Immaculate Scholarship

(Please allow me to say, how nervous I am to be the bearer of this story. It is my honor, and duty to tell this story as accurately as possible for her life's sake!)


“Immacula”, a story that couldn’t be forgotten.



A force.


A wife.


A sister.


A mother.


A friend.


A teacher.



Immacula Jean-Brutus was born July 13th,1940. She grew up in a commune named Pilat, located on the north side of a small country called Haiti, along with her 5 siblings of the same parentage. In 1970 during her early twenties, Immacula’s life would change when her mother passed away. In addition to this, her father had 24-- yes, twenty-four, additional children  outside of the parantage. As her father Sheriff Occius Jean, patroller for Pilat’s countryside (Rivière Laporte), grew in rapport, all of the children were expected to maintain a level of merit, and extreme fortitude!


Immacula was as tough as they come, being described by her brother as a tomboy or ladette, as he put it. Fastened to this resilience, she did her schooling at Soeurs D’Immaculée Conception (Sisters of Immaculate Conception). After studying in Pilat, she traveled to Port-au-Prince where she learned advanced sewing-- using her knowledge upon her return to Pilat to open a fashion house/salon in the backyard (which to my dad’s humor, it was a decent sized hut made of coconut leaves). She managed to make time to teach year long sewing courses that were very affordable-- teaching advanced sewing techniques to generations of young ladies in her hometown, as well as all 7 sections of Pilat. On top of teaching, she was also a business woman in other fields. When traveling to the countryside's marketplace for commerce, she would walk more than 13 miles to not only teach, but to also sell coffee and sell the clothing that her students had created in class. Every single Tuesday from 8am to 5pm, Immacula would make this journey, resulting in many of her students becoming highly successful while remaining in contact with her over the many years.

Being a very committed woman, she had become a force in her community, and worked hard in dedication to those she could reach. Fast forward past a set of twins, and two other children; and then about 25 more years-- I was born.


Immacula IS my grandmother. When word got to her that I had begun to teach sewing workshops, she looked at me smitten. She went on to tell me that when she was the same age as me, she had done the exact same thing. This strong connection opened the door that brought us closer together, with our slight language barrier becoming a thing of the past - as my kréyol improved, as well as her english. However, it was so much more evident-- the feeling that we were connected by was something that seemed almost inevitable! She even went into business with her son (my father) for a short time when she arrived to America. Entrepreneurship is embedded in my being.


I recently sat and gently opened a manila envelope, with slightly crumpled corners, fully stuffed with patterns that she gave me a year prior to her passing.


I smoothed my hand over this treasure and skimmed the script. The top right was an address from Laval, Canada and the center listed an address where my father and she would sew curtains together… an address that I’ve passed many times before without much thought. Under that address was a quote, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance”. No matter how hard I would’ve tried, this was my fortunate fate to follow in the footsteps of a woman I barely knew, a woman who considered me before my conception, an immaculate woman.


. . . . . . . . .


Some of Immacula’s students are reaching their 3rd generation, some of them have passed on, some are celebrating weddings of their children.


My long term goal is to re-name a school, wing, or fashion department after her, so her friends and past students will remember her legacy. 

Short term, I feel like this scholarship is something she would have wanted; I almost feel like it’s an expectation - she carried herself with such a level of pride and dignity; it's my honor but also my duty to the beautiful legacy she left behind.


Reasons to give:

=This story is compelling to you.
=The lack of scholarships available to Haitian students.
=You are a family member and want to continue the legacy.
=Immacula has impacted your life personally.
=Good will/ you feel led.
=You want to support scholarships for women.
=You want to support scholarships for women/people of color.
=You want to support education.
=You advocate for young leaders.
=All of the above.     

Depending on the overall response, this scholarship will be continued annually, and supported by proceeds from Angies Pavilion store. All receipts will be shown for every purchase made with the funds placed in this go fund me.

How to apply ( after money is raised) : Write an essay on a story you have that makes you like Immacula.

Haitian woman going into college who gives back to her community, works hard, and maintains her poise through it all.


-3 recommendation letters

-College acceptance letter

- 1 College essay(that you wrote for your college)/ cover letter of interest and why you are qualified for this scholarship

-Photos of your community service ( phone numbers of organizations you've worked with)

-Photo of yourself to be posted on website with signed photo release form

-Proof that you are currently a US resident

-Must be IN the US at time of application ( attending college outside of the US is acceptable)





=Phase 1: January* the team reviews essays and recommendations

=Phase 2:
Immaculate woman is chosen

=Phase 3: scholarship is awarded                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                               Immacula