25255: Nlbo: (comment) Suggestions for a Haitian media conference (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Nlbo@aol.com

As I am hearing the announcement of the Haitian media symposium I have some
concerns that I would like to share. As an educator with a Jesuit theological
degree, I am  concerned about the media not doing enough educational programs
geared to people's lives in this country, especially the education and well
being of Haitian children and young people. Besides Vwa Lakay, no other media
demonstrates interest in announcing educational programs for Haitian Parents or
issues that relate to Haitians' lives in Boston or in the United States.

For three years, I put letters in mailboxes in Central Square, and mail them
to those who are not in Central Square. No one ever replied or called me. I am
noticing even those who air programs in the university radios won't announce
issues related to education and information for parents, like scholarship
nights, summer programs, parent trainings, programs that MIT and Harvard and many
universities offer for young people or anything that I think as an educator
could help the Haitian students and their parents. Once a  university station
host that has five free hours all together on Sundays told me that their
contract is to talk about Haiti, not issues that are relevant to education or
people's lives here in Boston.

Another radio announcer told me they pay $180 an hour, they can't make
announcements. I would have to pay $60.00 for 15 minutes to talk with Haitian
parents about parental involvement and the importance to participate in a workshop
that was to happen at that time. When I mentioned the nature and content of
that  conversation to American educators , they said what about public service
announcements.  My dear Haitian friends, I don't know about the city of Boston,
but I have to tell you from the Northern region educators and policy makers
are not happy with the way things are in the Haitian community. I am very happy
that the media is meeting. I heard  a radio host say to his audience that
teachers, pastors, bus drivers - every group should have workshops and trainings. I
 think that’s a good idea. My idea is for all those groups to come together
and see how they collectively serve the Haitians.

I  try to bring those issues up because I am more of  an international person
who works with other cultures such as Asians and Muslims and observe how they
function.  I notice they have their own people looking out for the resources
that the country offers and bring it to their own community. They are also
taking care of themselves. The academia, the college professors, writers, sci
entists if we should say the intelligentsia is an integral part of those
communities. You see them in all their events and venues. In Boston, I don’t see or
don’t hear a large presence of Haitian professionals  in the midst of the Haitian
community, in this case the media, nor do I read  professional Haitians in
the internet as often as I would like to. In other words, the “brain drain”
that Haiti suffered or continue to suffer is not serving the diasporic community,
in this case the community of Boston.  I don’t know if should blame them
either because I have enough evidence to say there is an anti-intellectual
attitude in the more "visible"  and "audible" Haitian community.  I have felt
uncomfortable, unease, and unwelcomed to talk about education, summer programs,
reading and the printing world in venues that I wouldn’t expect.

Observing the Haitian community with an educator’s lens, I am seeing a group
of people that is regressing. When I first started teaching in the fall of
l980, I could say without hesitation that 80% to 90% of my elementary school age
students will go to college. Twenty five years later, given the pattern I
started to notice since l985, l986 academic year and began to address in l995 in
my church, I am now saying, going to college will be an exception for students
of Haitian descent entering kindergarten in 2005.

I spent the past two years writing to numerous stakeholders on the gravity of
the educational state of the Haitians, but no one had responded. If Haitians
were expected to obtain Bachelor degrees 25 years ago, we should expect more
PHD’s, more university professors, more Haitian professionals teaching their
trades to the new generation, not less.  If the educational pattern of the
Haitian population is regressing, we have a community whose future is in jeopardy.

I am saying it,  if nothing is done, Haitians born in 1985 l986 will be the
last generation of Haitians to go to college. If any doctoral student wants to
explore the educational pattern of Haitians as a thesis , it will be
interesting to document the educational development of Haitians born in the l970’s
l980’s, l990’s and the 21rst century. I would like to see the graphs, the curves
of Haitians’ educational achievement. Unfortunately there is no communication
among educators. If there were, High School guidance counselors should be able
to at least give us an anecdotal sense of the prospect of Haitians going to
college. It is also unfortunate with all the established Haitians in North
America,  one has to go to the outsider to find time to document and research what
is happening in our community. The idea of dependency for the welfare of our
own people permeates outside of Haiti also.

I don't know what to say or to do.  I am under the impression that being
active in the wider commonwealth and concern about Haitians’ educational
achievement is my issue. When a “blan” spends 4 years in my church to write about
Haitians’ underdevelopment and helplessness right in Boston, I am in the"Hope for
the Hopeless" thesis. We all are. When someone pulls this thesis from a
Harvard University library shelf, they see every Haitian.  I have talked about
people who get grants to put together and hire a community wide coordinator, but
they ignore the idea of having someone whose job is to oversee the welfare or
the well being of the Haitians.

I firmly believe as an educator the lack of interest in Education really
needs to be addressed in the Haitian  community. Last year Bill Cosby’s comments
rose an uproar in the African American  community.  Tavis Smiley, a popular
talk show host addresses educational issues in the African American milieus.  As
far as I know there isn’t a voice at the national or local level stressing the
importance of Education in the Haitian or in newly arrived sub Sarahan
African communities.

I hope the media will address some of the concerns in their meeting over the
weekend.

Thanks,

Nekita