8/3/2019 Haitian Congress to Fortify Haiti Newsletter 2011 Q4

1/2

8/3/2019 Haitian Congress to Fortify Haiti Newsletter 2011 Q4

2/2

Thomas Adams, Haiti Special Coordinator

BATTLE OF VERTIERES

Haiti. Homeland and Civic Engagement

committee are in the process of coordinating the

shipment of a container of goods and medical

supplies to Haiti within the next six months. In

the past year the committee has dedicated

tremendous amount of time to address dire issue

of lack of housing within

the country

The committee has since

partnered up with Haiti

Operasyon Men Nan Men to

build and provide green homes

to Haitians who have lost their

homes. Conference calls are

held weekly or

Youth Committee

Upcoming Events >>>

Youth Initiatives

Attend and Participate

Du Sable Heritage Invites You to its

10th

Anniversary DuSable Day

Celebration 12

By Jason CoupetChair - Youth Committee

The Youth Committee of the Haitian Congress to fortify Haiti is developing a set of goals tostrengthen the committees presence in the Chicago and its outlying areas. The first of themajor goals is outreach tying closely with the organizations outreach goals and focus

primarily on the development and strengthening of the Congress impact on the ChicagoSouthland. The Southeast side of Chicago has a large Haitian population, and this

population is less organized and less resourced on average then Haitians on the NorthShore, providing ample opportunity for both membership growth and policy impact.

Come & Participate in a 3 day long

Celebration of the legacy of the City of

Chicagos founding father, Jean-Baptiste

Pointe DuSable Mar. 2nd, 3

rd, & 4

th2012 at

Marriott - Michigan avenue.

Call for more information:

Dusableheritage.org

By Chris Jeanty

On November 18, 2011, the HaitianCongress hosted the Chicagoland area ina Battle of Vertires event in

commemoration of the last major battleof the Second War of HaitianIndependence. The event had a solid

turnout. The keynote speaker wasHonorable Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste

who spoke passionately on the topic ofthe significance of this historical eventand others. Master Drummer DonaldDorcilus provided the eveningsentertainment. Erold St. Louis moved thecrowd to their feet with a poem.

The Battle of Vertires was the final partof the Haitian Revolution under FranoisCapois fought between Haitian rebels

and French expeditionary forces on 18November 1803 at Vertires. This battleoccurred less than two months beforeDessalines' proclamation of theindependent Republic of Haiti on 1

January 1804 and delivered the final blow to the French attempt to stop theHaitian Revolution marking the firstslave army in human history to lead asuccessful revolution for their freedom.

Haitian Congress to Fortify Haiti with special guest Thomas Adams held a

community forum on the current progress and pace of Haiti Post-Earthquake

Reconstruction

The local media covered Townhall meeting was

an overwhelming success. The panel consisted

of Dr Joseph. Baptiste, President of the Haitian

Diaspora Federation, Thomas Adams, Haiti

Special Coordinator of U.S. Department of

State, Gary C. Juste, Direct of the Office of

Acquisition and Assistance, USAID/Haiti and

Joel Danies, Political Director at the office ofthe Haiti Special Coordinator. They provided an

intriguing perspective concerning the current

experience of NGOs, non-for-profits, and other

philanthropic groups operating in Haiti. The

panel drew a solid crowd of over 200 hundred

local residents. US Congresswoman Jan

Schakowskyi, State Senator Kwane Raoul were

also honored dignitaries in attendance. More

than 10 local Haitian organizations were

represented. The Question and Answer session

provided

the most enlightening remarks from the

panel as they responded to questions

ranging from political unrest, corruption

land rights, and the pace of international

aid distribution.

The resonating theme of this public forum

from our panel was that despite Haitis gap

between current progress and where it needs

to be, the nation still has a considerable

ways to go, but it can be done and it will be

done over time

The next morning, the Haitian Congress

held a breakfast meeting at the Orrington

Hotel involving approximately 22 leaders of

organizations and businesses within the

Haitian Chicago/Evanston area. Over two

hours were spent in discussions about the

reconstruction and other related matters.

All in attendance pledged to continue focus

on assisting the construction effort and

remaining in contact and working continue

collision in that regard

Lionel Jean-Baptiste

Former Chairman

Secondly, The Youth Committee hopes togrow substantially over the next 12months. This should drastically impactmembership, as well as the overallconsistency of Youth Committee programming and advocacy. To theseends, the Youth Committee will focus onreaching out to the community in an effortto grow substantially over 12 months.

Monthly event discussions, where thetopics will be related to current eventsand/or policy decisions occurring in Haiti.Additionally, the group will host monthlyradio policy discussions. These will serveas extensions of our Monthly eventdiscussions, on Saturday afternoons.Finally and most critically, the committeeis determined to foster a strongerconnection of university partnerships,within student organizations,administrative, and faculty at the earliestopportunity.

Civic Engagement andHomeland

bi-weekly conference and we are moving in

a comprehensive manner to bring our shared

vision of affordable, self sufficient,

environmental neutral homes into reality.

The Civic Engagement work includes dual

citizenship (see topic du jour), advocacy

work, debt forgiveness, forging alliance

in the US and Haiti and to participate in the

civic educational process in the US.

Jol Augustin

Chairman

The Community and Culture Committee

of the Haitian Congress to Fortify Haiti

focuses on education and cultural

activities. To that end, the committee

coordinates the celebration of all

historical events, Creole and citizenship

classes. The community and culture

committee coordinates social and

humanitarian activities such as in April

2010, when the Haitian Congress traveled

to Haiti after the devastating earthquake to

distribute much needed supplies ranging

from food, clothing, medical supplies and

toiletries to the Haitian people. Also, in

September 2011, the Community and

Culture committee worked to ensure the

visit of Herold Alvares, a disabled

Haitian artist/painter who was born

without arms and who paints with his feet

and mouth, to participate in the Chicago

African Festival of the Arts.

Additionally, the community and culture

committee conducts outreach to other

organizations in an effort to promote

cultural awareness.

Marie Lynn Toussaint

Chair-Community and Culture Committee

Community and Culture

Haitian Congressto Fortify Haiti

Page

One

Quarterly Status Update

Since the devastating earthquake, the

Haitian Congress to Fortify Haiti has

been involved in relief effort. The first

phase, we sent over $1 Million dollars in

medical supplies to the Hopital Gnral.

Subsequently, we sent six 40-ft

containers of supplies non-perishable

food, clothing, toiletries, sails and

miscellaneous supplies.

December 2011

18 - Christmas/Kwanzaa for children 18 and underJanuary 2012

8 - Unity Day / Earthquake Remembrance

14 - Youth Committee Roundtable Discussion

February 2012

Black History Month event - To be announced

ssue

One