Editor’s note: This is the second piece in a continuous series about how many FAU organizations are open to all students regardless of race, gender, and religion.
If you think you can only join the ethnic club or organization of the ethnic group you belong, think again. This is a common misconception about ethnic clubs and organizations at FAU. These ethnic organizations are all about eliminating ignorance and promoting diversity.
This week, the UP talks with Richard Champagne of Konbit Kreyol. For more of FAU’s diverse clubs, keep reading.
Student: Richard ChampagneYear: 2002 GraduateAcademic Status: Attempting Master’s DegreeClub: Konbit KreyolTitle: President
Abellard: When and why was Konbit Kreyol established?
Champagne: Konbit Kreyol was established more than 10 years ago by a group of students who came from Miami-Dade Community College. The reason Konbit Kreyol was founded was to promote intellectual enrichment among the members, provide services for the community, and to promote tourism for the country [Haiti].
Abellard: What sort of functions and/or activities does Konbit Kreyol provide?
Champagne: We have several things going at the minute. Every meeting we bring different experts in their fields of study so the members have an opportunity to learn more about different fields. We also have a College Outreach program where we go out to different schools on a weekly basis to inform the students about the admission procedures at the university as well as encouraging them to obtain a higher education.
We just started the America Reads program, where every week, 15 members will be going to Boca [Raton] Middle School to teach students how to read and tutor them for two hours.
We also have a soccer team composed of Konbit Kreyol members. Planet Kreyol started this year, and we’re planning on playing as many teams as possible from different schools. When I go to different counties up north, a lot of students don’t even know FAU, so one thing we’re trying to do is to promote FAU and get more recognition from other universities.
Abellard: What does a student gain by joining Konbit Kreyol?
Champagne: There are a lot of benefits and incentives for students joining Konbit Kreyol. First of all, they have an opportunity to learn more about a culture that previously they had no idea what it was about. And secondly, they also have an opportunity to provide services for the community. Abellard: Is Konbit Kreyol strictly for Haitians?
Champagne: Konbit Kreyol is here for all the students, whether you come from Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, Alaska, Hawaii, Russia – we’re here for everybody!
Konbit Kreyol meets every Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the Queen Palm Room at the University Center. For more information, contact Richard Champagne at [email protected].
