About Hans Lindor
Hans Lindor, novelist, screenwriter and playwright, has a singularly unique perspective on life and has earned many accolades for his fiction and poetry.
Hans Lindor has used his extraordinary life experiences to inspire young people, and has given motivational speeches and workshops to students in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Florida, advocating against guns, drugs and violence and giving students hope for rising above hardship and social struggles.
For more information about Hans, you can visit his website at www.hanslindor.org
Guest Post
I was once told that being a Negro is a shame and a mortal virus. Sometimes I question my own identity: Is it my fault for being a Negro when my own race mistreats and degrades me, or should I apologize for being a Negro? I was born in Haiti, the first black republic. Sadly, after 201 years of independence, slavery has never really stopped. Our own government is traumatizing the people. A country destroyed by its own cannibals, where lawlessness shines; where innocent children are disregarded and die daily from hunger; where poor women are being raped, beaten to death, and sometimes forced to expose themselves for prostitution. A country where armed Negroes, thugs, thieves, and murderers call themselves and are called by the corrupted government “Freedom Fighters.” Perhaps they mean Freedom Killers! Meanwhile, when I dream of my country it’s a nightmare. When I think of my country it’s a fearful moment. When I talk of my country it’s distressing.
I got the taste of freedom when I first came to this country, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, the land of the free and opportunity. Where people are generous. Where dreams do come true if you manage your talent wisely. I was thrilled and enthusiastic because to me I was freed from slavery by fleeing my country. However, it didn’t take me long to drown into sadness, when I see that some of my black fellow American brothers continue to betray and kill each other. They are divided while wasting the great opportunity that this precious country offers. Martin Luther King’s dream was for blacks and whites to live side by side, for blacks to have the same civil rights as whites, but not for blacks to kill one another and live in poverty. Most of us still have that same dream, where all blacks seize the chance that this valuable country grants to everyone, as we no longer blame the whites for our misery and misfortune.
Being a Negro to me means being a survivor, a visionary, a fortunate human being and moreover, heartbroken. Being a Negro to me also means having an indisputable reputation that foresees the vast intellect of the human race, having seen the light of day and darkness of night. I don’t believe in racism. I believe in ignorance. I believe that I am my own antagonist if I can’t accomplish my objective. I’m proud to be a Negro or am I?
About I Am Going Where I Belong
Hans Lindor’s I Am Going Where I Belong is a stirring coming-of-age tale set amidst the backdrop of Haitian history. The main character, Hans Leger hails from a privileged family in Haiti, knowing only the wealth and luxury. When his chauffeur makes a stop in downtown, Leger sees the harsh realities of life: poverty, hunger, despair, piles of waste mounting, infested with flies, and an overall sense of chaos. Unfortunately, many of these realities still exist in Haiti today. In the midst of a democratic presidential election, the victor will inherit a torn country which is battling a cholera epidemic—that has already killed thousands living in remote areas— and is still in the recovery and reconstruction stage after the devastating earthquake. Described in more vivid and grim terms in the book, Hans Lindor sums up Haiti’s existence in one sentence: “The existence of the Haitian people seems based on despair, vicissitudes, and destitution.”
I am Going Where I Belong revolves around the cold-blooded murder of Hans Leger’s father and gang rape of his mother. Removed from their wealthy status, Hans and his family move to Florida where they are essentially the same people that Hans Leger watched from the car in downtown Haiti—destined to poverty. Surrounded by violence, poverty, and racism, Hans manages to launch his writing career and lift his family out of poverty.
Written masterfully by Hans Lindor, one of the moving images of the book—at the beginning—describes Hans Leger looking on as a fifteen-year-old girl is forced into prostitution. Though this is a fictional tale, it is not far from reality. The Miami Herald reports that earthquake survivors are being smuggled into the Dominican Republic and used as prostitutes, drug peddlers, and beggars. It is astonishing to see innocent individuals at the mercy of their grim circumstances. The question arises, however, that if the Haitian Diaspora continues, who will be left to save the nation and restore peace and order?
Despite the tragedy-filled events of the book, I Am Going Where I Belong sends the message of hope, positive thinking, and overcoming adversity and hardship. The fact is that many Haitians have fled the country in fear for their lives. Democracy is practically invisible while the state of nation has been unchanged for decades. To this day, it remains vulnerable, treacherous, and violent.
Ultimately, I Am Going Where I Belong demonstrates that one can overcome social hardships. An award-winning novelist, screenwriter and playwright, Hans Lindor uses his extenuating life experiences to advocate against violence—both in the book as well as public speaking stints in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Florida. His message is clear and simple: never let racial barriers, poverty, or hopelessness rob you of your dreams and prevent you from achieving greatness.
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