On Monday August 25th, Associate Professor of French George MacLeod and St. Mary’s College student Fladaïna Anaëlle Bruno (double major in French and performing arts) presented original research on the Haitian communities of the D.C., Maryland and Virginia metropolitan area (DMV) at an event organized by the Association of Haitian Professionals (AHP). Part of AHP’s “Community Conversations” series, the presentation was entitled "Strengthening Haitian Communities of the DMV: Challenges and Aspirations” and took place at Montgomery County Community College. Chair of the AHP Board of Directors Giles Charleston and AHP Community Service and Outreach Officer Lisa Monfiston, collaborated in putting on the event which was also streamed live via Zoom.
MacLeod and Bruno, who was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, shared the results of two years of interviews and field work with the Haitian Diaspora in the DMV, a group that has received significantly less attention than more concentrated Haitian communities in New York, Boston and Miami. “Our research shows that Haitians in the DMV area have found creative ways to survive and thrive, despite the many obstacles they face as a less numerous minority group in this area,” MacLeod explained. “We also hope our research inspires others in the DMV to pay attention and appreciate all that Haitians and other local diasporas bring to our communities.”
The Association of Haitian Professionals was founded in Washington D.C. in 2004 for “the educational advancement, socio-economic enhancement, and professional development of people of Haitian descent.” It regularly holds networking events for the local community, film screenings, fundraising drives for scholarships, and social events such as picnics and an annual gala.
Fladaïna Bruno is a member of the SMCM track and field team and a DeSousa-Brent and Sum Primus scholar, with a double major in French and performing arts. In Fall 2024, she studied abroad in Cannes, France. Her work as a research intern for MacLeod was supported by a Signature Honors Internship Program (SHIP) grant administered by the SMCM Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD). Bruno reflected on how the internship with MacLeod helped her in terms of preparing for a career in humanitarian law. “The interviews and fieldwork of this project allowed me to understand the challenges that immigrant communities face, as well as the multiple perspectives and viewpoints that determine people’s behavior.” She added, “This understanding is particularly important with people that are not from the dominant American culture.”
MacLeod and Bruno have submitted a co-authored article on their research to the peer-reviewed Journal of Haitian Studies. If accepted, the article would be scheduled to appear in Fall 2026. Additional funding for MacLeod’s research with local Haitian communities came from Pandion Haliaetus Professional Development funds, an initiative of SMCM President Emerita Tuajuanda C. Jordan.
Photo, left to right: AHP Board of Directors Chair Giles Charleston, AHP Community Service and Outreach Officer Lisa Monfiston, SMCM French major Fladaïna Bruno, and Associate Prof. of French George MacLeod
