Celebrating Maxime Valbrune: Lifelong Advocate for Haitian Refugees

This piece was originally published by Haitian Women For Haitian Refugees.

Congratulations to our colleague and brother, Maxime Valbrune, for being recognized as part of the inaugural cohort of The Brooklyn Org 25, presented by The Stardust Fund. This honor highlights extraordinary leaders who are driving transformative change in nonprofits across our borough.

As a boy in Haiti, Maxime admired Konbit, a tradition of communal labor he witnessed during countryside visits. In 1984, at age 12, he and his siblings immigrated to Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood to reunite with their parents. Facing unforeseen challenges as an immigrant student, Maxime joined peers to combat anti-Haitian bullying and assault.

In college, Maxime found self-acceptance and purpose through knowledge and understanding of history. Maxime became an active member of the Haitian Students Organization (HSO) at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. This group was front and center of activism on campus, fighting the FDA policy that identified Haitians as a high risk group for HIV/AIDS and banned them from donating blood. The group’s activism extended beyond the university campus, as it successfully collaborated with other student groups throughout New York State. Maxime remains active as a co-founder of the alumni group for this student organization.

Upon graduating with a political science degree, Maxime worked as a Family Health Counselor, providing crucial assistance to Haitian refugees held at the infamous detention site in the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. There, he met and collaborated with Ninaj Raoul and Lily Cerat, co-founders of Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees (HWHR). This meaningful experience grounded Maxime’s commitment to social justice activism. This moment also pivoted Maxime’s interest in the field of Social Work, and he later earned a masters degree in social work in 2004. Upon his return from Guantanamo, he worked with the International Rescue Committee assisting with the resettlement of Haitian Refugees in New York City. Maxime then transitioned to the child welfare system as a Preventive Case Planner, assisting families at risk of having their children placed in foster care strengthen themselves to remain intact. As a Group Home Therapist, Maxime worked with young men to help them navigate the child welfare system and address personal, family, social, educational, and community challenges. He supported their journey toward independence, self-sufficiency, and becoming productive members of society.

In 2009, as a new parent, Maxime founded the Haitian-American Children’s Group, a self-sustained collaborative meetup focused on grounding Haitian-American children in their culture, history, and teaching them the Kreyòl language. Maxime’s enduring bond with Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees (HWHR) remains strong.Over the years, he taught ESL classes and coordinated the Haitian Workers Project. Today, as lead Case Manager/Social Worker for HWHR’s Haitian Refugee Project—funded by MOIA’s Haitian Response Initiative—he advocates for Haitian refugees, assisting with their resettlement in New York City.

“Rejoining HWHR after volunteering 30 years ago has been deeply rewarding,” reflects Maxime, “it allows me to create a respectful, culturally competent space for my fellow Haitians in our native Kreyòl.”