My name is Regine Polynice. People call me Regine, Gigi, Reg and Tigine. I was born in New-York and returned to Haiti with my parents when I was 6 years old. I know the story usually goes the other way around, I guess it was time for my parents to come home. I did all elementary and high school in Haiti with just some bits and pieces in Jamaica due to the political instability in Haiti. I went to college in Washington, DC and spent the next 9 years of my life living outside Haiti. 4 years in DC and 5 years in NYC. I finally came back to Haiti in 2010. I guess Haiti called me back like it did my parents.
I am the daughter of Haitian parents but feel as American as I do Haitian at times. Things from both cultures seem very familiar and also very foreign. With a Japanese friend in college we used to talk about that 3rd culture, one that you build by taking elements from all the different cultures you’ve experienced.
When I was growing up, I was expected to be a proper Haitian girl. You spoke french to your parents for example and never creole (that is only allowed when you reach a certain age). Although my parents were more liberal than those of my friends’, there were still rules to follow: you don’t talk back, speak loudly, interrupt grown-ups while they are talking, you must know how to eat properly at the table…. There are rules, rules and more rules.
Around the age of 15-16, a typical question is what are you going to be when you grow up. Looking back on it now it's so ludicrous. At 16, you’re just a child, how can you know what is going to make you happy. I decided I would be a doctor like my aunt so at least I had an answer to that question when posed. Thankfully after 1 post freshman year internship at Gheskio, I knew medicine was not for me. I am always thankful that my parents allowed me the possibility to change my mind. I know many other students who were not so fortunate.
Success was never really discussed with my parents, but for me in my family I looked and still look today to my grand-father’s example to inspire me to reach for the stars. I am the grand-daugher of Thomas Desulme, the son of farmers who also became one of the biggest industrialists in the Caribbean. When he died, he received the order Jamaica, given by the Queen of England only to a few people and he was the 1st non-Jamaican to ever receive it. My grand-father’s story has influenced my life in 2 ways- It told me that the sky was indeed the limit but it also made me question where I was at different points in my life, thinking I should always be doing more. The story encourages and also overwhelms me.
I have started to form my new ideas about success. Success is not only about money, it is about having a well-balanced life and reaching points of satisfaction in all aspects of your life. For me it is about having the freedom to do what I love, to experience life as I wish to.
Growing up I thought success meant- Disciplined, focused, slim, smart, respected, Rich. I thought the unsuccessful ones were the man or woman living on the beach; who fished for their food on a daily basis. Lives surrounded by their family and away from the concrete jungle. The person who is healthy, has enough to live in peace and spends time with themselves and nature. When I was a teenager, I wouldn’t have seen this as success. I certainly do now.
I don’t know when the “Aha” moment on my decolonization path, was but I do know that it’s been a journey. Like becoming, the decolonization is a slow process. There are things I still catch myself thinking that surprise me. This journey is about being aware and also compassionate with yourself.
Within Haitian culture, success = money, that would be the #1. I see so many people in blind pursuits of money and when you ask them about what happiness means to them, they have no clue. Here in Haiti, we often function from a scarcity perspective at all different levels of the socio-economic spectrum. We want to accumulate more and more, with no idea of when it will all be enough.
The false faces. Haitian society is very much about appearances. People cater more to the external than the internal. Many people appear happy and successful when they might not truly be. There are many social pressures at play in Haitian society.
The Japanese say we all have 3 faces- the one we show only to ourselves, the one we show to our close friends and family, and the 3rd we show to the world. We decide which 3rd one we chose to show.
Failure is not openly discussed in our Haitian culture and also origins. People who have happened to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, don’t like talking about where they come from because it's an embarrassment when it would actually be a badge of honor. They made it! Failure is difficult to also discuss in our society, it is not part of our culture. It is unfortunate because all the stories of great success have always been preceded by failure.
Pop culture unfortunately promotes materialism. Haitians are influenced by Hollywood, The Duvaliers, the Kardashians, hip-hop… I add them all as I don't think that Haitians are only influenced by what is happening here. The world now allows access to anyone to see what is happening across the globe. This is happening everywhere, young people look to celebrities to tell them how they should be living, dressing. We are all influenced in one way or another by the culture or counter-culture. I must say I am not much into pop culture. I want to say here that I believe people should pull their inspiration from the actions of different people. Many times we create these icons, forgetting they are also human and will at some point make a mistake. Putting all our faith in one person or expecting them to always be the role model is not realistic. Influencers and “normal” people have the power to inspire us every day with their actions, we just need to pay attention.
As for Dev Collective, I felt this urge to start doing what I loved which is helping people be better, pursue their dreams etc… I’ve always attracted people who needed someone to talk to, someone who could listen. Many people have told me that I bring them a certain sense of calmness and serenity. It took me time to launch the business because I was also questioning myself and my capacity, what I help others do, finding their purpose, setting their goals, I took time to do it for myself.
At the end of 2018, beginning of 2019, I took a personality test called The Birkin method and it confirmed that this was exactly what i should be doing. I prayed and meditated and other signals came :)
Creating a collective was important because I believe that we have so much to gain from each other. Unfortunately our socialization often makes us see others as competitors when they are not. We all have our unique value and perspective to bring to every situation.
Working on and finding my happiness has become so important to me that I also wanted to help others work on their happiness. Making life count is a tagline I use often because I truly believe that that is our purpose here. This doesn’t means the same for everyone. Life needs to count for the person living it, as simple as that.
For the future of self-identity and “success” within Haitian culture, I dream one day that people truly believe they can be anyone they want to be!. The sky's the limit. I pray and wish that people no longer feel trapped by the luck or misfortune of their birth. That people understand that all they will ever need is inside them already, they just need to cultivate it.
D.C. Series Quick Dive:
What does “decolonization” mean to you personally?
Reassessing all that you have been taught to be truths: the way we see the world, ourselves in the world, what we believe to be good and bad. It is a constant process of unlearning.
What are you most proud of when thinking about being Haitian and Haitian culture?
The food, the music, the sense of family, the language. I love Creole, it allows you to be so expressive.
If you were speaking to a group of elementary school students in Haiti about what it means to be successful, what would you want to tell them?
I would tell them to think of who they want to be when they grow up- how they want to live, who they want around them, and how they want to feel, that is the starting point. Looking at their whole life not only the financial aspect. Which is many times the 1st thing we think of when we think success. I would tell them to create an image and work towards it.
We may have someone reading this who has suffered much pain from the lies they’ve been told and are just kicking off their personal decolonization journey. What encouragement can you give them? Where should they seek sources of truth and inspiration?
I would say share your pain with people you trust. Many times others are going through the same painful situation and there is comfort in being able to share and relate to someone else. Find a support group. Knowing that you are not alone, is so important. We often want to be strong but we are human. Some days you will be ok and others days you might be overwhelmed. Be patient and be compassionate with yourself. This is a process, it is a slow journey not a sprint. I believe the process will continue until we die, it’s about unlearning and relearning.
About DEV Collective:
Dev Collective is a Human Performance Consulting firm, which recognizes that people are the most important element of any company. DevCo seeks to provide a catered approach to meet the needs of organization’s so that they can excel and their employees can thrive. Dev is for Development. We believe in continuous Improvement and Growth. Being the Best we can Be as we explore our Strengths and hone our Skills. Collective, because we are only as Strong as our Community. We believe in the Power of the Collective!
Find out more at- www.devcollectiveconsulting.com
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