A Daughter of L’Arsenal

By Sarah Benjamin

You only have to read Jacqueline Regis’ book The Daughter of L’Arsenal to know that she was acutely aware of the plight of the restaviks long before the recent tragedy in Haiti. Why? She was one of them. A restaviks, to those who are still not familiar with the term, are children who are given by parents to a household as a domestic servant. Sadly, it is a common practice in Haiti, where many restaviks end up uneducated, cruelly overworked, physically and sexually abused. It is estimated that tens of thousand of Haitian children live in what has been called modern-day slavery.

Long before the tragedy in Haiti captured the attention of the world, Jacqueline was involved in the efforts of the Advocate for Human Rights and Alliance Francaise to bring attention to the plight of the restaviks. Now, through her book, she is able to do even more than she thought possible. Jacqueline’s generous donation of books and proceeds to the above groups has made her story a powerful means to raise money and awareness for the children of Haiti. This is the “first part that I am really, truly enjoying,” Jacqueline says, referring to the painful process of writing her personal tale of tragedy and triumph.

What occurred in Haiti is a tragedy of monumental proportions. However, Jacqueline pleads for us to “look beyond the crisis” and see the beauty of the Haitian people and the “real lives” they live. She is adamant that the world’s focus should not just be on the catastrophe that has befallen Haiti. Jacqueline wants people to be inspired by the story of survival not only after the earthquake, but before it as well.

When asked what she expects to gain from her book Jacqueline's answer is clear and heartfelt: “There is nothing in it for me. I am doing this because I love Haiti, I love the people and I want to help.”

But Jacqueline will receive something for her efforts and generosity, as do all authors who contribute their time and donate their books to worthy causes: Her work will spread far and wide, her story will be made more purposeful, and she will inspire the best in people she has never met.

Jacqueline Regis reminds us that writers must sometimes answer to a higher calling; that it is the responsibility of the writer, whether journalist, novelist, or essayist, to give a voice to the voiceless. Jacqueline has taken that responsibility seriously, and lent the power of her pen to exposing a serious injustice – one that has touched her own life in a lasting way. Change comes not at the barrel of a gun, but at the tip of a pen; wielded expertly and passionately by writers like Jacqueline Regis.