Meet Your Host, Joe Duplan
Joe Duplan was born and raised in Jacmel, Haiti and emigrated to the United States when he was nineteen years old. For twenty years Joe was an active part of the Haitian-American community in New York and traveled regularly to Haiti to assist childhood friends who had become artists, organizers, and journalists. In 2002, Joe began working as a part-time consultant for the Quixote Center’s Haiti Reborn program. Responsibilities included co-coordinating delegations, interpretation, educational presentations, telephone fundraising, and group orientation. After co-leading an emergency observation mission after the 2004 coup d’etat in Haiti, Joe was ready to commit himself full-time to social justice work for Haiti. He then founded KONPAY in Haiti and Co-founded the 501c3 KONPAY in the U.S.
Joe currently lives full-time at Habitat by the Sea, formerly known a "Kay Joe Kompound," which he built from the ground up. There he hosts an array of delegations, visitors, and volunteers of KONPAY, as well as provides a safe and peaceful retreat for those traveling to the Jacmel area. Joe Duplan, fluent in English, French, Créole, and Spanish, is the ideal host for travelers from all over the world. At Habitat by the Sea, the doors are always open for reserved guests and visitors from the local community, alike. |