July 09, 2012
In the wake of devastation, Fabrice Armand ’04CPS, ’07G sees
hope.
This
talented double alumnus was born and raised in Haiti, a country
that has faced tremendous hardships and turmoil. In addition to
being one of the most economically fragile nations in the Americas,
a destructive earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, affecting millions
of lives and causing immeasurable damage.
But by putting his talents and his St. John’s education to use,
Armand has been raising an incredible amount of support for Haiti
and highlighting the beauty and culture of his homeland.
“My main goal is to rebrand Haiti and change the way that many
Americans view it,” Armand explained. “I try to teach people about
the culture, the history and the significance of the country in
order to give them a more accurate sense of my homeland. It’s
important to have an educated perception of the country, especially
after it’s had to deal with such horrible catastrophes.”
Through fundraisers, Armand has raised over $350,000 for Haiti
relief, and he’s also spearheaded a number of unique projects that
inform audiences of the country’s rich culture and history.
In 2011, he co-produced Box, an off-Broadway play that chronicles
the journey of four Haitian men who stow away aboard a freighter in
1988 to seek freedom. The ghost of Henry “Box” Brown, a Virginia
slave who mailed himself to freedom in 1848, confronts these
Haitian characters as the story progresses. Dealing with the
complex issues of immigration, freedom and mortality, Box received
glowing
reviews and is one of Armand’s proudest accomplishments.
Additionally, this busy alumnus recently spent 21 days in Haiti
filming a soon-to-be-released documentary about his homeland,
illustrating how Haitians themselves are leading their country’s
rebuilding process.
“A lot of people view Haiti as a homogenous group of people asking
for handouts,” Armand noted. “That’s simply not true, and I hope to
dispel that notion. I intend to show how Haitians are using
resources to help themselves, how these persevering individuals are
working hard every day to bring dignity back to their
country.”
When he’s not raising support for Haiti, Armand is helping his
clients through Fabrice J. Armand,
Inc., a marketing, management and fundraising company that he
founded.
“I help my clients with the nuts and bolts of starting a
not-for-profit,” he said. “I help them leverage contacts and make
an immediate impact with their company, even if they don’t have
much of a budget. Most of all, and what I’m most proud of, is that
we help clients fulfill their dreams. Whether it’s developing an
animation company, creating a show for New York Fashion Week, or
whatever it may be, we assist them in accomplishing their
goals.”
Armand’s busy schedule and incredible work ethic is no surprise,
especially when considering his student years at St. John’s. In
addition to working as an Orientation Leader and a Resident
Assistant, he served as Executive Vice President of the Haitian
Society, was a member of the President’s Society and, in 2004,
became the first African American president of Student Government,
Inc.
“I’m proud of what we accomplished during our time at St. John’s,”
he said. “We created Unity Week in recognition of the University’s
growing diversity, we brought a number of prominent speakers to
campus for our lecture series and we made sure that we maximized
our budget to ensure students had a fun and educational time at the
University.”
Armand looks back fondly on his student days and attributes much of
his philanthropic goals to St. John’s.
“The University makes students aware of what’s going on in the
world and emphasizes that we should help others in need,” he
explained. “It’s true what they say: you never forget your college
years, and I’m so thankful for the education and the friendships I
made at St. John’s.”