Proposal Link: Bridge Project 3-Proposal
Final Video and Artist Statement:
Haiti was the first black nation to gain its independence. I remember the feeling of pride that developed within me the first time I discovered this. This moment of pride and the history of colonization in Haiti is what has inspired my piece. I wanted to explore how it has affected my family over time, for good and bad. Through my family’s perspective, I hope to bring light to Haiti’s importance in history, for it has often been unrecognized. By exposing the history of colonization in Haiti through my family’s perspective, my film aims to recognize Haiti’s important role in history.
Summary of Research:My research helped me to explore the social, environmental, political, and economic effects of French colonization in Haiti. The French colonized Haiti in the 1600s, and Haitian didn’t gain their independence until 200 years later, on January 1, 1804. Grasping an understanding of these effects helped me connect why my family has become who we are today. I was able to understand why my family moved to the US and why we had the bravery and courage to do so. The fact that Haiti was the first black nation to gain its independence also played a role in who my family has become. I concluded that my ancestors’ bravery and courage, has continued to be passed down through Haitian people.
Information About Interviewees: For my documentary, I interviewed two of my aunts on my mom’s side of the family. First, I talked with my aunt Josephine Petite Frere and then my aunt Marie Marthe Saint Cyr. Josephine moved, and the age of 10, and Marie at 16, and their family resided in Huntington, New York. My grandfather moved due to Haiti’s political situation at the time, and they became one of the first Haitian families to move to Long Island. After that move, the Haitian community grew in Huntington. Marie started high school in her sophomore year, not knowing any English, but in just two years became an honors student and went to the University of Pennsylvania. Auntie Josephine studied at Hofstra University and later on became a social worker. I thought it was important to interview them because they are two of my grandparents’ oldest children and probably have more vivid memories of leaving Haiti. It was also important to me to get a perspective from them directly, rather than me telling their stories.
Storyboard and Rough Cuts:
https://youtu.be/XRBZCTjx2dIIMG_1563
Reflection:There are so many layers to the problems that Haiti has as a result of French colonization. If I had the chance to make a longer documentary, I would further discuss the effects and damages that I only scraped the surface of. Interviewing more family members and asking them in-depth questions would help to unpack the story. I would also interview the younger generations and ask them about their perspective on the strength that our elders had to come to the US and give us better opportunities. My documentary does not touch on my father’s side of the family, and I realize that I know hardly anything about their journey to the US. To me, this documentary is just the start of a more significant project that explores the story of my family on both sides. I hope to soon expand the project into something bigger for my family to have for years to come.
Documentary Credits:
Artist Statement from Seminar: