Nauset Community's Collaboration
with Grassroots Programs in Haiti
About:
Lisa Brown and Matt West are collaborating in creating future programming in collaboration with the Matènwa Community Leadership.
Lisa Brown
Diversity Educator, Haiti Programs Director
Lisa has been teaching at Nauset since 1998, and developing curriculum for courses entitled "Exploring & Respecting Differences" (EARD I,II & Honors, World Cultures classes).The courses are based on historic and current human rights events, social justice and diversity issues and develops a social/emotional toolbox promoting responsibility, activism and thoughtful engagement with the important issues of our time. She has taken students to LaGonave, Haiti for 20 years as part of a cultural immersion & humanitarian effort, which has culminated in a deep and lasting partnership and friendship between a small mountain village and Nauset high school.
Her recognitions include semi-finalist for Massachusetts Teacher of The Year 2018, NAACP Cape & Islands Diversity Award, the United Nations Office Church Women United Human Rights Award and Barnstable County Human Rights Commission Cornerstone Award. She is currently serving on the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education's Teacher Advisory Cabinet on policy development for the state, where she is championing the development of state-wide in-school diversity & SEL curriculum.
Matt West
Future Educator, class of 2021 -
Webster University, Board Member
When Matt was a senior at Nauset Regional High School, he was able to participate in a cultural immersion trip to Haiti. There he not only fell in love with the culture, language and haitian way of life but also the people. In having this experience at such a young age it helped Matt to foster a sense of community that transcends my local life, as it pushed him to see the grassroots impact that teachers can have.
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Matt believes that Haiti keeps the faith and determination alive through their rich culture and deep sense of community. This was evident for him as he continued to go to Haiti two more times after he graduated from high school, and was given the privilege to develop deeper relationships with many in Haiti who he now considers as close as family. As he continues fighting for social justice and human rights education, he often reflect on my experiences in Haiti. Matt believes every student should be given the opportunity to leave their hometown and spend a large amount of time in another culture or community abroad. His time in Haiti helped Matt fuel his passions to better fight for a world in which we push for the common denominator, which is, we are all human.
Matènwa Youth Assoc. Leaders and Team:
Jeanbenson Exima
Jeanbenson (Met Leman) has been involved in AJMPD for 16 years, since he was a youth in the village of Matènwa. After progressing through the Matènwa Communty Learning Center (MCLC) he has returned there now to teach elementary school in MCLC's day programming. AJMPD's main mission is to perform outreach work to communities on the island and to educate around child slavery (resteveks). They also support agricultural growth programs, reforestation efforts, and emergency health intervention. Met Leman dreams one day of visiting Nauset and meeting our community here.
Jeanwilkens Antoine (Kenny)
Kenny, as he is known by those he comes to meet, is an extremely talented musician. He is a co-founder of The Matènwa Youth Association for Development (AJMPD). Kenny is happily married and has three beautiful children. His daughter is an amazing singer, and together with Kenny's ability to play the guitar and her vocals they make beautiful music as father and daughter. In his efforts to preserve, promote and advocate for the rights of his own children, he strives to teach children about their rights and what they deserve. He uses AJMPD as a platform to teach his community of the important topics that AJMPD stands with and for.
