Marleine bastien is a licensed clinical social worker who graduated from Miami-Dade Community College. She also holds a degree from Florida International University. Bastien is the founder of Family Action Network Movement (FANM), formerly Haitian Women of Miami. This important group has provided critical assistance to Haitian women, their families, and the entire community. FANM’s leadership has demonstrated a remarkable ability to provide a wide range of social services and also organize around issues like immigration, housing reform, education reform, gender equality and human rights. Bastien was Vice-Chairman of the Haitian American Grassroots Coalition and past Chair of Florida’s Immigration coalition. Bastien worked for many important campaigns over the past 30 years. These include: The Haitian Immigration Refugee Fairness Act of 1988, Temporary Protected Status (The Dream Act), Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Living Wage and Human Rights Ordinance and the Children’s Trust (treasurer and spokesperson of the Black Community with Congresswoman Carrie Meek).
Marleine founded the Justice Coalition for the Haitian Children of Guantanamo. She appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show to share her knowledge about the devastating effects that Guantanamo’s prolonged detention had on Haitian children. She is a founding member the Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition (Sant La), Center for Haitian Studies, Florida Immigrant Coalition and many other organizations. Bastien has received many awards including the Social Worker of the Year Award in Miami-Dade County (2000) and the Human Rights Award from Amnesty International (2000). She is also the recipient of the Women of the Year Award by Ms. Magazine (2001), WEB Dubois and the NAACP Miami-Dade Branch (2002). Leadership for a Changing World Award from the Ford Foundation (2002). Women Who Make a Difference Award, Miami Law Women (2003). Essence Magazine named Bastien “One of 35 Most Remarkable Women” in 2005. The 2013 U.S. Human Rights Movement Builders award was presented by the U.S. Human Rights Network. Bastien was awarded the Stanley Milledge Lifetime Achievement Award by ACLU on October 16, 2015.
