Pulse - A Production of WPBT2

This Month on Pulse - August 2009

Sunday, August 23 @ 12:00 PM
Thursday, August 27 @ 7:30 PM

Response to Clinton Speech at Haitian Diaspora Congress
In early August, former U.S. President Bill Clinton gave a speech at the second annual Haitian Diaspora Congress and addressed ways to improve living conditions on the island.  Possible solutions to Haiti’s economic and political crisis include awarding temporary protective status (TPS) and offering dual nationality to Haitians so they can assist friends and relatives abroad.  We discuss these and other proposals.

Guest:
Leonie Hermantin, Lambi Fund of Haiti
 

U.S. Census and Defining Caribbean Identity
A current bill in Congress asks that the 2010 U.S. Census and all future census questionnaires hold a designation for people to mark their Caribbean descent.  With that in mind, we take a step back and explore what defines Caribbean identity and heritage.

Guests:
Guylene Berry, Koze Fanm, WSRF 1580 AM
Tanto Irie, Reggae Runnin’s, WHQT 105.1 FM

What makes you Caribbean?

Were you born in South Florida and raised in the Caribbean culture?

Do you still consider yourself Caribbean?

What does it mean for you to be Caribbean?

Is it the food? The music? The way you dress or dance? Would you consider someone claiming being from an island a “real islander” even if he/she only went there once a year for every summer vacation? Do you need to live in Jamaica to be Jamaican? Do you need to be born in Antigua to be Antigua? Can you just eat Roti and Bake and Shark and listen to Soca to claim you are from Trinidad?

Share your thoughts!

Julian Marley, son of Reggae legend Bob Marley, answer the question in the following video.

Pulse Episode Two coming on August 23rd, 2009

Leonie Hermantin was the first guest on the program that was taped on August 20th, at the WPBT2’s studios. She shared her thoughts on the former U.S. President Bill Clinton’s speech that took place at the Haitian Diaspora Congress on August 9^th, 2009.

Hermantin discussed with host Jessy Schuster the major points of the speech. The emphasis was on the numerous issues affecting Haiti such as poverty, lack of healthcare, deforestation and the inadequacy of some of the NGOs among the 10 0000 present in the country.

Hermantin shared her hope of her better future for Haiti emphasizing the role of the Diaspora and the projects being put in place to help the inhabitants of the first free black nation in the Western hemisphere.

The second segment of Pulse concentrated on Caribbean identities. U.S. Representative Yvette Clark (D) introduced a bill this year to make sure the 2010 census includes a designation for those of Caribbean descent. The questions remains…what does it mean to be Caribbean?

Radio personalities Guylene Berry and Tanto Irie shared the screen to answer that question. Tanto, born and raised in Jamaica explained that being Jamaican means to have been born there and been raised until adolescence at least. Berry encouraged the bill to make sure Haitians have representation in South Florida. She defines herself as a Haitian American and believes in a Caribbean identity, but still reclaims her Haitian identity before all. She suggested having dual citizenship for Haitians as a solution.

Tanto also shared that he does not consider Jamaicans raised in South Florida to be “real Jamaican,” because of the lack of experience that only an island born and raised person would be indulged in, such as “eating ackee and saltfish, roast breadfruit and plantains and washing it down with coconut water, then going for a swim in the crystal clear turquoise sea.” 

The program will be first aired on Sunday, August 23 at noon, then Thursday August 27^th.

In the meantime, share your thoughts in the comment section.

Coming Up for August

This month's Pulse will discuss how to define Caribbean identity and analyze former President Bill Clinton's speech at the Haitian Diaspora Congress.

This program will air:
Sunday, August 23rd at noon
Thursday, August 27th at 7:30 pm