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This is KZSU Stanford.
I'm Christy Wampol sitting in for Robert Harrison
and you're listening to entitled opinions.
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Our conversation today focuses on a place that is likely across your mind many times since Tuesday January 12, 2010.
On that day, a magnitude 7 earthquake near Poto-Pas changed the lives of Haitians there and abroad definitively.
The death toll which has been calculated between 100,000 and over 300,000 was staggering.
The emotional trauma and calculable.
While Haiti's national motto remains "Lunyol Féléfos Union Makes Strength," challenges to this ideal have existed at least since the Republic's revolt in 1804 against France,
which had maintained a colonial presence there since the late 17th century.
Since then, the nation has endured at least 32 political coups, a series of dictators,
and a constantly tumultuous political landscape.
Perhaps few Americans know that Haiti was occupied for 19 years by the United States between 1915 and 1934,
and that the American military reasserted its presence there in the 90s and 2000s.
It is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, with 80% of its population under the poverty line.
Despite these arduous circumstances, or perhaps because of them, the architects and stewards of the arts,
be they literary, musical, or visual, have thrived in Haiti.
Today on entitled "Apenians Were Fortunately to Have One of the Sharpest Most Inspired Most Provocative Writers from the Contemporary Literary Scene in Haiti in our studio.
Lion El Troyo, born and raised in Haiti, has published novels, poetry, articles, and even song lyrics in this two native languages, French and Creole.
Today in our conversation, which will be in French, Mr. Troyo and I will be discussing the history and politics of Haiti,
the contemporary literary scene there, and how he thinks about writing.
As a result, I want to thank you for your opportunity to speak with the rest of the country's history.
I thank you for the opportunity to speak with the rest of the country's history.
Thank you for listening to entitled opinions.
Robert Harrison will be back next week.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with the rest of the country's history.
I thank you for the opportunity to speak with the rest of the country's history.
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