Shown in the photo at Government House from left to right are: Azaleta Ishmael-Newry, publicist, Dr. Margaret Mitchell Armand, author, Sir Arthur Foulkes, Governor General of The Bahamas and Lady Joan Foulkes both whom will retire from their official post on July 7, 2014.

Nassau, Bahamas - Author, Dr. Margaret Mitchell Armand during a visit to The Bahamas from Florida in early June 2014, paid a courtesy call on H.E. Sir Arthur Foulkes and his wife Lady Joan at Government House in Nassau where she presented two of her books to their Excellencies.  Sir Arthur Foulkes is the 8th Governor General of The Bahamas and is due to retire on July 7, 2014. Both he and his wife were delighted to receive the author and they discussed cultural relations between Haiti and The Bahamas as well as Florida.  

The book presentations included “Finding Erzili, a book of poetry and the other, “Healing in the Homeland: Haitian Vodou Tradition” examines the socio-cultural and economic oppression stemming from the local and international derived politics and religious economic oppression.  Armand’s book is a “study of conflict analysis and conflict resolution and peace building from a paradigm of decolonization, while concentrating the narratives on stories of indigenous elites educated in the western tradition”.  

During the meeting, Sir Arthur congratulated the author for her extensive community services, educational participation at all levels and activism through political involvement.  He found very beautiful the Vèvès designs throughout the pages that represents the many spiritual elements found in Haiti's Haitian Vodou indigenous tradition. Sir Arthur read the 1782 document of African slaves’ master petitioning for emancipation to "Affranchi" (meaning a sub-class of limited freedom) and commented, “It is important for Haitian children to know the history of their ancestors so they can be rooted in their identity.”  

When the author asked His Excellency about himself, he shared that his mother was from Cap Haitian, the town of Haitian King Henry Christophe who had built the most important monument, "La Citadelle La Ferriere" in the Caribbean to protect against further invasion from colonial influence.  

Dr. Margaret Mitchell Armand received her doctoral degree from Nova Southeastern University, and also earned her M.S. in Mental Health Counseling. She earned a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Spanish and French from the University of Texas. Amongst her other qualifications, Armand is a licensed Mental Health Counselor, National Board Certified Mental Health Counselor and Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator. She is a member of the Executive Committee of the Broward County Cultural Council as a Member at Large. Dr. Margaret Armand is a psychotherapist, family mediator, and lecturer and conflict resolution provider.