After Receiving Death Threats, Haitian Activist Reinvents Her Life at UoPeople

Nathalie Mondesir never dreamed she would be forced to leave her beloved Haiti, where she was born and raised. But that’s exactly what happened.

It all started when she published an article denouncing the injustice perpetrated against the mayor of Tabarre (a township of Port-au-Prince) who was beaten and held captive by her ex-husband. Nathalie also alleged that some of the perpetrator’s acquaintances were corrupt.

“After the publication of my article, I started receiving anonymous phone calls and texts threatening to kill me and my family,” Nathalie said. “I went to the police who told me to change my car, address, and job because they couldn’t protect me.”

Nathalie’s family was so frightened for her safety they begged her to leave the country as quickly as possible and gave her money for an airplane ticket.

“I left everything I had and everyone I knew behind,” Nathalie said. “The night I left, someone opened fire on my house. I realized I couldn’t go back if I wanted to stay alive, so I sought asylum in the U.S.”

Today, Nathalie is living in California and working as a behavior technician with autistic people. She wasn’t able to complete a university degree in Haiti because it was too costly.

“I made the decision to enroll in a university when I was hopeless and overwhelmed by my problems. I had to start my life over in a new country and I needed to put my faith in something. I needed something to give me the hope and strength to live,” Nathalie said. “University of the People was my golden opportunity to receive a high-quality education, debt-free. If it wasn’t for UoPeople, I could never have pursued my dreams.”