Haitian American filmmaker Jerry LaMothe’s screenplay The Promise Keeper was one of the three projects selected to receive a grant from the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation (WJSFF). The announcement was made on May 10 during the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment first “Made in NY” media summit in Harlem.
After months of negotiations, the controversial Little Haiti is officially a reality. However, while local leaders and elected officials celebrate the political win, those on the ground are asking “now what?”
Video shot, edited and produced by Ken Aragaki
On May 17, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer hosted his annual Haitian Flag Day breakfast, where members of the Haitian community have the opportunity to come together and talk about the challenges facing the community. The Haitian Times caught up with the comptroller to discuss the Haitian community, TPS, immigration and a new initiative that looks to cut through some of the barriers immigrants face during the citizenship process.
On May 18, Vania André, editor in chief of Haitian Times, was honored by members of New York City Council and New York State Assembly during the Haitian Flag Day Celebration event. The annual event, which was organized in collaboration with Haiti Cultural Exchange and the Haitian American Caucus, celebrates the work and achievements made by Haitian Americans in their respective fields.
Haitian dancer and choreographer Sanford Placide organized UNI, an art collective and dance showcase at the Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center in New York City on May 18 to highlight the richness of and diversity of Haitian culture.
In commemoration of Haitian Flag Day, three Haitian songstresses will take to the stage in New York City to celebrate the woman behind the flag — Catherine Flon.
Beyond the need for cultural awareness, Saint Paul thinks it’s vital that a different voice be heard when Haiti is discussed. He sees the Institute as playing part of that role: “The mainstream outlets will tell you about Haiti when there’s a catastrophe, but they will never tell you about stability in Haiti. It’s like Haiti has never been a country with a stable day-to-day life,” Saint Paul said. “It’s vital to use the Institute to show a counter narrative to this: beyond stigma and charity and disaster.”
On April 18, Community Board 17, which represents the neighborhoods of East Flatbush, Northeast East Flatbush, Rugby, Farragut/Hyde Park, Remsen Village, Ditmas Village and Erasmus, voted to co-name Rogers Avenue, from Farragut to Eastern Parkway, with Jean Jacques Dessalines Blvd.
“There are transgenerational differences that impacted this,” Ferrari said. “The older generation feels like they own leadership, and everyone else has to take a seat back and listen. Real leaders groom other leaders. We need millennials to have a seat at the table.”
Marie entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2004. She never went back after experiencing a traumatic incident in Haiti. Before overstaying her visa, she was a frequent traveler who often came here on vacation. She worked as a secretary for more than six years at the Secretary of State for Literacy in Haiti….