A Haitian immigrant’s triumphant journey from sickly child to a success entrepreneur in healthcare facilities makes her an inspiration this Women’s History Month.
Born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Dr. Solange Vivens knew that a successful life was possible despite her circumstances. A childhood with rheumatoid arthritis left her in constant pain. However, her father’s effective home-grown remedies led to her own dedication to wellness and healthcare.
Her parents’ wish for a better future resulted in Vivens leaving her homeland at 19 years old during the rise of the Tonton Macoutes. The secret police force, led by Haiti’s then-president, Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier, forced his dictatorship for nearly three decades. Due to the political strife, Vivens sought her higher education in America.
“I graduated school in June and in July, I was exiled,” she told theGrio. “They said, ‘You better not come back.’”
She transitioned through multiple jobs, including as a hospital aide while her immigration lawyer worked on her visa.
“America used to take care of its own,” Vivens said. “America understood that immigrants make this America we live in today.”
She saw the more opulent lives of wealthy Americans, which encouraged her own vision to find success. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing and obtained her master’s in health services management at Georgetown University. Having a knack for managing nursing homes, she co-founded and eventually bought out a fleet of nursing home facilities.
After becoming the sole owner of Vital Management Team, Long Term Care Inc., Vivens sold the Washington, D.C.-based geriatric nursing facilities in 2018. Now, she is detailing her rise while inspiring the next generation of young Black girls through new projects. Alongside creating Vivens Media Group, the registered nurse also authored a memoir, Educated Girl, Empowered Woman: The Art of Living with Grace, Joy & Dignity.
“We as women take care of people every day–and we forget we exist,” said Vivens. “The first thing I ask women to do is look in the mirror. Love the girl in the mirror. Let her know you will do anything to protect her because if you don’t protect her, she can’t protect anyone else.”
She hopes to adapt her novel, Girls Can Move Mountains: Rewriting the Rules of Female Entrepreneurship, into a film to continue her mission to empower women across the Diaspora.
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