American Nurse Patti – Giving Back to Haiti

Kreyolicious: Did you feel any parental pressure to excel?
Nurse Patti: Because school was easy, I never really felt pressure to excel, but when I was in college my father died and despite getting into the nursing program at FAMU early I always wished he could see me graduate with a college degree.

My pressure to excel came from within, I always wanted to make my parents proud because I wasn’t exactly a good child, although my father thought I was perfect, with my bad behavior and all. My dad used to call me the rebel.

Kreyolicious: Managing a nonprofit foundation is a great responsibility. When you come across moments of frustration, or face obstacles, what tactics have you used to overcome them?
Nurse Patti: Anything great in life comes with great responsibility and frustration, managing a non-profit is no different.

I have a amazing support system with in my family and close friends, and I have a great relationship with God. those are all the tactics I need.

Kreyolicious: What are you most proud of where the foundation is concerned?
Nurse Patti: I’m most proud of having the courage to start a foundation, with no funding and no paid employees while working and attending school full -time and still have it be recognized as a reputable organization in the community with less then one year in business.

Kreyolicious: Where do you hope to take the Lafontant Foundation?
Nurse Patti: I hope to take the Foundation as far as it can go. I want my foundation to truly impact lives in such a way that the very people who benefited from its efforts feel compelled to do the same thing for someone else.

Visit the Lafontan foundation to find out more about the Haitian-American nurse and her foundation!