Biden Campaign Adds Karine Jean-Pierre As Senior Adviser
Joe Biden has hired Karine Jean-Pierre, a veteran African American political strategist, as a senior adviser to his presidential campaign as the presumptive Democratic nominee pivots to the general election campaign.
Jean-Pierre will advise on strategy, communications and engaging with key communities, including African Americans, women and progressives.
“This really is the most important general election in generations,” Jean-Pierre told The 19th, a nonprofit newsroom, in an exclusive interview Monday night. “I’ve known Joe Biden for 10 years now. I believe he’s a man of integrity, he’s a man who knows how to lead, he’s a man who knows how to use the levers of government to help people and he’s the man who could beat Donald Trump in November. For me, as a black woman, I just could not sit this out.”
Jean-Pierre, 43, will begin her role with the Biden campaign next week. She gained prominence in 2008 as the southeast regional political director for then-candidate Barack Obama’s history-making presidential campaign.
She served in the Obama White House as regional political director before working as deputy battleground states director on his 2012 reelection. In the latter role, Jean-Pierre handled political engagement in key states including Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Florida.
Born in Martinique to Haitian parents and raised in New York, Jean-Pierre worked on former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley’s 2016 Democratic presidential bid before joining liberal group MoveOn as chief public affairs officer. She is also an MSNBC political analyst.ADnull
Separately, the Biden campaign announced Tuesday that it hired Obama campaign alum Julie Chavez Rodriguez — who previously worked as co-national political director for Sen. Kamala D. Harris’s presidential campaign — as a senior adviser, making her the highest-profile Latina to join the team as Biden struggles to shore up his support with Hispanic voters headed into November.
Biden’s swift rise this spring was fueled largely by black voters — particularly black women, who are regarded as the backbone of the party and seen as key to a winning general election coalition in the fall. Energizing these voters will be crucial to the record turnout needed to topple Trump. Black turnout was down in 2016 from historic highs in 2012 and 2008, when the country elected its first African American president.
Jean-Pierre said her hiring signals that Biden “understands how he became the presumptive nominee.”
“Black voters, black women, have helped him get to this point,” she said. “When everybody was counting him out, black voters spoke out. I am so proud and excited as a black woman watching how black women have exerted their power … we had to say loud and clear this (the actions of the Trump administration) is not okay.”
Valerie Jarrett, former senior adviser to Obama, called Jean-Pierre “a superstar” who shares Biden’s values of equality, fairness and justice.
“She will be able to communicate his agenda in an authentic way that I think will resonate importantly with African American women, but also with the entire country,” Jarrett said in a telephone interview. “It’s a coup for vice president Biden and his campaign.”
By Errin Haines | The 19th and The Washington Post May 20, 2020
This story is part of a collaboration between The Washington Post and The 19th, a nonprofit newsroom covering gender, politics and policy.
From Haiti to Chile, a Singer Bridges Styles – and Cultures
With Haitian rhythms and Spanish lyrics, Ralph Jean Baptiste shows integration is possible for other migrants.
SANTIAGO, CHILE — Escápate conmigo otra vez, sings Ralph Jean Baptiste in his Santiago apartment, over a demo track of slow R&B beats. His rhythmic Haitian accent deepens the melody of the Spanish lyrics.
Although born and raised speaking French Creole in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, Baptiste, 29, writes all his songs in Spanish. He moved to Chile after Haiti’s devastating earthquake in 2010, with dreams of a music career in tow.
“To get to audiences in Chile you have to sing in Spanish. They’ve never heard anything in French or Creole. I had to adapt,” he said.
Adapt—he says the word as if it is inherently natural to him. Baptiste has had to adapt daily to be accepted in his new homeland. Beat by beat, over nine years of performances, he built a name for himself, and in 2019, Baptiste was finally able to release his first album, Rafa.
Musicians have always been a nomadic sort, and Baptiste is no different. He had spent time in the Dominican Republic, where he learned Spanish, so after the earthquake struck, Baptiste chose to pursue his music in Latin America — unlike the 46,000 displaced Haitians who sought asylum in the United States He settled in Chile after short stints in Peru and Argentina.
Baptiste was among the first in what would become a surge of Haitian migrants in Chile. The country had granted fewer than a 1,000 visas to Haitians between 2005 and 2009, and when Baptiste arrived in 2010, only 713 Haitians received Chilean working visas — a marked difference from 2018, when 126,000 were granted.
Haitians were the first black, non-Spanish-speaking migrant group to arrive in Chile. They stood out. “When I arrived people looked at me strangely. They hadn’t seen Afros before. They touched my skin for luck,” Baptiste told AQ. “I have faced a lot of discrimination and rejection.”
When pressed to explain, Baptiste breaks into a broad smile and laughs. “I don’t like to remember the bad times.”
Beyond discrimination, being a migrant compounds the economic challenges that already exist for aspiring artists, said Dr. Marisol Facuse, who researches migration and music at the University of Chile.
“It is very hard for migrants to live off music, especially for migrants who don’t have networks, and Haitians are a community in Chile that isn’t very integrated culturally,” Facuse told AQ. “The question of survival is the biggest barrier.”
Baptiste performs at a special show for migrants at a Valparaiso music festival in 2018.
But survive Baptiste has, and his positive outlook provides a model of the kind of integration possible for migrants with the right support and attitude. His song “Aguante” (Endurance) sums up his experience living in a foreign land:
I had to leave everything and go far / to start from zero on a long road. / It has not been easy, but you have to move forward / cry and laugh / life has to be lived.
“I’m inspired by his character and strength,” said Charlie Checkz, who produced several of Baptiste’s songs, including “Aguante.” Checkz values the Haitian musician’s unique contribution to Chile’s musical scene.
“We combine rhythms — us as Chileans, and his Haitian music and culture. We put that in the music.”
Baptiste describes his music as worldly, priding himself on the unique fusion of styles he creates, mixing Chilean urban and cumbia sounds with African rhythms and North American soul. In his music videos, he celebrates Chilean traditions — such as performing the country’s national dance, Cueca — reflecting his embrace of Chile’s culture.
And in spite of the challenges, Baptiste notes that things are changing for the better. “Around three years ago there started to be more inclusion for migrants,” he said. In 2018, he performed at an annual festival for migrant artists, organized by Chile’s cultural ministry. Last year, he won a state-funded grant to support migrants in music, which enabled him to record and produce two music videos. Things were starting to look up.
However, the momentum he was building came to an abrupt halt when the mass protests broke out in Chile last October. The following months were tense and violent — people died in clashes with the police, festivals were canceled, and few people went out to concerts.
“I had to cancel all my shows. I haven’t been able to perform since November,” Baptiste said.
However, he is sympathetic to the struggle of the Chileans. It’s a frustration shared by the migrant community, he explained. In August 2018, Chile’s president, Sebastián Piñera, claimed to be “putting the house in order” when he signed a reform outlining stricter migration policies. Three months later, the government began flying some Haitians back to their country in what it called a “humanitarian return plan.”
“People who needed help, he just sent them back,” Baptiste said.
“Chile is a complicated country,” Baptiste added. “And Chileans are fighting for a fairer life. They should include migrants in that too.”
Baptiste believes his role as a musician is important in giving voice to his community.
“A lot of Haitians would like to say something, but they can’t because they don’t speak Spanish or they just aren’t heard,” he said.
“In my songs, I can pass on the message of what they feel.”
He left Haiti for a better life. Twenty years later he's playing soccer in Milwaukee and enjoying every minute.
Max Ferdinand is blessed. He says that a lot.
Most times Ferdinand is talking about his life in soccer, about the success he’s had making his teammates look good, about a championship or the friends he has made over 4½ years in Milwaukee.
Most times. Because that’s the Max Ferdinand most people know.
He’s the Milwaukee Wave’s quiet star with the deft touch and million-watt smile. Ferdinand has managed to make a living in the game he played tirelessly as a child, and for that he understands how fortunate he is.
But go deeper.
Go back to his childhood. Go back to Haiti, the impoverished Caribbean nation further devastated by a 2010 earthquake, where none of these other things would have been possible.
“I moved to the States when I was 13,” said Ferdinand, who went to New York City to live with the father who had left when he was 2 and a stepmother who didn’t speak his language.
His mom stayed behind in Haiti. Ferdinand left his friends, his school and his culture there, too.
“New everything,” he said.
“But I was very fortunate to come here and have a better life compared to Haiti. I know how many of my friends I left back there in not such a good situation also. So it’s definitely a blessing to come here.”
Everyone has his struggles and challenges, Ferdinand says. There’s not a contest. By telling his story, he’s not looking for sympathy or extra credit. It’s just part of who he is, and someone asked.
Tilden High School in Brooklyn had a sizable Haitian population, so Ferdinand sensed some connection to his old home. His stepmother, born in Grenada, spoke no Creole, so English was the primary language at home, and he picked it up quickly.
Because basketball is to New York what soccer is to Haiti – with playground pickup games from dusk to dawn, where skill means more than age – Ferdinand learned to play.
“I’m all right,” said Ferdinand, now 33 but still a spindly 5-foot-9. “You challenge me, we can play anytime.”
He is, after all, a competitor.
Ferdinand actually stepped away from soccer briefly, but after moving to Baltimore he found a team and picked up the game again.
Reinvigorated, Ferdinand made the Baltimore Blast indoor team on an open tryout and spent his first six seasons there before Wave star Ian Bennett – an outdoor teammate with the Rochester Rhinos – helped bring the speedy, cerebral forward to Milwaukee.
Buy Photo
Veteran forward Max Ferdinand takes a breather between drills at Milwaukee Wave practice. (Photo: Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Here Ferdinand became known for an infectious smile, his headgear – a trademark since he suffered head injuries early in his career – and his quiet demeanor and unselfishness.
Ferdinand led the MASL in assists in 2016-17 and 2017-18, has finished among the top three each season and was ranked third entering the weekend. The defending champion Wave (9-4) split a pair of games over the weekend and next plays at 5 p.m. Sunday against the Florida Tropics at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
“I don’t think he’s a guy who wants to shine, to be the star, so he’s more than happy to make other guys look good,” Wave captain Marcio Leite said. “He’s a big reason Ian scores so many goals, their relationship. Ian loves scoring, and Max loves passing the ball, so it’s a great thing we’ve got going on.”
In 13 games, Ferdinand is second on the team with 29 points on 10 goals and a team-leading 19 assists. Bennett leads with 31 points on 27 goals and four assists.
“Max is one of those guys, a guy who’s always thinking, how can we score, what can I do?” Leite said. “And he’s creative. He finds some passes that nobody else would.
“It’s hard to defend, because you never know what Max can do. He can dribble you, he can pass, he can score. But there’s always a little trick, a little something that he pulls out of his sleeve and all of a sudden somebody is scoring.”
In addition to finding his place on the team with the Wave, Ferdinand also has made a comfortable home in Milwaukee. It’s a far cry from Brooklyn and even farther from Haiti but fits his laidback personality.
“Enjoying it every day,” he said.
The community, the game, the team and his life – all of it – Ferdinand enjoys. He is blessed.
Ferdinand’s mother, who resettled in New Jersey, watches the Wave play online and they talk afterward. She didn’t get to see the team win the 2019 MASL title in person, but he hopes to help give her another chance.
Ferdinand has yet to go back to Haiti as an adult, but he intends for that to happen as well.
His mother has 12 siblings and family spread about the East Coast, Ferdinand said, and the hope is that as many aunts and uncles and cousins as possible could visit together. He has kept up with some old friends and keeps them in his heart.
“It’s a poor country. Poverty, no food. Not clean water,” Ferdinand said. “Back then it was bad. I can imagine now after the earthquake.
“You just got to pray, right? I appreciate being here for sure.”
The little-known first female prime minister of Haiti sworn in for 100 days
Claudette Werleigh has served in various capacities in Haiti and across the world.
She has been a politician, development and peace campaigner but what she became widely known for were her achievements within just 100 days of being Haiti’s first female prime minister.
Then a foreign minister, a 49-year-old Werleigh was picked by President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1995 to be the prime minister.
She replaced Smarck Michel, who resigned in October that year over widespread opposition to his economic reforms.
Werleigh, not facing any opposition from lawmakers of both houses of parliament in Haiti, served as prime minister from November 7, 1995, to March 6, 1996.
Though she served for a short period, she did not fail in what was expected of her – to strengthen the leadership of the country and organize democratic presidential elections.
In what is the African diaspora’s oldest country, instability has been rearing its head in Haiti, with street protests recently reported in the capital Port-au-Prince.
For about half a century, the Caribbean nation has struggled to overcome the problems of poverty and inequality. It is a country that has also seen the worst of brutal dictatorships in the hands of the Duvalier family.
Though born in a well-to-do family in Cap-Haitien in 1946, Werleigh was able to witness the disparities in the system while growing up in Haiti.
The widening gap between classes in the country and later conflicts would directly influence her life’s work as a development campaigner, a peacemaker and an advocate for people at the grassroots level.
Later becoming active in politics and public administration, Werleigh trained and studied medicine in the U.S. and Switzerland before coming back to Haiti to take a degree course in law and economics at the State University in Port-au-Prince.
She subsequently worked for various non-governmental organizations focusing on humanitarian relief and adult literacy.
With her passion for education, particularly adult literacy, Werleigh started a school for adults and farmers in rural Haiti. Despite pockets of violence, natural and Western-ensured tragedies, the school remained open and was community-owned.
Werleigh subsequently served as secretary general of Caritas Haiti for 10 years, “coordinating relief assistance, civic education and respect for human rights” under the dictatorial rule of Jean-Claude Duvalier.
She would help found the League for Women’s Empowerment, an organization to promote the participation of women in politics in the 1990s.
This was after the fall of the brutal dictatorship of Doc Duvalier, and Jean Bertrand Aristide was now president.
Werleigh, having entered into full-time politics and public administration, would serve as Aristide’s Foreign Minister and Social Affairs Minister from 1990 to 1995, before briefly becoming Prime Minister in 1995 to 1996 – the first female to do so.
Picked by Aristide who was ousted in a September 1991 coup but later restored to power, Werleigh knew that her role was to keep the country’s leadership intact ahead of the democratic presidential elections.
As prime minister, she appointed a cabinet with 17 ministers, including four women. In agriculture, energy and road construction, she received a lot of financial support even though she later tried to reduce Haiti’s economic dependence, among other policies that compelled the IMF to hold back loans.
Nevertheless, it was during Werleigh’s period as prime minister that Haiti witnessed its first peaceful change of government since it became independent.
When the 1995 democratic elections were held, Rene Preval, an ally of Aristide and a former prime minister, won, making him the first elected head of state in Haitian history to peacefully receive power from a predecessor in office.
Preval would eventually become the first since independence to serve a full term in office, the first to be elected to non-successive full terms in office, and the first to peacefully hand over power.
Having worked with Aristide, he would have loved to have Werleigh continue as prime minister but reports say the majority in parliament, which needed to approve her as prime minister, had changed. Werleigh, therefore, withdrew and left the country.
Outside of Haiti, she ventured into issues of international peace and conflict, working as the director of conflict transformation programs at the Life and Peace Institute in Sweden until 2007, according to writer Bijoyeta Das.
She later worked with Pax Christi, a nongovernmental catholic peace movement with a mission “to transform a world shaken by violence, terrorism, deepening inequalities, and global insecurity.” There, Werleigh served as secretary general until the end of 2010.
She now remains a peacemaker who continues to advocate for policies that will cater to the needs of people of the grassroots.
Somerville artist invites community to celebrate Haitian culture
Somerville’s notable artist Judelande Antoine has dedicated her life to Haitian dance and cultural celebration.
Want the news delivered to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter here!
Judelande Antoine loves to dance, but her real passion is sharing her dancing and cultural celebration with others.
On Jan. 25, Somerville Haitians United, which Antoine founded, will host their sixth annual Haitian Cultural celebration at Unity Church in Davis Square, featuring Haitian dance, poetry, clothing, art, sculpture, and food.
Originally from Haiti, Antoine now lives in Somerville’s Union Square. She is a dancer specializing in Haitian folklore, and dances several of Haiti’s 21 distinct rhythms.
“I cannot really explain why I love dancing — it is a feeling,” she said. “Dance makes me sad, happy and excited. It doesn’t matter how I feel. There is always something that makes me enjoy dancing.”
In Haiti, Antoine began dancing in church at 7 years old, teaching in high school, and at 15, was taken aside to receive more training. Now she volunteers teaching dance to children in Somerville and Cambridge, but when she was younger she was not allowed to dance outside of church.
“In our village, there was a cultural group that performed every Friday evening,” she said. “I thought it was so fun to watch and dance, but my parents would have us go inside. Even though they did not let me, I would open the door and watch them in the roads and dance anyway inside the doorway. I would feel good watching them.”
Antoine has also received a New England Foundation for the Arts grant to study more dance forms, and in 2019 she was a Somerville Artist of the Month award recipient.
“I feel like dancing allows me to tell my story and have my story be heard,” she said. “Receiving this award makes me feel like my story has been heard.”
Celebrating Haitian culture through community work
A few years after Antoine moved to the U.S., she began volunteering for Haitian adult daycare programs such as Cay Pam, Village LA Joie, and Sante belle Vie, in Mattapan, West Roxbury, and Dorchester. In 2018, she received a citation from Gov. Charlie Baker for her “contributions in the advancement and promotion of the Haitian culture.”
“Doing community work is one of my strengths; I help anywhere and everywhere I am,” she said. “Doing community work is not something that I started in America — I began in Haiti. On May 18, 2018, I organized a Haitian Flag Day Celebration [and] I was so surprised and happy to receive the governor’s citation after the celebration.”
On Jan. 1, 1804, Haiti became the first black nation to declare independence, so Antoine founded this cultural event in January 2015 to celebrate that freedom and cultivate community love and support.
“I love many things about this event,” she said. “First, we see many people we have not seen for so long [and] the community gets together. Second, we revive the Haitian culture together. Third, we have chance to promote our culture and share it.”
Her work centers on youth, and Haitians United has multiple groups to foster community among children and teens.
“It is important to me to work in the Haitian community to help younger generation to embrace their culture,” she said. “Our mission is to revive and promote Haitian culture while coaching youth to build their leadership through arts. Youth are the future of a society and the development of a country. The youth will replace us.”
The Haitian Cultural Celebration, supported by a Somerville Arts Council grant, is from 5-9 p.m. at Unity Church on Jan. 25. The program of dance and poetry reading begins at 6:30 p.m.
FLORINDO COMPLETES IMPROBABLE JOURNEY FROM HAITI TO WINTER YOUTH OLYMPICS
BORN IN HAITI, ADOPTED AT AGE THREE AND RAISED IN FRANCE, MACKENSON FLORINDO IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL ALPINE SKI RACER.
Now 17, Florindo has become Haiti’s first winter Olympian at a moment that coincides with the 10-year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated his Caribbean island homeland.
Haiti’s sole competitor at the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games, Florindo finished 51st out of a 77-man field in Monday’s giant slalom at Les Diablerets and did not finish in Tuesday’s slalom.
But just being able to compete and represent Haiti in Olympic competition was all that mattered for him.
“This is a very good moment, incredible,” he said. “I made some friends. The performance was difficult but I am happy with that. This has been a very exciting and important time for me because I didn’t think I would be here.
“When I came here I knew the competition would be hard and I tried my best,” Florindo added. “I know what I have to do to improve and I will work on it.”
The skier’s adoptive mother, Valerie Florindo, was especially proud.
“He has done well,” she said. “This is very pleasing because I try to always support him as best I can.”
Florindo was born into a Haitian family in the village of Verrettes, about 60km north of the capital, Port-au-Prince, in 2002. Because his family could not afford to feed and raise him properly, his biological mother dropped the boy off at an orphanage in 2005 when he was three years old.
Six months later, he was sent to an orphanage in France. From there he was adopted by the Florindo family and raised in the mountain region near Grenoble.
Florindo has both Haitian and French citizenship, which he only received in June 2019. Hehas yet to return to Haiti since leaving as an orphan.
OIS
“I know I was raised in France but I am Haitian and I am happy to be like that,” he said.
“I have a great family right now so I don’t feel bad really about the whole adoption.”
Florindo, who is coached by his brother Gregory, who is also adopted, works as a mechanic and dedicates most of his monthly salary towards his skiing career.
“My revenue goes mainly to me being in competition and to help buy anything I need for skiing,” he said. “I’m not rich and I get support from people and that is why I can be here right now.’’
OIS
Ahead of his races, Florindo and the Haitian delegation took part in a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the massive earthquake that hit Haiti in January 2010.
The quake killed more than 300,000 people, according to the Haitian government, and left many more homeless.
“It was a very sad situation,” Florindo said. “I wish it did not happen but now the country is a little bit better than how it was.”
The Haiti ski federation, which was also formed 10 years ago, said: “Years after the beginning of the incredible story, it will be the second breath of a fabulous human adventure for Haiti following the terrible earthquake of January 12, 2010.”
Musician Werley Nortreus Announced Presidential Bid Nomination In Haiti
26 years old, Werley Nortreus is known as a Musical Artist, Author, Entrepreneur, Politician, and the CEO of Ceraphin Corporation, a mass media company that he founded. He was born in Limbé but he was raised in Port-au-Prince, the Capital of Haiti. He believes in Humanism and he wants to be a contributor for a better Haiti before the year 2045.
He studied business administration and political science because he wanted to become an Entrepreneur and a Politician to serve his home country, which is Haiti.
The 26 years old musician believes that the youth in Haiti and the upcoming generations should see him as a role model so they can have the same mindset and behave exactly like him. He uses his music and books to speak positive messages so the world can become a better place. Hopefully, the future Leader of Haiti believes that Haiti will get on its feet before the year 2045 once he takes offices.
For years, Werley Nortreus has contributed towards political movements and activism, include 'Haitians Lives Matter' and 'Black Lives Matter' movements. Those movements have contributed strong messages about discrimination and racism, especially towards black people in America and around the world. Werley Nortreus hopes to inspire many people along his journey to make the world a happier and healthier place to live.
One of his greatest goals is to help his homeland earn the respect and position in the global community as viewed through his own eyes. His love and admiration for his home country are evident when you speak with him. Nortreus is proud to have been born and raised in the Caribbean, and the culture and its ethnicity mean everything to him.
According to a few interviews, Werley Nortreus has a deep passion to involve in politic and for the right reasons. He wishes one day to become the President of Haiti in order to help Haiti get its respect and dignity back from those who stole it years ago. Through his organizations as well as in his personal capacity, Werley has helped when natural calamities destroyed many human lives in Haiti. He believes in unity and he believes Haiti will change one day.
"As a human being, I believe that I was created in order to value and love other humans like me. Humanism is the reason that I want to become the President of Haiti one day, in order to serve my country and serve other countries around the world.", said Werley Nortreus.
"The first wish should be named "A New Haiti" because I've always wanted to see Haiti become a significant country in the world. The second wish should be named "Werley Nortreus to become President of Haiti" because I love Haiti so much and I will take all the risks and everything it takes to change the country. The last wish should be named "Haiti is the most powerful and respected country in the world", because the country has suffered so much, and I believe it's time for the country to get its power and respect back.", said Werley Nortreus during an interview with Kreol Magazine in the UK.
"As we all know that there are a lot of Chaos and Riots in Haiti from 2016 until today and the current Leader 'Jovenel Moise' and 'PHTK' Leaders refused to step down, which is not good for the country because the protesters won't give up the streets until they step down. Honestly, I, Werley Nortreus want to involve in politic in Haiti so I can put the country in the right path so the country can get its respect and dignity back from the elites who stole it.", said Werley Nortreus.
He believes that the youth in Haiti and the upcoming generations should see him as a role model so they can have the same mindset and behave exactly like him. He uses his music and books to speak positive messages so the world can become a better place. Hopefully, the future Leader of Haiti believes that Haiti will get on its feet before the year 2045 once he takes offices.
"I would like to debate with Jovenel Moise". Said the musician.
Haitian American musician Nathalie Joachim pays tribute to underrepresented women of Haiti
Flutist and composer Nathalie Joachim first came up with the idea for her debut album in late 2015. She was in Haiti, exploring her Haitian heritage and wanted to know about female artists from the island. Together with her parents, she could only come up with a dozen or so.
"I was really inspired to make an album centered around the voices of female artist from Haiti largely because they're left out of Haiti's musical history."
"I was really inspired to make an album centered around the voices of female artists from Haiti largely because they're left out of Haiti's musical history," she said.
Some women on the list included singer Emerante de Pradines, Milena Sandler (daughter of Toto Bissainthe), and vodou revolutionary Carole Demesmin.
Joachim's Grammy-nominated album, "Fanm d'Ayiti," sets out to correct some of the omissions of women underrepresented in Haitian history. She thinks this is "a beautiful way to represent the women of Haiti."
"Fanm d'Ayiti" translates into "Women of Haiti." On the album, Joachim features new song arrangements and snippets from recorded interviews with some of the women. One voice heard is that of Joachim's own musical hero and maternal grandmother, Ipheta Bellegarde, because "her voice was one that was quite important to me throughout the course of her life."
The song featuring Bellegarde's voice is also one her grandmother wrote. It's called "Madan Bellegarde." Bellegarde died in 2015. Joachim says her grandmother was "criticized her whole life because she became a widow when my mother was still an infant, quite young, and never remarried. She really chose to live a life independently of her own design."
Joachim would often hear her grandmother share stories about what life was like as a single mom in Haiti in the late 1940s and early '50s. She says her grandmother wrote the song because she was being "judged by all of the sinners around her, people who committed much grander sins than being an unmarried woman, but that she knew at the end of the day she would not be judged by God. And so she wrote this song and would sing it." Now, Joachim sings it.
Joachim also recorded with a girls' choir in her family's farming village Dantan. "[It's] a very small place with just one street that has a church and a school and that's it," she said. "And I hope that any one of them, if not all of them, are inspired by how we've been able to spread their voices from this small spot in Haiti across the world."
Joachim says she hopes her album touches young women everywhere and that they will "take away the strength and the power and continue to lift each other up ... [and to] look to your elders and find strength in their stories and to be sure to leave a pathway for those coming up behind you. We're all connected."
How a 10-year-old wish changed Haiti
Patrick Mead keeps a photo of a Haitian woman named Madame Selavie on his phone.
In it, she stands next to a home that Patrick helped build for her in Grand Goave, Haiti.
The two met when Mead was on a service-immersion trip during his senior year at St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury.
Before Patrick arrived, the woman lived in a shack made of scrap metal and tarp. She and her four children slept on a dirt floor where floodwater from the mountainside poured in through their roof.
When Mead, now a 20-year-old student at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, visited the family’s new home a year later, he didn’t recognize her at first.
“When I met her on that first trip, she didn’t smile once,” Patrick said.
“But, that second time, she smiled because she recognized me. She just looked physically younger. She felt loved.”
Mead calls that moment the best of his life.
Today, Mead is among 1,800 people who have built 148 homes in Grand Goave through Worcester’s Be-Like-Brit Britsionary Program. They stay in a guesthouse located next to Brit’s Home, which cares for 66 Haitian children. Together, the children’s home and the house-building program keep alive the last wish Britney Gengel sent to her mother — 10 years after her death.
That wish, or rather a three-sentence text message, greets those who walk inside Be-Like-Brit’s Operation Center in Worcester. It decorates the walls inside Brit’s Home too.
“They love us so much and everyone is so happy,” the text reads in bright blue words.
“They love what they have and they work so hard to get nowhere, yet they are all so appreciative. I want to move here and start an orphanage myself.”
Gengel, a 19-year-old Rutland native who studied at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., sent her mother, Cherylann Gengel, the message a few days before the magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 12, 2010. A few days into her humanitarian trip with Food for the Poor, she had fallen in love with the people of Haiti.
The State Department spent 33 days looking for Britney Gengel, only to find her beneath the rubble of the hotel she’d been staying in.
Remembering that text, Britney’s mother and father, Len Gengel, founded Be-Like-Brit to provide a safe, nurturing children’s home for Haitian orphans.
“[Britney] wanted to go back and help, and I knew that,” said Cherylann Gengel.
“I understood that there was a bigger picture here.”
Gengel said they chose Grand Goave as the home’s location when they found their daughter’s trip itinerary. It told them that their daughter was supposed to visit Grand Goave, a fishing community located 40 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, the day after the earthquake.
According to Len Gengel, thousands of people from around the world heard about their story via social media and donated to their cause. Within days, they had received over $150,000 from complete strangers to kick-start their daughter’s dream.
“The positive that came out of our tragedy was that we got to see how good people really are.”
It took two years to build the home. Len Gengel, who spent 30 years in the home building industry, said he made 39 trips to Haiti over those two years. Cholera outbreaks and sanitary conditions often shortened his trips.
“I would go into Haiti and build with a group of Haitians until I couldn’t stay any longer due to the water,” he said.
In January 2013, Brit’s Home opened. It now houses 66 orphaned children; 33 boys and 33 girls, symbolic of the 33 days it took to find Britney Gengel’s remains.
“We built a first-world building in a third-world country,” Len Gengel said.
“After the earthquake, we were the first earthquake-proof structure with the same seismic standards as San Francisco,” he said.
Through Be-Like-Brit’s service-immersion Britsionary Program, volunteers live at the Be-Like-Brit guesthouse. During their weeklong stay, they meet the children living inside Brit’s Home and build a home for a family living in the neighboring Oceanside community.
Each family receives beds, mattresses, an outdoor stove, and their own pregnant goat, which gives the family a source of revenue.
Francky Janvier, a 34-year-old Haitian man who received a home, now works as a Britsionary coordinator. He believes his job keeps him safe from the violence and protests that occur regularly in downtown Grand Goave, where he use to live.
“I have water and power; I have everything,” said Janvier.
“They treat me well and I’m so happy. Be-Like-Brit is my life.”
More than 110 Haitians work at Brit’s Home, making Be-Like-Brit the largest employer in Grand Goave.
Beyond Grand Goave, the partnerships between Be-Like-Brit and local high schools and colleges have brought Worcester County closer together, said Melissa Provost, the program’s community relations director.
“Haiti isn’t just a place on the map anymore here in Central Mass.,” said Provost.
In May 2012, Becker College sent the first official volunteer group to help build the home’s base. Less than a year later, St. John’s sent the first group of high school students.
“We don’t want to be called [missionaries] because we’re not trying to change the children, we’re trying to support their overall development,” said Len Gengel’s sister Christine Steinwand, a member of Be-Like-Brit’s programming committee.
Tim Williams, a faculty leader on the St. John’s trip, now works as a part-time trip leader.
“Any Britsionary I meet always tells me how much they want to go back,” said Williams.
Debra Pallatto-Fontaine, a former professor at Becker College, not only returned, but offered a new element to Brit’s Home. After retiring from Becker this past May, she opened a fourth-through-sixth-grade school called “Brit’s Academy” in September.
While offering basic writing, reading, and math classes, the academy also provides students with the business and medical skills needed to navigate adulthood in Haiti.
It’s only the latest ripple of good will from a text message sent 10 years ago.
“Our kids are only there because of Brit and that text,” said Provost.
“It’s this big ripple effect. [Britney’s] text was the pebble in the water.”
Michael Brun Is Taking Haitian Rhythms Global
Brun became famous on the EDM circuit, but his upcoming album ‘Lokal’ channels traditional forms like konpa and rara
In the early 2010s, during the heady days when EDM was clobbering its way into the global pop mainstream, you could have found Michael Brun holding down a set at any number of rave-centric festivals. But when he toured the U.S. in 2017, he was pedaling a very different kind of propulsion: Brun’s Bayo tour brought block-party flair and homegrown talent from his native Haiti to American listeners.
These shows were a creative reintroduction of sorts — the stony dance music that fills Anglo arenas receded, giving way to the more complicated, syncopated rhythms that can be found in the musical traditions of Haiti. These shows also served as the root of Brun’s debut album, Lokal. “[During the initial dates of the Bayo tour] I was playing a lot of afrobeats [from Nigeria], and I was also playing a lot of Haitian music,” the producer recalls. “I was like, what will bridge the gap in my set? I’m gonna make that track.”
The first of these transatlantic bridge songs is “Akwaaba Ayiti,” a motoring rework of a song by the Nigerian star Mr. Eazi, out today; Lokal will follow on the 28th. The album’s arrival coincides with a wave of new attention for Brun: He has been working with the Colombian reggaeton superstar J Balvin and also gained the support of YouTube, which picked him for its Foundry program, an initiative dedicated to elevating international independent artists. Taken together, this marks an emphatic transformation for Brun, from one-time four-on-the-floor maven to transatlantic polymath aiding the spread of Caribbean hybrids throughout the U.S. and Africa.
Brun’s metamorphosis began when he started returning to Haiti regularly to work at the Audio Institute, a non-profit that offers two years of audio education. Brun is on the board — as are Arcade Fire and Paul Oakenfold — but he found himself absorbing new musical language as if he were a student. “Working with rara bands, traditional voodoo rhythms that people would play in big street processions, and a lot of different types of Haitian artists, learning the history of the sounds, it started making a lot more sense,” he says. With familiarity came a new interest.
Between 2016 and 2018, Brun released three songs that captured his gradual immersion in the sounds of his homeland: “Wherever I Go,” “Gaya” and “Bayo.” “After three years in a row trying to mix Haitian music and international music, I was like, ‘I’ve gotta run with this,'” the producer adds. He was encouraged by the enthusiastic responses of artists from both camps — not only the Haitian singer Lakou Muzik but also the international dabbler Diplo.
Brun’s re-immersion in the styles of Haiti came against a backdrop of shifting tastes in the market for pop around the world. “What you considered for years the dominant American pop music style suddenly is not that cool anymore,” the Lisbon-based producer Branko explained last year. “People are looking for other perspectives on pop music that are more interesting, more vibrant, less of a creation of a bunch of A&Rs in a room talking about very abstract concepts. They want something that actually happened in the street and gathered a proper following and then developed into a YouTube hit.” As a result, styles like Brazilian baile funk and Nigerian afrobeats have enjoyed new recognition far from their countries of origin.
That could bode well for Lokal, which achieves moments of poised synthesis. There are traces of house music in “Ede’m Chante” — it samples the Chicago legend Mr. Fingers — and “Peze Kafe,” where keyboards pulse with the comforting tones of Nineties pop-dance cuts. These threads sit easily next to rara horns, which add a thick, blurting energy but require a particular sort of precision. “You play a single tone, and you can only go up and down an octave,” Brun explains. “If you want to play a melody, you have to play it in unison with the person next to you. It’s like trying to play piano with different people on each key.”
Brun also leans on the sound of konpa, a Caribbean hybrid that became popular in the 1950s. “It was really musically advanced, merging jazz, big band and Calypso all into a Haitian sound,” he says. The distinctive metallic guitar sound in “Kale” is sampled from Les Difficiles de Petion-Ville, one of Brun’s favorite konpa acts. “Those guitars are very iconic for Haiti,” he notes.
But the riffs point in other directions as well. “Sometimes when I hear his guitars, it feels like something I might have heard my dad or grandfather play — some traditional Nigerian music,” Mr. Eazi says. And the lean, drubbing beat in “Kale” points in many directions: “It has elements of baile funk; it has elements of dancehall [from Jamaica],” Brun adds.
That’s part of the pleasure of this music: While Brun’s early big-tent tracks had the single-minded appeal that grabs young ravers, Lokal is furthering multiple traditions simultaneously. To hear Mr. Eazi tell it, there’s more of this on the way. “He’s got me singing in French, got me singing in Spanish, got me singing with some creole, got me on soca riddims,” Mr. Eazi says of Brun. “I thought I had good knowledge of music from across the world, but Michael blew that out of the park.”
Midfielder Bicou Bissainthe Included in Haiti’s 2019 Gold Cup Roster
FRISCO – North Texas Soccer Club midfielder Bicou Bissainthe has been called up to represent Haiti in the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Bissainthe 20, has appeared in every USL League One match for North Texas SC this season, making six substitute appearances and three starts. Bissainthe has yet to make his senior debut for Haiti but played four games for Haiti’s U-20 side in the 2018 Concacaf U-20 Championship where he scored three goals.
Haiti is in Group B for this year’s edition of the Gold Cup and will play matches against Bermuda (June 16), Nicaragua (June 20) and Costa Rica (June 24). Bissainthe will have a chance to play in his home stadium as Haiti’s second group stage match will be played in Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas against Nicaragua.
Rewriting Haiti's Narrative: Ten Haitian Entrepreneurs Helping To Reinvent Their Nation
Haiti's social and economic narrative is being rewritten by innovative entrepreneurs dedicated to championing sustainability and self-sufficiency while celebrating the vibrant and creative culture of the island and its citizens, which dates back to the Haitian Revolution that started in 1791 and represents the world’s first and only successful slave revolt.
Political instability, natural disasters and a lack of economic opportunities have contributed to mass migrations away from the island and a view of Haiti as a troubled nation in the eyes of the world. A generation of enterprising young Haitians are chipping away at that imposed narrative and replacing it with one that speaks to the strength, ingenuity and beauty of the country and its culture.
Haiti has a rich history and vibrant culture. Photocredit: GettyGetty
Here you will meet ten young entrepreneurs who are creating opportunity in this Caribbean island nation to uplift Haiti’s environmental, economic and social landscape.These inspiring Haitian entrepreneurs are demonstrating that a nation can overcome its challenges and rewrite its story, both for itself and in the eyes of the larger world. They also prove that a combination of innovative ideas, effective use of technology and a dedication to solutions that honor the integrity of both the natural and the human landscape can produce truly transformative results.
Jude Celiscar, Goodoo Courier, LLC
Jude Celiscar Speaking on Leadership.Used with permission.
In his travels between Haiti and the U.S., Celiscar became aware of the difficulties that many Haitians face in the purchasing and delivery of consumer goods. Recognizing that commerce is the backbone of an economy, Celiscar formed Goodoo Courier to address those issues. The company partners with small businesses and university students to help stimulate economic growth on both the individual and societal level. Concerned with the natural environment as well as the economy, Goodoo Courier uses recycled materials from other areas of the island for its packaging materials.In addition to being the founder of the company, Celiscar is also an author and international speaker on business and leadership. He is dedicated to changing Haiti’s narrative and inspiring young people to invest in themselves and their country by taking the lead in creating opportunities for success.
Don’t be so quick to think about the financial profit but think about the social impact, the social transformation that your company will have on your community and on your environment.- Jude Celiscar
Daphnée Karen Floréal, Bijou Lakay
Daphnée Karen Floréal.Used with permission.
With a talent for art and finance and possessing a strong business sense, Floréal merged her skills and passions in forming Bijou Lakay. Taking inspiration from Haiti’s native elements, Floréal uses wood and beef horns to create ethically sourced handcrafted jewelry pieces. While inspired by international trends, her pieces strongly reflect and celebrate the vibrant Haitian culture. Along with reducing unemployment and having a positive impact on the economy, Bijou Lakay’s community of artisans also strives to preserve and pass on the creative crafting processes and cultural heritage of Haiti.Floréal is actively engaged in promoting entrepreneurship and other activities that have a positive impact on the youth of Haiti, such as literacy and sports. In her love for her home, commitment to cultural authenticity and entrepreneurial spirit, Floréal is a reflection of the current reshaping of Haitian creativity and identity.
Always dream big. Even if you are living in one of the poorest countries in the world, your country can’t define your story. You are the only one who can decide what your life, what your family and what your business will be. - Daphnée Karen Floréal
Mike Bellot, Solo Bag
Mike Bellot Reading By the Light of a Solo Bag.Used with permission.
After losing a close family member in a fire started by a candle that was being used to provide light for evening schoolwork, Bellot was driven to invent the Solo Bag. The school bag, embedded with a solar panel and an integrated LED light, allows students in the rural areas of Haiti to study at night. As only 37% of the population has access to electricity, many children are unable to do schoolwork after nightfall. Poor lighting affects literacy and leads students to be less productive, with many often giving up on school entirely and perpetuating a cycle of poverty.
This revolutionary sustainable solution not only helps the students of Haiti, but can also help the 1.2 billion people worldwide who do not have access to electricity.
An economist, entrepreneur and innovator with degrees in International Trade and Global Political Economy, Bellot also invented the world’s first mobile aquaponic garden system, Ancora BoxFarm, a system designed to help farmers in areas that are vulnerable to natural hazards and disasters.
Nora Jeanne Joseph, RADIKAL
RADIKAL, Empowering Haitian Women.Used with permission.
Jeanne Joseph established RADIKAL to address the root causes of gender inequity and economic disparity with a business model that creates revenue opportunities for women in Haiti. RADIKAL creates micro-enterprises that offer organic beauty, wellness and environmental products to underserved consumers through a dynamic network of micro-entrepreneurs. Utilizing the internet, social media and mobile technology has transformed the ability of these micro-enterprises to create financial independence in marginalized communities.Jeanne Joseph is dedicated to changing Haiti's global image by demonstrating that the island can rely on its own resources to foster economic growth and gender equality. Embracing the use of only organic, high-quality local raw materials and using a circular economic model that allows Haitian women to invest in their own thriving micro-franchises, RADIKAL redefines sustainability in the current context of the country.
I am passionate about sustainability, women's empowerment and Haiti! – Nora Jeanne Joseph
Stephane Jean-Baptiste, Kreyòl Essence
Stephane Jean-Baptiste, Kreyòl Essence.Used with permission.
Endeavoring to tackle the socioeconomic disparities that plague Haiti, Jean-Baptiste formed Kreyol Essence, a company with a business model that benefits the country both economically and environmentally. A high-end product available to the global market, Haitian Black Castor Oil is helping to ignite an aggressive reforestation plan that propels the growth of undervalued native tropical vegetation. Imported commodities from around the world have crippled the agricultural economy of Haiti and Jean-Baptiste is driven to correct that problem, creating prosperity and self-sufficiency through the use of the island’s natural resources.Using ethically sourced and organic ingredients to craft a luxury brand that celebrates the vibrant and bold imagery of the island, Jean-Baptiste is working to rewrite Haiti’s narrative and change the global image of the country using sustainable materials and practices.
I consider our work as an opportunity to develop new marketing strategies to help me visually communicate our multicultural perspective with all people. - Stephane Jean-Baptiste
Jessenia Thimotee, Epis Kreyol
Jessenia Thimotee , Epis Kreyol.Used with permission.
Thimotee is promoting Haiti’s native vegetation, food culture and sustainable practices with Epis Kreyol. Made with non-genetically modified organisms and organic Haitian spices noted for their healing properties, the flavorful seasoning sauce is safe for almost all palettes. The ingredients are grown organically, making it equally safe for the island’s natural environment.
Epis Kreyol is putting Haiti on the map with its native spices, allowing food enthusiasts from all over the world to enjoy an authentic taste of Haiti.
Johnson "Blada" Desauguste, Kay Blada Recycling
Johnson Desauguste, Kay Blada Recycling.Used with permission.
Desauguste was inspired to form the nonprofit organization, Kay Blada Recycling, after growing up witnessing the extreme poverty and environmental devastation that plague Haiti. Kay Blada Recycling addresses both issues by providing sustainable employment to local Haitians in the mission to alleviate plastic waste on the island. Along with the direct recycling effort, Desauguste is also dedicated to educating Haitian citizens about waste management and environmental stewardship. Cleaner streets and waterways are a direct result of his mission to inspire and empower people to clean up Haiti’s natural environment.In the three years since its founding, Kay Blada Recycling has grown to employ 100 people and has recycled over 85,000 pounds of plastic. Desauguste continues to seek out ways to further the causes of lowering unemployment and decreasing plastic waste.
That's 100 Haitians that otherwise would not have anything to do with their time due to the high unemployment rate in Haiti, and 85,000 pounds of plastic that was going be burned or end up in the ocean. Think about it. - Johnson Desauguste
Wanda Tima, L'union Suite & The Haitian American
Wanda Tima, L'union Suite.Used with permission.
Tima created L’Union Suite to serve as an online platform for networking and connecting young entrepreneurs with established professionals in entertainment, sports, culture and humanitarian efforts. The platform gathers and curates authentic stories about Haiti, Haitians and Haitian-Americans to reveal the unique and inspiring life of the island and its citizens to the world. These accurate and authentic accounts excite interest in Haiti and attract tourists, boosting the nation’s economy.Dedicated to changing Haiti’s narrative, L’ Union Suite has created a wave of young ambassadors to tell and share the stories that no one else will tell. Sharing news and information about efforts and accomplishments allows the world can see Haitians and the Haitian diaspora with less focus on the country’s difficulties and more on the joy of a strong and resilient people. Tima’s ultimate goal is to inspire others and create a legacy of hard work, dedication, and community change.
Since launching in 2011, L’union Suite has attracted over 10 million visitors a week and gained more than 300,000 subscribers via the site and social media platforms.
Christian Tribie, 121 Consulting Group
Christian Tribie, 121 Consulting.Used with permission.
Focusing on sustainable development in energy, water and agriculture, 121 Consulting is comprised of a group of individuals dedicated to developing a better Haiti. The group’s first project was the engineering, procurement and construction of a 130 kilowatt PV system with a 196 kilowatt-hour lithium storage capacity. The system supports an office building that provides services to improve Haitian education, health, children and orphanages. The project developer, 10Power, promoted gender equality and the empowerment of the local workforce, along with providing valuable training on OSHA safety and code compliance (NEC 2017).The project represents the largest solar installation on a UNICEF base to date and was a Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum (CREF) 2018 Industry Award Winner. It stands as a benchmark for the growth of renewables development in the Caribbean. 121 Consulting and 10Power continue to pursue more projects where local empowerment will drive economic success in Haiti.
With the continued tenacity and innovation of organizations like these, the Caribbean’s switch to a clean and resilient energy grid will be much sooner than many thought possible. Adam Carter- Advisory committee member, CIBC FirstCaribbean
Duquesne Fednard, D&E Green Enterprises
Duquesne Fednard , D&E Green Enterprises.Used with permission.
Fednard is a passionate social entrepreneur who seeks to break the cycle of extreme poverty by using innovative approaches in employing local resources to solve local problems. He has created several programs to address and successfully alleviate extreme poverty in Haiti and is always looking for new ways to solve social issues in a financially viable and scalable manner.Fednard built Haiti’s first and only business processing outsourcing center (BPO), providing training and high paying jobs to underprivileged youth. He has also created an automatic savings program (SxC) for ultra-low income people by harnessing their existing spending on basic food staples. Other successful projects implemented by Fednard and D&E Green Enterprises have been corncob- and solar-powered micro-grids that provide reliable power to more than 300 households and a factory for producing highly efficient cookstoves to slow the deforestation caused by the excessive use of charcoal.
“I believe if we can create financially viable systems to provide universal access to basic services such as clean energy, health care and education, extreme poverty will be a thing of the past.” - Duquesne Fednard
Wyclef Jean Inks Netflix Deal
Whether you’re Ready or Not, hip-hop Mogul Wyclef Jean is set to start Killing us Softly with a new Netflix movie. As a life-long fan of the rapper/actor/producer/activist, the news has me singing, “Oooh La La La La La La Lalala La Laaah, sweet thing.”
Netflix announced that they’re collaborating with Jean, a “musical visionary,” on a CG animated musical that reimagines his life story. Jean will produce the project in collaboration with the entertainment media company, Stampede. The movie which will be written by Justin Marks (The Jungle Book, Top Gun: Maverick) is inspired by Jean’s childhood in Haiti.
Jean had this to say about the upcoming project, “I grew up in extreme poverty but I was rich with imagination. Now to see that imagination turn into reality with Netflix and my producing partners makes me want to tell the kids from the slums around the world to never stop dreaming.”
Melissa Cobb, Vice President of Kids and Family at Netflix, added, “When Wyclef first came to us with the rich story idea for an animated film about his personal journey and the evolution of his music from when he was a young boy in Haiti to finding his voice in New York City – we were hooked. Animation is a medium that travels the globe exceptionally well and we cannot wait to share Wyclef’s unique perspective and voice with family audiences around the world.”
If you’re not familiar with Jean and his body of work you should take the time to get familiar with his storied career. Born in Haiti in the late 60’s, Jean emigrated to the United States at age nine and fell in love with hip-hop culture. In the early 90’s, he joined forces with Pras Michel and Lauryn Hill to form the hip-hop supergroup, The Fugees. The group exploded in popularity after releasing their second album, The Score, which spawned several hip-hop classics including Ready or Not, Fu-Gee-La, and Killing me Softly. The album’s breakout success opened doors for the group’s members, who went on to great fame. Jean would produce music for the biggest acts in popular music including Carlos Santana, Destiny’s Child, and Shakira.
It’s no secret that Netflix has a Scrooge McDuck-like vault full of money. They’re spending cash on new projects faster than a Beverly Hills trophy-spouse with a mimosa in their hand, an American Express black card in their wallet, and low self-esteem. It’s no secret either that many of these Netflix Original projects are hot trash. But there are a few reasons to stay optimistic about their collaboration with Jean.
Jean’s has an unassailable track record as a musician and producer. Lots of musicians reach platinum sales numbers and win Grammys, but few have done it like Jean. He’s not one to jump onboard a hot trend, he is a trendsetter. The Fugees rose to fame with a sound unlike anybody else. Their music blends rap, R&B, and reggae together into a unique style that after 20 years, still bumps in the club. He’s a successful artist who values artistic expression more than commercial success. And when is the last time you watched a movie taking place in Haiti? A story set in Haiti that cherishes the culture is a long time coming. Combine Jean’s creative talent, unique cultural perspective, and rags to riches tale his Netflix collaboration has the makings of a heartfelt, insightful, avant-garde picture.
It’s still early in the film’s production cycle, but I’m optimistic that Jean will show Hollywood that great origin stories don’t require awkward cameos, people in capes, or billionaires shot dead in an alley.
By: By Victor Stiff for Thatshelf.com |
This Beauty Queen Builds Schools in Haiti
Christie Desir is more than meets the eye. She's a fashion model -- and a role model. She won Miss Universe Haiti in 2014, but she's much more than a beauty queen. The self-described "entrepreneurial hustler" is building her career as an actress, model and host. She's also helping build schools in Haiti."I'm Haitian, and I'm an American. And I'm chasing my dreams in both countries," Desir said.
Christie Desir in downtown Manhattan in October 2018.
CBS News
Desir grew up in what she calls a tough neighborhood in the south end of Stamford, Connecticut. Her childhood home, now dilapidated and surrounded by a chain link fence, is a relic from a bygone area as other parts of the neighborhood are being rapidly revitalized. But Desir has always had perspective on the challenging circumstances of her childhood."I spent summers in Haiti," she recalled, "where other children had it much worse."That motivated her. She worked hard in school, fondly recalling her mother's insistence on a perfect attendance record. She would eventually go on to to be the first person in her family to graduate with a bachelor's degree. She landed an internship with music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs and then got a full-time job at a record company in New York City. She was chasing her dreams -- and catching them."But something was always calling me back to Haiti," Desir said.
Christie Desir reviews blueprints for the schools she's helping to build in Haiti.
CBS News
In 2014, she left everything behind and moved back to Haiti, with a primary focus on volunteering and teaching English, although she said in the back of her mind she had considered competing in Miss Universe Haiti. Both the volunteer work and the competition were demanding. For the pageant, she trained and competed in a series of local contests nearly every day for three months, but she says everything was worth it when she won."I truly wanted to show the world a different side of Haiti," Desir said. "And that's what kept me pushing."The accolades brought Desir newfound attention and opportunities. She partnered with the nonprofit Haiti Health Initiative on a mission trip to the small village of Timo. When she asked the people of the community what they needed most, the resounding answer was a school. At the time, the town's school and church were both housed in a small shed-like structure.Desir noted with pride that the school is now under construction, will be built to withstand a hurricane and is scheduled to be completed by September 2019. "The ultimate dream is to continue to open schools throughout Haiti," she said.Another of Desir's dreams was to become an actress, something she put on hold while living full-time in Haiti. So she recently decided to move back to New York City and chase that goal."I go from waitressing to hosting events to fundraising to auditioning to modeling," Desir said. "That's how women entrepreneurs like me hustle to get things done."
Christie Desir performing an acting scene in New York City.
CBS News
If her past is any indication, Desir will find success in her current pursuits. Her website boasts a calendar full of upcoming events and creative endeavors, and she has an Instagram following of more than 22,000. When asked what she wanted to share with contemporaries and fans, she said: "My message to all the little girls and women entrepreneurs out there is stay true to yourself, be nice, work hard, write your own narrative. And if one door shuts, kick the next door open."By: -MoneyWatch -for CBSnews.com | October 30, 2018
Sean Penn, Rainn Wilson And Soleil Moon Frye Launch Digital Recovery Campaign For Haiti
Rainn Wilson and Soleil Moon Frye hosted a special evening on October 11 in conjunction with Sean Penn’s J/P Haitian Relief Organization. Held at Gjelina restaurant in Venice, the intimate occasion included cocktails, dinner and discussion of ongoing disaster relief efforts, including the newly launched campaign, The Long Run For Recovery.
Also present was Wilson’s wife, author Holiday Reinhorn. The couple’s foundation, Lidè Haiti, provides academic support and arts programs to Haitian girls ages 11 to 21. Lidè is one organization partnering with J/P HRO for the Long Run campaign. Additional hosts included Ann Lee, CEO of J/P HRO, and Bill Baumgart, CEO of WRLDX Funds Without Borders, who made the evening possible.
The philanthropic evening’s focus was on The Long Run for Recovery, a virtual marathon throughout Haiti that allows participants to join as digital runners, syncing their personal supporter page to FitBit, MapMyFitness or Strava to track their progress on the virtual course. Funds raised support relief efforts in Haiti and in United States areas recently affected by hurricanes.
Photo Credit: Donato Sardella/Getty Images for WRLDX
Sean Penn founded J/P HRO in 2010 following the massive earthquake that devastated the Caribbean country. The organization has worked tirelessly to improve the situation there, having relocated 60,000 people, administered 4,000 vaccinations, and placed 6,000 students in school programs, among other milestones.
Although not present for the evening in Venice, Sean Penn shared with Haute Living his thoughts on J/P HRO’s progress. “Of course, we’re very proud of what we accomplished in Haiti, in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, again after Hurricane Matthew, and in years since,” Penn said. “However, we at once recognize that the destruction which disasters inflict is really the symptom of bigger problems that need to be addressed — poverty, inequality, and broken systems. Crises like earthquakes and hurricanes uncover underlying problems that have always been there, and it’s incumbent upon us to address not only the symptom, but also the cause of this suffering.”
Photo Credit: Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for WRLDX
Sean Penn also shared his thoughts on how the American government and American businesses could improve in the approach to assistance, both worldwide and close to home. “In terms of our government’s aid policies, we’d like to see a focus on preparedness,” Penn said. “Every dollar spent on disaster preparedness is six times more effective that post-disaster spending.”
Of this desired emphasis on preparation, not just recovery alone, Penn continued: “At J/P HRO, we want to work with local governments, businesses, and communities to invest in preparedness; so future disasters have less deadly, destructive, and expensive impacts. That’s exactly what we’re piloting in Savanah, Georgia. We’re partnering with local stakeholders to train young people as certified disaster preparedness advocates in their communities.”
Echoing Sean Penn’s remarks that relief efforts in disaster-stricken areas can uncover problems that require long-term aid, hosts Rainn Wilson and Soleil Moon Frye shared with guests their own personal experiences assisting the cause.
Photo Credit: Donato Sardella/Getty Images for WRLDX
“I first went to Haiti about 10 years ago,” Soleil Moon Frye said, recounting the story of how a conversation with Sean Penn was the catalyst for her involvement. “I bumped into Sean, who had been a lifelong friend of my father’s. And I said, ‘I really want to go see what’s happening.’ And he said, ‘If you’re serious, pack up a suitcase, meet me there on Tuesday.’ And I packed up as much medical supplies as I could find … I didn’t even know what to expect, but I walked into a situation that was unlike any I’ve ever seen — 65,000 people living in a tent city.”
Rainn Wilson also addressed the small gathering at Gjelina, relating how his involvement began long before the 2010 earthquake, through his work with The Mona Foundation, for which he served as a board member. Following the natural tragedy, he and his wife established Lidè, which translates to “leaders.” He said, “[I realized] that education was where my passion was, that I wouldn’t be where I am without the education that I have — the teachers and mentors who stepped in at the right time to show me and help me along the way. And I wanted to give children around the world those same opportunities.”
Photo Credit: Donato Sardella/Getty Images for WRLDX
Wilson says he and his wife were so inspired by the Haitians’ vibrant culture, humor, language and music that they wanted to find more ways to help. At a J/P HRO camp, the couple participated in a United Nations-supported arts workshop for adolescent girls. “It was an extraordinarily powerful experience to see these shy, frail, girls who had no voice utterly transform over the course of 10 days … and these girls had gained confidence and a sense of themselves, a pride in who they were and in their work and we were really struck,” Wilson said.
To close his remarks, Wilson shared a memory of his very first visit to Haiti, when he saw a little girl trying to do her homework by the light of a trash fire. And he stressed the importance of supporting, in particular, female youth in Haiti to encourage positive societal changes. “If you want to impact the world in the best possible way, just micro-target girls’ education, because that transforms communities,” Wilson said.
BY: MARIE LOOK | HAUTE LIVING | CELEBRITIES, NEWS, PHILANTHROPY | OCTOBER 16, 2018
Councilman Eugene celebrates Haiti Day
Councilman Mathieu Eugene (D–Flatbush) celebrated New York City Haitian Day at Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan on Oct. 6. Students, clergy, and local community leaders joined the Flatbush politician for a flag raising ceremony of the Haitian banner, honoring the Haitian soldiers that fought for American independence.The councilman said the celebratory day acknowledges the importance of Haitians in American history in current times, and in the past.“Today we are going to celebrate the contribution of Haitians to American history, and we’re also going to celebrate the contributions of Haitians who currently live in the United States to the fabric of America,” he said.Two years ago, City Council passed into legislation a resolution designating Oct. 9 as Haitian Day. It marks a significant date in Haitian and American history, commemorating the Battle of Savannah — an important combat during the American Revolution that more than 500 Haitian troops participated in.Eugene said this fun fact of history was a moment of pride for Haitians everywhere, and should be recognized by the global community.“This is such a wonderful moment, not only for Haitian people, but also for the friends of Haitians, and for people from the United States and those residing all over the world,” he said.By: ALEXANDRA SIMON | Caribbean Life | October 9, 2018
Naomi Osaka is reportedly set to sign Adidas' biggest deal with a female athlete — and it could make her one of the highest-paid women in sports
- Naomi Osaka may be about to sign the biggest deal Adidas has agreed to with a female athlete.
- A deal worth $8.5 million annually could be announced Thursday, according to The Times.
- The new agreement would come hot on the heels of Osaka's straight-sets victory over Serena Williams, a match known for Williams' sparring with a chair umpire.
- Osaka is now seen as "a branding sensation," as the New York Post put it.
Naomi Osaka is reportedly set to sign the biggest deal Adidas has ever agreed to with a female athlete.
Osaka, a 20-year-old tennis player, just won the US Open — her first Grand Slam title. She defeated the 23-time major winner Serena Williams in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, collecting a $3.8 million paycheck.
But her new deal with Adidas could dwarf her earnings from tennis, The Times reports.
Osaka is reportedly on a "six figure" salary with Adidas that will expire this year.
The Times says a contract worth an estimated $8.5 million a year will be announced Thursday. This would be Adidas' biggest deal with a female athlete, according to Yahoo, which also says it would see the Japanese star rocket up Forbes' list of the highest-paid women in sports.
With the new endorsement deal, Osaka could become the second-highest-paid woman this year, above her fellow tennis player Caroline Wozniacki but one rung below Williams.
Osaka's newfound fame
Osaka has been thrust into the global spotlight because of the nature of her victory over Williams, who received three code violations during the US Open final match. The first violation was for coaching, which Williams argued against. "I don't cheat to win — I'd rather lose," she said. Her coach later acknowledged giving hand signals, though it was unclear whether Williams saw them. She was later given a violation for smashing her racket, costing her a point. Her third violation, for calling the umpire Carlos Ramos a "thief," cost her a game.
Williams has since been lampooned by an Australian newspaper cartoonist, bringing even more notoriety to the match.
The massive Adidas renewal could be a reflection of Osaka's increased standing in the sport and around the world, Yahoo reports.
The Adidas deal could be a sign of things to come for Osaka, as the New York Post believes another endorsement, potentially with a car manufacturer, could also be on the horizon. The publication says Osaka is likely to become "a branding sensation."By: Alan Dawson | Business Insider | September 12, 2018
Suit Designer Davidson Petit-Frère Teaches Us the Art of Being a Gentleman
The man behind all of our favorite Omari 'Power' suitsWhen Davidson Petit-Frère steps into the room, it's all eyes on him.Everything about his look is a reflection of who he is and what he values. Nicely fitted blazer? He's willing to spend a little extra for that perfect fit. Pressed pants, slightly loose but not young man low? He's patient enough to iron out the wrinkles, and mature enough to understand the importance of keeping it above the waistline. Tastefully polished shoes? He's aware that even the smallest details can make or break a carefully selected suit.He's a man's man—one who knows what he likes and isn't afraid to go after it. The 26-year-old fashion designer and co-founder of Musika Frère has dressed everyone from Jay-Z to Omari Hardwick in his European-inspired threads, and his designs have been seen on runways at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and on the backs of celebrities stylin' on the red carpet.
Not too shabby for a kid from Flatbush, Brooklyn.
[embed]https://instagram.com/p/BmHElkaA4u6/?utm_source=ig_embed[/embed]
Fashion wasn't always his business, but he's always been about his business. At 18, he chose to forgo spending six figures attending a four-year college to earning six figures pursuing a career in real estate. Selling luxury homes became the catalyst to his career in fashion. Having a baby face made it difficult for him to be taken seriously by clients, so he ditched the polos, khakis and square-toed shoes and flipped through the pages of GQ to craft a more cultured look—one that would separate him from the masses and give him a little credibility. But at a slim 6'4, he couldn't just shop anywhere; so he broke out his sketchpad, created styles to fit his frame, and found tailors to bring his designs to life.Looking for ways to share his designs, he hopped on the social media bandwagon and began showcasing his portfolio of colorful outfits on Instagram and quickly garnered a large following. By this time he was three years deep into real estate, but found that the money wasn't worth sacrificing his happiness, and instead turned his full attention to fashion. He reached out to his tailor for an apprenticeship, and after six months launched his first brand P.Frère. Soon he was receiving requests for his custom suits from celebrities and other notables working in the entertainment industry, but the product wasn't quite at the level where he wanted it to be. Using his large following as leverage, he approached his tailors with the idea of partnering for a brand. They turned him down.
“I remember the day I left the meeting, they told me 'you'll be out of business in six months. You're a 21-year-old kid and your head is all blown up with Instagram and you think you can succeed.'"
"Adversity drives me more, so I left very confident."
Taking his real estate savings, business contacts, and devoted Instagram followers, the young boss connected with business partner Aleks Musika in Miami, and found an investor to fund the brand Musika Frère.Two years in the game, and Petit-Frère shows no signs of slowing down. He's now garnered over 144,000 followers—including an extensive list of celebrity clientele—and travels the world doing the one thing that he's truly passionate about—fashion.Looking to snag this xoMan? Well, you'll have to do more than sliding into his DMs and telling him that he's sexy. He already knows that. I spoke with Petit-Frère about the kind of woman that gets his attention, lessons life has taught him, and how he plans to build his legacy.
Being that you were already a businessman by the time you were 18, I'm sure you've had more than enough experiences that have impacted the way you move in life. What have you learned thus far that has shaped who you are today?
In terms of life, just integrity and how to be a good man and businessman, you can't put all of your eggs in one basket. I've learned that you can't trust everyone, because everyone's intentions are not to see you do well. My philosophy now is to be very aware of your surroundings in terms of whom you're around and what you do. For instance, I drink here and there, but I don't do anything to myself that's going to put my in a bad light because my image is everything now. Be honest in business, and never let any type of accomplishment get to your head. People don't' know that I'm the most humble, down to earth guy. I still have friends where I was from in Brooklyn that I'm cool with. I'm never going to shy away from where I came from. I'm never going to be that guy who's fake now because I'm this type of guy. I never want to them to think that I'm someone who's a bourgeois guy or a fake guy because I'm still a 25-year-old growing man. I'm still learning everyday. I'm not going to sit here and say I've learned every life lesson in life because I haven't. I can't predict the future so I have to pretty much live everyday embracing life because all I have is me. I'm still going to make mistakes. I'm not perfect.
"Be honest in business, and never let any type of accomplishment get to your head."
So you live a busy lifestyle between running your business and traveling all over the world, what do you do for fun?
I like to work out, cook, and read.
Oh?! What are you cooking?
Oh, you tell me! I have the best teacher in the world, my mother. I've been living alone since I was 18, so I kind of had to adapt to life being single [in New York City], and if I had a girl I may cook for her. I'm not cocky or conceited, but you give me a recipe and I'll make it for you.
Dinner at your house then (laughs). You mentioned dating is hard for you being a successful entrepreneur in the fashion industry, so what type of women do you normally go for? Who would be your #WCW?
I like girls who are career-oriented and who have their head on their shoulders. You don't have to be a CEO, you can be working at Staples, but as long as you know what the hell you're going to do [in life]. You know, someone who's driven and motivated. What's more sexy to me is a girl who likes to work. I want a girl who will make me work harder. I hate bringing this into the scenario, but I want my Beyoncé. I'm stronger with you than apart, so I'm going to do everything that I can to love you and to make sure that you're happy. I don't want a sit-at-home wife. I don't want a girl that I marry and you stay home and take care of the kids. I'm going to feel some type of way because both my parents were hard workers, so it's hard for me to be around anyone lazy. I also like to go for girls who have respect [for themselves], and who know what they bring to the table.
Well, you definitely know what you want! What would be your ideal date if a girl were to surprise you?
This is tough…I wouldn't mind just going and walking down Madison Ave. and just talking about life and fashion, you know, something simple. I feel like that's just me. I don't have a fantasy date; I can do anything. I can go to Chipotle or Burger King, as long as we're having good conversation and we're enjoying each other's company. I've had dates in Starbucks before. I can go to France or Abu Dhabi—have a date anywhere. Just show me a good time, and I'll have fun with you.
Being a fashion designer, do you want a girl to dress up if she's going to some place simple like the movies?
Not at all. If we're going to the movies, wear sweats. I just want a girl with her own personal style. When a girl knows what she likes, that's sexy to me. We can learn together. You might tell me, 'I don't like this coat on you and I'd be like oh wow you're right.' You might tell me something that I might not like, but you can learn from me too. That's just how I look at life.
What are some signs that a guy is a true gentleman?
Respect and how you treat a lady. If you've ever walked around with a girl who's comfortable in a thong when you guys are walking down the block in Miami, it shows you have no type of respect for yourself. You don't have to show your body just to have some type of acceptance in the world. For me, I just feel being respectful to a female is what she wants. She wants to feel like your all. Don't degrade women. Just uplift her, make her feel like she's the only thing like outside of family, like she's god. The ground that she walks on, you have to kiss it every time that she walks because you love her that much. I'm a hopeless romantic. I've had girlfriends that I cook dinner for, and I love surprises. I love bringing you flowers to work and showing your friends that I'm a good man and that I appreciate you.
"Being respectful to a female is what she wants. She wants to feel like your all."
What's a lesson that your mom taught you about women?
She told me to treat every girl like you'd treat me. You have to treat your best friends and your girl like your mother. I would never curse a woman; I would never put my hands on a woman, or disrespect a female because I would never do that to my mother. Don't do what you don't want done to yourself. You call a girl a b*tch, you don't know what type of emotional damage you can do to a female because in the world we live in now suicide is a real thing, so I would never put my hands on a female, I'd rather walk away.
What are some turnoffs for you with women?
A relationship is not a job interview. If you like me, then say you like me and let's rock. But if you want me to chase you while you are giving me the runaround, then listen, you can go to the other guys. Because girls who do that run the risk of being single for the rest of their lives, because a guy is not going to waste his time. He'll be like, I'll go and treat somebody else better with a girl who actually appreciates it instead of you just wanting me to text you everyday, chase you, call you. Why can't you call me as well? Why does it always have to be that a man has to chase a woman? I hate the stigma. I think it's the dumbest thing in the world. Like all of my [female] friends are like I'd never ask a man out. Why? He might like you but might not know how to approach you. Don't ever put your ego and say you're never going to ask a guy out. I think that's the problem now, people think that they're too good to ask a man out. I've had so many friends who are beautiful girls and I tell them if you like that guy just go up to him.
[embed]https://instagram.com/p/BnCQ-F1A2_B/?utm_source=ig_embed[/embed]
That's real. So what are you reading?
I read a lot about fashion. I love learning the business and the industry—a lot of autobiographies and documentaries. My big idol is Ozwald Boateng, he was the first black tailor on Savile Row [in England]. he started at 23, and now he's 45. A great documentary to watch is A Man's Story, where he documented his life from 1998 to 2013. It shows the growth of him. He was ahead of his time; he was 6'4 or 6'5 black man who loved color like me.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I want my legacy to be a hardworking individual who did what he loved. I want people to appreciate the work that I do, and express how I feel about the world and how I feel about fashion through the clothes that I design. I want people to appreciate that. There are things that I want to do outside of fashion, like charity work. I'm Haitian, so I want to go back and give back to my country. I'm not doing this to be famous or rich, but because I love this. I wake up everyday with ideas like, oh this zipper would look great with this jacket or this fabric would look great. I can't sleep at night because I wake up sometimes to sketch. I'll have a dream like, that's a dope color combination. Just bringing in imagination and making it a reality.By: Kiah McBride | Sep. 12, 2018 05:45PM EST
Naomi Wants the World to Know Haiti for Its Beauty and Its Cuisine
"I have no problem becoming an ambassador for my father’s country. Haiti deserves to be known by the world for its magnificent beauty and especially its delicious cuisine ” Osaka
Noami Osaka, who was born from a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, visited Haiti recently in her effort to learn and connect more with her father’s country. The young superstar, who defeated Venus Williams recently in the second round tournament in Hong Kong expresses her interest in being an ambassador for Haiti. “I have no problem becoming an ambassador for my father’s country. Haiti deserves to be known by the world for its magnificent beauty and especially its delicious cuisine ” Osaka said during a press conference at the Karibe Hotel.Osaka who was raised in Japan, and started to play tennis at the age of 3, admits that she always hear negative things about Haiti, and she wanted to find out for herself, and that is why this year she decides to come to Haiti. “I am grateful for this experience; I had the opportunity to visit Jacmel, where I visited several beautiful beaches,” she said. although it is her first time in Haiti, Osaka was able to experience this beautiful sunny country, and she does not want to keep it for herself, she wants to share it with the world.The 20 years old, Naomi Osaka has a very promising tennis career, and she says her parents have been very supportive. This experience changes her life, and her perception about Haiti and she is determined to help educate the world about the natural beauty of Haiti and everything it has to offer.By Davidson Toussaint for Davidson Toussaint.com | October 31, 2017
Jason Derulo On Going From Pop Superstar To Philanthropist With Haiti Gala
Jason Derulo is about to hop on a plane from New York to Los Angeles when we speak on the morning the platinum singer has released his latest smash, "Goodbye," a collaboration with David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj and Willy Williams.
While he has a lot on his plate, filming a video for the track, promotional stops, etc, his heart and head are firmly in Haiti when we speak on this day. Derulo, a Haitian-American, is holding his first-ever "Heart Of Haiti Gala" in Los Angeles September 6.Featuring performances by Derulo. Shaggy and Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard, the seated dinner event is a major step for Derulo, who sees it as a responsibility to give back to the country his family comes from.I spoke with Derulo about how an insult to Haiti by Trump motivated him to put on the event he had been wanting to do for years, booking his friends for the show, what he wants people to know about Haiti and his dream headliner for the gala going forward.Steve Baltin: Where are you this morning?Jason Derulo: I'm in New York City. We had the launch for my song today, so I made a couple of rounds to radio and shot some of the music video last night here.Baltin: For "Goodbye"?Derulo: It's for "Goodbye," the video is not out yet. It'll be a while.Baltin: Does it have a very NY feel?Derulo: Actually not at all. It has a very island feel. It feels very party and, as you can imagine, the clash of worlds with David [Guetta], myself, Nicki [Minaj] and Willy [Williams] we all come from very different places, but it all meshes so chaotically well.Baltin: Talk about how it inspires you getting to work with all those different artists.Derulo: It's always amazing to come together with other talented people and other big personalities too. It's not like you're working with people that blend in. You're talking about some of the most influential people in the world. So it's amazing, because like you said everybody has their own thing. And when I'm creating a song I have a specific vision in mind. And you can never know what the ending product is. So that's always the fun part, you start an idea and you have a picture in your mind, you start in a room by yourself and it ends up being this whole other thing after everybody has done their thing. It's really cool. I've never had a song with this many collaborations, I gotta say it's exciting. It feels like a very world record and I feel part of that reason why is we come from so many different places.Baltin: Do you see yourself wanting to work with more collaborators like this or this song lent itself to that?Derulo: I probably won't continue to do songs like this. I think there's only space enough for one of those kind of songs on a project. So I probably won't be doing that, but it's fun to come together for a music video like that as well. It's something really cool to see it all come together. Our performance might not need backup dancers. We might fill up the whole stage.Baltin: Moving to the event, do you feel like you're at the point you can use your name for good and it's part of the inspiration for starting this event?Derulo: I think it's important as a human being to help others. I believe in my heart of hearts if I was a teacher I would have the same goals. The fact that I'm a musician and I have a platform and a stage and a voice, so to speak, is just a cherry on top. It's added bonus and it makes things easier. But I don't think I'm doing it because of who I am. I'd have the same heart if I decided to have another career. I've been so blessed in my life. And I always wondered where my big impact would be humanitarian wise. And I wrestled with myself for years and years where my place was and what the perfect situation was. Finally one day I was like, "I can't wait another day, I'm starting today. I'm gonna put a gala on and I'm going to start a benefit based on my home country, one, but also people that are less fortunate around the world." And that's what it took.Baltin: Where does your philanthropic bent come from?Derulo: It's something I always wanted to do because I grew up in a household where it was the norm. My grandmother was a very charitable woman and my mother grew up that way. So we grew up that way as well. We would get up on Sunday mornings. My mom would fill up these bags with clothes we didn't feel we needed and I'm like, "Why are we doing this?" Then we get to a location and we're giving our clothes to the less fortunate or waking up on a Saturday morning, my mom is cooking pasta, pasta, pasta, boom, we'd take those pasta bowls to the homeless. Feeding the homeless at a young age I'm getting to see the impact that a plate of food means to somebody. I grew up in that environment. So with this concert it's been interesting reaching out to people for a different reason. It's not to come to a party or get on a song. It's for a great cause and it's really incredible to see the response.Baltin: Are there artists you really have looked to or learned a lot from in how they balance music and philanthropy?Derulo: I visited Sean Penn's work in Haiti firsthand. It was really impressive what I've seen. I didn't know what to expect. I was going into it blind. And I really admired the work he did. And for a country that's so close to my heart, obviously it strikes a different chord. It's one thing to do something for a place just because that place is suffering. But it's another thing to feel the same pain because essentially you're from there and those are your people, they're family. So I feel like it's my responsibility. It's much more than me wanting to lend a hand. I feel I'm responsible to a degree for the Haitian culture. I wake up in the morning and I think and I'm strategizing on what the next steps are because I feel like I have to. I feel like God gave me a gift for a reason. It's not because I was necessarily inspired by another artist, but because I feel the need.Baltin: What finally made you say, "This is the day?"Derulo: I'll tell you exactly what it is specifically. It's when Trump called Haiti a "S**thole country."Baltin: It's so great that rather than get into a war on social media you took action. Talk about the importance of being a role model for people who aren't sure what to do or how to help.Derulo: I think it's difficult starting somewhere. And I think we don't get started for different reasons. We don't get started cause we're looking for the perfect thing. And also think we don't get started because we don't think what we're doing it is worth enough. But every penny counts, every bit of effort counts. It all counts. And I think if you start somewhere it's like a snowball effect. It'll continue to grow until that small impact that you started with becomes a huge one.Baltin: You have Shaggy there and Tyler [Hubbard] from Florida Georgia Line. Talk about the talent for this night.Derulo: Reaching out to friends of mine, it was a no-brainer and they have the same feeling, just wanting to do something right now. And I think this was a perfect start for them. This event is the start for me. But why not just give a performance and start there? It doesn't necessarily have to be your night for you to make a large difference. Having them there is so helpful, man. I couldn't ask for a better pair. For those artists to come out and perform at this gala I am so super thankful. Most galas I've ever been to I've been one performer. I've performed at some of the largest ones in the world. So it's not all the time where you go and get a trifecta like that. So for all our guests to come and receive this treat, I'm thankful because I know people are gonna want to come back the next year. "Who's gonna do it next year? We had so much fun this time, what's gonna happen next year?" I want this to be an annual thing. I want this to grow and grow and grow until we change the world.Baltin: Who is the dream artist for you to do the gala in the future?Derulo: I'd love to have Stevie [Wonder], man. I'd love for Stevie to come out and perform. He's just incredible. I'd love J. Lo to come out. The lost can go on and on. Anybody that I'm a fan of. I'm a very normal guy, like I'm an average dude. All the big legends, Earth, Wind & Fire, Justin Timberlake. I can go on and on.Baltin: What Stevie song would you want to do with him?Derulo: "Ribbon In The Sky," you gotta do your favorite song, right?Baltin: What is the most important thing you want people to learn about Haiti from the event?Derulo: The most important thing I want people to know about Haiti is the fact that we have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and there is such an opportunity for this to be such a destination. It is not a country that is just turmoil. It can be such a destination and it's a shame these beautiful clear waters haven't been tapped into on a larger scale. It's such a beautiful place that has so many nooks and crannies and its beautiful waterfalls. It has such a negative light on it all the time, but it's a place people will want to go to for their vacations, their honeymoons.By: Steve Baltin for Forbes.com | August 31, 2018