The Haitian-American Institute for Justice and Law (HAIJL), a nonprofit organization that provides various legal services for people in Haiti and the Haitian Diaspora in the United States, is seeking support and donations that will allow it to continue protecting and advancing the human rights of its clients.
HAIJL was founded in November 2010 by its executive director Alfred Reynolds, a Haitian former radio journalist and a constitutional law and criminal justice teacher. The organization became fully operational in January 2014.
Haiti has been experiencing severe political unrest and gang wars for many years, as well as prolonged recovery from natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods. Seeking a new life outside of Haiti, many Haitians choose to migrate to the US, and Reynolds was one of them 30 years ago. In the US, Reynolds joined the US Army Reserve and the National Guard, as well as worked as a juvenile probation officer in Georgia. He then decided to teach law after obtaining his Master’s degree in International Humanitarian Law from Université Laval in Quebec, Canada.
According to Reynolds, many members of the Haitian population in the US are facing difficulty in accessing the legal services they need, due to language barriers, poverty, limited education, and the difficulty of travel. To remedy this, HAIJL provides the community with a variety of consultation services in the fields of Criminal Justice, Juvenile Justice, Immigration, Labor and Business Laws, International Law, Property Law, Arbitration, and Conflict Resolution.
Aside from supporting new immigrants in filing legal papers to adjust their status, HAIJL also offers other non-law services such as youth mentorship, family counseling, drug awareness, documentation, translation, and various crime prevention strategies.
HAIJL was previously based in Lawrenceville, Georgia, but the organization recently relocated to Auburndale, Florida following Reynolds' change of residence. Currently, the organization is operating temporarily out of Reynolds’ home office, and part of the funds it will raise will be used to acquire office space in the area to act as a permanent headquarters, enabling HAIJL to serve its clients better. According to Reynolds, he moved to Florida due to the large population of Haitian immigrants in the state, as well as its closer location to his home country.
Reynolds is appealing for support to members of civil society, as well as non-governmental organizations, churches, private businesses, and grassroots organizations. It is also looking to work with the Haitian government in helping stabilize the situation in Haiti, as well as serve as a link to the diaspora population.
“Due to the numerous hardships faced by the people of Haiti, many Haitians have decided to come to the United States in search of a better life,” Reynolds says. “However, they still face a lot of challenges in this country, and impoverished, undocumented migrants face a higher risk of harm and abuse. The Haitian-American Institute for Justice and Law helps Haitian immigrants have access to the services and rights guaranteed to them by US law, and helps them in obtaining legal status. As a nonprofit organization, we are appealing to generous individuals and organizations for financial donations, which will go a long way in supporting the rights of Haitian individuals here in America.”
Interested parties can learn about the various ways to donate at HAIJL’s website.
Media contact:
Name: Alfred Reynolds
Email: [email protected]
