Maritza Moulite graduated with the BA in Women’s Studies in 2013. She is now a published author of young adult novels, including Dear Haiti, Love Alaine, co-authored with her sister Maika Moulite. She is currently pursuing her PhD in education at the University of Pennsylvania.
“What’s Women’s Studies?” “Why Women’s Studies?” Maritza Moulite was asked those questions by her peers and parents when she mentioned that she was a Women’s Studies major. Growing up as a Haitian American, her parents wanted her to become either a lawyer, doctor, or engineer. Like many immigrant parents, they were trying to ensure stability in their child’s life. Moulite’s parents were not happy when she told them that she was a Women’s Studies major but became more understanding after they found out that she planned to pursue more schooling after earning her undergraduate degree.
After graduating in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies, Moulite decided to enter the world of journalism. She interned at a local Haitian television station under the National Broadcasting Company, and then earned a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Southern California. In 2015, Moulite became a news associate at NBC, and came to the realization that she no longer wanted to be on television. She decided to go back to the basics—reading and writing. She became a literacy tutor and, in September 2019, published her first book, a young adult novel titled Dear Haiti, Love Alaine which she coauthored with her sister Maika. The Moulites wrote Dear Haiti, Love Alaine because they wanted to write a story about a “strong, confident Haitian American girl” who is not afraid to speak her mind. It is the type of book that the Moulite sisters wished they had while growing up.
As a Haitian American, the Moulites’ book spoke to me personally. Similar to the Moulite sisters, I had never encountered a Haitian American coming of age book. It was powerful to read about Alaine and her coming of age journey. The Moulite sisters have a second book, One of the Good Ones, which is set to be published on January 5, 2021. The book is about two sisters’ journey to honor their deceased sister, who was killed at a social justice rally.
In addition to being a successful author of young adult fiction, Moulite is currently pursuing a doctoral degree. During her time as a literacy tutor, Moulite realized that there were questions—such as how family engagement and intervention programs affect literacy outcomes in early learners from low-income communities— that she wanted answers to, but none were available. As a result, she decided to go back to school to answer those questions through research. She is now a first-year Ph.D. student in education at the University of Pennsylvania with a focus on reading and writing in literacy.
When asked, “How has your Women’s Studies degree helped shape your career path?” Moulite stated that “[it] gave me a critical lens to look at the world through.” Women’s Studies provided the language and skills to process specific issues. She stated she really enjoyed her “classes in the women’s studies department… Dr. Anita Anantharam and Dr. Tace Hedrick were my favorite professors.”
It was an honor and a pleasure to interview Maritza Moulite (future Ph.D.)