When I asked my Haitian father about our ancestors, he told me that his great grandparents came from Cuba. I then asked if he could go further back. He told me that according to our family’s oral tradition, our people came from Dahomey, near Nigeria. The kingdom of Dahomey lasted from about 1600…
I once proudly served as a peer mentor and former president of the Men Achieving and Leading in Excellence and Success (M.A.L.E.S.) initiative at Queensborough Community College. The M.A.L.E.S. initiative focused on providing support services for African-American males and other underrepresented groups. This enhanced my desire to give back to my community. After graduating from…