January 1
st has always been a double celebration for Haiti and Haitians for the last 217 years. Beyond the traditional wishes for a happy prosperous and healthy New Year, is the reckoning that this day is also the anniversary of the independence of Haiti, an independence that was fought for with the blood and sweat of our forefathers. New Year’s Day therefore represents not only the beginning of a new calendar year, but a new world order borne out of the fight against dehumanization of people of color through slavery and all forms of oppression. As we celebrate the independence with traditional