Dominique St. Vil and Zazil Davis-Vazquez

[00:05] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: My name is Zazil Davis Vasquez. I'm 27 years old. Today's date is March 2, 2022. I'm in Manhattan, New York, with Dominique, who is my interview partner.

[00:21] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: My name is Dominique Saint Ville. I'm 37. Today is the 2nd of March, 2022. We are in Manhattan, New York, and the name of my interviewer is Zazil That's it.

[00:42] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: So, Dominique, tell me, why are you in New York right now?

[00:47] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: I'm in New York. The question. To participate at a fellowship in Columbia University, which is EHR program for human rights advocates. Yes, that's it. And I was here to see my mom too.

[01:08] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: Your mom lives in New York?

[01:09] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Yes, she used to live here. She passed away.

[01:12] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: Is she buried here in New York?

[01:15] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Yes, she's buried in Long Island.

[01:17] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: Oh, wow. Were you able to visit her grave already?

[01:19] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: No, not yet. I'm planning on doing that.

[01:22] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: I'm glad that you're gonna do that.

[01:23] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Me too. I hope that brings me some closure.

[01:28] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: So tell me a little bit about why you chose to apply to this program or how you ended up being a part of this program.

[01:36] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: At first, I. Somebody from Haiti who is with the American jury services. His name is Nixon Bumba. He's always advising me to participate in international program, so. And I said, okay. And he sent me that link. I visit the page, and I look up the program. I was really surprised. It's intense. And pretty much everything I look for to challenge myself as an advocate in LGBTIQ rights and specifically for transgender person. I applied in 2017, I think, or 2018, and that's when the pandemic exploded. So they didn't get back to me until 2019. And because of the pandemic, again, it was. There was some difficulties. So I finally get to attend in 2021 and 2022.

[02:39] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: So maybe there was a little bit of anticipation for me. Yeah.

[02:45] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Yes, there was. Because I think maybe two years ago, I would have been at full capacity and I would have more enjoyed the program. And not that I'm not enjoying the program. Not that I'm not. There's a great benefit from it, but I'm a little sad because of what I stated earlier. I wanted to come to participate at the program, but also to spend time with my mom. She was very sick.

[03:16] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: I'm sorry to hear that.

[03:18] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Yeah, no problem.

[03:19] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: Tell me about the work that you do as an advocate.

[03:24] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Mostly as an advocate, what I do is I have a lot of hearts. First, I was an advocate for courage. Then after Sholo died, I left and I was the logistic responsible for the LBT cells in Kouraj. And then that LBT cells became utra, which is organizational trust deity. We wanted to make something for the transgender person who were becoming more and more involved and they were more and more visible. And we have seen also that their issues weren't the issues of the bisexual or homosexual gaze and stuff. So we wanted to be specific and which we did with utre. And then after Xolu died, I became the coordinator. And then from that point forward, I started to create something else with ultra, which is an independent organization now and we work solely with transgender persons, trying to provide accompaniment in terms of health issues or financial issues or also educational issues. And mostly in the Justice Department too. We try to provide as much assistance as possible because many of them are victims of gender based violence or sometimes they are just being rejected by their family. So we wanted to provide some support. And I, as a trans man, I had the chance to somehow become come to terms with myself. And I wanted to set an example too. So basically that's that.

[05:43] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: Tell me about some of your favorite relatives when you were growing up.

[05:49] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Did I have a favorite relative or.

[05:53] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: About some of the people in your family that really impacted you?

[05:59] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Oops. I don't think I had so many person that impacted me in my family. I see myself more as a. How can I say that? It's like I taught myself somehow. Growing up as a trans person was very difficult. I didn't have any example to say, like nobody to look up to. We became close, my mom and I, when she traveled. So did I have a role model? Yes. From my family? No, I don't think so.

[06:41] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: What was that person, that role model? Was it yourself or was there anyone else that you looked up to?

[06:47] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Mostly myself, yes. There was somebody, Sholu, which I mentioned before. I think he's some kind of role model for every gay person in Haiti. Either you're transgender, either you're lesbian or bisexual. Sure. Shalu was a great example and an icon somehow for many of us. So yes, I think he was that for me too.

[07:18] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: Tell me about. So you mentioned that you, when taking on this role, really wanted to provide an example as a trans man. Like, tell me about some of the people that you feel like you have had an impact on or that you have sort of helped in their journey so far.

[07:37] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Most of most of the transgender person I'm working with are youth. Most of them are. They are less than 18. And I don't know from what I've seen and what I've gathered so far by talking to them, it seems like some kind of motivate them to be who they are and to not be afraid to express themselves and to leave their true selves. So I think I've pretty much set a good example so far.

[08:17] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: That's good. Tell me about how you chose your name.

[08:28] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: First. My dad's name. It's my dad's name. I don't think it's my dad's name, but his name is the same as mine. His name is Dominic St. Vil So first I didn't know that I was a trans person. I started advocating first as a queer person, then as a lesbian. And then when I finally come to terms and I realized that I was a transgender person, I wanted to really have a name that is meaningful. My dad is quite the opposite of me. He's a preacher. And we're not in so much good terms. So I think I choose the name because I wanted to be different, a different Dominic than he is. So I think that's that too. And I really love the name.

[09:25] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: I think it's beautiful.

[09:27] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Thanks.

[09:29] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: Tell me. So you have a question here. What are your dreams for your children?

[09:35] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: I choose that question has a lot of perspective, especially for a trans person living in Haiti. It's pretty difficult for us. We are not recognized as such, as persons, let alone as parents. So I think it's pretty ambitious to say that I want to be a parent someday, even though I think that it's. I have to be quick if I want to do that. But, yes, I would love for my kids to grow, you know, in a place where they are accepted as who they are, no matter what their gender or their sexual orientation or their skin color or their education. So that would be my dreams for them. Kids just need to be loved and accepted and push forward so they can accomplish who they are. That's it.

[10:34] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: What appeals to you about parenthood?

[10:38] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: The fact that you can. You're not. How can I explain that in Caribbean household, most parents, they. What they do is demand from you always. It's like it's never sufficient enough. There's always something that you have to do, you must do. And for me, being a parent, it's not that. That's the first part. The second part is most people believe, in the Caribbean believe that if you do not give birth to a kid, he's not your kid. So that's something I think that we should really disconstruct from people. Family is not always something that somebody that is Related to you by blood. I've learned that at an early age, especially. I think we LGBTIQ people can relate to that because most time we feel at home with people that we didn't even know before, and we are always rejected by people that are related to us by blood. So this is something that really, I would like to make a difference in that area and allow people to see that there's more to parenthood than relations like a blood relationship. So I think that's what happened to me when I think about being a parent.

[12:15] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: What were you like as a kid?

[12:19] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Very timid. Introvert. I think I had a lot of complexity. My weight, my name. I always felt very different from other child. Specifically, I was. When I went to school, most school I went to was only girls school. So I didn't feel at ease at all. I was more attracted to boy stuff, and I didn't get to do that. So I was very sheltered too, by my parents. And, yeah, that was the kind I get out of myself when I started growing up. But as a kid, I was really timid.

[13:16] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: What did you enjoy doing when you were a kid reading it?

[13:22] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: I think it was a kind of an escape. I could imagine a lot of things, dream, like, picture myself in other places instead of where I am. And also, it built me as a person because I didn't only read fantasy book. I liked documentaries, literature. So these kind of books were books that inspired me. Like, I was always imagining the kind of study someone has to do to produce that kind of work. So, yeah, that was my favorite activity. I read a lot. My mom used to take me to bookstores so we can buy books, and she was complaining because once it's the summer, she knows that she has to put a lot of money in buying books for me because I read them so fast and I never got enough of reading. So, yeah, that was my favorite pastime.

[14:27] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: It sounds like you've read so many books that it would be hard to name a favorite, but do you have a book from your childhood that maybe you read multiple times or that really made an impact on you?

[14:44] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Is there a book I read multiple times? Yes. What is the name of that book? I still have that book. The name, I think, is the Power of. Okay, that book. That book has really. It's like that book has opened me up to somebody that I didn't like myself, that somebody that is me that I didn't know. I think the book name is the Power of Being True to Yourself. I don't remember the author because I Read it. It was in 2002 or three, I can't remember. But I still have that book. And that book was. I think that was the spark for me. That book has made me see that lying to myself is not something. It's not a good path. Like it eats you up. Like I wasn't feeling well. I felt like I was a fraud. And once I read that book, I started coming to terms with who I am. And I was literally all day thinking about what if I come out to my parents and I. And at the end I didn't have the chance to get to do any coming out. I just do my thing. They just see me do it and they disagree. We had arguments, but that was it. Yeah, I think it's that book.

[16:29] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: Tell me about who has had the biggest influence on your life and what lessons they taught you.

[16:36] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Who.

[16:39] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: Or multiple people?

[16:41] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Multiple people. Multiple women. I think mostly they are the one that has teaching me the most. Women are beautiful beings. Like they multitask, they think ahead and also they have taught me not to trust anything you see. So I think most of them are women like my mom, my aunt, and also girlfriends stuff. Yes, I think they are the one who has the most impact on me so far.

[17:31] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: Yeah. Have you had any experiences or moments in your life that you might consider sacred? Mm.

[17:49] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Yes, I think so. Like there's several. I think that the first one was when I decided to become an activist. I didn't know that I would do that and then it was like, I can say it was like something beyond me that was calling me to do it. So yeah, that is one of them.

[18:22] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: What was it like in the early days of being an activist? How did you know that that was what you were meant to do?

[18:29] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: I fit right in. Like it was always what I wanted to do and it. It's like I didn't have any purpose before. And then there it was. Early days was pretty difficult. I was still at my mom's house, my parents house, so they disagree completely because they invested in me, sent me to college, university. So I learned stuff. I got diplomas, but I didn't want to work in the field where I got the diploma. So we argue a lot about that. And financially it was not easy. It's still not easy. But it was pretty difficult at the beginning in the financial part mostly. But in terms of emotionally I feel really fulfilled and grateful and also well surrounded by people that were like me. Because at a certain point I was thinking that I was all alone. But at the end, no. So yeah, it was pretty difficult, but fulfilling.

[19:54] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: What. Who are some of those people that were surrounding you that made you feel really good about what you were doing or that made you feel like you were in the right place?

[20:05] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: First, there's Shalu. He always encouraged me. And there was no conference or meetings or trainings that I would want to participate in that he would say no. I just asked to let him know. He would always push me around and say, okay, I want you to do this and that. And he's the type. He was the type of person who always looked for opportunities for others and other people were principally the youth. Each time I speak to one of them or meet one of them, it gives me more purpose because sometimes you feel like you all alone doing what you're doing. And that's not the truth because so many people are looking, looking up to you. So, yeah.

[21:02] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: What are some of your happiest memories from your time as an activist? Which I know isn't over, but so.

[21:11] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Far, one of the happiest moment, one of the happiest one was when I finally get to the place where OTA was becoming not. It was not a dream anymore, it was reality. Like, it's still in the. In the making, but it's real. It's not something that I'm only talking about. It's not a project. Like it's. It is there. That was one of the happiest. And when I get accepted to that program too, I was very happy. Like, how was God?

[22:00] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: Tell me about. Is that the organization that you currently work with?

[22:04] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Yes.

[22:05] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: So tell. What does that organization do and how do you fit into that organization?

[22:12] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Mostly I'm the head of this organization. The name is utra, organization Transdit. And we work with transgender persons. At least I'm trying because the transgender spectrum is much more larger than people can imagine. And we try to support them as much as possible in terms of education, providing health support, in terms of mental health specifically. And right now we are really trying to provide gender affirming therapy. Like allow them to take hormones to get treated, biopsycholog and have tests, have many tests. And what else? Also we are trying to provide support basically when they are victims of gender based violence, try to provide, try to orient them principally with justice into the justice system. Because most time it's not easy for them to go to lawyers or to go to court. So we are trying to help them doing that. And it's a very difficult situation because most of them, they don't trust the system. So mostly is that and also, we are trying to provide visibility for the transgender community, which I think it's not really seen at a national level. And yes, mostly it's that.

[23:58] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: So I want to switch gears a little bit. Can you tell me a little bit about your religious beliefs or spiritual beliefs?

[24:12] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Yes, Lately I've realized that I'm really close to voodoo, which is the only regional religion of Haiti. Ovation person, people. It's. It's a bit difficult to explain. For me, everything I do in life is, like, it has to be an attraction. Like, it's something that comes to me easily, and I don't fight it. So, yes, lately I've been exploring that, and I think that this is my path, religiously speaking.

[24:55] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: How did that start? Like, what was the beginning of that? How did you know that that was something you were comfortable with?

[25:03] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: I'm not comfortable with it because we, as Asian person, we, when we grow up, they teach us to reject that part of us. And I've been surrounded by people like that, and I've never realized that. And I've tried to assess myself and see, because I've been trying to find a path, religiously speaking. Like, spiritually speaking, I don't like to speak about religion, but mostly about spirituality. So I've been trying to find that spark. And lately I've realized that I'm very surrounded by people that are in that area, and somehow I've been blind to that. And it's because of where I come from, mostly my parents, the way that they educate us regarding spirituality. And once I've really gathered myself and analyze where I'm standing from that point, and I say, okay, it is impossible for me to be surrounded by all that many people that are in the same direction and me to not be at in that direction. So I was thinking maybe this is it. So I'm starting to really go there and see you. But what it has in store for me, and so far, it's going pretty great.

[26:50] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: I'm glad to hear that. I was going to ask you. You kind of already answered this, but while you were talking, I was going to ask you how it feels to be. To have previously been surrounded by people who weren't okay with that and now flip to a situation where everyone around you or many people around you do that. And it sounds like it's a good thing.

[27:15] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: It is a good thing. The thing is, as I said, I don't know. Life is, for me is like, it's attraction. You attract what you are or where you have to be. It's not okay. You have to work hard to do certain things, but certain things just comes to you when it is like it's for you. Maybe you might be too blind to see it, but once you take a step back and you really analyzing your surroundings, you will see where you are, what you have to do. So it's like that for me. It's like when okay, I give an example that maybe you can relate to. If you are an LGBTIQ person and you are surrounded by people that are homophobic and c gender persons that don't understand you, you will never fit like you fit in. Even though these people are trying to make you feel like they're not rejecting you. But you won't feel at home. But once you started accepting yourself, more people from your. Can I say your people will come to you. It's like you. You will feel like when they are talking about the community. You won't see that when you surrounded by homophobic or cisgender person or person that doesn't understand what is it. But once you accept yourself, it's like it's natural you will encounter people that are LGBTIQ without knowing like it's. They just come to you. It's like that for me.

[28:57] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: I know exactly what you're talking about. So I want to ask you what are you what's in store for you in your future?

[29:08] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: I don't know. I'm a Virgo. I like to plan things, but things doesn't go as planned. But mostly what I do is I have guidelines like this is what I want to accomplish and this is what I'm willing to do to make that happen. And like for now my main focus is utre. I want to see the institution grow. I want to see it succeed without me. Because that's not my sole purpose. I don't feel like I have to. It's like it's not my thing. Like it is something that I want. It's. But it's not. It's not. How can I say that it's not something personal. It is for. It is a legacy for me that that is what ultra is. And I have to go further to that. Like I would love to be part of the global activism community and because I think the work that they are doing, it's amazing and it counts a lot in many decision making that is being done right now. And if it weren't because of these people, maybe some rights or some minorities will not be seen actually. So I think it's really interesting and I'm working toward that and in the process maybe participate in other programs like this one and do a lot of networking and also maybe create other institutions too, because I think 18 that we can be the only trans institution in the country providing services. And I think we do need other institution that goes in the same way. And also, I don't know, I'm working to plan with the feminist institution in the country because I think feminism is a big part of decolonizing and reassessing power and allowing not only women but men to see things differently because women have the power to change things, but also men has to accompany them because mostly for the last decades they have been in power. So it's time that they realize that things have to change. So, yes, I think for now it's that.

[31:53] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: I want to ask, we've been talking about really abstract stuff, but I want to ask you, like, what makes you happy outside of work? Like, what do you do to keep yourself projects, hobbies? Like, what makes you happy in the day to day?

[32:09] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Right now I don't have that. It's something that is really lacking that's. I'm working on that. I don't know, I realized that I don't have a social life, but it's pretty difficult when you're very focused on certain things to create time for yourself. But it is really important and I encourage people to do that. So besides working, I don't really have something. Besides, I read a lot like, you know. Yes.

[32:40] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: And that counts.

[32:42] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Yes, I read a lot and I think it helps somehow.

[32:46] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: Good. I think the last question that I'll ask you, or maybe second to last question that I'll ask you is how? Well, actually this one you didn't circle. Then the last question I'll ask you is if there's anything that you want to share that I didn't ask you or if there's anything that you want to say that you know, you want people in the future to hear and know about you.

[33:15] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: One thing I would like to say, I just say it in the. I was participating at an event this morning and somebody asked me the question about decanalyzing health care. We were speaking about decanalyzing health care around the globe, specifically when it comes to human rights. And we come to the point where we were speaking about the shift in power, the way that things are adjusted. It's not really what we want because it's not giving us much effectiveness on the field. And young people was asking me how can they help? And my answer was easy. It's to get involved. And I say get involved specifically in my country, people do not believe in volunteering everything nowadays. Not only in my country. I know it's everywhere. It's about money. People don't think about what they can do to help others without getting any reward from that. And I think this is something that we as young person has really to think about that because that country, like the usa, everybody wants to come to the United States. It's a great country. Everybody's speaking about it, but they don't know the sacrifice that has been made to get that country to where it is right now. So I think many people from many side of the earth have to really think about that. Specifically people from 80 or people in, from indigenous countries. They are dreaming about the dream in the United States. But it is a dream that you can create at, at your home by getting involved in what you want because it is your country. In the end, you don't want living in it. In the end, it is where you're gonna give birth and you are going to raise your kids there. So it is better to get involved in things that matters. Yeah, that's that. That's what I would like to say. So do not hesitate to get involved, volunteer. And I think in the end you'll get rewarded because you believe you'll be the one living in the country and benefit from the system that you've. You've been creating so far. So. Yeah.

[35:49] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: Well, I want to thank you for speaking with me and sharing a little bit about yourself.

[35:55] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: A pleasure.

[35:56] ZAZIL DAVIS VASQUEZ: It was great.

[35:58] DOMINIQUE SAINT VILLE: Thank you for having me. I enjoy participating and sharing with you, so thank you guys. And I love the work that you're doing. Thank you.