When British artist/curator Leah Gordon reached out to Haitian-born painter and sculptor Edouard Duval-Carrié a few years ago for help curating an exhibit focused on the city of Port-au-Prince, Gordon left a lot to the imagination.

But she also knew what she wanted.

“The concept she outlined was to organize a very ambitious presentation of the city of Port-au-Prince and identify within its confines, poles of cultural production focusing on the visual arts,” said Duval-Carrié, recalling their conversation.

Duval-Carrié, who was born and raised in Port-au-Prince, knew exactly where to go to bring Gordon’s vision to life: Grand Rue, the capital’s grand street where junk, scraps and automobile parts are transformed daily into expressions of everyday life in Haiti, and where Haitian art has undergone a rebirth.

“The apocalyptic vision they present to us in their powerful sculptures is a far cry from the production that has characterized Haitian art production in the decades prior,“ Duval-Carrié said about Grand Rue’s homespun artists.

That vision is part of the large-scale exhibition, “PÒTOPRENS: The Urban Artists of Port-au-Prince,” being featured at the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami. Curated by Duval-Carrié, Gordon and others, it brings together the works of 20 Haitian artists. Their work includes sculptures, photographs, films and a recreated Port-au-Prince barbershop, all highlighting the capital’s street life and religious heritage. Together they provide a portrait of a historical city in flux, and Haiti’s chaotic intersections of history, art, religion, politics scene and cultural shifts.

“We selected the works from informal collectives of majority class artists creating art works from specific zones of production within the city making works, which are bound together by shared cultural and material practices,” said Gordon.

The exhibit, she added, “is envisioning Haitian contemporary art production through the lens of the city of Port-au-Prince.”

Echoing Gordon’s sentiments, Duval-Carrié said the artists being exhibited “are responding to the spiraling collapse of the Haitian economy and by extant the expanding divide between North and South.

“We hope that not only the general public but in particular the Haitian expatriates living in Miami may realize that artists such as the Grand Rue collective are engaged in discussions that situates them at the core of the North-South dilemma and that their production illustrates very forcefully the disparities that are creating a most untenable situation worldwide,” he said.

The exhibit will run until Aug. 11. The cost of viewing the exhibit at MOCA is free for members and $10 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.

The exhibit is one of many displays of Haitian art and culture that will be available next month when South Florida celebrates Haitian Heritage month.

Haitian Heritage Month Events

May 2, 5-9 p.m.: Dance to the rhythms of Little Haiti Rara Lakay, and DJ Gardy’s blend of konpa, rara with electronic and house beats during Community Night at Pérez Art Museum Route 1804: The Evolution of the Flag and the Beat. Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Free

May 3, 3-6 p.m.: A free cultural Conversation at the Betsy Hotel, 1440 Ocean Dr. Miami Beach. Join several prominent members of the South Florida community as they discuss life as a “hyphenated” American of Caribbean descent.

May 10, 7 p.m.: Enjoy a curated experience with ROUTE 1804, Evolution: The Flag at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, 212 NE 59th Terr., Miami. Free

May 16, 10 p.m.-4 a.m.: Miami Haitian Compas Festival Welcome to Miami Hang Out Thursday party, featuring Enposib, Magik Kenny, Dj Bullet, Valmix, DJ FMA, Ted Bounce. Cafe iguana Pines, 8358 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines. Cost is $30 in advance, more at the door. For tickets go to eventbrite.

May 16, 8-midnight: The Citadel food hall at 8300 NE Second Ave., Miami will host konpa on the rooftop with Haitian musician, MikaBen and local DJs. The free event will also feature food and conversation.

May 17, 6-11 p.m.: Sounds of Little Haiti at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, 212 NE 54th St., featuring System Band. The free outdoor concert will also celebrate Haitian Flag Day, May 18.

May 17, 10 p.m.-4 a.m.: Miami Haitian Compas Festival, Black Party featuring Djakout #1, Zenglen, Kai, Roody Roodboy. Cafe Iguana Pines, 8358 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines. Cost is $40 in advance. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.

May 17, 10 p.m.-5 a.m:, Miami Haitian Compas Festival, Black Party featuring Harmonik, Vayb, Nu Look, Kreyol La. Wynwood Factory, 55 NE 24th St., Miami. Cost is $40 in advance. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.

May 18, 4 p.m-6 a.m: The 21st annual Haitian Compas Festival returns to Mana Wynwood, Midtown Miami, 318 NW 23rd St., Miami. The event features the top bands in Haitian konpa music. Cost is $50 in advance for general admission, $100 VIP. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite or call 305-945-8814.

May 18, 10 pm.-4 a.m.: Haitian Compas Festival after party featuring Kai, Enposib at Club Reign, 9940 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines. Cost is $40 in advance. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.

May 19, 10 p.m.-4 a.m.: Haitian Compas Festival All White Affair featuring Vayb, Nu Look, Harmonik, Tony Mixx and DJ Heavy at Cafe Iguana Pines, 8358 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines. Cost is $40 in advance. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.

May 20, 10 p.m.-4 a.m.: Haitian Compas Festival GoodBye Miami party featuring Zenglen, T-Vice and Gabel at at Cafe Iguana Pines, 8358 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines. Cost is $30 in advance. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.

May 25, 7 p.m.: Haitian American Leadership Organization (HALO) 14th annual HALO Cultural Night celebrating Haitian women in the history of Haiti and featuring konpa band, T-Vice. Cost is $175 for general admission and $225 for VIP, JW Marriott Ballroom, 1109 Brickell Ave., Miami. Tickets can be purchased at www.halohaiti.org/tickets/

Garcelle Beauvais is the pride of the Haitian community, not because she’s an actress in Hollywood who happens to be Haitian, but because she’s a staple in Hollywood, who is perceived as clinging to Haitian values, even though she’s lived in Hollywood land for most of her life—but with her chin up in the air. The St. Marc native didn’t have it easy from the beginning. Her father Axel and her mother Marie-Claire divorced when she was a little girl. Not too long after, Marie-Claire moved to the United States—Massachusetts specifically—and one by one, she brought her kids with her (Garcelle has five brothers and two sisters).

Around the time she was 16, Garcelle’s family moved to Miami (her parents had reconciled, only to break up for good again). But with Garcelle’s gorgeous features and leggy figure, New York came calling on a gramophone, and she headed there and signed with Ford, one of the biggest modeling agencies in the world. She even got a few roles in movies (she’s one of the rose bearers in the classic comedy film Coming to America), and TV shows, and actually played a model on a short-lived television show about models, before striking gold as a star cast member on “The Jamie Foxx Show”. From then on, TV producers seem to always have her in mind, as she took on lead strong women roles in the early 2000’s detective show “NYPD Blue”, followed by “Eyes” and more recently “Franklin & Bash”. Currently, she has a role on “Psych”, and is pretty much one of the few television actresses who still remain relevant on TV today as when they first started. Many people don’t realize that at one point Garcelle was even a video girl! She played the leading lady in at least two music videos, “Down Low”, “Come with Me”, “Take me Home” with the singer R. Kelly, rapper-mogul Diddy and crooner Luther Vandross—in that order.

The movie arena was not to be neglected and it never was. Watch for her in theaters in November alongside Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle in the thriller Flight. She and fellow actor, and one-time costar Jamie Foxx, will be reuniting for White House Down, an action-thriller, currently in pre-production. The two actors are going to be lighting up the screen with their much-vaunted chemistry! Joel Surnow directed her in a movie called Small Time, set to be released next year.

But more than an actress, and career woman, Garcelle is a mom—mother to Oliver Saunders, her son from her first marriage to Daniel Sanders and her twins Jax Joseph Nilon and Jaid Thomas Nilon from her defunct marriage to Christopher Nilon. And don’t forget about business woman. Ms. Beauvais launched a children’s jewelry line Petit Bijou years ago, and is swiftly moving into the publishing arena. She is the author soon-to-be published books in a series of three: the first I am Mixed, inspired by the biracial heritage of her two youngest. The second book will be a children’s book about co-parenting after divorce; the subject of the third has not yet been released to the press.

Throughout her life, Garcelle has emphasized the resilience of her nurse mom—whose death in 2008 at age 80—left Garcelle understandably devastated. Her father died in 1990, seeing only a glimpse of his daughter’s success (he had actually been opposed the idea of her going to New York to launch her modeling career).

So on a Friday, when the folks on the East Coast are well into their day, Garcelle has just dropped off her twin boys at school. She’s having coffee at her home in California, during what she calls some “alone me time”. She sounds like a perky receptionist throughout our phone conversation, as she talks about her sons, Haiti, Haitian men, her career and the dating scene–and Eyes to See, the most personal movie project she’s done so far.

Q & A

K. St. Fort: Of course, I’d like to start off and discuss this movie. It’s now on DVD. It’s called Eyes to See. This is basically the first Haiti-themed movie you’ve done. How did you get approached about playing this role of Marie in this movie?
My manager got a call from the production company, and she read it, and she called me and said, “I think this is something you’re going to want to do.” By the time I finished reading it, I was like, “You’re absolutely right.” I just loved the story. I thought, “You know what? We should keep Haiti at the forefront of everybody’s mind.” I loved the relationship between Marie and the other characters. I thought it was really profound. I wanted to do something that represented what was going on at the time.

K. St. Fort: This movie was partly filmed in Haiti, correct?
The exteriors and some of the other shots were shot in Haiti. The others were shot in L.A.

K. St. Fort: Your mother’s name was Marie-Claire.
Yeah! In reading this script, there were so many things that I connected with. The name of the character was very, very surreal to me. Obviously I connected with the Haitian part, being Haitian and having a Haitian background. The name of the character. Great timing. Great script. And when I met with the director David [de Vos], I felt that he was someone who was passionate and compassionate for Haiti and he represented it the right way.

K. St. Fort: Speaking of representation, the character Ray in the movie is a camera man, who had to go from behind the scenes. At one point, he has to decide between capturing—getting a good story—and saving a life. In terms of how Haiti has been portrayed in the media, what are your thoughts?
I think we’re still a work in progress. I think things have changed so much from my teenage years, from when I started modeling. Whenever you said, “I’m Haitian”, people immediately thought of AIDS, poverty. I think we’ve come a long way in the sense that people don’t think of us like that anymore. We’re thought of being intelligent, proud and honest people. I think there’s a whole lot more to be accomplished.

K. St. Fort: After Eyes to See, are you going to become involved in other Haitian-themed projects?
If it’s presented to me, yeah, I’m definitely open. Absolutely. If it’s a good script. I think Eyes to See was—at the time of the earthquake—such a passionate story. I felt that it was going to be done well, and like I said, I wanted to tell people to people not forget about Haiti—with the other disasters going on. It was a way of doing something that would last, and hopefully tell people not to forget.

K. St. Fort: When you play a character on TV, do you sometimes feel some kind of obligation to have your character be Haitian?
No. I mean I don’t have a say in that. It’s whoever writes the script. I feel for me, as a Haitian actress, I’ve always been careful about the roles I play. I try to pick roles that are not demeaning. I try to pick roles that are non-degrading. Roles that are not gonna set us back. Not only am I Haitian, but I’m a mom. I don’t feel that I should do anything that will take us step backwards. All the characters that I’ve played have been honest—not necessarily good people—but positive roles.

K. St. Fort: I’m wondering if you feel any type of pressure as being “The Haitian Actress”. I remember this girl saying that you were hosting some Haitian event some years ago, and some in the crowd asked you to speak a little Creole and you refused. She kinda took offense. Do you ever feel like—
I speak Creole all the time. Anywhere, I’m at. At an event. At Haitian gatherings. I don’t believe that story to be true. People are always surprised that I speak Creole. But I’m always like, why would I not speak Creole. I am Haitian.

No, no. The thing that I wanted to bring out from that—sometimes people see you. They expect so much from you. Do you ever feel like you have to be everything to everyone? Haitians expect so much from you.
I think I expect so much more of myself. I can be pretty tough on myself. It’s part of the job. I think when people see you, they expect you to look like you’re happy all the time. We’re just like everybody else. There are good days, and there are bad days. Frustrations. I always put my best foot forward, especially if I’m representing a brand, or something at an event. I’m one of the people who talk everybody, sign autographs, and will take as many pictures. My fans make me what I am. If you’re ever anywhere I’m at, you’re like, “How do you do it?” That’s part of the job. I feel that if If I’m not gracious, take pictures, not signing autographs, then I’m not doing my part. If I’m at an event, I know what people expect. Some actresses will stay behind the ropes, and not want to take pictures, not talk to anybody. I’m usually that person who goes way beyond the fact of what I’m supposed to be there and used for; and I feel like, this is who I am.

K. St. Fort: You’re the most well-known Haitian actress in Hollywood. At one point, you weren’t the only one, and actually there were some that started before you—that no one knew were Haitian. But you’ve always been—in your interviews, bio and everything—-you’ve always been forefront about being Haitian. What is the difference between you and these other ladies?
I can’t speak for them. But for me, I was always taught to be proud. I never shy from that. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t be proud of where you’re from. For me, there was never a shame. There was never a, “Oh my God. I can’t say that I’m from Haiti.” It’s like I’m proud that I am from Haiti. Everything about me—good and bad—made me who I am. No regrets. No shame. It’s part of my makeup. And I’m proud of it. If you come to my house, as soon as you walk in the door, I have a Haitian vodun flag, a vodun king, kids wearing uniforms in Haiti.

K. St. Fort: Back when you started, there was this negative stigma with being Haitian. How did you navigate through that?
You know what? It was never in my home. My mom toujou di, “Fò’w fyè”. You should be proud. I think you get that stuff if you’re taught that stuff. It wasn’t in our home. I never thought of it. It never crossed my mind. We were always proud. Haitian dishes. Matter of fact, I had some friends over the other day, and I told them, “The next time you come, I’m cooking a Haitian dish.” I never took it upon myself—that negativity—was part of who I am.

K. St. Fort: Some people are wondering…would Garcelle date a Haitian man?
Um. [Tremendous laughter] I am open to dating a good man, so whatever forms he comes in, then great. I would have to date a Haitian man who’s more Americanized. A traditional Haitian man would probably not go for the way my life is…in terms of what I do. I’m only speaking of that in terms of my sisters’ husbands. I’m open to all nationalities. It would actually be fun to date somebody Haitian. We can speak in Creole. He’d understand my background and culture. Yeah, I’m totally open.

K. St. Fort: You never had a Haitian boyfriend or anything like that?
I did, I did; I did. Back in the days when I was younger, I did.

K. St. Fort: You said you had a Haitian boyfriend before. Was it something about them that turned you off to marriage?
No, no. I never dated—I was so young then. It wasn’t about getting married. We were just dating. I haven’t yet met a Haitian man who’s asked asked me out. [Laughter]

K. St. Fort: Say for example, say a Haitian man who wants to romance Garcelle…
Have fun, I think. [Long stream of laughter]. Great dinners and nights, you know. Someone who’s honest and fun. Who loves God too.

K. St. Fort: Can it be anybody, career-wise? Like a carpenter? A blue-collar worker?
Yeah. [Laughs] Well, yeah. I’m not, you know, he has to have six figures; you have to have to have this and that. I’m looking for somebody who’s fun, loving, honest. It doesn’t matter what he does.

K. St. Fort: God, I hope this doesn’t come out wrong. Has the fact that you’ve dated two men who were outside your culture and “race”, made you more open to dating a black man?
I’ve always been open to dating black men. Oliver’s dad is black. I’m not opposed to it. It’s that the right people have to approach me. I love who loves me; I love who comes to me. I’m accessible to everybody. I’m receptive to everybody. I can’t just go out and look for only one type of man. Life is tough enough. I love who loves me; who approaches me.

K. St. Fort: Right now, there’s this big tourism movement. And your family being from St. Marc—are you involved in anything at the moment that would bring that city to the forefront?
Not at the moment. My sisters and I are trying to come up with something that we can do. We’re in the process of figuring this out now.

K. St. Fort: Do you ever think about moving to Haiti someday, starting a business there, staying there on a permanent basis?
I can’t move to Haiti because of my kids, because of my divorce. They have to be close to their dad. That’s not even—I can’t entertain that. Plus my career is in the United States. Maybe someday. Maybe I’ll start an organization. But my life is here. My kids are here.

K. St. Fort: Now in terms of your kids….do you teach them Creole?
They know some. Oliver knows some. Jaid is much more interested in learning. Jaxson has no interest. He only wants to play. They know certain words. Sometimes, they’ll do something; I’ll get frustrated. I start speaking Creole. I’ll crack them up, and they’ll know what I mean.

K. St. Fort: Have you ever taken your kids to Haiti?
No, no, no, not yet. When the earthquake happened, the boys were too young. The next time I come, Oliver’s definitely coming with me.

K. St. Fort: Do you have a good relationship with Oliver.
We have a great relationship. He’s a young man who’s trying to find his way. He tells me everything, to a fault. [Laughs]

K. St. Fort: If you could give advice to all the girls out there about love, relationships, and marriage, what would you say?
First of all, I would say, be true to you. I don’t think you should have to give up part of you just to be with somebody else. I think it’s important if you can start with self-love. Loving yourself, you will not allow other people to hurt you unnecessarily. Love yourself. Have boundaries for yourself [so] that you won’t let anybody hurt you. I think that it’s also finding a good person, who has the same morals, the same goals with you. Relationships are tough no matter what. If you have somebody who has a lot in common with you, that’s half the battle. Obviously, I don’t know. I have two divorces. I’m not an expert. I think self-love is where you can start off with.

K. St. Fort: You and your mom were so close. She raised you and your siblings by herself. What are some of the things you learned from her about life, love, and marriage.
I definitely learned strength from her. Being a strong Haitian woman. Having integrity. My mom was working—she was trying to take care of us. And I just feel like I didn’t see a working relationship between a man and a woman. So that’s what I aspire to do with my kids.

Are you saying that you and your mom didn’t get along?
No, no, no. I loved my mom. We got along great. I’m saying in terms, of seeing her as a role model with a man in a healthy relationship.

K. St. Fort: You think that’s had an effect on you and your own relationships?
I think everything a parent does affects us. It’s the way we do things. We’re all on our journey. I try to figure it all out. Doing a lot of self-work. Figuring out myself so that I can have a wonderful, healthy relationship with a man. That’s what I’m saying.

K. St. Fort: How did it feel to be reuniting with your old co-star Jamie Foxx.
Yeah, it’s going to be fun. I was just in Montreal. We had a photo shoot. We had to do photos—all the stuff for the set. He’s playing the president and I’m the First Lady. He was great. He’s like a brother to me. Being on the set with him was like old times. It’s like time never passed. I love that man.

Garcelle and her mom Marie-Claire Beauvais at a charity event in 2003 in New Century, CA. Credit: Bauer Griffin

Photos: Getty Images

When most people meet Francie Latour, they’re probably surprised to learn that she only has two hands. After all, she is a journalist, a writer, a blogger, a mom and a wife who is raising three biracial children in New England. Latour has also worked as an editor for various colleges and universities. Her writing career has included bylines in magazines like Essence, Ebony, The Washington Post’s The Root, and to newspapers like the Boston Globe, where she’s written about everything from race, to ethnicity, multicultural identity, parenting and education. She’s recently added diversity programming in higher education to her list of activities. It’s certainly different from everything else on her resume, but it is something she absolutely loves.

Are you curious already about what she might have to say about Haitian-American identity, Haiti, and other assorted matters? Indulge your curiosity a bit and read her thoughts.

Q & A

What was it like growing up in a Haitian-American household?
For me, growing up in a Haitian-American household meant having a very early awareness of hyphens, and early experiences navigating hyphenated identity. “Francie” is actually a nickname. My given name is Marie-France — a name that expressed my parents’ love for French culture, but also deeply personal hopes (“Marie” comes from my mother, Marie-Gilberte, “France” comes my father, Frantz). From early on, I felt that hyphen as both a bridge and a tightrope between very different cultures and very different parents. As a kid everyone called me Chou-Chou, which seemed like the best thing in the world –until I got to school in suburban Philadelphia, and then it was the worst thing in the world. As a child, there is often nothing more powerful than the feeling of wanting to belong. In the 7th grade, when I changed schools, I changed my name to Francie (and asked my family to please never call me Chou-Chou in public!). It took me a while to come back to embracing the Haitian half of my Haitian-American identity. Now, when I take my kids to their favorite Haitian restaurant and watch them wolf down the food, I take a huge breath and smile. But I also wonder how much more they might identify as Haitian themselves if I hadn’t spent so much time trying to be as American as possible for so long. Politics was a big thing growing up in my house. I can remember friends of my parents coming over late at night, settling into the couches in our basement with some acra and a glass of wine, and shouting at the top of their lungs about Duvalier and Manigat and Namphy. Really, really loud. It was amazing. Even when I was too young to understand who or what they were talking about, I could sense their raw passion and the incredibly high stakes involved, because politics and basic human rights were always completely intertwined. The other big thing in my house was excellence. “If you’re going to be a street sweeper, be the absolute best street sweeper. That’s all I care about,” my mother used to say. It was expected that we would study hard and do really well in school. A love of learning and a desire to achieve are the biggest gifts my parents have given me in life.

Writing is definitely your first love. How did this love for writing and journalism develop?
I used to go to my father’s office and write on his manual typewriter. The keys were incredibly shiny and rounded, and I loved the sound and the feel of pushing the carriage-return lever. But I didn’t think seriously about writing as a career until college, when I got a “D” in calculus and realized I would never become a doctor. I think, too, I was aware of the impact of journalism in both the American and Haitian contexts. Even though I was not born in Haiti and didn’t grow up there, the awareness that people have died for the things they have written colors how I feel about what I do, and has helped me not to lose focus in the choices I’ve made in my career as an American journalist.

With technology, it would seem that everyone, and anyone can be a journalist.
Yes, that’s true. I think that’s both a good and bad thing. There’s a lot that the American media doesn’t get, doesn’t get right or completely ignores. I think those flaws are more obvious now, because there is so much more access for people who are not in the media to have their voices heard and even be extremely influential. At the same time, there’s a way that viral-driven media shapes conversations or walls out other conversations that I find troubling. A couple of bloggers start commenting on Olympic champion Gabrielle Douglass’s hair, and then another blogger who’s more established than blogs about what they said, and then someone from the Huffington Post gets it on their radar, and before you know it the issue of Gabby Douglass’s hair has become a thing. Was it ever a real cultural phenomenon? Was it manufactured? How can we know what’s really important or what’s really relevant?

You seem the type of person who might have a book in her.
I’ve been told this, although being the type of person to write a book and being an actual person who writes an actual book are very different things! I’m not terribly disciplined. And I fear failure. The fear of attempting to write a book and never finishing it or never having it be published or it not being excellent trumps the desire to attempt it.

The Boston Globe actually had you on staff at one point. What was the experience like, working for one of the biggest dailies in the world, and one of the most prestigious newspapers in the USA?
Working at the Globe shaped me in very formative ways. I learned more about things that mattered in the world, things that matter in a workplace, and things that matter to me than in any other job I ever had and probably will ever have. Newsrooms are exciting places to be. Because the environment is consuming and intense, the relationships are also. Many of my closest friends and mentors are people I met through the Globe.

What if you were in a room with aspiring writers? What advice would give to them?
Read read read read. The best way to become a better writer is to read, and to study the architecture of every good piece of writing you come across.

You are raising bicultural children? What have you learned so far in multicultural parenting?
My kids are still very young—7, 4, and 3—so their understanding of skin color, difference, culture and race is still limited. But I’m struck by how powerful messages about all of those things can take hold, even in kids so young. Like a lot of biracial siblings, my kids all have different complexions on the light-dark spectrum. I was in the car with my two oldest one morning when my daughter, who was 3 then, was trying to tease her older brother. Out of the blue she said, “And I’m lighter than you!” And my son, who was 6, said, “No you’re not! You’re medium and I’m medium!”. I could barely maintain my lane on the road. At 3, my daughter had already been exposed to and apparently digested the societal message that lighter is somehow better. It was an early taste of many things I’m sure are coming down the pike in figuring out how to help them understand themselves and embrace all of who they are.

We live in a very small rural town, where most of my husband’s large Irish-American family is from. There is one stoplight in our town, and almost no people of color. When I’m with the kids, I don’t actually spend much time there. I get them in the car or on the commuter rail and we go to Boston or Cambridge. At first I got a little crazy trying to plan these structured outings, wanting to create these perfect, transforming capsules of experiencing diversity. Now I don’t do that. I often don’t know exactly where we’ll end up or if anything will be going on when we get there, but I focus on being in neighborhoods or spots where I know they are going to be interacting with kids who look different, speak different languages, etc. I also take them to NYC every chance that I get to spend time with family on my mom’s side, who all live there. It sounds obvious, but one thing I try to be mindful of is that neither my husband nor I can fully know our kids’ experience. I know what it’s like to grow up in America as a black person with two black parents. My husband knows what it’s like to grow up in America as white with two white parents. Our kids are experiencing something much more blended and layered. The most important thing I can do for them is to make sure that they feel at home in the world and that they never feel divided against themselves.

How have you seen Haitian and Haitian-American identity change over the years?
That’s a really interesting question. I think the emergence of some Haitian-Americans in pop culture, like Wyclef, for example, has been a great thing just in terms of people understanding the beauty and vibrancy of Haitian culture, and how it is deeply rooted but also expansive and feeds off of other cultural influences. Politically it’s been interesting to see the rise of Haitian-Americans winning elected office in the US. So much of the political conversation and investment and gaze in the diaspora has been focused on Haiti, and still is for obvious reasons. But it’s great to see Haitian-Americans staking their claim in solving problems for their communities and claiming leadership roles in districts and communities that are largely non-Haitian. I think the earthquake has had and continues to have powerful ripple effects in connecting Haitian-Americans back to Haiti – and in doing so, strengthening peoples’ sense of their Haitian-ness and pride in that. People want to rebuild and raise money and address problems and demand accountability in government, but that’s not all they want. They also want to tell Haiti’s story as a story that is not just defined by extreme poverty or corruption. That’s an amazing thing.

Do you see Haiti playing a big part in your life, and the life of your children as well as the lives of other Haitian-Americans in the near future?
I think one of my biggest regrets is never having had a chance to live there and grow up there for a significant period of time. I would love for it to play a role in my kids’ lives and I continue to explore it in my own life. About a year ago, my mother sat down and told me a story about the family of her godmother being targeted under Duvalier. Many members in this extended family were killed, including small children. I’m 41 years old; my mother is in her 70s. I couldn’t believe I had never heard this story before, and it made me want to stop everything and spend a week doing an oral history with her. There are a lot of things I want to know and need to ask if I want my life and my kids’ lives to have that connection.

The entrepreneur Victor Kaim reportedly said, “An entrepreneur assumes the risk and is dedicated and committed to the success of whatever he or she undertakes.” If he were alive today (he died in the early 2000s), Marie Jean-Baptiste would probably be a safe bet for him as an investor. She’s on her sixth business. Rue107, her latest venture, begun five years ago in New York.

The line has won praises from fashion bastion Vogue, and stopped conversations during this year’s Essence Magazine’s festival this year. Clearly, ms. Jean-Baptiste, has a mind for business.

But the Port-au-Prince-born and Brooklyn-raised businesswoman didn’t always have a business mindset, but she always had foresight. When she graduated from high school, she did so with a vocational diploma in nursing, ready to battle the post-secondary world. After her application to the Fashion Institute in NYC was rejected, she continued to pursue a career in healthcare as a registered nurse. But you can’t cower from what you’re meant to do. One year away from graduating with her undergraduate nursing degree, Ms. Jean-Baptiste walked off to launch her contemporary women’s fashion line.

In the first segment of our convo, we mostly discussed Rue107, and what it’s like to be a fashion entrepreneur. This part of our discussion centers more on Haiti and Haitian-American culture.

Kreyolicious: So, you came here from Haiti when you were little. What was it like becoming Haitian-American?
Becoming Haitian-American was a completely different and scary experience for me. It’s always weird transitioning from a place you’ve called your home your whole life to now making a different country your home. Everything in Brooklyn, and New York City for that matter, is so fast-paced and it took a while adjusting too. Now, I love and appreciate the diversity this city has to offer.

Kreyolicious: Have you been to Haiti recently?
I visited Haiti this past January. There are some noticeable changes from what I remember. I saw a lot of influence from the Haitian diaspora mixed with our traditional cultural treasures. I think the hybrid of those two things is transforming Haiti in a great haven for entrepreneurship, tourism, infrastructure and overall economic growth.

Kreyolicious: Would you ever consider having a photo shoot in Haiti?
A photo shoot in Haiti would be so much fun! Having the bold colors of Haiti mixed with the bold prints from Rue.

Kreyolicious: Are you immersed in the culture now?
It’s hard to not be immersed in a culture that is a part of who I am. I always try to incorporate a little bit of that Haitian flare throughout the prints of the Rue107 clothing line.

Kreyolicious: Any Haitian artists you currently follow?
I love the classics- Sweet Micky, T-vice, Boukman, Emeline Michel, Tabou Combo. I need to get in the groove of the new school!

Kreyolicious: Girl, what’s your favorite Haitian meal?
I love taso kabrit! I order it from Le Soleil restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen–such a gem in the neighborhood. I read recently they are the oldest Haitian restaurant in the city, amazing food. I also love tchaka and soup joumou, which my mom makes for me sometimes.

Kreyolicious: Do you source Haiti based vendors for Rue107?
I am currently not sourcing with Haiti based vendors, but I would love to learn more about the process. It would be a rewarding feeling to say I was able to contribute to the growth of Haiti and that Haiti has contributed to the growth of Rue107.

Kreyolicious: Have you ever thought of starting a fashion school in Haiti, or holding fashion seminars?
This is an ongoing conversation I have with myself, my family and my peers. I am at the stage where I am recovering Haiti as an adult. After being away for nineteen years, it feels so good to connect again, and I can’t wait to see how it will all play out in my entrepreneurial journey.

If you missed PART I of the interview with Marie Jean-Baptiste, the founder of Route107, CLICK HERE!

GET TO KNOW RUE107 AND ITS DESIGNER MARIE JEAN-BAPTISTE.

Got kids? Nephews? Godkids? Little nephews…well, you get my drift. You can use these 50 Children’s books to teach them about Haiti and Haitian culture!

1. My First English-Haitian Creole Illustrated Dictionary
by Anne-Valerie Dorsainvil
(Educavision)
A pictorial dictionary to help elementary-aged children discover Creole, while enhancing their overall vocabulary skills.

2. Where is Lola by Maureen Boyer
Illustrated by Kula Moore
(One Moore Book)
Lola the dog has gone missing. Will she be found?

3. Mama’s Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation
by Edwidge Danticat
Illustrated by Leslie Staub
(Penguin)
An undocumented mother finds herself separated from her daughter.

4. Haiti My Country: Poems by Haitian School Children
by Roge
(Fifth House Publishers)

5. Josephine’s ‘Magination by Arnold Dobrin
Illustrated by Arnold Dobrin
(Scholastic)

6. Eight Days: A Story of Haiti
by Edwidge Danticat
Illustrated by Alix Delinois
(Orchard Books)

7. Janjak and Freda Go to the Iron Market
by Elizabeth J. Turnbull
Illustrated by Mark Jones
(Light Messages)

8. The Last Mapou
Written by: Edwidge Danticat
Illustrated by: Edouard Duval-Carrié
(One Moore Book)

9. Popo and Fifina
by Langston Hughes and Arna Bontemps
Illustrated by E. Simms Campbell
(Oxford University Press)

10. Mommy Tell Me About Haiti
by Jeanine Agnant
Illustrated by Alexandra Barbot
(Educavision)

At this point, you can continue reading the partial countdown…or you can…Go ahead and watch the FULL VIDEO below to get the COMPLETE LIST:

11. Elsie
by Cybille St. Aude
Illustrated by Marie-Cecile Charlier
(One Moore Book)

12. Mmmmm Soup Joumou
by Carline Smothers
(CreateSpace)

13. I Am Riding
by MJ Fievre
Illustrated by Jean-Pierre Icart
(One Moore Book)

14. Fabiola Can Count
by Katia D. Ulysse
Illustrated by: Kula Moore
(One Moore Book)

15. Night Owl and the Rooster
by Charles Reasoner
(Troll Communications)

16. Haiti: The First Black Republic
by Frantz Derenoncourt, Jr
Illustrated by Eminence System

17. Josias, Hold the Book
by Jennifer Elvgren
Illustrated by Necole Tagdell
(Boyd Mills)

18. A is for Ayiti
by Ibi Zoboi
Illustrated by Joseph Zoboi
(One Moore Book)

19. Dusable: Pirate, Son and City Founder
by Alexandra Barbot and Franz Loibl
(Amazon Digital)

20. Bouki Dances the Kokioko
by Diane Wolkstein
(Harcourt)

21. Janjak The Rooster Who Wouldn’t Wake Up
By KJ Crane
Illustrated by Mondelus Wilgens, Roody J. Michel and Tchilaah Israel
(Educavision)

22. Bobo The Sneaky Dog
by Mireille Lauture, Ph.D
(AuthorHouse)

23. Please Malese: A Trickster Tale from Haiti
by Amy McDonald
Illustrated by Emily Lister

24. Fanmi Mwen, My Family
by Carline Smothers
Illustrated by Fuuju Takashi
(Create Space)

25. Anacaona: Ayiti’s Taino Queen
by Maryse Noel Roumain
(Trafford)

So there you have it folks, 50 Haitian Children’s Books You Can Use To Teach Your Kids About Haiti and Haitian Culture, curated by your favorite chick Kreyolicious!

Did you enjoy reading and viewing this 50 Haitian Children’s Books You Can Use To Teach Your Kids About Haiti and Haitian Culture countdown? CLICK HERE to read more about Haiti-related books, and read author interviews!

Photo Credit: Brainshares

On January 27th 1801, Toussaint Louverture invaded the eastern part of Hispaniola, captured Santo Domingo and declared freedom for all slaves on, he then appointed a ten-member Central Assembly to issue a constitution.
However, under Napoleon Bonaparte, France reimposed slavery in most of its Caribbean islands in 1802. Napoleon sent an army led by Charles Leclerc to bring order and reimpose slavery in Saint-Domingue.

Following those events, thousands of the French troops succumbed to yellow fever by the summer, and more than half of the French army died because of disease.
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#culture #istwa #montreal #haitien #haitian #ayiti #ayitien #ourstory #controlthenarrative #napoleonbonaparte #charlesleclerc #istwa1804 #mystory #history #haitianrevolution #haiti #istwa #saintdomingue #santodomingo #hispaniola #toussaintlouverture #leclerc #dessalines #overstand #christophe #yellowfever #henrichristophe #freedom #napoleonbonaparte #napoleon #slavery

Pop star Jason Derulo held a fundraiser for his Just For You Foundation in Beverly Hills this past Thursday with the theme “Heart of Haiti”. The singer has emphasized that the mission of the nonprofit is to (among other other goals) help promote education, safe housing, and health in the US and globally. Derulo, who was born in Miami to Haitian parents, has visited Haiti several times. Earlier this year, he traveled to the island motherland to film a music video. Like many Haitian-Americans in the spotlight, he tries to use his notoriety to bring positive stories about Haiti in the media.

Jason and his team had a custom-made favor done to represent the theme of the gala.

Here is Jason addressing the crowd.

The singer donned an elegant tuxedo for the event.

Among those in the audience were actors Jean-Pierre Vertus, Sean Penn, Garcelle Beauvais, performers Mikaben (who came directly from Haiti especially for the event), Shaggy, and Tyler Hubbard. Derulo is seen posing below with Penn, Garcelle, and Hubbard.

Jason’s immediate family were on hand to help him celebrate his philanthropy.

Here is the singer with Jamaican reggae star Shaggy.

Shaggy was among the performers for the night.

Singer-songwriter Mikaben performing a Haitian Creole classic for the Californians.

Actor Jean-Pierre Vertus was among the guests of honor. Here he is posing with his wife Katy Corr, Garcelle, Hubbard, and Penn.

Here’s a full view of Garcelle’s outfit! Girl kills it every time, wi!

On this occasion she decided to don this black pantsuit.

In an interview with Forbes magazine, Derulo stated that President Donald Trump’s alleged comments about Haiti being a s_hole was what motivated him to focus on the island. He further states that visiting the island to get a first-hand view of what actor-activist Sean Penn was doing in the mid-2010s through his JP Haro organization also inspired him.

This past August, the singer attended the Blockchain Conference, a conference about planning for the future through philanthropy and technology.

To visit the Just For You Foundation, and see how you can help Jason Derulo and his team achieve the aims of the foundation, CLICK HERE.

Photos: Alberto E. Rodriguez, Derulo Family

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