Member Profile: Nesley Lambert Written by Lisa Smith

Nesley Lambert joined SCAT over a year ago because he wanted “to learn how to use the equipment and change the way Haitians do their programming.” Eventually he hopes to produce programming for the immigrant community, providing advice for living in the United States. Nesley himself immigrated to the United States from Haiti twelve years ago.

When asked why he wanted to produce this show Nesley said it all started when he and a friend, who are both musicians, decided they wanted to promote their music on television. He said the only channel in this area with Haitian programming is channel 19 in Boston. They paid to have air time for their band. Nesley remembers, “All the Haitian shows were entertainment. There wasn't anything for young people to learn. I dream to have a show, with Haitians helping to produce it, about the way people live here. It is not easy to live in the United States. There are a lot of struggles, like to find a house or a job and getting a good education. Sometimes the head of the house doesn't speak English, and they lose control of their children. The children get away with things because their parents don't understand what is happening.”

Nesley speaks from experience. He had a hard time when he first arrived in this country because he was naive of the cultural differences between the United States and Haiti. The concept of time and punctuality was causing him problems in the workplace until he attended a job training program. He also had a hard time seeking an education.

Now, Nesley is content developing his skills in television production by volunteering to work on shoots at SCAT. He says, “I work with good directors to gain experience. I have volunteered on Listening in to Stories of Faith, SCAT's Annual Meeting, CafÈ SCAT, F'N Card Night, Short Cuts, and Keeping It Real.”

Nesley (a.k.a. Bongoman) is producing his own show on SCAT called Bongoman: Nooh-Vaah-Vooh. Nooh-Vaah-Vooh is a name he made up, meaning `let's live together'. His show is a slice of Haitian culture here in Somerville, featuring live band performances, barbecues, and coverage of Haitian Flag Day. He gladly welcomes constructive criticism and comments about his shows. In addition, Nesley is a roving videographer, covering community events for playback on SCAT. So far, he's brought Black History Month Celebration at the Somerville Library and The Cops and Kids Graduation to the SCAT viewing audience.

Eventually, with all this experience and networking, Nesley hopes to find a crew to help with production. “I can do things by myself, but it is hard. But if I have to do it by myself, I will. I want all people to get along someday.”

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