Haiti Tech Summit: A Transformation in the Right Direction

When was the last time you were inspired? Can you remember a time when you were proud of everything you are? Can you recall being acknowledged for who you are now and celebrated for who you are becoming?

Well, my friend, at the Haiti Tech Summit 2019 all of that happened for me and I’m sure I’m not alone. My experience there shifted different versions of me towards growth and aligning the next version of myself. I truly believe the universe placed everyone there to interact with each other for a reason. The energy just felt different. It was like a family reunion of people I never met, but connected to so deeply. 

The experience began at the airport when I was greeted by Christine, Einstein and the Haiti Tech Summit Team with love and hugs. The courage they displayed to keep us all safe and focused on the positive instead of the negative was inspiring and set the tone for the rest of the trip for me. Little did I know, that was the first seed of many to be planted for me during the trip. On the shuttle to the Decameron, the community building conversations instantly upgraded us from fellow passengers to family. We all shared stories of why we were committed to this movement and what we planned to gain from the experience.

Once I arrived at the resort, I met more beautiful beings operating on even higher frequencies because they were living out their dreams. I was continuously greeted with vulnerability and in turn invited to be vulnerable. The safe spaces honored and acknowledged me for who I am now and opened the door to celebrate me for who I am yet to become - even after the summit. The tight hugs and shared joyous laughter filled me with love and energy I needed to prepare me to expose the dark spaces of me I would end up sharing on Day 2.

On Day 1, the messages exceeded expectations. Christine spoke of the fear she felt for everyone she and Einstein invited to the summit. It was a true testament to her courage and devotion to this movement she and her husband dedicate themselves to day in and day out. A question from the audience was asked regarding how she was able to maintain her energy and excitement despite the negativity in the environment. Her response was “When you find something worth more than your fear, then you find the energy to build something.” Throughout the summit, she did not disappoint. Her energy amplified throughout the summit and poured into some of us who needed the extra push to be energized. 

As the day progressed, I continued to be shifted into another gear by each interaction. The key notes and panelists dropped wisdom that I felt in my core. They shed light on areas of my life which caused me to face hard truths like I need to do better with being courageous in moments I tend to play small and consistent in serving my purpose - even when nobody else can see it. Every conversation surprised me because of the blurred lines between the speaker and attendee. You met and spoke to the human before the title. Everyone’s purpose gleamed through their words like a laser and allowed them to connect to others like puzzle pieces. The conversations were almost impossible to break during the recess periods (Trust me I know I was responsible for rounding people up to head back to the panels).

On Day 2, the energy continued to flow from the sounds of collaboration and partnerships. The vibrations of this energy had to be the only form of fuel for everyone - because sleep seemed optional. I know sleep wasn’t welcome for me.

I also had the absolute pleasure of leading a panel on Leveraging Tech for Social Impact. My open-heart and minded panelists were Ailsa Gilliam, CEO of Sherohub and International Business Coach, Kristen Hertzog, who let me into their worlds to navigate our audience through a journey of what it means to make a social impact in people’s lives by leveraging technology. Ailsa is a domestic violence survivor who develops video games to spread awareness of early warning signs of domestic violence. Her purpose is to decrease domestic violence across the world. You can follow her journey here. Kristen co-leads a program with Alice Bonhomme-Biais. Together Kristen and Alice train natives of Haiti to be gainfully employed and self-sustaining entrepreneurs by leveraging technology and essential skills while operating their businesses. Kristen will continue to influence future entrepreneurs to impact their communities for years to come.

Remember when I said I was shifted and I would need to reveal a dark side of me? Well, here is why. It was this panel because it spoke to different versions of me - a past me and a future me.  I connected to Ailsa by experience, because I am a domestic violence survivor, too. When I first met Ailsa and she told me how she was using her power to change the world my mouth dropped and my whole body went limp. When I regained feeling, I immediately got excited to share this space with someone who understood that part of me and is now using this experience for awareness. I connected to Kristen by energy, aspiration and location. I aspire to be a business coach and do business in Pennsylvania where she currently operates multiple businesses. It shifted me because I have been in an unknown headspace about it for about a year now. Having conversations with Kristen and Alice helped me regain focus to feed the future version of me. The vulnerability and impact both of these ladies are creating in the world is remarkable. They inspire me to use my power to impact the world - even if it means sharing the hard truths when I’m not “ready”.

Christine closed the conference out by acknowledging everyone’s place on the team, in their journey and most importantly in the world. To top it off, the team went on a boat ride sharing views of the sunset, listening to island music and building on relationships. 

Sunday morning was the official close out for everyone to head home. Christine and Einstein made sure to see us all off with the same love and energy they greeted us at the airport with. The shuttle ride to the airport didn’t disappoint either! We continued our community building conversations, journeys while at the summit and world views. Nobody said it outright, but the feeling was mutual that we will all carry this experience with us and we returned back to our new normal.

As my journey continues, I’m committed to serving as a vessel in my community and passing on the love and energy Christine, Einstein and the Haiti Tech Summit family imprinted on me.

See you all at Ghana Tech Summit 2019!

Be a part of the movement. Join the Haiti Tech Summit Family on our community groups -  channels - Slack, LinkedIn and Facebook Group. Follow us on social media - Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.