Johanna Leblanc, LLM Class of 2018, was selected as this year's recipient of the Lifetime Trailblazer Award for Driving Change and Innovation by the Association of Haitian Professionals (AHP) in Washington, D.C. This year, AHP honored trailblazers in the Haitian community. Ms. Leblanc was presented with the award at the organization's second annual awards gala at the University of the District of Columbia.
In addition to receiving the award, Ms. Leblanc also delivered one of the keynote addresses at the gala, which focused on the need to maintain democracy, security, and financial freedom in the Republic of Haiti. During her speech, she made a plea for allies to invest in the country in order for Haiti to take its place in the global economy and become a stronger nation. Ms. Leblanc also spoke about the importance of mentorship, saying, "There are countless talented Haitian boys and girls who may not be able to reach their full potential and contribute to society due to their socioeconomic statuses and lack of access to resources." She then urged participants in attendance to mentor a youth—calling it a "social responsibility."
In a statement, Charleston Giles, Co-Founder of AHP, said Ms. Leblanc was honored for her pursuit and commitment to drive change and innovation by positively impacting lives through her advocacy activities on behalf of people of African descent and against child abuse, and for promoting education as the surest path that will lead to workforce diversity and success. She has partnered with the Embassy of Haiti in D.C., along with American Cardiologist, Dr. Estelle Jean, to host the first annual "Haitian Millennials Brunch and Networking Luncheon." The event will allow young Haitians between the ages of 18 to 25 to connect with Haitian professionals from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. The event will take place on September 16.
"I felt extremely honored to have received the award at such infancy stage of my career, and I thank the AHP," Ms. Leblanc said. "I will continue to use my voice and platform to influence policies that will have a positive impact in the lives of those living in the United States and abroad."
Ms. Leblanc also serves as a political and national security strategist and has appeared on Fox 5 DC where she has provided on-air commentary on domestic and foreign matters.