas nan lis la aksepte ak tann lis.
___________________________
Siy ati Paran/Gadyen ak Dat
Lekòl MATCH Community Day pa fè diskriminasyon sou ras, koulè, orijin nasyonal, sèks, kwayans, etnisite,
oryantasyon seksyèl, andikap mantal oubyen fizik, laj, zansèt, pèfòmans atletik, bezwen espesyal, konpetans nan lang
angle, osw a lang etranje, oswa anvan siksè akademik yo.
Fok nou resevwa aplikasyon an anvan, ou byen vendredi 9 mas 2012 a 5h PM.
Nou selman ap asepte fom yo si ou pote li ban nou ou byen si ou voye li pa lapos. Nou pap
aksepte fom ki faks nan office la. Tout moun ki aplike ap resevwa yon rekonesans resi pou
aplikasyon an. Si ou pa janm resevwa yon rekonesans resi lendi 12 mas a 5h PM, ou sipoze rele.
857-203-9668 madi 13 mas avant 5h PM.
Lotri a ap fet mecredi 14 mas 2012.
Souple voye aplikasyon yo pa lapos nan:
MATCH School, ATTN: Rachel Johnson, 215 Forest Hills St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.
Si nimewo telefon ou change ou byen ou dezabite
apre ou remetfom lan, souple aveti nou imedyatman.
Pierre helps set
new school
record
Isabelle Pierre, a
sophomore at the The
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, played
a key role in helping
her track team break a
school record this month
at a competition at Tufts
University. The West
Roxbury High Schoo
graduate ran with the 4
x200 meter relay squad.
The women broke a
school record with their
4 x 200 meter relay team,
which included Jillian
Van Ness, sophomore
Lauren Roche (Norfolk,
MA/King Philip Regional HS), Pierre and
sophomore Ezra Banks
(Boston, MA/Newton
South HS). The te4am
finished second in a
school record time of
1:48.53.
Next up for Pierre and
her teammates: conference championships at
Tufts Invitational at
the Gantcher Center on
Feb. 11.
BostonHaitian.com
February 2012
SummerWorks
Youth Jobs Program
SummerWorks Youth Jobs Program
“WINTER EMERGENCY
CAMPAIGN”
The “Winter Campaign” of Action for Boston Community
Development needs your assistance to help families survive and
thrive during the winter season and beyond!
JOIN US. PLEASE GIVE TODAY!
WE ARE ACCEPTING DONATIONS FOR:
Cash • Fuel/Heating Assistance
Canned Food • Winter Clothing • Blankets
For more information or to volunteer, please visit:
www.bostonabcd.org or call 617-348-6559 to put a smile
on a child’s face this holiday season!
Page 15
February 2012
BostonHaitian.com
Believe in waiting rooms
without the waiting.
Believe being well matters
as much as being sick.
Believe world-class
doctors live here, practice
here, save lives here.
Believe the word
“community” stands
for something again.
Believe.
Quality Emergency Care in Your Neighborhood
Carney Hospital’s Emergency Department provides fast, friendly emergency medical
care 24 hours a day by board certified physicians, nurses and support staff.
Medical and surgical specialists are available. We also provide evaluation, placement
or referral for all psychiatric conditions.
Carney’s Health Express offers walk-in medical service for non-urgent conditions.
No appointment required and service is available seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For more information, call 617-296-4000
CarneyHospital.org
World-class health care where you live. This is our belief.
Steward.org

BHR 2-12 - Dorchester Reporter

Transcription

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