Origin Story

Humble Beginnings

 

My origin story, hmm? Well, where do I begin? Mine is an immigrant story. I can start from the point that our family emigrated from Haiti to the United States—Boston, to be specific. I could also go back to the earliest years that I remember in Haiti. That would take an entire book, which by the way, I am in the process of writing. I’ve got a couple of book projects and the memoir-type will come last.

Growing up in Haiti for the first 12 years of my life shaped my sense of social and economic justice, helped me to be resilient, and to endure and overcome hardships at a very early age. It also shaped my views about religion, girls’ and women’s rights, human rights, the rule of law and governance, environmental sustainability, and so many other topics. Those early years shaped the person I became and the person I am still becoming. I moved to the U.S. with my family as an adolescent not knowing a word of English and unaccustomed to the cold and snowy winters of the Northeast.

The language and cultural differences were hard to adjust to at first. The discrimination, or at least its overt form, that I could discern and experienced as a child was hard. Eventually, I learned how to navigate the language barrier and embrace my new culture. I learned how to build the social capital that, along with great teachers, mentors, and sponsors, helped me to strive for and achieve the American Dream. Keeping the American Dream accessible for all, recent and older immigrants alike, is a huge part of my mission in life.

In my students, I see the young, shy immigrant, the mother wanting to get her education so her kids won’t have to go through the hardships that she encountered, the father who lost his job, and the military person seeking success as a civilian. In them, I see myself and my story and that of my extended family as immigrants and as Americans. Back to my origin story… To be honest, there is nothing extraordinary about my life as the oldest child and a girl in an immigrant family.

When I was 12, my family consisted of five kids and two parents. Eventually, we grew to seven kids. I have two siblings who were born in the U.S. I was responsible for all the household activities, for ensuring that my siblings did their homework, for managing the part of the family’s budget that was entrusted to me, and for being a role model. I was entrusted with my significant responsibilities at a young age, and that helped me become the leader that I am today. So, what is your origin story? How did you get here? What influences your core values? What experiences have shaped and continue to shape who you are and who you are becoming?