27489: Nlbo: (Comments)About Miami Herald Article on Gathering of Haitian Professionals (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Nlbo@aol.com

I was very happy to read about the the gathering of Haitian professionals in
South Floriada.  I want to thank Jacquelines Charles  and Tim Henderson for
their report, because mainline media tend not to cover many positive events that
happen in the Haitian community. For instance, the Boston Globe and the
Boston Herald did not report the Haitian Studies conference that occured in Boston
last fall.  I have been to Haitians' National Student conference at NYU that
The New York Times did not cover either. Thanks to Miami Heraldâs editor.
However, I hope in the future the organizers will announce it before so other
interested professionals outside of Florida would have ample planning time to
participate.

I often wish that events or conferences similar to last weekâs could happen
in Boston. I sometimes wonder Why do I have to go to Church Ave/Flatbush area
in Brooklyn more often,or in Miami to meet with other established Haitian
professionals though I am living in the intellectual capital of the world?

There had been conferences also in Atlanta, New York, New Jersey area, but
not in that magnitude.   There  needs to be more dialogue  like the one  in
Florida, because many Haitian professionals  have been forced to stay out of the
community. A western diasporic community can not strive without those who were
educated in the west contributing their talents and skills.

Because of the attitudes of those running the Haitian community,  many US
educated Haitians feel alienated. That's why one rarely sees US educated and/or
raised Haitian professionals  in the churches- a very important institution in
Black and immigrant lives.  When some  Haitian professionals are called upon,
they show up in Haitian events, but on a day to day basis, one doesn't read
most Haitian professionals in the internet, especially those in the Boston area,
hears them on the  radio,  or sees them in beauty parlors, or barbershops.
One does not â run intoâ Haitian professionals either in  well known
supermarkets in the Boston area for instance, like  DeMoulas, or Farmer's Market,
Tropical Food.  Established Haitian professionals are  no where to be seen in the
commonly frequented Haitian places.

Having lived the detoriation of young Haitians' educational level as a
veteran educator and the lack of collective interest in Haitian youth in the past 20
years, I hope Haitian professionals in other areas will organize similar
âaction plan gatheringsâ where every one can bring their expertise to help solve
the juvenile delinquency, crime rate, low educational performance, health and
myriad other issues.  If this trends of low educational achievement and lack
of interest in learning persists, there would not be another generation of
Haitian professionals. The African American community has Tavis Smily and Bill
Cosby, but the Haitians  immigrants have nobody to raise their awareness on the
importance of life long learning, setting goals and vision.

Thanks to the organizers who put all their finances together for  the recent
gathering. Thanks to Miami Herald for letting the rest of us know about this
milestone conference by Haitian professionals in South Florida.

Nekita