Haiti Initiative launched at Brown University

Edwidge Danticat speaks at Brown University, Oct. 4, 2010Edwidge Danticat speaks at Brown University, Oct. 4, 2010On Monday October 4th, Brown University launched a Haitian Initiative with two special events featuring Edwidge Danticat, acclaimed Haitian-American author and Paul Farmer, UN Deputy Special Envoy to Haiti and co-founder of Partners in Health. The University’s Department of Africana Studies also announced a new visiting fellow, Haitian recording artist Wyclef Jean.

Wyclef’s bully pulpit could be put to better use

On November 28, Haiti faces one of the most important elections since its first democratic election in 1990. Wyclef Jean’s run for President of Haiti was entertaining and brought a few weeks of limelight to the crucial elections. Before the media attention dies, a few minutes should be spent talking about the real issues involved – that the elections, which will provide the political foundation and accountability for the use of earthquake recovery funds, will likely be a sham.

Deval Patrick for Governor

BHR October 2010BHR October 2010The Boston Haitian Reporter, the region's leading source for news and information in the Haitian-American community, endorsed the re-election of Gov. Deval Patrick in its October edition, in circulation on Oct. 8. The full text of the endorsement follows: Four years ago, this newspaper endorsed the candidacy of Deval Patrick because of what we saw in him: the promise of a transformational leader who would bring change to state government. This month, we endorse his candidacy for a more concrete reason: because he has earned it. Gov. Patrick has guided the Commonwealth through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. He has done it with poise, professionalism and with a sense of purpose that has paid off: Massachusetts’ economy is now growing at twice the rate of the rest of the nation. While unemployment remains high following the global financial meltdown of 2008, the Commonwealth has added jobs in the last six consecutive months and there are many other encouraging signs that the state is positioned to leap past most other states in job creation. None of that is accidental. Patrick has shepherded Massachusetts through the most severe crisis of the last half-century and he has distinguished himself and his administration in the process. Even while managing a fiscal crisis of historic proportions, Gov. Patrick was able to assemble an impressive list of accomplishments:

Martelly speaks on his presidential aspirations at Boston fundraiser

Martelly campaigns in Boston: The candidate greeted a young supporter at his Oct. 9 rally in Dorchester.Martelly campaigns in Boston: The candidate greeted a young supporter at his Oct. 9 rally in Dorchester.Over 200 people attended a rally in support of Haitian presidential candidate Michel Martelly last night at the Boston Teachers Union hall in Dorchester. The performer-turned-politician spoke for more than a hour to an enthusiastic audience, many of whom lined up for autographs and for a chance to ask the candidate a question.

St. Fleur's old House seat won by Henriquez

Carlos Henriquez narrowly beat out Barry Lawton last week to secure the Democratic nomination for the Fifth Suffolk state representative's seat left vacant earlier this year by Marie St. Fleur. Henriquez had run twice before for Boston City Council. This was Lawton's third try at the House seat. He came in second to St. Fleur in the 1999 special election which made St. Fleur the state's first elected official of Haitian descent. St.

Manolia Charlotin joins staff of the Haitian Reporter

Manolia CharlotinManolia CharlotinManolia Charlotin has joined the staff of the Boston Haitian Reporter as Editor and Business Manager. Manolia is a social entrepreneur, advocate and community organizer who has worked in community development, immigrant civic engagement, political campaigns, youth organizing and cultural awareness for the last 10 years.  She is the co-founder of Haiti 2015, a grassroots campaign to advance access to opportunities in Haiti, whose launch in January, connected community-based organizations all across Haiti. “The Reporter is excited to have Manolia Charlotin join our team,” said Reporter Managing Editor and co-founder Bill Forry. “Manolia will be charged with developing new business opportunities and editorial content for the Reporter. She will also take the lead in engaging the broader community in the work of the Reporter Newspapers. Her breadth of experience and contacts in organizing, particularly in the Haitian-American community makes her a tremendous addition to the Reporter team.”

President Obama can do more to help Haitian families

Sept. 2010 edition: Now on newsstandsSept. 2010 edition: Now on newsstandsIt took a 7.0 earthquake, one of the worst natural disasters in history, for the Obama Administration to grant Haitians Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which commentators long before said was merited due to four storms which devastated Haiti in 2008. Now an issue of equal importance requires administration action, one on which stalwart allies like Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator John Kerry, Rep. Jim McGovern and other Commonwealth congressional delegation members can help. In 2007, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) created a Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program bringing thousands of beneficiaries of approved immigrant visa petitions to the United States despite the visa backlog which keeps similarly- approved beneficiaries from Haiti and elsewhere waiting interminably back home. After the January 12 quake, former Reagan and Bush Administration official Elliot Abrams urged increasing legal immigration from Haiti to generate millions in additional remittances. (“What Haiti Needs: A Haitian Diaspora,” Washington Post, January 22.) He noted the centrality of remittances to Haiti’s economy and accurately predicted that pledges from donor nations would never materialize.

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