Since the release of C’était ça ou mourir in March 2026, Thélyson Orélien has been in the spotlight of the international literary scene, garnering coverage in Haiti, Canada, the US, and France. In May, the New York Times reported that the novel was set to be translated into 20 languages and, a week after its release in France, it had sold 30,000 copies and won the Prix du Roman FNAC. As the prize nominations continued to come — the Prix Fémina, Goncourt, Médicis, and Renaudot — it seemed like Orélien was a viable candidate for all of the highest honors. That is, until an unverified account on X named “BalanceTonClaude” posted accusations that Orélien’s novel had been 100% written with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence. Orélien denies the claims against his credibility, but the harm has already been done, making it nearly impossible to read the novel beyond the scope of literary scandal.
The accusations against Orélien are also not happening in a vacuum. As AI and tech companies seek new ways of monetizing their products, Black writers and scholars have increasingly become the target of campaigns to discredit their work. As we watch these cases unfold near and far, we — as people, readers, and scholars — risk becoming more fearful, anxious, and isolated.
As an act of collective resistance, we wish to gather for community discussion, on ti kozé, to share our thoughts about the Thélyson Orélien accusations, the role that AI is playing in our reading lives, the realities of and potential responses to antiblackness, and the future of Caribbean literature in Academia.
Registration is required to attend this event. This conversation will not be recorded.
Friday, October 3, 3PM EDT | Noon PST | 21h CEST
