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Photo: Katherine Marks NY Times
Home Page Photo : Katherine Marks NY Times

By D.W. Gibson
April 11, 2022
New York Times

Dieu-Nalio Chéry never thought he would leave Haiti, much less that his journey would take him to a high-rise apartment building a block from the Hudson River.

He grew up in the countryside and moved to the big city, Port-au-Prince, where he taught himself photography and became a photojournalist. He joined The Associated Press in 2010 and documented the aftermath of the earthquake that destroyed so much of his country that year. Over the next decade, he would win several international awards, covering more tumult across the country — evictions, hurricanes, another major earthquake and mounting political unrest. “I saw the rise of violence,” Mr. Chéry said. “There’s no respect for human life.”

While kidnappings of journalists mounted, friends warned him about the increasing dangers of his work, but Mr. Chéry remained stubborn about not leaving: “I kept saying, ‘I can face all these things. It’s normal for me as a journalist.’”

..But there was still the matter of finding a place to live. Mr. Chéry contacted every organization he thought might be willing to help. That’s when the New York City Artist Safe Haven Residency Program stepped in. Founded in 2017, the program is a coalition of several arts and free expression advocacy organizations that work to house, integrate and nurture visual artists, musicians, writers and other artists who are at risk because of their work.

..The coalition includes Westbeth Artist Housing, which has so far set aside four apartments for individuals like Mr. Chéry. “The housing,” Ms. Tucker said, “that’s the linchpin for this program.”

..Everyone I meet in Westbeth tells me, you’re so lucky,” he said. “There are so many people waiting for this building. And it’s true — I am lucky. This is a fantastic, wonderful place.”
His says his neighbors have welcomed him warmly. “We even found a grandma for my kids,” he said. “She loves them.”

..Halina Warren has not only become a grandmother figure to Sara-Jah and Ruthnise, but when winter came, she found coats for the family — and she takes them on Costco runs in her car. “She does every little thing for us,” Mr. Chéry said. “I could never have imagined finding someone who really does care about us like this.”

Read entire NY Times article HERE

More information about Westbeth’s Artists-at-Risk Residency Program HERE

Halina Warren is a long-time volunteer with the Westbeth Beautification Committee.