21781: Nlbo: Saturday's Boston Haitian community dialogue (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Nlbo@aol.com

Yesterday Saturday, May 8th 2004  from 10:00 to 4:00-  a group of about 30
from all segments of the community met at the Haitian Church of Nazarane in
Dorchester to discuss the future of the Boston Haitian community. It was a very
productive meeting.

For the first time, various stakeholders in the Haitian community of Boston
met to brainstorm on the positive and negative elements in the Haitian
individual and the Hatian community as a whole as well as the needs to assess the
future of the Haitian community.

Many volunteers to be a part of a steering community whose goal  to organize
a bigger gathering for the entire Haitian community soon.

Thanks to the AdHoc Committee and CCHER for seeing and responding to the
needs and  vision of putting the community together . We also appreciate the
presence of bishop Willy Romelus from Jeremie who stayed with us all day. Gina
Cheron did a good job as a facilitator.

I personally feel happy. Those who read my e-mails and letters know how much
I have wanted the Boston Haitian community  to come together.

Thank you to Pasteur Zephir for letting us use his church.

A lack of strong representation and presence  of Haitian nurses, nurses’
aides, teachers as well as both catholic and protestant clergy and laity was a
drawback in this initial gathering. We hope they will not miss the bigger
dialogue that will happen soon.

Let's keep the spirit of the good work!

Nekita