Haitian Studies Association

Announcements & Statements

Statement Against Racial Terror, Anti-Blackness And Police Violence In The United States

The Haitian Studies Association (HSA) joins countless other academic and professional organizations, researchers, activists and all others committed to human and civil rights for all people in the United States of America US and across the world, in condemning the senseless murder of George Floyd at the hands of the police. We condemn this state-sanctioned police violence which continues to terrorize communities of color, especially African American communities and other Black populations.
We grieve with the families and loved ones of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, Ramarley Graham, Walter Scott, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Sean Bell, Kendra James, Anthony Baez, Amadou Diallo and the countless other black and brown people who have died as the result of a policy of racist police brutality.
HSA bears witness to these tragic murders and continues to grieve the loss of violent aggressions against members of the Haitian diaspora, including Patrick Dorismond, who was killed by NYPD March 16, 2000 and Abner Louima who was sexually assaulted by NYPD on August 9, 1997. These acts of aggression and murder expose the deeply entrenched racism that still exists in America’s institutions and culture and society.
We applaud the efforts of individuals to educate themselves and others about the history of individual and institutionalized violence and Haiti’s contribution to dismantling white supremacy. It is imperative that these events be viewed through historical lenses. While enslaved African people have always resisted, we note with pride that Haiti is the site of the first successful slave rebellion. Slavery was first outlawed in Haiti. The Haitian Revolution of 1791-1804, which resulted in the creation of the first Black Republic, was a beacon of Black freedom, inspiring slave revolts and emboldening white abolitionists in England to end the slave trade three years later. For over 30 years, H.S.A. has been recognized as a reservoir of knowledge about the oldest democracy in the Americas.
Unfortunately, Black freedom comes at a high price. Just as recent protests have been met with repression, world powers conspired to punish Haiti for upsetting the racial order. The legacy of isolation, debt, underdevelopment, and occupation in Haiti continue to this day. The most recent manifestation is the deportation of COVID-19-positive individuals to Haiti, triggering an outbreak which is still on the rise. Meanwhile, the country has not fully recovered from the 2010 earthquake that killed over 300,000 people and the subsequent cholera outbreak caused by UN troops and their negligence that took the lives of over 9,000 people.
Members of our organization—academics, researchers, artists, activists——celebrate diversity and recognize the manifold benefits and richness that a diverse community offers. As an association our goals and objectives center on principles of dignity, diversity and equal access and opportunity. In the face of systemic and institutionalized racism we must demand justice and accountability.
We stand with our members, our colleagues, our emerging scholars and graduate students and with all those who are rising up and bravely demanding that racial terror in the US must end. In order to live in a harmonious world where all lives indeed matter, we need to voice our active support in the struggle to ensure that Black lives matter.
Below are some suggested strategies and resources:
Strategy: DONATE
Resources: If you are able to donate to support bail for protesters who have been jailed, this is a list to local bail funds. Among other organizations, Black Lives Matter accepts donations, as does BYP-100 and the Black Alliance for Just Immigration.
Strategy: Make an impact. Support businesses owned by people of color.
Strategy: Change policing in the U.S. See the movement “8 Can’t Wait,” which advocates for changing eight crucial policies that increase deaths and violence.
Strategy: Contact government officials who represent you. Voicing your support, and opposition, or help reform policies—at the various levels: county, municipal, state, or federal—to make an impact.
Resource: See who your elected officials are
Strategy: VOTE! Make your voice count!
Resource: Need to register to vote or learn about how to run?
In solidarity!!
The Haitian Studies Association gratefully acknowledges past-president Carolle Charles for drafting the first iteration of this statement and board member Cécile Accilien for starting the list of resources. And we would Edwidge Danticat at Busboys and Poets this Friday at 6

Deklarasyon Kont Latèrè Rasyal, Rayisman Moun Nwa Ak Vyolans Lapolis Ap Fè Nan Etazini

Menm jan ak anpil anpil lòt òganizasyon akademik, òganizasyon pwofesyonèl, chèchè, aktivis ak moun ki angaje nan koz defann dwa tout moun nan Etazini ak lòt kote sou latè, Asosyasyon Etid Ayisyen (AEA, oubyen HSA nan sig angle a) kondane zak asasinay George Floyd, yon krim ki pa gen okenn sans, lapolis touye san rezon. Nou kondane mòd vyolans ilegal sa a lapolis ap komèt kote y ap simen latèrè nan mitan nwa ameriken ak lòt gwoup moun nwa nan peyi a. N ap kontinye di non jouk sa sispann.
Nou pataje lapenn fanmi ak zanmi George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, Ramarley Graham, Walter Scott, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Sean Bell, Kendra James, Anthony Baez, Amadou Diallo ak tout pil kantite lòt moun nwa ak tout lòt moun ki pa blan e ki pèdi lavi yo akoz vyolans yon pòsyon rasis nan lapolis la.
AEA te viv e sèvi temwen zak asasinay sa yo ak gwo zak vyolans ki fèt sou kèk dyaspora ayisyen tankou Patrick Dorismond (NYPD, Polis Nouyòk, touye li nan dat 16 mas 2000) ak Abner Louima (NYPD domaje lè anpil—yo te foure yon bout bwa nan dèyè l, nan dat 9 out 1997). Zak asasinay ak zak vyolans sa yo devwale santiman rasis ki egziste nan istwa Etazini, nan enstitisyon peyi a ansanm ak sosyete ak kilti peyi a.
Nou bat bravo pou efò sèten moun fè pou aprann plis bagay epi anseye lòt moun plis bagay sou 500 lane vyolans esklavaj te pote. Nou remake ak anpil konstènasyon ki jan anpil fwa yo bliye tout kontribisyon Ayiti pote nan demantle kesyon rasis blan ki panse yo siperyè. Li enpòtan pou nou ka wè evèneman sa yo atravè lantiy istorik . Menm lè pèp Afriken yo te mete nan lesklavaj te toujou reziste, Ayiti se premye kote yo te deklare esklavaj òlalwa. Revolisyon ayisyen an 1791-1804 la te kreye yon fanal libète pou moun nwa. Se te yon sous enspirasyon pou tout lòt revòlt esklav epi sa te vin yon fòs pou abolisyonis blan ann Angletè ki te mete fen nan tout komès esklav ki te konn fèt, twa lane apre revolisyon Ayiti a. Pandan plis pase 30 lane HSA pa manke pa simaye konesans sou demokrasi ki pi ansyen ki genyen nan kontinan ameriken an.
Malerezman libète sa a te koute chè: menm jan ak manifestasyon resan yo te sibi represyon, gwo peyi yo te met ansanm pou pini Ayiti akòz chanjman pèp sa a te pote pou chanbade sistèm esklavaj la. Jouk jounen jodi a peyi a kontinye ap peye pou izòlman, dèt, soudevlopman ak okipasyon l ap sibi. Youn nan egzanp pi resan se depòte yo te depòte Ayisyen ki te trape viris kowona a nan Etazini, yon bagay ki vin lakòz pandemi an antre an fòs nan peyi Ayiti. Sa tou fè n sonje ki jan twoup nasyonzini yo te simaye kolera nan peyi a ki te rive touye depase 9 000 moun.
Noumenm nan òganizasyon an kòm inivèsitè, chèchè, atis, aktivis, nou selebre divèsite epi nou rekonèt kantite avantaj ki genyen ansanm ak richès yon kominote kapab ofri lè li gen divèsite ladan. Kòm òganizasyon, objektif nou chita sou prensip diyite, divèsite ak aksè ekitab ak posiblite tout moun ka jwenn. Devan rasis ki chita anndan sistèm nan, nan mitan enstitisyon yo. Se pou n egzije pou gen jistis e nou dwe mande reskonsabilite toupatou.
Nou kanpe tennfas ansanm ak manm nou yo, jèn ekriven nou yo, etidyan finisan nou yo ansanm ak tout moun ki leve kanpe, ki pa pè mande pou latèrè rasyal sa a fini nan Etazini. Pou n kapab viv nan yon monn kote lavi tout moun gen valè, nou TOUT nou bezwen kanpe dèyè batay sa yon fason pou Lavi moun nwa kapab gen valè. Se pou nou tout ka sipo†è mouvman Black lives matter.
Anba se yon seri estrateji ak resous:
Estrateji: KOTIZE
Resous: Si w gen mwayen pou bay yon kontribye pou ede manifestan yo sòti nan prizon, men yon lis fon pou sa a. Pami lòt òganizasyon, Black Lives Matter ap aksepte kontribisyon yo, epitou BYP-100 ak Black Alliance for Just Immigration.
Estrateji: Fè yon enpak. Sipòte antrepriz ki gen yon pwopriyete ki pa yon manm majorite blan an.
Resous: Konsilte Baz Done Biznis sa yo
Estrateji : Chanje fason lapolis fonksyone Etazini. Cheke mouvman « 8 pa ka tann » ki mande chanje 8 pratik ki ogmante lanmò ak vyolans.
Estrateji: Kontakte reprezantan w nan gouvènman. Di yo ki politik w renmen, w opoze, oubyen w ta renmen modifye—nan tout nivo: nan lavil, nan eta yo, epi nan nivo federa—ki ta ka fè yon enpak.
Resous: Wè kiles ki reprezante w Etazini
Estrateji: VOTE! Fè vwa w konte!
Resous : Si w bezwen anrejistre oubyen enskri kòm kandida Etazini?
An solidarite!!
Asosyasyon Etid Ayisyen nan wete chapo devan Carolle Charles, ansyen prezidant pou koumanse ekri pawòl sa a epi manm Konsèy la, Cécile Accilien pou koumanse ranmase lis resous yo. Epitou nou ta renmen ankouraje moun pou rejwenn Edwidge Danticat at Busboys and Poets this Friday at 6