Uniting Businesses for a New Era of Haitian Prosperity

MIAMI (March 1, 2023)— Business leaders, public affairs officials and academics have initiated an ambitious effort to strengthen the voice of the Haitian diaspora and increase its influence even as civil unrest and political uncertainty continue in Haiti.

These efforts feature the collaboration of AmCham Haiti, the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida (HACCOF), and four programs at FIU including the Jack Gordon Institute, and the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC), the Jorge Perez Metropolitan Center, and the African and African Diaspora Studies Program.

Leaders from these organizations joined together at the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum on February 21 2023, to mark collaborations that features a nation-wide needs assessment survey of the Haitian Diaspora being carried out by the Perez Metro Center. Efforts also include cooperative briefings of government officials about the situation of Haitians here and in their country, and the formation of the Ayiti Diaspora Collaborative (ADC), a collective that brings together Haitian-led organizations based in the U.S. and in Haiti.

The February 21 2023, gathering, Uniting Businesses for a New Era of Haitian Prosperity, coincided with the Frost-curated “everything earth and sky,” an exhibition of Haitian art,” presented by the Green Family Foundation.

At the gathering, numerous speakers called for greater cooperation among the wide-ranging interests that characterize the Haitian community both here in the US and abroad.

Visitors were welcomed to the gathering by FIU’s Fifth President Mark Rosenberg, who moderated the session.  He challenged guests to get involved by asking “if not now, when?” and “if not you, who?”  He was followed by LACC’s Director, Anthony Pereira, who pointed to outstanding students from Haiti who are now at FIU, and who recalled LACC’s long-standing academic research and public affairs efforts on Haiti, including a certificate in Haitian studies and a 6-week Haitian creole training program.

Haitian public affairs leaders were well represented and shared their thoughts as well.  Erika Rosenthal Executive Director of AmCham Haiti and Project Manager of HACOFF reminded guests that partnerships remain “one of the most effective ways to move forward in the business world.”  The President of AmCham in Haiti Jean-Philippe Boisson stated that “we are at a crossroads…tonight is the perfect venue to ignite the process of collaboration between Haiti’s Diaspora and Haiti’s business community on the ground.”  He added that “…the missing element is to unite and work towards a common goal…to create the links needed between the South Florida businesses and those in Haiti to help build a better tomorrow.”

Dr. Lumana Joseph, who is Chairwoman of HACOFF and Vanessa Joseph who is City Clerk of North Miami both urged guests to get involved.  They were followed by Tamara B. Rodriguez CFO and Co-Owner of Island TV who asked those present to fill out the survey, which has been sponsored in part by the Kellogg Foundation.

The evening program also featured curated tours of the Haitian art exhibition led by Chief Curator Amy Galpin of the Frost Art Museum.  The gathering was coordinated by Smilka Melgoza, Director of the FIU Foundation. The sponsors included FIU’s Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Island TV, EuroCeram Plus S.A., Tropical Recycling S.A., FIU’s Jack Gordon Institute for Public Policy and PayCargo.

This gathering was one of many that are in the works to raise the profile of the Haitian Diaspora and in the process enhance public understanding about Haiti-US relations and the ongoing struggle in Haiti to bring order and stability to the nation.