Join the Haiti Response Coalition, a cross-sector platform sharing information and organizing collaborative action for a stronger Haiti, and our partners Haitian American Foundation for Democracy, Haitian Bridge Alliance and Roots of Development, for Redefining: a discussion series on Haiti. Starting in December 2024 through February 2025, the Redefining Series will feature the voices of Haitians and friends of Haiti who can offer insight and perspective to deepen our understanding of the challenges Haiti and Haitians are facing today. 

Why Redefining? The way Haiti is talked about, by both Haitians and non-Haitians, is having a massive impact at a critical time for the country. The power of words has never been more clear than the past few months when they have been used to attack and malign Haitians in Haiti, in Springfield, Ohio, in the Dominican Republic and beyond. The media repeats phrases we’ve heard all our lives like “poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.”  Today, Haiti is in a “crisis” which is defined as a state of emergency that is generally considered a finite period of time, or even a turning point, yet from the way Haiti is depicted, it appears to be a permanent state. 

Why focus on words at a moment that is largely about weapons? Because the things that are repeated about Haiti have helped to isolate the country, to dehumanize Haitians and diminish empathy for the suffering of so many, and to prevent the Haitian community from unifying when it is needed most. 

Each of the Defining Series discussion topics is something that Haitians are talking about and are deeply affected by, from immigration and the changes coming for Haitians in the United States, to the situation for Haitians in Mexico and other parts of the diaspora. From the seemingly impossible challenge of restoring security in Haiti’s capital and beyond, to the way the US has impacted the situation in Haiti for over a century, to a human rights based approach to peace and justice. From looking at how the earthquake solidified Haiti’s status as an “Aid State” to going beyond lessons learned when it comes to emergency response to understanding what comes next for Haiti’s democratic process. The Defining Series will cover all of these topics within the context of changing the narrative for Haiti by being intentional about the things we say.

Redefining will feature Haitian leaders and experts, human rights defenders, immigration advocates, researchers, activists, journalists, and teachers. Simultaneous translation will be provided by Respond: Crisis Translation in English and kreyòl and the series will be available online through HRC and our streaming partners.