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EDITORIAL
HDNdigest, take 2
On August 17, we put the first issue of HDNdigest online. Under the Good Pages rubric we published a founding text of the Haitian nation, Dessalines “Proclamation of Gonaïves” of January 1, 1804, in the original French as well as in English and Spanish translations. In this 2nd issue, in keeping with our intention to create a multilingual Haitian digital library, we are offering two chapters from one of the most important works ever published by a Haitian, Anténor Firmin’s De l’égalité des races humaines: anthropologie positive, which may be read or listened to in the original French and in the English translation by Asselin Charles. The Spanish translation of these two chapters will be made available as soon as we have permission from their translator, Aurora Fibla Madrigal.
In this second issue, we also turn the spotlight on a Montreal institution of great importance for Haitian studies, the CIDIHCA (Centre International de Documentation et d’Information Haïtienne, Caribéenne et Afro-canadienne), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. And it is no coincidence that our “New & Noteworthy” section highlights CIDIHCA’s recent publication of an impressive autobiography by Haitian historian Claude Moïse, Ce que je croyais, ce que je crois encore. Liberté, citoyenneté, solidarité.
Moving on to another story, we also draw attention to a remarkable French TV documentary on the “Marche sur Washington” (March on Washington) of August 28, 1963, which ended with Martin Luther King’s famous speech, “I have a dream!”
Finally, in our section on finance and investment, we offer a short article by Jean Jonassaint on tax-sheltered forms of saving in Canada, the U.S. and France. Hopefully, you will be able to take advantage of these opportunities to increase your sources of income and, in the medium and long term, ensure at least some material well-being. And that is precisely one of the aims of this digest: to enable everyone to live better.
Here is to your reading, listening, and viewing pleasure!
And above all, thank you for your support and suggestions…
TARGET READERSHIP
The HDNdigest is a publication of Haitian Development Network designed for a composite readership consisting of people interested in, and supporting of, the economic, social, and cultural progress of Haiti and in the advancement of Haitians and Haitian descendants, both in Haiti and abroad.
OBJECTIVES
In addition to promoting Haiti, Haitians, their descendants, and communities, HDNdigest has three sets of objectives:
- To inform its readers, especially members and supporters of Haitian Development Network, about the organization’s activities, which include recent achievements, ongoing projects, and planned initiatives;
- To inspire and motivate its readers to support development initiatives for Haiti and Haitian communities;
- To suggest promising pathways for Haiti, Haitians, and Haitian descendants in such key areas as communication, community building, economy and finance, education, energy, entrepreneurship, food production, health, housing, transportation, etc.
LANGUAGES
Materials included in this publication are in English, French, Haitian Kreyòl or Spanish. Whenever possible we will provide French and English versions of editors’ texts that are more than two paragraphs long. Machine translation of various writings is available by simply clicking on the desired target language (French, English, or Spanish) — the current technical conditions do not allow us to provide automatic translations in the Haitian language.
CONTRIBUTORS
Two co-editors, Asselin Charles and Jean Jonassaint, assume oversight of the content and form of the materials published in this biweekly. They may also contribute short essays or information pieces. Other materials included in the publication are contributed by volunteer collaborators or taken, with requisite attribution, from open sources on the web or in the public domain.
FREQUENCY OF PUBLICATION
The HDNdigest is an online bimonthly published every first and third Thursday of the month from February to November; on the first Thursday of December; and on the third Thursday of January.
DISTRIBUTION
The HDNdigest will be delivered free of charge directly to subscribers’ emails. In addition @ hdn.org/digest-2, readers can access the publication directly online or download it onto their device to be read, listened to, or printed.
Contents of This Issue:
HAITIAN MEDIA
For Haitian news, some Haitian media accessible online:
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
This section offers readers documents (articles, books, videos, films, webinars, podcasts, etc.) from various web publications in English, French, Haitian Kreyòl or Spanish, that highlight inspiring actions and initiatives from all over the world in the fields of education, economy and finance, food production (agriculture), infrastructure, communications, science, housing, entrepreneurship, community building, etc.
For each piece a headline is provided over either a short summary or the lead paragraph, followed by the link to the original source of the document on the web.
Articles, books, videos, films, webinars, podcasts, etc. from various web publications in English, French, Haitian Kreyòl or Spanish, that highlight inspiring actions, events, and initiatives from all over the world…
SPOTLIGHT ON
This is a piece that spotlights an individual (Haitian preferably but from any national or ethnic origin) or an institution (Haitian or non-Haitian) that has accomplished something worthy of admiration or emulation for the benefit of our collectivities.
Alternatively, instead of a short essay on an exemplary individual or institution this section may offer a short Q & A interview of said individual or representative of said institution.
Forty years ago, in 1983, on the initiative of Frantz Voltaire, at the time a lecturer at UQAM (Université du Québec à Montréal), with intellectual and financial support from a group of friends and young academics Haitians in Montreal, was created, the Centre International de Documentation et d’Information Haïtienne, Caribéenne et Afro-canadienne (International Center for Haitian, Caribbean and Afro-Canadian Documentation and Information), better known by its acronym, CIDIHCA.
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
Activities and productions worthy of attention: publications, exhibitions, shows, conferences, etc.
MLK
A must-see on Madelen, the “Marche sur Washington” (March on Washington) a 26-minute French TV documentary, directed by Serge Viallet and Julien Gaurichon (2017).
Claude Moïse
On this section, to read or listen to two typewritten excerpts from the imposing autobiography of the Haitian historian, Claude Moïse, Ce que je croyais, ce que je crois encore. Liberté, citoyenneté, solidarité (What I Believed, What I still Believe.
OPPORTUNITIES
Avenues for personal or collective development, training, jobs, investments, and other opportunities in various fields.
LES BONNES PAGES
Excerpts from Anténor Firmin’s Masterwork, De l’Egalité des races humaines (1885)
Bonne lecture!
If you have any comments or suggestions, do not hesitate to write to us. In advance, thank you very much.
