Meet our Assistant Director - Aniece Germain
Born and raised in Haiti, Aniece moved to the United States in 2009 after she escaped from a life-threatening situation that left her with no choice. She settled down ever since in Cranston Rhode Island with her family. Like the majority of children who grew up in Haiti, she experienced extreme limited access to basic needs such as food, water, clothing, healthcare, and decent living space. Her parents were among of the 80% of the population who did not have a formal job to help them secure a steady income in order to take care of their children. Under a broken roof, she used to live with the fear that the next hurricane will take it away and leave them roofless, so homeless. As a female and the firstborn of a family of six people, education was her only pathway to success. Despite her limited options for schools in Haiti, and the challenges that she had to face along the way, she feels blessed that she was able to make the best choice to pursue her education in Haiti. She went to the State University of Haiti where she completed a degree in Science of Communication majoring in journalism. Aniece worked as a reporter in a daily newspaper while experiencing a TV show as an anchor. In 2007, she accepted a position as communication technician at the Ministry of Condition Feminine and Women’s Rights in Haiti.
Community activism has always been part of her early life. Aniece has led student committees as president since middle school throughout College. She advocated for students’ rights and better learning conditions at school in Haiti. With her experience working at the Ministry of Condition Feminine and Women’s rights in Haiti, she has developed a passion for women issues. She believes that if all women work together they can be the change they want.
Aniece was inspired by the works of many feminists such as her mentor Marie Lawrence Jocelyn-Lassegue (Former Minister at the Ministry of Condition Feminine and Women’s rights in Haiti), Simone De Beauvoir, and Eve Ensler author of the amazing Vagina Monologues. Hence, she becomes a feminist and advocate for women issues, to fight injustice, gender inequality, discrimination and domestic violence and to promote equal opportunities at school, in the workplace and in the political sphere.
When arrived in the US, Aniece did not speak a word of English. She had to start all over by taking ESL class at Genesis Center before she enrolled in a two-year program at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI). And in 2015, she graduated with an Associate Degree in Paralegal. Her personal story in experiencing hardship in Haiti has motivated her to thrive in bringing HOPE to the most impoverished people as well as the victims of natural disasters in Haiti. As she persisted to make a difference, she serves tirelessly as the Assistant Director of “Hope and Change for Haiti” since 2016.
Community activist for both her adoptive land United States of America and her home land Haiti, Aniece is a passionate and advocate for humans’ rights and justice. She is an active member of NAACP (National Association for Advancement of Colored People), Cranston Action Network (CAN), and the Democratic Women’s Caucus.
