The hyphenated word multi-faceted was made for people like Michèle Voltaire Marcelin. Voltaire-Marcelin has written short stories, as in the short narratives that have been highly anthologized. And then there are the paintings that have been exhibited everywhere from Port-au-Prince to D.C. to New York. The acting bug bites religiously and Voltaire-Marcelin has had roles in such films as Raoul Peck’s L’homme Sur Les Quais and Patricia Benoit’s Se Mèt Kò.

She’s most prolific as a poet. Voltaire Marcelin’s pen has churned out two volumes of poetry: Lost and Found and Amours et Bagatelles. “Stones Don’t Bleed”, one of her poetic pieces, is an unmistakeable tribute to the often-touted resilience of the long-suffering women of Haiti:

I know not the beginning nor the ending
but pain is eternal and speaks in multiple voices
Need I add mine to the chorus
when death comes and finds me alone
When I am turned to stone and bone
I will bleed a red thread in the ground

“In Defiance” pays tribute to the intrepid women over the course of the history of Haiti, who have rebelled and gone against the odds as a reaction to their turbulent world. For some reason, in reading the poem, I thought of Yvonne Hakeem-Rimpel, a Haitian feminist from the 1950s, who had been beaten and left for dead, whom I had first heard of when I read Elizabeth Abbott’s book Haiti: The Duvaliers and Their Legacy. Michèle Voltaire Marcelin obviously has women’s causes close to her heart, as seen not only by her feminism-driven work, but her choice of projects when performing. She once had a one-woman show based on Walking on Fire, Beverly Bell’s anthology of stories about the lives of Haitian women in Haiti, and in a staging of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues”.

Q&A

Do you think that the fact that you were born with that last name automatically made you a born writer?
That would be too easy- and at the same time paralyzing! Both Voltaire and Marcelin are the names of very talented writers. The French philosopher was one of the most intriguing and influential thinkers of the Age of Enlightenment and the Marcelin brothers, Pierre and Phillipe-Thoby, were Haitian poets and novelists whose work offered valuable insight into all levels of Haitian society. They were also founders of “La Revue Indigène” which motivated Haitian intellectuals to seek their inspiration from their African heritage. Writing is a gift that came very late to me and I have not the arrogance to think that what I write will have that kind of impact. But when I was an adolescent, books saved me from despair so I can only hope that my writing resonates with the reader and makes them feel less alone.  Frida Kahlo wrote: “I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it’s true I’m here, and I’m just as strange as you.” So, here’s to the one who will experience my writing and say, as a reader once did: “You are telling my story.”  

You spent some time in Chile. How’d you land there? How was that experience? Is there a large community of Haitians in Chile?
I always had a difficult love affair with Haiti- I loved her but she suffocated me. The society in Port-au-Prince was so rigidly codified, the air so rarified; it was difficult to breathe.  But even when you feel like you will die if you stay, it’s bittersweet to leave what you are familiar with at 16.  Like many important experiences and events in my life, it was purely accidental that I reached Santiago during that time. I owe that to the kindness of a brother who invited me to live with him. When I think of Chile, Violeta Parra comes to mind. Violeta who sang “Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto”, a song of gratitude, of reverence towards life and its many gifts. I think of Victor Jarra who was tortured by the military and whose hands were broken to stop him from playing his guitar – and still he sang “Venceremos!” (We will triumph). I remember the Liceo #7, the all girls’ school I attended in my navy and white uniform. I remember the theaters and museums and learning to speak Spanish by going to the cinema daily to watch dubbed films. I was in awe of the freedom Santiago offered me. Our Haitian community was so small, we knew each other by name. There were very few blacks at that time and passersby would stroke my arm and caress my Afro for luck. I left Chile in 1973 after the violent USA backed coup that overthrew Salvador Allende.  My brother and I had been detained in the infamous National Stadium, used as a detention and torture center for those suspected of sympathizing with the regime. I was one of the fortunate ones who was released unscathed. Nearly 40 years have passed. I have not returned since. 

Is it a privilege in life to write?
To write should be a right, but it is a privilege because in too many places, knowledge is withheld from a category of people. Depending on which country I was born in and my social class, I could be now be working day-in, day-out, from sun-up to sun-down on some back-breaking job. I might not have been taught to read or write. It would also be a privilege to breathe, to live, to have running water and electricity, to have legal recourse and access to education and healthcare. Any creative work would seem a blessing. Nevertheless, creative people are compelled to create and I don’t know if they view their compulsion as privilege. My experience with writing varies from feeling exalted at the moment of inspiration to doubtful and demoralized when advancing on the laborious, time-consuming work of revision. Ah, the time spent on editing…It reminds me of an Oscar Wilde quote: “I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again. I do not feel entrapped in the act of writing as it is only one of the creative activities I engage in; I am as shaped and defined by being a painter or an actress. I am an artist. It’s not a pretentious term. It is how I define myself. If I were a dressmaker or a cook, I would use these words.  I am an artist, and hopefully a decent human being.

You played the role of Madame Janvier, a big meanie in Raoul Peck’s film L’homme Sur Les Quais. How did you and Mr. Peck hook up? How did you prepare for the role? Would you play a villainess again?
As an actor, you do not label your character. You work from within – as if you were the character. You see, no one in life thinks they are the villain – they always have extenuating or mitigating circumstances to explain their actions; always pleading “Not guilty, your Honor” or  “Guilty with an explanation”!
Complex characters who make difficult life choices are fascinating. They also have better lines and I enjoy witty and sharp dialogue. It’s great fun!  I gravitate toward characters who seem unlikeable and the challenge is to make them human.  It’s not about creating a caricature but rather finding in each character the part that allows you to say – had this been me in this particular situation, perhaps I would have acted this way… It’s finding the truth in the moment – one of the multiple truths we face. To this day, people come to me and tell me how accurately I portrayed Madame Janvier.  I also played a brief part in Peck’s first feature Haitian Corner a few years before where I ended on the cutting room floor, so we knew each other. He called me and described the character he wanted me to play. Raoul has a very precise vision for his characters – what they should look like, how they should behave – even their intonation. The film was shot in San Pedro de Marcoris in the Dominican Republic. There were some scenes that were cut – one in particular where the character was caught with her lover in a compromising position in a Church’s confessional.

So you’re a poet, writer, performer and actress. How do you deal with creativity overload?
What a luxury it would be to have a creativity overload! I can imagine this cartoon character in a frenzy of action, a whirl of energy painting, writing, acting and pulling her hair out at the same time!  But unfortunately, the human brain only does one thing at a time. Distract it, overload it, do too many things at once, and creativity suffers. So I take frequent pauses to allow my wondrously inventive brain to renew itself. I love to cook and walk and laugh and spend time with my loved ones. That keeps me a very happy Mimi.

You wrote La Desenchantée, a novel. What inspired it?
La Désenchantée is a tale woven of childhood memories colored by lies and secrets. The background is Duvalier’s Port-au-Prince. The book guides us through the life journey of the narrator, an old woman who retraces her path, recalling details that provoked the characters’ loss of innocence. “All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster’s autobiography”,  Federico Fellini said.  The image that inspired the writing was the photograph of my mother who was so beautiful, she made men swoon. My father saw this image at a friend’s house and said “This is the woman I will marry.” He stole the picture and met the woman who would become the love of his life. Isn’t that passion inspiring?

What are you currently working on?
I wrote several texts inspired by the earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010 and its aftermath. They were very unlike the celebratory sensual poems of Lost and Found and Amours et Bagatelles. They were emotionally difficult pieces that I performed frequently throughout that year. I was overwrought reliving these events and it made me sick each time and last year after performances to commemorate the anniversary of the catastrophe that caused more than 200 thousand deaths – I decided to create a compilation of these poems. I want to write again from a place of love about what it means to live in the world, in all the difficulties and struggles of the world, amid the chaos of the world and still remain a decent human being.

In terms of your paintings, where do you find the inspiration for them?
Art is inspiring. I started painting because one day, I saw Rufino Tamayo’s paintings in a Mexican museum. It was a moment of epiphany. I was blown away! Beauty is inspiring – so is music. Sometimes, I’m inspired by a serendipitous collision of images, sounds, emotions – something that hits you accidentally as you turn the corner and will be translated in colors and textures on a canvas.

Nzingah Oniwosan is at the same time a dancer, dramatist, spoken-word artist, dancer, musician, and jewelry designer. Born in Miami to Haitian parents, her artistry is endless.

Her jewelry pieces seem to have a life of their own. They illuminate the plainest faces. The designer gave us a look behind her line.

How did you get started with jewelry making?

I always wanted to start a jewelry line tried to in 2003 but it didn’t catch. I wasn’t happy with what I was producing. The summer of 2008 due to an awesome partner, I was able to take the summer to focus on business and start the line. I wanted my line to be an extension of my work as a visual artist. Where the human form was my blank canvas. Before I knew it had a ton of pieces went to an event and almost completely sold out.

If you could describe the design line in three words, what would they be?

Eclectic Fashionable Artistry…Why because my pieces are diverse unique fashion statements that I personally see as works of art.

When a woman is putting an outfit together, what would you say is the most indispensable jewelry piece that they can don?

This is hard for me to answer because I grew up not wearing jewelry and presently am still not pierced. At first I wanted to say a necklace but I think a good pair of earrings can go long way…short hair, long hair, turtle neck, V-neck and so on. You can always rock a pair of earrings.

What goes into the day-to-day grind of a design professional?

Research. Sketching out designs. Creating designs. Mailing out orders. Updating website. Staying connected and relevant through social media. Accounting. Checking supplies ordering supplies.

You obviously have natural talent for what you do. Did you get any special training as well?

I took classes perfect my technique. I went on to be certified in art clay which is a special material use to create my jewelry. I intend to get more training and certifications, as it will allow me to create the designs I have sketched out.

Do ideas and the inspiration for new designs come to you easily?

I have my high and low moments. At this moment I have tons of ideas and inspiration it more about cranking them out .

Any pearls of wisdom you’d like to pass on to design entrepreneurs?

Do the research. Invest in yourself take the classes and training to ensure you are creating a quality product. Access your competition. Be clear on who you customer is. Most importantly create a line that is unique and one that you love.

What do you have planned next for your design career?

Shoes and bags. Stay tuned.

Numa Perrier typifies what versatility really is. Perrier has acted in theatre, on television shows and films. She also has an active career on web series. She played the character of Lisa on Issa Rae’s fan-adored “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl”, and is a regular on “The Couple”, another web series with a huge fan base.

Perrier says she had been wanting to be an actress since she was eight years old. A whole two years later, she voiced her desire to get into the field to her mother, and to her surprise, her mother agreed. Since then, she has been on the acting grind, starring in everything from short films to having a regular role on the television soap opera “General Hospital” for five years.

Starting in the mid-2000s, Perrier began writing projects, most notably a short film project entitled Judi: A Series of Memories. She is a regular writer on “The Couple”—which was nominated for Best Web Series at this year’s edition of the American Black Film Festival. Perrier also produced nine projects, including “Hello Cupid”, a comedy series.

Q & A

Do you think that web shows and series are going to make standard television obsolete one of these days?
I dont think standard television will become obsolete in terms of half-hour and one-hour programming. It’s about distribution and how we ingest content. Television as a device will evolve though—perhaps to the point of only viewing through ipads and phones and whatever else is around the corner on the tech side. That’s the exciting part. It’s moving so quickly.

It turns out that you also design gloves. Is there no end to your creativity?
Yes, I also design couture gloves. That started with an affinity for wearing gloves and evolved into designing my own line and creating gloves for Rihanna, Vogue, Ellen Degeneres and other celebrities and their stylists. As an artist all of these worlds collide and I’ve always been interested in theatre, music, fashion, film, photography—so I will always find a way to be involved with all of those things.

What inspired your web series “The Couple”?
“The Couple” was inspired by events in our creator—Jeanine Daniels—personal life and that developed even further to include Dennis Dortch—our director—and my personal life together as well. Ultimately we all were very excited about having a series that shows the every day humorous things about the intimacy of living together. We are really committed to the reality of that so every episode is either based on real life completely or just enough that we can grab on to it and run from there.

Are you going to be producing a lot more?
I will be producing a lot more. Ive been producing for quite awhile actually. Currently, I supervise and am a hands-on producer for all of the Blackandsexytv programming – The Couple The Number – Roomieloverfriends—which I also created and write—and two new shows -Hello Cupid and The Choir which are coming soon. Not to mention film projects… Yes I am busy!

Are you inspired by anyone in particular?
I’m inspired by Lucille Ball who was a TV maverick. One of the first women producers and had her own production company with her husband and co- star desi arnaz. I love “I love Lucy”—I can watch it any time and I am constantly inspired by Lucille Ball as a true trailblazer.

You act, you write, you produce a web series and art work. How do these different parts of your artistic self come together?
The acting writing producing and art may seem separate but they are all tied together. Many stars are producing because thats where important decisions are made and you are not so passive inthe process. Writing—I’ve been doing since I was 8. Writing was my first love. My art work is often a form of writing and is where my more serious or darker aspects of myself are lanfding right now. Its a very good balance when i dont worry about what it looks like to others.

When was the last time you went to Haiti?
I was in Haiti ten days after the earthquake. So, it’s been three years. I was devastated by that trip, but I think I’m ready to return this summer.

What are you working on right now?
I just signed on to do a feature film project Beautiful Destroyer; it’s an action-filled love story and I’m training to really shape up for it. Also shooting The Couple Movie very soon.

How do you perfect your craft as an actress? Do you work with a coach?
I’ve studied with Milton Katselas which was scene study—David Farkas for voice and Polina Klimotskaya for kinetic work. Polina also does animal work which is very very useful. Animals are—feral ones at least—never fake—they are absolutely in the moment and highly expressive. Anthony Hopkins does animal work and he’s brilliant. Voice and body work are also really important. I’d like to take some improv classes—which I’ve never done—so im looking into that. Even though “The Couple” is largely improvised im learning on the job.