Helen Boyer

Born and raised in Queens, NY, Helen Boyer started off her career in South Florida as an intern at the City of North Miami. Always fascinated by the intersectionality of policy and culture, she graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Art in International Relations. She has since gained government and political experience at municipal, county, and federal levels.

With her passion for service reflected in a quote from Muhammad Ali, “Service is the rent you pay for room on this earth”, she went on to spend a year working with AmeriCorps NCCC traveling the country responding to communities impacted by natural disasters. Helen then went on to lead the communication efforts for the Broward School Board SMART Bond program as the Lead Account Manager at Garth Solutions, Inc. She was a key contributor in expanding the outreach efforts reforming the program’s social media and online presence. She now works in the Broward County Government Administrator’s Office working to communicate public programs to high-needs communities. Helen also owns a small business called Helen’s Petit Dous that sells French macarons, gourmet cupcakes, and other decadent goodies infused with Haitian flavors and ingredients.

Kerlande Ceant

My name is Kerlande Kayla Ceant, born March 4th, 1998. I was raised in Broward County, Florida. I am of Haitian descent, as both my parents migrated to the U.S. around the age of eighteen. I attended the University of West Florida from 2018-2021 graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Science - Public Health May of 2021. I am currently studying for my Master’s degree in Public Health and a certificate in Emergency Management Infection Control. During the Summer of 2018, I was one of the ten students that was chosen to be a part of a Bio-Core research program that lasted four weeks and consisted of observing coquinas on the south coast of Pensacola Beach while developing strategies for academic and career success. In 2018, I was employed in a leadership position as an Area Supervisor at Ross Stores, Inc. overseeing day to day operations, providing guidance and support, and conducting daily office methods. I am now employed at Catalyst Miami, Inc. working in my career as a Community Health Coordinator, ensuring that I am providing services to the community, especially the Haitian community, and communities with low socioeconomic status.

Fania Desinord

Fania Desinord is a Special Education Teacher promoting mainstream education through services and constant support. With a passion for education and an unwavering commitment to optimizing student and school success.   

Melissa Eustache

Melissa K. Eustache is a Clinical Research Coordinator for the Research in African American Alzheimer Disease Initiative (REAAADI) at the John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics.  She works to enroll and ascertain participants to individual and familial genetic research studies and with organizations and community partners to inform and empower peoples of African descent about Alzheimer's disease and participation in genetic research. She earned her bachelor's degree in Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University where she first developed her passion about narrowing ethnic and racial disparities in brain health research. Her experience in neuroscience research ranges from cognitive including work in learning and memory formation in children and adolescents and music as interventions in people with dementia to clinical in projects to develop and refine neuropsychological tools and assessments for the early detection of cognitive impairment and dementia. She plans to expand her career in neuroscience research to include the study of culture and its influence on brain health in populations of African descent.  Outside of her work and academic interests, she is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., where she has held positions including Treasurer, Corresponding Secretary, Political Awareness and Involvement Chair and Educational Development Chair.

Stine Jean

When questioned about her identity, Stine Jean will tell you that she is her ancestors’ wildest dreams and their oppressors’ worst nightmare. Born in Haiti in 1994, Stine and her family migrated to the United States in 2000. Thereafter she experienced the highs and lows of being a Haitian American through the quintessential L’s: Legliz, Lekol and Lakay (church, school and home). She was a member of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Haitian American Parish of Delray Beach, where she participated in the youth choir and the Liturgy Group. She attended and excelled with honors at Banyan Creek and Orchard View Elementary, Don Estridge High Tech Middle School, and Spanish River Community High School. In the fall of 2013, she became a First-generation college student at Florida International University and graduated with a dual major in Political and International Relations, and a certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. She was also an active student leader participating in the Haitian Student Organization, Black Women’s Development Circle, S.P.E.A.K, the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH), the National Haitian Student Association Inc. Her post-graduate activities involved working and volunteering with nonprofit organizations related to immigration services and education, such as Church World Service, City Year AmeriCorps, and Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC). In 2021, she earned a Masters degree in Higher Education Administration from Florida International University with intentions to expand her experience within the education sector, immigration services, and public service.

Nerlande Joseph

Nerlande Joseph is Haitian American and was born and raised in Miami, FL. She attended Florida State University for undergrad. She obtained a degree in Criminology and English Literature. She later moved to Durham, NC where she went to North Carolina Central University School of Law. When she graduated, she moved back to Miami, FL and started her legal profession in the public interest sector. In her first post-law school job, she represented abused and abandoned children in foster care. Currently, Nerlande works at Legal Services of Greater Miami Inc. She represents and helps south Florida tenants regarding their housing, evictions, and conditions issues.

Outside of her 9 to 5 job, Nerlande keeps very busy in her many passion projects and volunteer endeavors. She is certified as a birth and postpartum doula. She services black and brown birthing people who otherwise don’t have access to or can’t afford a doula. Nerlande writes grants and serves as board member for Southern Birth Justice Network. Nerlande has been a community organizer since 2012 and works with such organizations such as Dream Defenders, Southerners on New Ground (S.O.N.G), and Voices: Poetry for the People.

Nerlande believes that all people should take time to explore artistic mediums and their creative selves. Creativity allows one to express themselves and capture the beauty of the world around them. Nerlande is a multi-disciplinary artist. She is a visual artist, a poet/writer and a photographer. Finding time to delve into these interests is often the highlight of Nerlande’s week. Nerlande believes it is “the role of the artist is to make revolution irresistible”. Art is a very powerful tool to speak truth to power. This is evident throughout history. The Black Panther movement being a prime example of this.

Stephanie Lumas

Greetings! My name is Stephanie Lumas and I am Haitian-American living in South Florida.  I’m a dual degree graduate of Florida State University with a BA in psychology and elementary education. In my role as a Family Support Coordinator at the Advocacy Network on Disabilities, I provide direct services to individuals and families that have disabilities within the Haitian community. I will be pursing my Master’s Degree in Public Health where the ultimate goal will be start a nonprofit organizations to provide resources for individuals with disabilities who are in or transitioning out of foster care. I’m currently a volunteered counselor at local group home that provides therapeutic services for children 13-17 in the foster care system.  I have always been proud of culture and how resilient we are as a people. The Sant La Fellows program provides a creative space for simple ideas to flourish into great changes within our community. 

Getro Naissance

My name is Getro Naissance and I have a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida (UF), the top ranked university in the State of Florida. Furthermore, I have successfully completed the first year of the MBA program at Walden University. During my undergrad, I have had the opportunity to study abroad at some of the most prestigious universities in Europe. After obtaining my degree, I relocated to Paris, where I became a teacher at an inner-city high school.

While in Paris, I discovered my passion for computer science and became a software engineer. After working at some of the most disruptive startups in Silicon Valley and the Pacific Northwest. I am in the process of transforming Haiti and the Haitian diaspora through my software engineering skills and talent.

I measure my impact on this earth based on how many people’s lives I have positively impacted. After the devastating 2010 earthquake, I immediately sprang into action by becoming the official translator for International Medical Relief during their mission in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Lately, I have had the opportunity to be a panelist at Google, where I had the opportunity to expound on what it takes to build a successful Tech Ecosystem in Haiti.

Jimmy Pertil

I’m a native to South Florida born to two Haitian immigrants. I’ve earned my bachelor's in biology at Florida International University and master's in biomedical science at Barry University. After completing my degree, I developed a desire to contribute in helping the Haitian community thrive in bringing awareness of health disparities. I decided to work at Florida International University College of Medicine Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP where I’m able to work with households who have experience social disparities and provide them with adequate resources to help them. I’ve gained some leadership experience by leading a panel of my co-workers in creating a welcome video for new hires. I’ve volunteered with local Haitian organizations passing out turkeys to volunteering in South Africa where I help build a playground for the youth to enjoy and play.

Oliver Telusma

Oliver Telusma is a spoken word poet, public speaker and Equal Justice Works Fellow at the Community Justice Project. He earned his Juris Doctorate at the Florida A&M University College of Law in Orlando, Florida in May 2021. He earned his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida in 2018, where he worked as a research coordinator for the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program for two years. His writing and work focus on critiquing legal and political systems of power that target marginalized communities, life as a member of the Black diaspora, Black male vulnerability, allyship from other marginalized identities, and the American and global South.

Rebb Valeris

Rebb obtained undergraduate degrees from the University of Central Florida in Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations and Comparative with a Minor in Middle Eastern Studies and a BS in Legal Studies. He also holds a Public Policy Masters degree with an emphasis in international development and a graduate certificate from the same school in Non-Profit Management. He is currently studying to get a project management certification and has plans to attend law school.

Rebb’s academic interest includes Haiti’s economic and political history from 1915 to the 1960s, cross-disciplinary theology, diaspora and engagement, public relations strategies and tactics, and cross-sector and cross-functional collaboration.

Rebb is expected to start a position as a policy analyst for a city’s public health department. His past work experience includes academic research roles and project management.

Rebb’s volunteer experience stretches from being a policy analyst for a Chicago-based liberal lobbying firm and interning for a regional office of Senator Marco Rubio. And his civic engagement activities involved working with his former church in Maryland to support advocacy for low-income housing and registering voters in Alexandria, Virginia, for local elections.