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My research intersects Black and Jewish studies through a Caribbean lens on the Holocaust. I focus on Haiti’s asylum offer to Jewish refugees during World War II, exploring its national impact through the interactions between Jewish and Haitian communities. Regionally, I examine Hispaniola, where the Dominican Republic made a similar offer shortly after the massacre of thousands of Haitians ordered by dictator Rafael Trujillo on the border with Haiti. This context underscores the complex overlapping of antisemitism in Europe and anti-Blackness in the Caribbean. On a global scale, I analyze why the U.S. government opposed Haiti’s proposal, which limited Jewish refuge to around 250 people. This work is unique because Haiti is often overlooked as a pertinent site in WWII history and seldom seen as aligned with democratic or humanitarian values, mainly due to its portrayal in media as politically and economically unstable. My aim is to contribute new narratives about Haiti and engage with scholars committed to decolonial frameworks.

I value being part of GHRAD because it is a scholarly community dedicated to advancing research on genocide. The established canon in genocide studies has often neglected the African continent and its diaspora. The work produced by this group is vital in recovering silenced histories, complicating existing narratives, and showing previously unrecognized connections between Black history and the wider world. These contributions play an important role in challenging the persistent misconception that Africa and Africans have yet to "fully enter history."

My initial interest in the field of genocide studies was personal, rooted in my family history. Originating from the Caribbean, I sought to trace my grandfather’s participation in World War II in France. This inquiry led me to uncover archival materials that revealed a broader, under explored dimension of WWII history. While scholarly attention has been given to the Dominican Republic as a refuge for Jewish exiles, academic work examining neighboring Haiti remains scarce. This gap reflects a limited availability of documentation, which points to significant challenges in Caribbean archives, their accessibility, and the politics involved in knowledge production. Addressing these issues is central to my research.