Underdog Revolution

by Jane | May 14, 2020 | Business, Creativity, Inspiration

Everyone loves to see the “underdog” succeed. We root for people to overcome difficulties and are inspired by those who rise above the odds.

In 2015, i had the opportunity to join a friend in Haiti who was helping a village close to Les Cayes. She was feeding and working with the children and with street boys. I went to help her and to specifically help the street boys to create sustainable income for themselves. We had an amazing creative time together. I hope that what I was able to teach has continued to help them in some way.

While I was there, I met a young man named Pierre Stanley Baptiste. One evening we talked way into the night about our dreams and passions to help serve others to find their creativity and prosper. We shared about podcasts, books, and websites that had impacted us and discovered we were watching, reading, and listening to many of the same. Pierre has such a heart for his country and a desire to see the young people lead the way to a prosperous and thriving Haiti. The “Underdog Revolution” is his story and his heart and vision.

Pierre believes that each person has the ability to be creative and to solve problems. He is asking that we recognize these underdogs and their potential. He relates to the “underdog” as he experienced it himself. He was small as a kid and was bullied. He had trouble learning to read. When he was 10 years old, his mother had to be taken away when she tested for TB. This left Pierre to take care of himself and his little sister. He had no father figure. This 6 months of separation was an excruciating and painful experience. Later, he won a speaking contest and was selected by the SEED program to go to the U.S.

Under his loving host mother, Pierre began to succeed and overcome prejudices and insecurities. He excelled in speaking and joined the Toastmaster organization. After college, he became successful in his work, but his heart was to help his country by helping young people to succeed. When I met him, he was in Haiti to do that very thing. He is encouraging and supporting young people to pursue creative solutions and to develop skills.  He has learned in his life to leverage scarcity.  There is a link between constraints and creativity.

He has since, created and co-launched a co-working space. He has #Hustle Nights for people to come to the space with a specific idea to work for 2 nights in the space. He also hosted a “Start Up Week” entrepreneur event with 65 speakers and 50 volunteers with 1200 attending. He was able to raise $20,000 to fund the co-create space which provides people access to machinery, tools, and resources to create and innovate.

Pierre’s “Underdog Revolution” provides a fresh perspective on the complex issues that developing countries face, and discusses creating better solutions which come through developing the people themselves.He also shares several success stories of people who are helping people and making a difference. You will be inspired to be a part of world solutions and for your problems as well.

I believe Pierre is a revolutionary and will have a great impact on Haiti through its youth.

Blessings to all the “underdogs” out there and to those who are lending a hand to help them in productive ways!