Haitian Role Models... Where Are You?

What is a role model?

When I think of Haitian role models, no one comes to my mind but the following:

• Dessalines
• Toussaint
• Petion
• Christophe
• Charlemagne...

Don't blame me... these are the names that come up in every Haitian conversation. We seem to confuse heros and revolutionaries for role models.

Not a week will go by without hearing a Haitian person say...

"Se san Dessalines nan wi... ki koule nan ven-n nou!
Koupe Tèt Boule Kay! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Se pa politik! Se PoZitik!

This is to say that Haitians have achieved nothing more than fighting for their freedom.

If I am wrong then tell me one Haitian person you want to be like.

Mr. Alex Saint Surain from the talk show "Carrefour" had a show about this sometime ago. He wondered why Haitians succeed individually but not collectively.

Many of us have succeeded, but it seems that those who made it never return to the Haitian community to talk about their success.

Perhaps it is because Haitians don't like to brag.

I do.

Call it what you want, I call it a Self-O-Mercial, an advertisement for oneself by oneself.

It is ok for you to brag,

If you are successful, if you've made it, if you want positive changes in your Haitian way of life, then you have to give the young Haitian kids the opportunity to want to be like you. Do not take your knowledge to the grave, it is useless there!"

I know some Haitian family names who have acquired wealth in Haiti but unfortunately, you can't even find a 10 page book on how they made it.

If you still think that your success is your business, than I don't want to be your judge.

If you want to be a role model for young Haitian kids growing up, come here, honey, and tell us how you made it!

* - Carrefour is a show on Miami's Radio Carnivale (AM1020) hosted my Alex Saint Surin.

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