In the spring of 2014 while sitting on my couch in Paris, I was preparing my forthcoming 4 month sabbatical in the city that never sleeps: New York. I soon realized that for the hyper-active person that I am, two university seminars per week would not be enough to fill my schedule. Thus, I began to search for an association corresponding to my interests; and naturally, my choice was Haiti Cultural Exchange, a non-profit cultural organization based in Brooklyn — giving me the possibility of being in New York City with one foot in the land of the imagination: Haiti.
Working in a small non-profit organization gave me the opportunity to see the inner-workings of the organization. From fundraising and the storage of chairs, to marketing and communications. The concept of sharing will remain the cornerstone of my time in New York. It allowed me to see how much the imagination and memories of each person come together to create and promote Haitian culture. Meetings, film festivals, bazaars, symposiums … these are all opportunities for us to celebrate and promote not only the culture of Haiti, but also its Diaspora. HCX’s potential, like all Haitian cultural initiatives, is inextricably linked to the Haitian Diaspora in New York and the United States more broadly. Nothing would be possible without their support and their trust in the organization.
Finally, I want to say that sharing and community are the two pillars that make HCX an important piece of the New York landscape. HCX deserves to be valued, promoted and invested in by all those in search of a strong mission and wanting to join a great team.
Still hesitating? Think that this is only a drop in the ocean? But what is the ocean if not a set of drops…
by Fania Noël, HCX Program Intern
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