Legliz. Lekòl. Lakay...Literature.

The Origin Story

In many Haitian households, children are raised with the three sacred Ls: legliz, lekòl, lakay — church, school, home. These are not just destinations, but the embodiment of core values ingrained into Haitian children. These core values were meant to keep us safe. But for me, the three Ls also kept so much of the world at a distance.

Literature became my fourth L — a portal, a refuge, and eventually, a calling. Literature became my window to the outside world. Literature became my safe.

The Fourth Elle is a tribute to that discovery. “Elle” nods to the French pronoun for she/her, honoring the narratives of women and femmes whose stories deserve space on the page.

This is why I launched The Fourth Elle Editorial Agency: to recognize literature as the fourth sacred L, and to create a home for all voices to be written, refined, and remembered.