Fabrice J. Armand is a Haiti-born entrepreneur, marketer, and philanthropist whose work bridges the Haitian diaspora and homeland through business, cultural preservation, and strategic fundraising. Based in New York, Armand has spent over a decade building initiatives that reconnect Haitians abroad with their culture while advancing economic development back home.
Early Life and Education
Armand was born and raised in Haiti, where he attended Louis de Gonzague, a boarding school that he credits with shaping his work ethic and maturity. He later moved to the United States to pursue higher education, a transition he describes as necessary to discover his passion despite his preference for Haitian life.
He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies and a Master’s degree in International Relations from St. John’s University. During his time there, he held leadership roles as a resident advisor, orientation leader, and student government president—positions that honed his ability to mobilize communities.
Before founding his own marketing firm, Armand served as Marketing Coordinator at the American Civil Liberties Union and worked on tourism initiatives with the Barbados Tourism Authority, where he developed strategies to attract young professionals to Caribbean travel and cultural events.
Fabrice J. Armand Inc. and Marketing Philosophy
With roughly ten years of marketing experience, Armand launched Fabrice J. Armand Inc. to offer strategic marketing and business development services. He emphasizes a crucial distinction: marketing and public relations are not the same.
“Marketing requires a plan, a budget, and a focus on measurable results—whether that’s sales or engagement,” Armand explains. “PR is about creating a positive image through media exposure.” He stresses that strong campaigns require testing, time, and consistency. Many entrepreneurs, he notes, expect results overnight, but successful marketing can take years to mature.
One of his core challenges as an entrepreneur has been access to capital. He describes multiple ventures and social-impact projects that remain shelved due to funding constraints, yet he believes modern business can succeed by combining profitability with social conscience—a model he sees as more sustainable than the “old model of making money at the expense of others.”
Haiti Cherie: Annual Fundraiser and Cultural Celebration
In February 2010, Armand launched Haiti Cherie: Love, Pride, Commitment as a benefit event on his birthday. What started as a personal initiative has grown into a sought-after annual fundraising gala in New York City. The event honors Haitian cultural heritage, celebrates accomplished individuals making an impact, and generates funds for Haitian organizations working on sustainable development.
The event attracts New York’s influential Haitian-American community, including entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, journalists, and public officials. Recent honorees have included entertainment entrepreneur Mona Scott-Young, architect and designer Rodney Leon, and Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste. The event is emceed by broadcast journalist DeMarco Morgan and features culinary partnerships with acclaimed chefs like Alexander Smalls, co-owner of Harlem’s acclaimed restaurants The Cecil and Minton’s.
Haiti Cultural Exchange: Cultural Preservation and Artist Development
In September 2011, Armand joined the board of Haiti Cultural Exchange, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Haitian cultural heritage and supporting artists. The organization provides emerging and established artists with resources, performance opportunities, and community engagement platforms through programs in the arts, education, and public affairs.
Armand’s long-term vision for HCX is ambitious: to establish a Haitian cultural center in New York. Given the concentration of Haitians in the tri-state region, he sees such a space as essential for teaching youth about Haitian art, dance, history, and cultural pride.
The organization already runs youth development programs, artist residencies, and public forums addressing contemporary social issues through a Haitian cultural lens.
Theater and Arts Production
Armand served as a producer of the off-Broadway play “Box,” which premiered at the 2003 New York International Fringe Festival.
The play, written by Fred Shahadi and directed by Clinton Turner Davis, drew a powerful parallel: it told the story of four Haitian refugees stowed in a shipping container seeking freedom, paralleling the true 1848 story of Henry Box Brown, an enslaved man who mailed himself to freedom.
The production featured actor Kevin Brown (known for his role on NBC’s “30 Rock”), along with acclaimed performers Ayinde Howell, Lawrence Saint Victor, Rashad Edwards, and Brandon Alexander. Working alongside co-producers Emelyn Stuart, Michael Peoples, and casting director Tiandra Gayle, Armand helped bring a production he describes as “tremendously moving” to the stage.
He continues to seek investors to revive the play for a broader commercial run.
Diaspora Engagement and Haiti Development Strategy
Armand’s mission centers on re-engaging the global Haitian diaspora. He estimates that reconnecting just five percent of Haitians living abroad with meaningful economic and cultural ties could reshape Haiti’s trajectory. A critical turning point came in May 2011, when Haiti’s parliament voted to allow dual citizenship for Haitians abroad—a legislative victory that restored political and property rights to the diaspora.
In December 2010, Armand met with Haiti’s Minister of Tourism and made recommendations centered on a often-overlooked market: young professionals in New York. While many tourism campaigns focus on Miami, he observed that the Dominican Republic had captured significant New York-based Caribbean tourism through targeted marketing.
He advocated for Haiti to invest in the New York market and was credited with helping Haiti participate in Caribbean Week in New York after a three-year absence.
His perspective on Haitian identity is rooted in historical context. He notes that Haiti was once a premier Caribbean tourism destination in the 1950s–1960s, attracting celebrities like Marlon Brando. The 1990s brought devastating stigma when the media labeled Haitians as a risk group during the early AIDS crisis. The emergence of hip-hop group The Fugees—featuring members with strong Haitian heritage—helped reclaim Haitian identity as a source of pride and cultural power, a shift Armand sees as critical to reshaping narratives about Haiti globally.
Entrepreneurship: Lessons and Advice
Armand frequently speaks on entrepreneurship panels and emphasizes the importance of planning. He acknowledges his own misstep: starting his company without adequate business planning. His recommendations for prospective entrepreneurs are concrete.
- Build a financial reserve. Have at least one year of salary set aside before launching. This buffer allows you to execute your vision without financial panic.
- Believe in your product. You cannot sell others on a vision you don’t believe in yourself. Rejections and skepticism are constant; conviction is your anchor.
- Understand that building takes time. Successful marketing campaigns, brand recognition, and investor confidence are multi-year efforts, not quick wins.
- Be willing to sacrifice. Success requires willingness to work extended hours, weekends, and holidays without guaranteed payoff.
A recurring frustration for Armand has been the challenge of securing support for his initiatives, particularly from corporations that profit from the demographics he serves but decline to support his community-focused projects. He views this disconnect as a missed opportunity for mutually beneficial partnerships.
Future Vision
Armand is currently advising on an economic development project in Haiti involving significant land development near Port-au-Prince. He is also deeply invested in Haiti Cherie’s continued growth and the Haiti Cultural Exchange’s mission to establish a dedicated cultural center in New York.
His overarching goal remains unchanged: to position Haiti as a nation of opportunity and cultural significance on the global stage, and to empower Haitians—both in the diaspora and at home—to reclaim their narrative and contribute to sustainable development.
What Makes This Profile Different
- Multi-sector approach: Unlike single-focus entrepreneurs, Armand integrates marketing expertise, cultural advocacy, and philanthropy into a cohesive diaspora-engagement strategy.
- Lived perspective: As someone born and raised in Haiti before migrating, Armand bridges insider and diaspora viewpoints, giving his work credibility across both communities.
- Long-term infrastructure thinking: Rather than short-term fundraising, his vision emphasizes lasting institutions (cultural centers, artist development, policy engagement) that shape generational change.
- Timing and policy leverage: His work aligns with pivotal legislative moments (dual citizenship in 2011) and cultural shifts (Fugees’ identity reclamation), showing strategic awareness of broader Caribbean dynamics.
FAQ
What inspired Armand to start Haiti Cherie?
Armand launched Haiti Cherie in 2010 inspired by philanthropic figures who use personal milestones for charitable impact. He chose his birthday (February 28) as the annual date and designed the event to honor Haitian heritage while raising funds for organizations with measurable impact in Haiti.
Why does Armand focus so heavily on the Haitian diaspora?
Armand believes the diaspora holds untapped economic and cultural power. He estimates that if just five percent of Haitians living abroad re-engaged with their homeland through investment, business, and cultural participation, it could catalyze significant national development. The 2011 dual citizenship legislation made this vision more legally feasible.
What is Armand’s view on Haitian identity in the diaspora?
Armand argues that Haitian identity is not changing—rather, external perceptions have shifted dramatically. In the 1950s–1960s, Haiti was celebrated as a Caribbean tourist destination. The 1990s brought stigma from AIDS-related misconceptions, but the cultural power of The Fugees and similar Haitian-diaspora voices helped reclaim pride. Armand emphasizes the importance of Haitians controlling their own narrative rather than allowing external stigma to define them.
How does Armand define successful fundraising?
He views fundraising as a strategic discipline, not just a skill. It requires understanding donor motivations, clearly articulating organizational impact, building long-term relationships, and demonstrating measurable outcomes. Successful fundraisers, he notes, often understand that people need money to make money—and helping donors see ROI (financial, social, or cultural) is key.
What are Armand’s greatest challenges as an entrepreneur?
Access to capital remains his primary hurdle. Despite over ten years of marketing experience and a proven track record in fundraising and brand development, he struggles to secure investment for his larger vision projects.
Additionally, he notes that being Haitian-American means his work often receives less media attention and corporate sponsorship than similarly scaled initiatives led by more established or higher-profile figures.
Editorial Note
This profile is based on a conducted interview with Fabrice J. Armand, public records of Haiti Cherie events (Getty Images, media coverage), Haiti Cultural Exchange organizational materials, news coverage of Haiti’s dual citizenship legislation (Americas Quarterly, 2011), and theater production archives. References to The Fugees’ cultural impact are drawn from music journalism and diaspora studies. We welcome corrections and additional information to refine this profile.
Last Updated on January 15, 2026 by kreyolicious
