By Alex Popa
Kelsey Telfort was born and raised in Massachusetts, but she always acknowledges her Haitian identity despite never having lived there. “Being Haitian affects how I see the world. Growing up, most kids around me saw being Haitian as a bad thing, which influenced my view on that as well. But when I learned to embrace my country’s independence and history, I knew how powerful that feeling can be.”
Kelsey has only lived with her mother, so she’s her role model in life. She’s well aware of the sacrifices she made to live the lives they do now.
Education and Work
Kelsey Telfort is currently studying criminal justice at Bunker Hill Community College, but her long-term goals go beyond that. As she admits, “The profession I really want to be in is modeling, traveling, and fashion. I would love to be a future fashion designer and create my own business as a successful entrepreneur.”
She’s well aware that achieving this dream takes time and effort and that she’ll have to be persistent, patient, and diligent. But she’s willing to put in the work, so long as her efforts are rewarded. Kelsey acknowledges that her most meaningful achievement was starting her modeling career at the age of 18, immediately after completing high school, and that’s just the beginning.
In the upcoming years, Kelsey hopes to create her own fashion brand, expand on her modeling career, and become a better person overall. Her plan is to “expand my business and showcase my style’s versatility and innovative power. My goal is to be really focused on my craft and finish school to continue working on my brand.”
What Others Can Learn from Her
Kelsey believes that change can only come from within. In other words, it’s Haitians’ responsibility to change Haiti because they’re the ones living there and it concerns them directly. Her message is loud and clear: “I feel like young Haitians can help improve Haiti by doing fundraisers that actually donate to those that are in need, especially to support businesses out in Haiti to keep alive.”
This is great for supporting those less fortunate, who could use a hand to lift them up from their current situation. The younger generation must also rely on education, self-improvement, and acquiring new skills and abilities to improve their chances in a competition-oriented world.
When it comes to her role in emancipating Haiti and Haitians, Kelsey doesn’t hold back. She constantly informs herself about the economic and social landscape in Haiti and does her best to support those who can use her help. She does so by sharing Haiti’s culture and history and promoting conversations that bring light to the recurrent problems present in Haitian society.
Kelsey acknowledges that Haitians sometimes need to struggle more than others to make something of their lives. This is especially true for women. Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem, she believes. And part of it is self-emancipation and education.
Nothing is impossible as long as you believe in it and work relentlessly to make it happen, and Kelsey hopes to make her mark and contribute to helping Haitians improve their lives over the years.
