Dear Friend,
Last week, Roots of Development hosted Haiti: From Crisis to Catalyst at American University, in partnership with the Haitian American Foundation for Democracy (HAFFD), the Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS), and the School of International Service Department of Environment, Development, and Health (EDH).
We are proud to say that the symposium drew a diverse and influential crowd in-person and online, including speakers and panelists representing:
- the US Agency for International Development,
- the US Institute for Peace,
- the Center for American Progress,
- the Center for Economic and Policy Research,
- the Movement for Community-Led Development
- FOKAL and Open Society Foundations,
- Haitian and US governments,
- and a variety of other US- and Haiti-based NGOs
Together, these prominent individuals, Haitian and non-Haitian alike, came together to discuss the solutions to Haiti’s greatest challenges.
Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick; Patrick Gaspard (CEO, the Center of American Progress and HAFFD Board Member); Karl Racine (Former DC Attorney General and Roots Board Member); Yamiche Alcindor (Washington Correspondent, NBC news); the Honorable Michele Pierre-Louis (Former Prime Minister of Haiti and President, FOKAL)
Over and over, on every topic, we heard that Haitian voices, leaders, and solutions must be at the center of any and all actions taken to address the situation in Haiti. That Haitian-led organizations, here in the US and in Haiti, are already working to alleviate the affects of the humanitarian and immigration crises, and what they need are resources and staunch allies. And that Haiti can not afford to wait for more short-term bandaids—it needs long-term investment in its people and institutions, today. Roots of Development has pursued these approaches in Haiti for fifteen years, and we will to continue to advocate for all aid organizations and funding to center local knowledge, resources, and actions.
Read more about what was discussed below and view the full recording of the event at https://rootsofdevelopment.org/haiti-from-crisis-to-catalyst/.
Reexamining the Impacts of Haitian Migration
In Reexamining the Impacts of Haitian Migration, panelists and speakers called for an end to deportations and the expansion of existing programs allowing for the legal entry of Haitians into the United States, emphasizing the need for organizations and programs that help new immigrants learn English and assimilate into American society.
Ernesto Castaneda (Professor, American University); Leonie Hermantin (Director of Special Projects, Sant La); Guerline Jozef (Co-Founder & Executive Director, Haitian Bridge Alliance); and Ira Kurzban (Civil Rights and Immigration Attorney).
Local Power & International Aid
Panelists and speakers in Local Power & International Aid called for a mindset shift among aid organizations, one that prioritizes trust, allyship, and solidarity with local partners in order to transform the traditional development structures that have failed in Haiti up to this point.
Jake Johnston (Senior Research Associate, CEPR); Jessica Hsu (Anthropologist); Panelists Louino Robillard (Program Director, Rasin Devlopman/Gwoup Konbit); Sarah Rose (Senior Advisor for Localization, USAID); Gunjan Veda (Executive Director and Global Secretariat, Movement for Community-Led Development); Chad Bissonnette (President and Co-Founder, Roots of Development); and Castin Milostene (Haitian Activist, AREDE).
Past Lessons for Current International Engagement
The third panel, Past Lessons for Current International Engagement in Haiti, called for any international intervention to operate in coordination with and support of a new Haitian government, facilitating the long-term development of Haitian institutions, rather than undermining them.
Roberson Edouard (Co-founder, Centre de Recherche et d’Echanges sur la Sécurité et la Justice); Georges Fauriol (Senior Associate, Center for Strategic and International Studies); and Jeffsky Poincy (Governance and Policy Expert).
Thank you to everyone who attended this event online and in-person and to our partners: American University CLALS and EDH, for hosting us and providing logistical support; Haitian Ladies Network for promoting the livestream; and Haiti Policy House for taking the lead on analyzing the conversation of the day and producing next steps.
Thank you most of all to our wonderful friends and colleagues at HAFFD for collaborating with us to produce a successful and substantive event. We set out together to put together an inspiring day, where experts and stakeholders could outline real solutions and steps toward solving Haiti’s greatest challenges, and we were able to do so in large part thanks to their partnership.
This event was just the beginning, and we at Roots will continue to do all we can to support our Haitian allies through this crisis.
Sincerely,
Charlie Estes
Strategic Initiatives & Communications Director