Silence and Resistance: Memoir of a Girlhood in Haiti, is Longlisted for the BOCAS Literary Award in Nonfiction

NEW YORK - Rezul -- Riverchild Literary Press, an imprint of Wordeee, is proud to announce its debut title,  SILENCE AND RESISTANCE: Memoir of a Girlhood in Haiti  by Monique Clesca (on sale September 16, 2025; Hardcover $32.00; eBook $12.95; ISBN: 978-1-959811-91-6) has been longlisted for the prestigious BOCAS Literary Award in the Non-Fiction category — one of the most celebrated literary prizes in the Caribbean, drawing entries from writers across 8 different territories.

Finalists will be announced on March 25, 2026, with winners — each receiving a $10,000 prize — to be revealed on May 2, 2025 at the BOCAS Lit Fest in Trinidad and Tobago.

About the Book

Born into a middle-class family under the oppressive Duvalier regime, Monique Clesca grew up in a Haiti defined by fear — watching friends and family disappear, enduring painful separations from her parents, and living under the shadow of abuse. It was the prolonged absence of her mother, Mandedette, that would shape her most deeply.

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Only after Haiti's devastating 2010 earthquake did the silence crack open. Long-buried family secrets — domestic violence, child sexual assault, a sibling hidden in plain sight — finally came to light. With searing honesty and lyrical grace, Clesca traces her journey from trauma to acceptance, forgiveness, and hard-won freedom. SILENCE AND RESISTANCE is both an intimate reckoning and a testament to the enduring resilience of the Haitian spirit.

Praise for Silence and Resistance

"This intimate and well-crafted memoir illustrates how breaking one's silence can become a tool of resistance and survival."— Edwidge Danticat, New York Times best-selling author

"An intimate, evocative, and unforgettable account of governmental failure, family secrets, and generational trauma… her personal journey is filled with stories of pride, fearlessness, defiance, and grace."— Dinty Moore, award-winning essayist and editor

About the Author

Monique Clesca has led two extraordinarily fulfilling lives — first as an activist, then as a journalist. A fearless feminist and lifelong pro-democracy and social justice advocate, her distinguished career includes work with the United Nations and global human rights initiatives. Among her most notable achievements: in 2016, she was awarded Niger's highest honor, the Commander of the Niger Order of Merit, for spearheading a nationwide movement to eliminate child marriage. At the core of her activism lies a deep commitment to women, children, and her native Haiti.

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Since retiring in 2016, Clesca has written op-eds and think pieces for outlets including the New York Times and the Miami Herald, and has been interviewed by CBS Sunday Morning, CNN, BBC, MSNBC, and many others as a sought-after expert on political and social issues.

Interview & Review Requests

Monique Clesca is available for interviews and speaking engagements. To schedule an interview or request a review copy, please contact: yona@riverchildmediallc.com.
https://riverchildliterarypress.com/

MEDIA CONTACT
Yona Deshommes
yona@riverchildmediallc.com