Greeley Scholar for Peace Studies

The 2025 Greeley Scholar for Peace Studies – Marie Lucie Bonhomme

Confronting Empire, Forging Transnational Justice

Focus: Caribbean Region

The complex interplay between US imperialism¹, neocolonialism², and structural violence³ in the Caribbean, has profoundly shaped the region’s history and present-day realities. These forces have perpetuated systemic inequalities, driven forced migration, and led to the formation of diaspora communities. The 2024-2025 theme for the UMass Lowell Greeley Peace Scholar program will focus on how these forces have shaped, and continue to influence Caribbean identities, economies, and social structures. As the Caribbean grapples with these challenges, there is a growing focus on imagining and working towards decolonial⁴ futures. This involves pursuing self-determination, sustainable development, and transnational solidarity to address shared challenges of imperial domination and structural violence. Through a yearlong speaker series, we will also learn about resistance and transnational justice movements within and beyond the region. The speaker series will culminate in the Greeley Peace Scholar visit in the spring, which will focus on Haiti. The 2025 Greeley Peace Scholar is Marie Lucie Bonhomme, renowned Haitian journalist who has been reporting on human rights and the challenges faced by vulnerable populations in Haiti for many years.

• ¹The extension of US power and influence over other nations through political, economic, military, or cultural means, often resulting in domination or control.
• ²A modern form of colonialism in which powerful countries or corporations exert economic, political, or cultural influence over less powerful nations, maintaining control without direct territorial occupation.
• ³Systemic ways in which social structures or institutions harm people by preventing them from meeting their basic needs, often manifesting as inequality, poverty, or discrimination.
• ⁴An approach that seeks to dismantle colonial power structures and ways of thinking, aiming to create new forms of knowledge, social relations, and political systems free from colonial influence.

Renowned Haitian journalist Marie Lucie Bonhomme has emerged as a prominent figure in human rights journalism within the Caribbean. Her work as a journalist, activist, and public figure has consistently highlighted the challenges faced by Haitians both at home and abroad. Bonhomme’s educational background, including her studies in communication, political journalism, and international relations, laid the foundation for her focus on global power imbalances. Her degree from the School of Advanced International Studies (EHEI) in Paris (1989-1991) provided her with a critical understanding of international systems and their impact on developing nations.

Bonhomme currently serves as the General Director of TELEPLURIEL, a television station founded in 2012. She is also involved in presenting the evening news and hosts a weekly program called “SANS DETOUR.” Bonhomme began her career in 1987 at Radio Nationale d’Haïti and has since held various roles, including news correspondent (Radio Métropole in Paris), program/talk show host (Radio Vision 2000, OPINION, PI LWEN PI FON, Pulsations Magazine), and Director of Information. From 1998 to 1999, Bonhomme produced a series of groundbreaking reports that exposed the difficult living conditions of Haitians both within Haiti and abroad. Her investigations into the lives of street children, Haitians in the bateys (sugarcane worker communities in the Dominican Republic), and Haitian immigrants in New York underscored the transnational nature of Haiti’s struggles and the lasting impact of historical exploitation. These reports were published in the magazine PERSPECTIVES, produced by the audiovisual production company “IMAGES PRODUCTION,” which Bonhomme co-founded.

In 2005, Bonhomme’s mission to Benin with Prof. Mirlande Manigat on behalf of "Voix Essentielles Femme en Démocratie" (Essential Women’s Voices in Democracy), which she co-founded, exemplifies her efforts to seek transnational solutions to Caribbean challenges. Through a series of conferences titled Benin's Successful Experience: A Source of Inspiration, she encouraged Haitians to look beyond traditional Western models of governance. In 2012, she traveled to Japan to investigate the country’s cooperation with Haiti post-earthquake, reflecting her nuanced approach to international aid. By examining Japan’s priorities in supporting Haiti’s reconstruction, she contributed to discussions on how nations can assist each other without replicating colonial power dynamics. Bonhomme’s 2021 reportage on Haitian migrants at the US-Mexican border brought international attention to the ongoing struggles of Haitians seeking better lives abroad, further emphasizing the need for global solutions that respect human dignity.

Marie Lucie Bonhomme has demonstrated significant courage in the face of personal threats. In June 2023, she was kidnapped by armed individuals and taken to the notorious gang leader Vitelhomme Innocent, who released her after a brief conversation. A week later, her husband, Pierre-Louis Opont, was kidnapped by the same gang and held for over two months before being released for ransom. These harrowing experiences strengthened Bonhomme’s resolve to address Haiti’s human rights issues.

Bonhomme has received numerous awards and recognitions for her groundbreaking and courageous journalism. Her coverage of events surrounding President Jean Bertrand Aristide’s departure in 2004 demonstrated her commitment to holding power accountable, even in the face of threats from the regime. This work earned her recognition from the Haitian Press Center, commemorating the 14th World Press Freedom Day in 2004. That same year, she was honored by Vital Voices Global Partnership (at the Kennedy Center in Washington) for her contribution to promoting progress and peace. In 2012, she was also honored by Quisqueya University and the Center for Journalists’ Training (CFPJ) in Paris.

Throughout her career, Marie Lucie Bonhomme has consistently used her platform to challenge oppressive systems, advocate for the rights of Haitians and other Caribbean peoples, and promote a vision of justice that transcends national boundaries. Her work continues to inspire and inform efforts to confront the legacies of empire and foster a more equitable global order.