Due to the political upheaval in Haiti over the last several years, it is no surprise that there has been a mass exodus of Haitians from Haiti. Many of these families have ended up in Philadelphia. There is a Haitian proverb that says, “Men anpil, chay pa Lou”—with many hands, the load is light. This is where the name for the local organization Men Anpil (All Hands Together) comes from. They’ve been helping Haitian families settle in Philly since 2021. Woy Magazine is partnering with Men Anpil to do a drive for about four families who are new to the city and could use help furnishing their hom ..read more

This post was originally written in Kreyòl Content warning: this post contains descriptions of sexual assault As these groups seize the material assets of the people living in these areas, they also consider women’s bodies as objects at their disposal. There was a time when post-war analyses never took the violence perpetrated against women in the context of war into account. These instances (victims) were considered collateral damage, and there were no efforts made to bring these women justice. While sexual violence used during the Second World War was cause for major outcry, two years prio ..read more

When most people see Haiti, many think of the metropolitan city of Port-au-Prince while Haiti is so much more than that. Most of the country is made up of more rural villages like Furcy; which feel almost untouched, hidden upon the mountains. Angello Jean, Founder of Vwayajè “The country’s precarious insecurity discourages us from discovering our country. [It] is beautiful and rich. It is time for us to learn and truly know about our country”, explained Angello, the founder of Vwayajè. For over a year, the US State Department’s travel advisory has listed Haiti as a level 4 country  — a ..read more

This story was produced with the support of the Round Earth Media program of the International Women’s Media Foundation in partnership with Woy Magazine.  Haitians wait for passport applications at the Vincent Gymnasium in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in March 2023. (Photo: YVES OSNER DORVIL / IWMF) PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Andre Samedi was briefly held at gunpoint last year after picking up his car from customs. The assailants stopped the 43-year-old in Canaan, a small town on the outskirts of Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince, and drove away with him. They eventually decide ..read more

It matters very little if one is pro-capitalist or not, for as capitalism has transcended such dualities of pros and cons, the mere act of existing is capitalist… ALAIN MARTIN Not too long before writing this piece, trending on Haitian Twitter was the surprising revelation that Haiti had been featured, prominently so, in the latest Disney tentpole, Wakanda Forever. One scene pivotal to advancing the film’s plot took place in Cap-Haitien, Haiti’s former capital. Another featured a character that was not only central to the film but seems poised to hold critical sway in phase 5 of Marvel’s cine ..read more

To be honest with you, I really think that if it wasn’t for Haiti, I wouldn’t be an artist. BélO In 2021, Haiti experienced a series of traumatic events including the assassination of the President Jovenel Moïse, another devastating earthquake of 7.1 magnitude, and the arrival of 15,000 Haitian asylum seekers at the Del Rio, Texas border. In the midst of recurring trauma, there is a need for Haitians to recalibrate to have deeper conversations about healing. Jean Belony “BélO” Murat is a socially conscious Haitian artist and musical ambassador who uses his distinctive traditional sound to sha ..read more

This post was originally written in Kreyòl. People in general can be bad friends, it is not female friendships that are inherently dangerous. As it stands, it is female friendships that are depicted negatively in Haitian cultural productions, and female friends are responsible for creating toxicity (through gossip) in romantic relationships. WILSON THIERSAINT For several weeks praises have been pouring in for Zafèm’s very first album “LAS”.  In the midst of all of this, Reginald Cangé and Dener Céide have produced a thorough work, raising the bar in terms of sonic experience, vocal deliv ..read more

Jakson has no acquaintances in the US, but you never know what could happen. So he settles for putting the odds in his favor. Six in the morning, Jakson stretches, sits up and he shakes his head. He had taken his time to cover his food the night before, but the mice still got to it. He smiles, after all, the small creatures must also feed themselves. They are God’s creations, just like himself. He has stopped counting the days since he last saw running water come out of the faucet. The bit of water left in the water drum has tadpoles in it. He splashes some under his arms, brushes his hair ..read more

This article originally appeared on Christian Science Monitor on February 1, 2023 An immersive experience, “Dechouke Lanfè sou Latè” is performed within the audience and features formerly incarcerated women as well as actors to bring home the brutal reality of Haitian prisons. The Quatre Chemins theater festival took place in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from Nov. 21 to Dec. 3, 2022. On a sunny afternoon, some 60 people gather in the small courtyard of Yanvalou Café, the unofficial home of Haiti’s theater scene. It’s the opening of the 19th annual Quatre Chemins (Four Paths) theater festival, but th ..read more

I’m a young author born in a country where you can count on your fingers how many theatres there are ANDRISE PIERRE December 2022, En Lisant Festival play entitled Elle voulait ou croyait vouloir et tout à coup elle ne veut plus The 7th edition of the En Lisant Theatre Festival took place in December of 2022 in Port-au-Prince. Held from December 12th-18th, the theatre festival founded and led by Eliezer Guerismé focused on the theme of Violence and Contestation. To explore this theme through plays and reading, a series of talks, a web series, and a closing concert, the work of the writer ..read more