‘Freda’ Is the Film We Need Now

Because Haiti is in the news again, we are bombarded with stories about unrelenting political turmoil, destabilizing unrest and crippling poverty.

Set in contemporary Port-au-Prince, Gessica Généus’s film Freda affirms that not only do Haitian women exist, but that their existence is replete with complexity and beauty. A feminist film in every way, Freda’s commitment to the female characters especially asks us to carefully consider what we look for when we see Haitian women.

Learning From and Leaning Into Juneteenth

What does Juneteenth mean to me, to you, to us today? Long before corporate decisions to recognize Juneteenth, Black people in this country were joyfully and jubilantly celebrating this day in our own way.

As a feminist scholar, I marvel at Black women’s pivotal role in Juneteenth celebrations. It reminds me that Black women have always been architects of freedom.

‘Picturing Black Girlhood’: A Praise Song for Black Girls

Never before have Black girls been so visible—the thought kept occuring to me as I explored the wonder that is “Picturing Black Girlhood: Moments of Possibility,” to date the largest exhibition on Black girls in the world. The expansive showcase of emerging and established photographers and filmmakers takes us on a journey into Black girls’ interior lives that simultaneously imagines a more capacious worlds for them.

The exhibition curated by photographers Scheherazade Tillet and Zoraida Lopez-Diago highlights the history of Black women photographers while also re-imagining this world for Black girls.

The Biden Administration’s Expulsion of Haitians Is Unconscionable—and a Missed Opportunity

“No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark. … No one puts their children on a boat unless the boat is safer than the land.”

Recent expulsions of thousands of Haitian migrants showcase how far the U.S. has to go on immigration reform.

The proliferation of Haitian migrants at the Mexican border did not begin under this administration. But for Biden, this represents not only a missed opportunity to distinguish himself on immigration, but also an egregious lack of humanity and regard for Black lives in the Caribbean.

“Madan Sara” Tells the Story of Haitian Women Both Ordinary and Extraordinary

“Madan Sara” centers Haitian women’s voices, perspectives and even policy recommendations to imagine a future in which Haitian businesswomen no longer operate on the margins.

“To talk about Madan Sara is to talk about Haitian women”—but it is also to talk about pressing issues like structural violence, government failures and resistance to neoliberalism that resonate throughout the Global South.

Amy Coney Barrett’s ‘Happy Go Lucky’ Haitian Children and the White Savior Narrative

Despite the national political drama that is swirling, in many ways, last week’s Senate hearings to approve Justice Amy Coney Barrett were uneventful (especially in comparison to the confirmation hearings that took place two years ago for Brett Kavanaugh). But, for me as a Haitian-American scholar who writes about representations of Haiti and Black girlhood, there was a moment that disturbed me.