York College of the City University of New York (CUNY) will host the 24th Annual Haitian Studies Association (HSA) conference from November 8-10, 2012. Located in Queens, York College maintains a very engaged relationship with the Haitian community in New York City. The College is one of only a handful across the country that has a minor and certificate program in Haitian Creole, and the only one in New York City. Several faculty research and teach on Haitian history and culture. York has also hosted the Haitian Book Fair for nearly a decade.

The HSA is a leading Haitian scholarly organization composed of researchers and scholars from various disciplines and residing and working in places such as the US, Haiti, Canada, the Caribbean and Europe. Each year the association’s annual conference assembles 200-300 scholars. The 24th HSA Annual conference will be the association’s first visit to New York City, home to one of the largest Haitian communities in the US.

Haitians represent a large percentage of the student population on CUNY’s 24 college campuses. CUNY counts many prominent Haitian professors on its faculty, including Carole Berotte Joseph, the current president of Bronx Community College. Dr. Joseph, a former President of HSA, is also a York alumna. With a long history with the Haitian community, CUNY got involved in Haiti, following the devastating 2010 earthquake by organizing a system-wide CUNY-Haiti Initiative.

Caption 1: Carole Berotte Joseph