Why is Haiti so poor?

It’s a question Marylynn Steckley, a post-doctoral fellow at Western University’s department of geography, will discuss as part of the Geography MA Speaker Series on Monday, March 7 from 2-4 p.m. in room MC C405.

In her talk, Steckley will present legacies of the colonial period and, in particular, the connections between race, class and food. While she emphasizes that persistent ‘race’ and class-based social hierarchies, and ongoing exploitation from foreign interests are still undermining the Haitian poor in troubling ways, there is reason for hope.

The promise of the Haitian Revolution – for liberty, equality and fraternity – is still palpable among Haiti’s peasantry. Today, peasant struggles for autonomy, dignity and healthy food systems offer meaningful possibilities for social change.