You must know at least one person in your circle who’s an overachiever. No? Well, look to Gayel Pierre to fill that void. The founder of G’s Addiction, a clothing line, Gayel (also known as Cutiega) is also a fashion and image consultant for bands like Kreyol La and Akoustic. Her latest achievement is the creation of Living Hart, a collective for creatives of Haitian descent. The graduate of the prestigious Art Institute of Lauderdale with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Merchandising might surprise some with this initiative, but then again, they might root for her. Creatives of Haitian descent are scattered all over, and Living Hart is going to be the project to bring them all under one artistic roof. The project will launch on April 24th in Haiti, and from there expand into the United States.

Kreyolicious: So, you have yet another venture. How did you come up with the idea for it?
Living HArt came to me out of the blue. I was trying to think of something new, another form of entertainment and all of a sudden it came to me why not have a live show/ fair where everything is being done live and people can just walk in, browse, appreciate our youth’s talent and purchase their work.

Kreyolicious: You have your own design line, you do custom-design for artists, and now Living Hart. You’ve made so many of your ideas happen. What advice would you give to others who are having a lot of success with coming up with ideas, but can’t seem to do anything concrete with them?
It’s important to always try to innovate, keep on thinking and coming up with new ideas. However, sometimes it’s hard to materialize them—truth be told. I have had so many other great ideas that I was not able to make happen. So the important thing is to always push forward, and have tenacity because there will always be obstacles and you will always find people to discourage you. You just have to be patient, surround yourself with people who share your visions and network! Always network. As much as we’d like to think that we can do everything by ourselves, it’s not always true.

Kreyolicious: It’s surprising, but then again, it’s not surprising that you are drawn to visual art.
It may seem surprising because the public never got to know this side of me, but those who know me won’t find it surprising at all. In fact, I also studied interior design, therefore I am familiar with visuals and find them quite inspirational.

Kreyolicious: G’s Addiction will always be your baby. How do you keep your passion and drive for it, while coming up and managing all these other ventures?
My dream for G’s addiction is what drives me to push forward. I have a vision I have yet to [fully] accomplish. Therefore, I always focus on the objective no matter how hard things can get at times. In that sense, all my other ventures are all part of the big picture…my dream for G’s Addiction.

Kreyolicious: Life is all about growing. Can you think of anything that you weren’t too good at…say two, three years ago​ that you’ve mastered or have at least gotten twice as good at?
I have gotten better at everything I’m doing—whether it’s the jewelry, the designs. I have been growing ever since I started G’s Addiction, [so] I can’t think of just one thing! The list would go on forever. However, I think my most impressive growth [area] over the course of my journey, has been my personality. I have grown so much as a person, a businesswoman. This life has taught me a lot and I am grateful for every step I take.

Kreyolicious: What will people be surprised to see from you in the future in terms of new ventures?
People can expect so much more from G’s Addiction. Like I mentioned earlier, I am not done growing and innovating! Even I am still surprising myself with new ideas, [whether it be] new clothing line [ideas], new apparel and so on! I have so many exciting new projects coming…So stay tuned!

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW GAYEL “CUTIEGA” PIERRE. |CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW LIVING HART ON INSTAGRAM

It’s known as Dlo Pwòp in Haiti and is unofficially known as Haiti Water, but International Action—isn’t merely an organization that operates in Haiti to bring clean water to communities in Haiti. It is also involved in other projects, like encouraging the use of solar lighting (about 10 have been installed so far in Jacmel and Port-au-Prince by International Action), providing school supplies, spreading cholera awareness, and executing an intestinal worm elimination program. For the latter program, the organization teams up with AmeriCares and International Action to distribute albendazole tablets to about 90,000 children. In terms of total reach, the organization estimates that it has positively affected the lives of 900,000 people in Haiti through its clean water programs.

International Action counts Haiti’s local churches, schools, and orphanages among its partners as well as DINEPA–the Haitian water agency—and other organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, the American Institutes for Research, Oxfam, Samaritans Purse—among others. The organization’s efforts has led 419,358 people gain access to clean, safe water in 2011 through their cholera prevention consortium. Its donation of 350 buckets of chlorine has provided clean water education to 33 different International and local groups working in Haiti. International Action is continuously working with community leaders to find additional locations locations for chlorine bank branches.

This year when Hurricane Isaac hit Haiti, the organization’s staff trucked clean, safe water to six affected communities, including those in tent cities and residents who had abandoned their homes due to the the storm. Zach Brehmer, International Action’s Director of Research, further explained the organization’s goals and achievements.

Q & A

How did the Haiti Water organization come to be?
The vision for International Action started in 2003 when Lindsay Mattison and Youngmin Chang visited Haiti with a friend. They saw that many of the community water tanks in Port-au-Prince were filled with untreated water. The water was causing children to get sick with cholera, typhoid, hepatitis and diarrhea. They thought this was a tragedy. Children were dying and unable to go to school because they didn’t have the basic need. They realized that the people of Haiti demanded cooperation and understanding, not good intentions and abandoned handouts. In 2006, Lindsay and Youngmin returned to Port-au-Prince with chlorinators and a whole lot of ambition. They immediately began forging community relationships that they’ve strengthened and expanded over the past five years. Lindsay and Youngmin also created a base of operations in Haiti, led by Dalebrun Esther, to execute the organization’s many programs and to address urgent community needs.

Your organization’s tag line is ‘Bringing Clean Water to Haiti’. Just why doesn’t Haiti have clean water?
There is a simple explanation to this, and then a complicated one to explain the simple explanation. Simple explanation: There has not been a completed central water treatment system in any of Haiti’s cities, let alone water treatment systems in rural locations. Explaining the simple explanation: Many of the current issues in Haiti are directly and indirectly related to Haiti’s tumultuous political and social past. The struggle to gain freedom in the late 1700’s destroyed almost all infrastructure in the country including hospitals, access to clean water, sanitation, and food supplies. After the Haitian won freedom, the new leaders forced share cropping because they wanted to keep the plantation system for two reasons: one, the leaders wanted to prove to the world that a plantation export-based economy could be supported without slavery. And two, because the plantation system was the only economy the new leaders of Haiti had ever known. The Haitian population wanted to be done with the plantation system and own their own land to farm on. They were forced to work the plantations, only keeping a quarter of the crops for themselves, or risked punishment.

Oppressive regimes have led Haiti until the late 80’s when Aristide took office. Aristide then disassembled many of the institutions that had been linked to oppressive behavior. However Aristide could not see his policies through and was ousted and brought back on two different occasions. This left the country crippled with very few working institutions and the countries public services fell into even worse disrepair. Throughout all of this internal conflict there were foreign countries that greatly diminished Haiti’s chances of moving forward. These foreign powers forced Haiti into debt, economic isolation, and coerced Haiti into poor tariff policies that benefitted foreign interests rather than the countries own growth.

To build a water disinfection system that supports an entire country there needs to be funds, stability, and trust. In Haiti, there has been very little of these three needs due to the aforementioned history.

Most people who work in the development field often come across challenges. What has been Haiti Water’s biggest challenges?
I’ll talk about our biggest challenge in Haiti and our biggest challenge outside of Haiti. First, biggest challenge in Haiti. Predicting the government’s behavior and enabling the chlorinators to be completely community sustained are our greatest challenges in Haiti. The unpredictability of the government was talked about earlier—highlighted by the resignation of the Prime Minister months ago. Sustainability is always an issue. For the chlorinators to be self-sustaining, the community needs to be able to buy tablet chlorine for their chlorinators themselves—donations of chlorine are not a 50 year solution. Many communities make enough money from water sale to pay water station staff, buy more water, and buy chlorine. However, there is not an establishment in Haiti that sells chlorine tablets at an affordable level.

Second, biggest challenge outside of Haiti. Raising awareness and fundraising is our greatest challenge outside Haiti. It is a constant battle. It takes a long time and a lot of work to help a community reach the point where they can sustain a project on their own finances. Multi-year support and patience is very important.

You’ve no doubt reach several milestones with Haiti Water. What accomplishments is it most proud of?
We have reached 110 various community water stations and nearly 250 schools throughout Haiti. The estimated total population we are helping to provide clean water to be 900,000. Being able to help 900,000 people is amazing.

One of our most important accomplishments is that the communities we work with truly own their chlorinator system — they can test the water, calibrate the chlorinator valve, educate their neighbors about clean water and the chlorinator, and know when to retrieve more chlorine tablets. After two months of training they do all of this without our help.

What does Haiti Water need the most at this point? Lots of people might want to help. So how can they best do so?
There are many ways an individual can help. Our biggest challenge in country is finding a way to make each water station and chlorinator completely self-sustainable — meaning that the community can test their water, adjust the chlorinator so they have the proper amount of chlorine residual, and can buy their own chlorine from a non NGO source. The most difficult of these to accomplish is the latter.

We are working with Haitian communities to create a locally-owned chlorine distribution system — we call this system the Chlorine Bank Network. In order to achieve sustainability there needs to be more exposure of the issue, more funds, and a wide range of ideas discussing ‘community-led funding and community income generation possibilities.’ Anyone can help with the first two needs. If one is not able to donate, it always helps to introduce our group and the work we do to other people. International Action is always very happy to assist people interested in organizing a awareness or fund raising campaign – in some cases we may send staff to help or speak at an event. We are also going to be beginning an in-Haiti volunteer program. It will be focused around clean water education in Haiti and the Chlorine Bank Network.

Fashion designer and lifestyle brand owner Gayel “Cutiega” Pierre created her first business while she was still taking undergrad courses at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. She brainstormed the concept for Living Hart, an expo that would bring Haiti’s creatives together to promote their work.

This year alone, the fashion-entrepreneur has had not one, but two editions of Living Hart. Hundreds gathered in Port-au-Prince for both editions, and they came from all walks of creative life in Haiti: painters, singers, stage actors, graphic artists, photographers, deejays, writers, among other fields. The colossal job of bringing all these creatives together belonged to the entrepreneur herself. So, how did she manage it? And what was the outcome. Let your curiosity get the best of you, and read on.

Kreyolicious: Due to tremendous demand, you did the first and second edition of Living Hart within just a few months of each other. Do you have any regrets?
Like you mentioned, [the] first and second edition of Living Hart were put together within just a few months not only because the public wanted another edition, but also because it was within our plan to do them within just a few months so it becomes something regular. We thankfully got lucky. The crowd showed its appreciation, and always looked forward to a next edition.

Above: One of many live paintings created during the second edition of Living Hart in Port-au-Prince.

Kreyolicious: When you compare the first and second edition, what did you notice in terms of talent and participation?
Obviously, the second edition was better organized because we had the opportunity of having the first edition [as a precedent to refer to]. Therefore, it was easier to fix little issues that we encountered in the past! In terms of participation, the second one also had a bigger audience. The artists, who by then had experimented [during] the first edition, were even more excited.

Kreyolicious: What was it like planning an event of this caliber this time around?
Less stressful than the first time but still incredibly challenging. we had to deal with more participants and plan for a bigger audience. Furthermore it was also challenging because we had our own expectations to surpass.

Kreyolicious: What advice would you like to give to those living in the USA who’d like to hold events in Haiti?
Arm yourselves with determination, patience and consistency. The public is different. the service is different and sometimes you might end up being on your own and unable to rely on other due to the fact that you’re a “foreigner” but as long as you keep on your head high it will all turn out great!

Kreyolicious: I once watched an Ava Duvernay interview and in it she said that Oprah told her that when bad things happened, when obstacles tumble in, to think of the obstacles and terrible moments as things that happened for her, not to her. It’s a rather interesting perspective. What do you think?
Personally, I am someone that loves when thing work out just like I plan them. The industry proves [to] me everyday that Oprah is right. Sometimes, things go wrong and not always according to our plan, but it is important that we think of them has opportunities and not obstacles so even though I love always being in control I do understand the importance of obstacles and partial setbacks.

[Main photo Credit: Elmas Flaco]

One of the most influential figures in the Haiti tourism game isn’t Haitian born, but a native of Minnesota name Terry Curtis, better known by the social media handle Haiti Travel Guy. Having visited the country shortly after the 2010 earthquake, the travel consultant has seen the country’s transition from post-earthquake territory to the reconstruction phase. Seeing the country’s tourism potential, he started Haiti Travel Adventures, a Haiti tourism and travel consulting venture.

Above: Haiti Travel Guy (right) explores the city of Gonaives! A visit to a furniture maker in that city.
Kreyolicious: What’s new with Haiti Travel Guy and tour tour company Haiti Travel Adventures?
I can’t believe its been six years since I first stepped foot into Haiti. In those six years, I’ve seen a lot of change. The first two, three years, there was a lot of growth in new hotels, restaurants and businesses in the central business district of Port-Au-Prince and Petionville. Over the past couple of years, that’s slowed down with fewer and fewer NGO’s and UN on the ground. Prices across the segments have come down. Rent is cheaper. The dollar is higher and demand is down. But for some, that’s not all good. Haiti continues to remain in a stage of “development” along with being unstable and unpredictable. But for some instability equals cash. Just not tourism cash. Tourism travel is still limited to those a little more adventurous. Many are visiting the neighboring Dominican Republic, and want to take the bus over for a day or two to see the country. Having started my efforts in 2010 a lot of people doing research will find me online. I get two to three calls a week from someone looking for more information regarding traveling to Haiti. Typically solo adventure travelers, photographers, artists and diaspora.

Above: It’s jazz night in Petionville. Photo Credit: Haiti Travel Guy

Kreyolicious: Have you ever been approached by Haiti tourism officials for collaborations?
No. But I don’t really offer group tours as much as I provided one-on-one services. I’ve helped small groups, but its just not my thing. It’s not how I ever wanted to travel and group tours is just not something everyone is looking for. When I travel, I spend time building social equity with neighborhoods, families and people. Once established, I enjoy the things like being invited into a small home for a traditional Haitian meal or having a beer at a small establishment deep inside a bidonville [inner-city]. These are things that are difficult to do with a group of people, and in most cases, I am only with one or two other travelers seeking that sort of access to the culture. In the past few years there have been some great collaborations in organized tour companies offering group tours a few times a year. Belle Vue and My Haiti Travels are two that have been successful and that I’ve recommended to most.

For me, this mission to show people a different Haiti has become more of a passion than a business mission. Often times, I find myself consulting with folks on travel plans, finding hotels and places to visit. I’ve helped people relocate to Haiti to start businesses and diaspora looking to return and retire. Still today, most of the folks who contact me are from countries other than the United States. Most inquiries from the U.S. are from Haitian diaspora who left Haiti as a child and are now interested in returning and for some reason seem to trust a crazy blan to help them. [Smiles] The most rewarding part for me is to be traveling back to Haiti and someone on the plane will recognize me and say something like “hey you helped me visit Haiti five years ago and now we visit all the time”. For me, that’s how Haiti is going to change. People visiting and investing their time and money.

Above: Salt flats in Gonaives. Photo Credit: Haiti Travel Guy

Kreyolicious: What are some tourism improvements you’ve seen since you’ve been in Haiti?
If any…As I mentioned, the hotels have been a big improvement. After the big ones came, all the small family-owned boutique hotels that offer a great experience. Roads have been built and improvements to others are taking place. But the single biggest need from the government is infrastructure. You have to build it—and maintain it.

Kreyolicious: What’s your favorite spot in Haiti?
I would have to say Cap Haitien.

Above: A pile of fresh seafood from Haiti’s waters! Photo Credit: Haiti Travel Guy

Kreyolicious: Why?
It’s probably my first choice now for retirement. Excellent little city with sidewalks, green space, beaches, businesses and restaurants without all the hassle of Port Au Prince and Petionville. They have their own airport, real taxis, and the people there just seem to be more relaxed.

This concludes Part I of the interview with Haiti Travel Guy. While you wait for Part II, be sure to follow Haiti Travel Guy on TWITTER and INSTAGRAM. And don’t forget to visit his website and get information on how to book him for you next vacation to Haiti: —HERE!

The next time you’re in Texas, and feel like having some Haitian food, your intestines won’t have to suffer much. Gou Lakay, located in the heart of Killeen, Texas and its wonderful staff—which includes co-owner Mario Sense—will be more than happy to cater to your Haitian cuisine cravings. Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sense moved to the Lone Star State a few years ago. Be attentive, dear readers, as he tells the story of how he brought Haitian food to Haitian-Americans and other Texans.

Kreyolicious: How did you come to be involved in the food business?
I moved to Killeen, Texas in 2013. The cost of living here had opened my eyes on starting a few businesses. A year later, May 2014, I met Yann and Laura, my two business partners and co-owners of the restaurant. We became close friends, and one night out in early 2016, we were talking about different businesses in the community and the ideal of Haitian restaurant came up. We were so excited about it that we jumped on the idea and worked tirelessly, and opened our doors on January 6, 2017.

Kreyolicious: How did you settle on the name Gou Lakay?
It wasn’t that difficult. We had several names with Gou and several names with Lakay and one day we just combined Gou and Lakay. Voila…Gou Lakay.

Kreyolicious: What is the Haitian-American community like in Texas?
Base on the nonprofit Facebook page Laura already had, we figured with a little over a hundred people on the page and being that it’s a military town, we would create an atmosphere where everyone would feel welcomed. Little did we know, the Haitian-American community here is a lot larger than we could have imagined. Some people have been in this area for over 30 years and never knew there were five [other] Haitians here, let alone the [number] they saw on grand opening night.

Military patrons enjoy a meal at Gou Lakay in Texas.

Kreyolicious: When did it occur to you that starting a restaurant in the area would be a good idea?
I’m all about business, so the idea was always there. But, it was set a few months after I met Yann and Laura. They are very business-minded people. So the feeling of having the right partners made starting any business with them the right time.

Kreyolicious: From what you have observed, what’s the most popular dish with your clients?
I’m not sure if it’s because people miss their home cooked meal so much that surprisingly this is a deadlock between griot, diri djo ndjon [fried pork with black mushroom rice] and tasso kabrit [fried goat], diri djon djon [rice with mushrooms].

A Gou Lakay dish!

Kreyolicious: Do you find that you have to make certain adjustments to the cuisine to make it appeal to some of your patrons?
Definitely. Every month we make adjustments to appeal to our patrons…whether it’s on the menu or our hours of operations.

Kreyolicious: What’s it like running Gou Lakay day-to day?
It’s definitely a challenge. We are all still fully-employed. So, we definitely thank God for the smoothness of the day-to-day operation, and it has a lot to do with our amazing cook/chef Eugenie Chery. Without her, we don’t know how successful Gou Lakay would have been.

Kreyolicious: Hindsight…hindsight! What do you wish you had known before starting out?
Had we known there were that many Haitians around, we would have pulled the trigger sooner. [smiles widely]

Kreyolicious: Is Haiti a place you travel to often?
Since 2003, I’ve only been back twice and unfortunately. It’s been for my grandfather’s then my father’s funeral. However, we all have upcoming travel plan to the motherland within the next year.

Kreyolicious: Where do you see Gou Lakay going? A franchise perhaps?
Not to brag, we have already received several inquiries to open Gou Lakay in different States…Some from people who’ve never even been to the restaurant, just based on what they’ve seen on social media.

CLICK HERE to visit the Gou Lakay restaurant website! CLICK HERE to visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.

The founders of Houston Haitians United may emphasize the name Houston in their organization’s name, but it isn’t just the Haitian-American population in Houston that they seek to unite, but all the residents of Haitian descent in the State of Texas. When Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston, Houston Haitians United members and volunteered rallied to help, and held several drives to help those affected.

James Pierre, one of the co-founders of the organization gave details on what inspired it, and what the plans are for its expansion.

Kreyolicious: What’s the Haitian-American community in Houston like…in Texas in general like?
Houston, Texas is the most populous city in the state of Texas and the fourth-most populous city in the United States. With that being said the Haitian community is growing at a rapid rate. Earliest Haitian citizens of the Houston community have been here since the 1970’s. There is an roughly estimated amount of between 40,000 – 70,000 Haitians or people of Haitian descent in the Houston metropolitan area. The cities of San Antonio, Austin, Killeen and Dallas also have growing Haitian Communities, with indicators such as Churches, Restaurants etc.

Kreyolicious: How did Houston Haitians United get off the ground?
Houston Haitians United: In the Fall of 2015, three gentlemen by the names of Sledge Leonidas, Jean Michel Celestin, and James Pierre came together to organize and establish proper representation for the rapidly growing Haitian community in Houston, Texas. These gentlemen recognized the ever growing gap amongst people of Haitian descent, elder Haitians, young Haitians, the Haitian churches, and the distance between fellow Caribbean islands here in the city. The musical duo LaFamille Royal, which consists of two HHU founders Sledge and Michel, had been hosting Haitian Flag Day events as well as other social events geared towards the celebration of Haitian culture. To them that was not enough, they desired a greater unified voice and representation. Simultaneously, James, had aspirations of establishing Young Adult Haitians United for professionals working in the city. A first meeting was set at the then Caribbean Fingers, a Haitian American restaurant in Katy, Texas. The turnout was exceptional and a series of other planned meetings took place so that everyone could voice their opinions and concerns on the current state of our community. There was such great a sense of pride and togetherness that it became the fuel needed to uniting together and doing something great for our people. In every movement, timing is everything! On September 14, at the office of HHU Legal Counsel Mac-Pierre Louis, Houston Haitians United was named and formed. Houston Haitians United was created out of the strong desire to unify all Haitians in the greater Houston area and keeping strong ties to our beloved island of Haiti! So, with all the Father’s blessings, our journey to fulfilling our mission statement has begun!

Above: Houston Haitians United members gathering relief supplies for Houston residents affected by Hurricane Harvey earlier this Fall.

Kreyolicious: What advice would you give to those who’d like to move to Houston?
Many people who relocate to Houston have reservations about moving and surviving without their Haitian culture in a place that’s foreign to them. I can proudly say that the community here has a lot of momentum and is growing rapidly. So, Houston is definitely somewhere you can relocate to and feel at home. There are five Haitian churches and two Haitian restaurants. Furthermore, promoters bring Haitian bands at least twice a year.

This concludes PART I of the interview with Houston Haitians United. Watch out for PART II. Meanwhile…you know the drill—

CLICK HERE to visit the Houston Haitians United website!| Houston Haitians United on Instagram |