''Stand with Haitian Photojournalist Richard Pierrin''

Dear friends,

I come to you with a heavy yet hopeful heart to share a chapter of my life's journey and to ask for your support.

My name is Richard Pierrin and I am a 22-year-old Haitian photojournalist.

I chose photography to tell the harsh truths and injustices plaguing my country, a country and home I love deeply. I chose photography to share with the world the resilience and the unyielding spirit of the Haitian people in the face of unspeakable hardships and galling injustices placed on the common

people of my beloved homeland.

Since I was 18 years old, I have been bearing witness to what is happening to my country and its people so the world would not forget us. I have covered endless political turmoil, violence,

corruption, as well as devastating natural disasters including the 2021 & 2023 earthquakes. It’s heartbreaking work much of the time, yet it must be done.

My work has been published in major media around the world including Le Temps, Le Monde, TheGuardian, El Pais, Liberation, Courrier International, Aften Posten Innsikt, Miami Herald and The New York Times. My work has been recognized for its excellence as Pictures of the Year by major outlets such as Time Magazine, the BBC, CNN and AFP. I also received the 2022 POYi Award of Excellence in the Spot News category and received the 2nd Laureate Prize for Photojournalism in Haiti in 2021.

Despite my desire to continue this documentary work so Haiti is not forgotten among the world’s problems, in one of the most recent waves of violence and turmoil, I found myself confronted with threats to my life and safety, forcing me to make the painful decision to flee my homeland.

Following the publication of one of my photographs showing a child on the ground appearing to be kicked by a policeman during a looting I was covering, I received threats over the phone that same night. A few days after that call, my moto taxi driver and I were victims in a road accident while on our way to cover a news event. An unmarked police car had cut in front of us causing us to swerve and crash. We only sustained minor injuries but the two back-to-back incidents profoundly troubled me. In consultation with Ennecie Vernet my mother , whose only son I am, I decided to leave my beloved country Haiti and join her in the United States where she currently lives on a temporary humanitarian

assistance program.

I am now in Atlanta on a B1 visa which does not allow me to work. The B1 visa also requires me to leave the US at the end of a 3 month period. But to go where? I cannot safely return to Haiti at this time.

Therefore, I have started the process of seeking to obtain an EB-1 immigrant visa for exceptional talent with the help of a lawyer. I am currently in the process of assembling all necessary documents to file my case promptly, which once filed gives me the right to stay legally in the US while my application is processed.

I am beyond grateful for this safety in the US but the filing fees for the EB-1 visa and its associated costs come to $15,000 despite the generous discount given to me by my lawyer. The financial burden of obtaining the necessary legal papers weighs heavily on my shoulders as I am here with almost no money and no savings, being supported by my mother who works as a kitchen assistant at the Atlanta international airport.

This is why I am asking you for your help.

Asking for help in this way is hard for me. I pride myself on my own resilience and self-sufficiency, as the person I am, and as a Haitian. Yet now I must step forward in vulnerability and ask for your support.

Obtaining the proper paperwork will allow me to pursue my passion as a photojournalist, rebuild my life in a safe and stable environment, and help out my dear mother.

I am turning to you my friends, hoping that you can assist me in this endeavour.

Every contribution, no matter how small, will bring me closer to getting my life and livelihood back. Your support would mean a great deal to me during these challenging times. And just by sharing this link, you are helping me.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity and friendship.

With sincere gratitude,

Richard Pierrin

Photojournaliste