Podcast
OFF THE BOAT WITH LE JOSEPH
Hosted by Shamir Joseph · EN
Shamir Joseph isn’t here to play nice or sugar‑coat Haiti’s reality. Off The Boat With Le Joseph is a raw, unapologetic podcast where a Haitian‑born, Queens‑based host dives into everything mainstream media would rather ignore. From exposing why Haiti’s education system stays broke to calling out corruption in the Transitional Presidential Council and ripping apart slogans like “Viv Ansanm” that mask terror as revolution, Shamir keeps it real and bilingual, mixing English with Haitian Creole. He breaks down assassinations like Jovenel Moïse’s death, unpacks U.S. immigration policies and the Haitian diaspora’s struggles, and even drops history gems about figures like Jean‑Jacques Dessalines.
Expect strong opinions, deep‑dive analysis, and zero fluff. Whether you’re Haitian, Caribbean, an immigrant, or just curious, this show is your weekly dose of crime, politics, news and diaspora life—all filtered through the lens of someone who’s lived it. Get on board, learn some Creole, and buckle up for Shamir’s unfiltered take on Haiti and the Caribbean diaspora.
16episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
THE HAITIAN NATIONAL POLICE
Feb 100:21:28Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Off the Boat with Le Joseph, we take a deep, documentary-style examination of the Haitian National Police (Polis Nasyonal d’Haiti – PNH) and the structural failures that have shaped Haiti’s current security crisis.This is not entertainment, gossip, or propaganda. It is an investigation into how an institution created to protect the nation became overwhelmed by political interference, corruption, underfunding, foreign dependency, and organized crime.The episode traces:The controversial creation of the PNH after the disbandment of the Haitian Armed ForcesThe role of foreign influence in training, leadership selection, and logisticsHow corruption and impunity weakened internal accountabilityThe impact of chronic underpayment and poor working conditions on officersGang infiltration and the blurred lines between criminal groups and state authorityThe human cost of insecurity on civilians and communitiesThis discussion makes a clear distinction between honest officers working under extreme conditions and the systemic failures that have trapped them inside a broken institution.The episode also explores why many Haitians believe that restoring public security requires more than reforms on paper — it requires accountability, institutional courage, and consequences for those who undermine the rule of law.Off the Boat with Le Joseph is a long-form podcast focused on Haitian and Caribbean history, politics, institutions, and social realities, offering context-driven analysis for listeners seeking a deeper understanding of the forces shaping Haiti today.
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BLACK EXCELLENCE
Jan 1900:13:27Tap to summarizeOff The Boat with Le Joseph — Season 2, Episode 2 MLK Day: The Legacy, The Struggle, The ContinuationThis episode is a tribute, a lesson, and a challenge.Released in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Season 2 Episode 2 of Off The Boat with Le Joseph explores the true meaning of the MLK legacy—beyond soundbites, beyond holidays, and beyond selective memory.Dr. King’s fight for justice through non-violent resistance reshaped the United States and inspired movements around the world. But his dream was never meant to live only in speeches or marches. It was meant to continue through discipline, excellence, leadership, and responsibility.In this episode, we connect MLK’s vision to a broader, pan-American Black history, drawing parallels with the revolutionary legacy of Haiti and figures like Toussaint Louverture, whose earlier struggle proved that Black liberation was possible—even against global empires. Though their methods differed, both leaders pursued the same goal: freedom, dignity, and self-determination for Black people.The episode then turns to the living legacy of MLK by spotlighting Black excellence across professions often ignored by mainstream narratives. From medicine and science to law, finance, engineering, governance, and culture, we highlight leaders who embody the continuation of the dream through action, not just words.Featured figures include:Alexa Canady, the first Black woman neurosurgeon in the United StatesKatherine Johnson, whose mathematics powered NASA’s space missionsThurgood Marshall and Ketanji Brown Jackson, who reshaped American law at the highest levelKenneth Chenault and Pascal Desroches, examples of Black leadership at the top of global finance and corporate AmericaBarack Obama, the first Black President of the United StatesDenzel Washington, whose influence extends beyond film into mentorship and community upliftThis episode also addresses accountability within Black communities—rejecting violence, challenging harmful stereotypes, and emphasizing personal responsibility alongside systemic critique. The message is clear: honoring MLK means continuing the work, not just quoting the dream.Off The Boat with Le Joseph invites listeners to see Black history as interconnected, global, and ongoing—and to recognize that the future of the movement depends on how we lead, build, and represent ourselves today.This is not just remembrance. This is continuation.
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222 YEARS
Jan 1200:10:36Tap to summarizeOff the Boat with Le Joseph — Season 2, Episode 1 “222 Years: The Birth, Shockwaves, and Legacy of Haiti (1804–2026)”On January 1, 1804, Haiti changed the world forever.In this Season 2 premiere, Off the Boat with Le Joseph dives deep into the Haitian Revolution and the 222-year legacy of the first free Black republic in human history. Born from the most successful slave revolt ever recorded, Haiti didn’t just win its independence — it shattered the global order built on slavery, colonialism, and racial hierarchy.This episode traces Haiti’s journey from the brutal plantations of Saint-Domingue to independence, and examines the global shockwaves that followed: fear among slaveholding societies, inspiration for liberation movements across the Americas, the reshaping of world politics, and even the Louisiana Purchase. We break down how Haiti was punished for its freedom through diplomatic isolation, economic warfare, and France’s devastating indemnity — consequences that still echo today.222 years later, Haiti’s story remains unfinished. It is a story of triumph, sacrifice, resistance, and resilience — not just Haitian history, but world history.
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VOODOO
Dec 800:12:03Tap to summarizeWelcome back to “Off The Boat”! In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on Haitian Vodou—its African roots, its pivotal role in sparking Haiti’s independence, and how it lives on in modern Haiti. Learn how Vodou intertwines with Catholic and Protestant traditions, why doctors and lawyers still consult the spirits, and how young Haitians are embracing their heritage. You’ll also hear about wild folklore like zombies, mermaids, and lougawou, and how superstition can help or hurt communities. We don’t shy away from the dark side either—tune in for real talk on charlatans, crime, and the balance between faith and exploitation.
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NEIGHBORS (HAITI/DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)
Dec 100:22:28Tap to summarizeEpisode 11 NEIGHBORS: Rivyè Masak to Stephora — A Timeline of Anti-Haitian ViolenceIn this episode, host Le Joseph traces the long, painful history of anti-Haitianism in the Dominican Republic — from colonial killings at the river border, to the 1937 Parsley Massacre ordered by Rafael Trujillo, to modern cases of rape, murder, and institutional violence targeting Haitians.Through documented events — including the 2011 rape and murder near Dajabón, the 2015 lynching of Henry “Tulile” Claude Jean, the 2023 and 2024 rape allegations involving Dominican migration agents, systemic abuse of Haitian women in Dominican health and immigration systems, and the 2025 drowning of 11-year-old Stephora Anne-Mircie Joseph — this episode exposes a consistent pattern often denied or minimized.This is not an attack on a people. It is a call for truth, justice, and historical clarity.Topics: Haiti, Dominican Republic, Parsley Massacre, Dajabón River, anti-Haitianism, racism, migration, Stephora Joseph, human rights Host: Le Bon Joseph Show: Off The Boat with Le Joseph
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GWO CHABRAK
Nov 2400:29:39Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we dig into a side of Haitian history most people never hear about: how waves of Middle Eastern and European migrants helped shape the country’s modern elite. We start with the big picture—why Syrians, Lebanese, Palestinians, Germans, French and others left their homelands in the 19th and early 20th centuries, how they arrived in the Caribbean, and why Haiti became such an attractive place to settle and do business.From there, we connect that migration story to the powerful families who dominate Haiti’s economy and politics today. We talk about names like Bigio, Acra, Madsen, Apaid, Mevs, Boulos, Vorbe, Abdallah, Baker, Jaar, Khawly, Martelly, and more—where they came from, the sectors they control, and the controversies and scandals that follow them, from questionable contracts and political influence to gang financing and drug-trafficking cases.The goal isn’t to sensationalize, but to explain clearly how history, migration, and opportunity created a small circle of oligarchs with outsized influence on Haiti’s present and future. If you want to understand Haiti beyond the headlines—how power is really built, who holds it, and why—that’s exactly what this episode delivers.
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CHOLERA
Nov 1600:32:50Tap to summarizeCholera is more than a public-health headline — it’s a story about infrastructure, inequality, history, and the ongoing struggle for dignity in Haiti. In Episode 9 of Off The Boat with Le Joseph, we explore how cholera first entered Haiti in 2010, how it devastated the country for nearly a decade, and why the disease returned in 2022 despite being declared eliminated.This episode breaks down the science behind Vibrio cholerae, the conditions that allowed it to spread, the role of water and sanitation failures, and how climate, conflict, and displacement continue to fuel the resurgence. We also look at the broader Caribbean picture — including outbreaks in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and other islands — to understand cholera as a regional challenge, not just a Haitian tragedy.Whether you care about public health, Caribbean history, Haitian affairs, or the structural issues shaping the region, this episode offers a grounded, clear, and necessary look at one of the most important crises of our time.
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HURRICANE SEASON (HAITI & JAMAICA)
Nov 1600:45:11Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Off The Boat with Le Joseph, I take a hard look at the frustration many Haitians feel seeing the world come together to help Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa. I understand that pain — the feeling of being overlooked — but we have to face the deeper truth.Both Haiti and Jamaica have survived countless hurricanes — Gilbert, Georges, Gustav, Sandy, and now Melissa. Yet our outcomes couldn’t be more different. Jamaica rebuilds and moves forward, while Haiti struggles under the weight of corruption, weak infrastructure, and mismanagement of aid.As a Haitian born in Haiti, I speak from love — for both nations. This is not about blaming, it’s about awakening the Haitian consciousness, holding our leaders accountable, and learning from our Caribbean brothers and sisters. 🇭🇹🇯🇲We are not enemies; we are family. One storm, two nations, one Caribbean destiny. 🌊🎧 Listen, reflect, and share. #OffTheBoatWithLeJoseph #LeJoseph #Haiti #Jamaica #HurricaneMelissa #CaribbeanPodcast #HaitianPodcast #Unity
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JACQUES PREMIER
Nov 300:20:16Tap to summarizeWhat if the world’s first Black emperor wasn’t seen as a hero — but as a mystery? In this episode, Le Joseph digs deep into an 1809 British article from The Christian Observer titled “Memoranda Respecting Hayti” — one of the earliest foreign portrayals of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the founding father of Haiti.Through translation, commentary, and reflection, this episode takes you beyond the myths and monuments to explore how Dessalines looked through the eyes of those who feared him, misunderstood him, and yet couldn’t ignore him.We’ll read the original 19th-century text, translate it into Haitian Creole, and break down what it says — and what it hides — about Haiti’s independence, freedom, and the man who made it possible.🎙 Topics in this episode:Dessalines through colonial eyesThe 1809 Christian Observer portrayal of HaitiThe contrast between legend and perceptionHaiti’s early independence and identity“Independence or Death” — the words that still echo🔥 Featured Source: Memoranda Respecting Hayti. Christian Observer: Conducted by Members of the Established Church (1805–1861), Feb 1809, Vol. 8, Issue 2, pp. 80-83.🎧 Listen to the full episode: “Off the Boat with Le Joseph” — available wherever you get your podcasts.📺 Subscribe & Follow: YouTube: @lebonjoseph91 TikTok @yurfavlitzo3 Produced & published by 718 Wayz Publishing
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IMPUNITY
Oct 2700:21:35Tap to summarizeWhen power goes unchecked, justice disappears. In this episode, Le Joseph unpacks the meaning of impunity—and why it feels so different in the United States vs. Haiti. From U.S. immigration arrests of Haitian elites like Réginald Boulosand Dimitri Vorbe, to the endless investigations surrounding Jovenel Moïse’s assassination, this is a raw look at how accountability, corruption, and justice collide across borders.Le Joseph brings his signature mix of sarcasm, realism, and sharp political insight to dissect: – How U.S. systems of law respond (imperfectly) when power is abused. – Why Haiti’s institutions often fail to prosecute the powerful. – The ripple effects of corruption, gang influence, and selective justice on migration and democracy. – And what ordinary citizens can still do to push back against impunity.
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