Pat Chin, a Fanm Vanyan in the Haitian Struggle

On the tenth anniversary of the death of Workers World Party leader, Pat Chin, the editors of Haïti Liberté wrote this moving tribute to her important contributions to the Haitian liberation struggle.

Comrade Pat Chin was the shining embodiment of international solidarity. Born in Jamaica, she already had an affinity for the struggles of neighboring Haiti. For close to two decades, she worked shoulder to shoulder with comrades engaged in the Haitian struggle, particularly in the Haiti Commission for Inquiry into the September 30 Coup d’Etat and the Haiti Support Network. She wrote articles and reports, spoke at events, photographed demonstrations and took part in several delegations to Haiti. Despite her reserved demeanor, she always brought sharp ideas and suggestions to meetings. She worked particularly closely with comrade Harry Numa, who also prematurely died in a tragic car accident in Haiti last August.

One of her last great contributions to the Haitian struggle was her collaboration with comrade Greg Dunkel in the publishing of the book “Haiti: A Slave Revolution.” Just this spring, we met a young Haitian man at a meeting in Canarsie carrying a dog-eared copy of the book. “It is my Bible,” he replied, when asked why he had it.

Comrade Pat, we miss your soft, wry laugh, your penetrating insights and your indomitable spirit. Fanm vanyan means, in Kreyòl, a crusading woman. That is what you were, and you live on in our hearts and memories. Kenbe la, kenbe fèm alaganash!

Haïti Liberté
May 18, 2015