Plight Deepens for Black Men, Studies Warn  By ERIK ECKHOLM I would like to ask the question, "How does this article relate to Haitian men?" Sometimes Haitians in the United States think that we are a different breed. I know the focus of many Haitian forum is on Haiti. However the issues of Haitians drop out, poor education ,involvement in drugs and increasing incarcerations affect Haiti also. When these young men [and women] are deported, they add to the plethora of problems that Haiti has to face. This is why I am reference to NY Times article.

In the context that the problems in the diaspora will impact Haiti, the concluding statement caught my attention, "We spent $50 billion in efforts that produced the turnaround for poor women," Mr. Mincy said. "We are not even beginning to think about the men's problem on similar orders of magnitude."

I am wondering how have Haitian immigrant women benefited from these $50billion. I know in this country there are more women in college than men (both Black and white). According to a recent NPR program, African-American females entering college outnumber black males by a ratio of 3 to 1. But as I am looking at a Haitian community, the scarcity or the long wait lists for ESL programs, I can't but wonder how the lack of Education of the women who are raising the boys contribute adversely to the Black men's social outcome.  Moreover, as I notice over the decades, Education topics  don't get too many or continuous comments in most Haitian forum, be it Haitian radio or TV programs.  Education discussions don't get a lot of feedback in the internet either. As a veteran educator, I have a lot of experience to deduct that Education is not a high agenda item in the Haitian community.

Though there are Haitian women leading social service agencies, in general Haitian women are not in position of power in the Haitian diasporic communities or in Haiti. Thus are those in charge, especially the men, making sure that Haitian women are educated; for an increasingly single women are raising the men whom the article is referring to. On the other hand, How have Haitian women organizations gone out to get some of that $50billion for the Haitian  women in  their communities.

Though I don't believe in total dependency, in the context of interdependency,  Haitian communities need people who are aware of these monies, who can write those grants and making sure that their respective communities get some of it also.

Nekita Lamour