I was born on October 2, 1999, in Tabarre, Haiti. Before I tell the story of my life, I want to introduce you to the country where my story began.

To understand my childhood, you must first understand Haiti. Its history is one of extraordinary courage, revolution, political instability, inequality, and generations of people struggling to survive. Haiti is a country with a remarkable past, but challenges that have shaped the lives of millions of Haitians has also marked its history.

A Nation Born From Revolution

In 1804, Haiti became independent after a revolution led by formerly enslaved people defeated French colonial rule. It became the first independent Black republic and the only nation established through a successful revolution by enslaved people.

Haiti’s independence was a historic achievement. Enslaved people fought for their freedom and established a nation of their own. But independence did not free the country from outside pressure or economic hardship.

In exchange for diplomatic recognition, France forced Haiti to agree to pay a massive indemnity to compensate former slaveholders for their lost property. This debt placed an enormous financial burden on the young nation and contributed to economic difficulties that continued for generations. Foreign intervention, political instability, and deep inequalities further complicated Haiti’s development.

Over time, political power and wealth remained concentrated among relatively privileged groups, while many ordinary Haitians struggled to access education, healthcare, stable employment, and other necessities.

Haiti’s history is not simply a story of poverty. It is also a story of resistance, independence, cultural pride, and a people who fought to determine their own future. But the country faced enormous obstacles in turning that independence into lasting economic security and political stability.

From Dictatorship to the Hope of Democracy

In 1957, François Duvalier became president of Haiti. Known as Papa Doc, he established an authoritarian regime associated with political repression, violence, and fear. After he died in 1971, his son, Jean-Claude Duvalier, known as Baby Doc, succeeded him. He continued to rule until the people forced him from power in 1986.

The end of the Duvalier dictatorship brought hope that Haiti could move toward democracy. However, removing a dictator did not immediately repair the country’s institutions or resolve its economic problems. Haiti continued to experience political violence, poverty, inequality, and repeated struggles over who would govern.

Many Haitians wanted a government that represented ordinary people rather than a small circle of powerful individuals. They wanted access to opportunity and a chance to participate in shaping their country’s future.

This desire for change helped create the conditions for the rise of Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the Lavalas movement.

Lavalas: The Promise of Change

During the late 1980s, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a Catholic priest who spoke passionately about poverty and social justice, became a powerful political figure. His movement, Lavalas, took its name from a Haitian Creole word meaning “flood” or “avalanche.” It symbolized the hope that ordinary people could rise together and sweep away the old political order.

In 1990, Aristide won Haiti’s presidential election with overwhelming popular support. For many poor and marginalized Haitians, his victory represented the possibility of a different future—one in which their voices would matter and the government would pay greater attention to their needs.

His movement emphasized social justice, education, healthcare, and greater political participation. However, the country’s transition toward democracy was fragile.

In September 1991, a military coup overthrew Aristide, forcing him into exile. Haiti then endured years of military rule, repression, and human rights abuses. Aristide returned to power in 1994 with international support, but the country remained deeply divided.

In 1996, disagreements within the Lavalas movement led Aristide to establish Fanmi Lavalas, meaning “Lavalas Family.” Supporters viewed the movement as a continuation of the fight for social justice and political inclusion. Critics raised concerns about political violence, corruption, and abuses of power.

By the late 1990s, Haiti was still struggling to build stable democratic institutions. Political divisions, disputes over elections, and tensions between the government and opposition contributed to an uncertain future.

Haiti in 1999: The Year I Was Born

On October 2, 1999, I was born in Tabarre, in the greater Port-au-Prince area.

At the time, René Préval was president of Haiti. The country was experiencing a serious constitutional and political crisis. The terms of most members of Parliament had expired in January, leaving Haiti without a functioning national legislature. Disagreements over elections and political authority deepened tensions between the government and the opposition.

Political violence was also a concern. On October 8, just six days after my birthday, someone assassinated Jean Lamy, an adviser to Haiti’s national police, in Port-au-Prince. The killing took place during an already tense period in the country’s political history.

Beyond the political crisis, many Haitian families faced the daily challenges of poverty, unemployment, and limited access to reliable public services. The difficulties of making a living and providing for a family were part of life for many people, although circumstances varied considerably from one household and community to another.

Tabarre connected to the wider life of the capital, where political decisions, economic pressures, and the realities of everyday life intersected.

I was too young to understand any of this. I was unaware of the political divisions, the history of dictatorship, or the challenges facing Haiti’s democracy. I could not understand the generations of history that had helped shape the country into which I had been born.

I simply entered the world.

Understanding the Haiti Behind My Story

One president can not explain Haiti’s challenges, one political movement, or one period of history. They developed through generations of colonial exploitation, financial burdens, political instability, inequality, foreign intervention, and difficulties establishing strong public institutions.

These factors help explain some conditions that shaped Haitian society, but they do not define every Haitian or explain every family’s experience. Haiti is also a country of powerful communities, rich traditions, languages, music, faith, and cultural identity.

To understand the country, we must acknowledge both its extraordinary achievements and the hardships its people have endured.

This history matters to my story because I was born into the Haiti that emerged from these generations of struggle. The events that shaped the nation formed the broader environment in which my earliest years unfolded.

My life is one individual story within a much larger history.

Before I tell you what happened to me, I want you to understand where I came from.

I was born in Tabarre, Haiti, on October 2, 1999. This is the country where my story began.