By Naeisha Rose
May is Haitian Heritage Month and it is time to pull out a certain blue, white and red flag, listen to some Kompa music like you never listened before and celebrate everything Haitian in New York.
Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Brooklyn) will host a Haitian Flag Day celebration on May 17 with the Haitian Culture Exchange at the Brooklyn Commons located at 495 Flatbush Ave.
There will be a dance performance from Agathina Nozy, a musical performance from Prince Guetjens & friends and food from Kombit Restaurant.
The event is from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., and doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Guests can RSVP to the free event on Facebook.
Love & Hip Hop Miami star Jessie Woo will host a brunch in Brooklyn on Haitian Flag Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at BK9, a Caribbean restaurant that specializes in Jamaican, Trinidadian and Haitian cuisine located at 62 5th Avenue.
At BK9, guests will get to choose an entree of French Toast, a BK9 Burger, Chicken and Waffles or Tour De Legume (Haitian vegetarian dish with or without eggs any style).
From 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., there will be bottomless mimosa service, a full brunch bar and brunch menu, along with some other Haitian dishes and appetizers as DJ Royal plays Kompa, Afrobeats, Trap, Dancehall and Soca music.
Eventbrite is selling the tickets for the event $40 online and tickets at the door on the day of the event, May 18, will be on sale for $49.
Long Island will also have its own Haitian Flag Day celebration on May 18 in North Hempstead at its “Yes We Can” Community Center located at 141 Garden St. in Westbury.
The sixth annual Flag Day celebration will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and the free event will have musical performances from Djarara, DJ Jakido and more.
There will be food from different cultural vendors and attending the event are Legislator Siela Bynoe, the Espoir Youth Program, and representatives from the non-profit organization “AKA” Haitians Support Haitians.
For more information on the North Hempstead event call 311 or (516)-869-6311.
On Haitian Flag Day, Papa Jean, a sketch artist and actor perform a one-man-show titled “The Haitian Revolution: 101” at the Brooklyn Commons located at 495 Flatbush Ave.
The family friendly event costs $30 to 40 and will take a deep look at the Haitian Revolution and its place in world history, as well as personal story of Papa Jean’s dealing with his Haitian-American identity all with a comedic perspective.
For more information on the 8 p.m. show go to www.papajeanrepublik.com or eventbrite.com, where tickets are sold.