Tag - Haitian Heritage Month

Economist, university professor, and entrepreneur Etzer Emile formally announced on Saturday, October 31, his candidacy for the presidency of Haiti under the banner of the political grouping Gwoupman Solèy (also referred to as SOLEY). The announcement came via a video statement and a campaign communiqué.⁠ ⁠ Emile, who has long analyzed Haiti’s economic and institutional challenges through teaching, writing, and public commentary, frames his run around three core priorities: security, jobs, and social justice. In the statement, he said improving security is the essential precondition for restoring public confidence, economic activity, and access to basic services. “The problem is not the truck. It’s the driver model that needs to change,” he stated, arguing that the country needs a government capable of protecting citizens, stimulating wealth creation, and remaining accountable.⁠ ⁠ On security, Emile proposes strengthening the country’s security and justice institutions, improving intelligence capabilities, combating the illegal circulation of weapons, and tightening border controls, while respecting the law and human rights. He has said families should be able to live without fear and workers should be able to move freely.⁠ ⁠ For employment and economic recovery, he calls for infrastructure development and administrative and tax reforms aimed at attracting local and foreign investment across industry, agriculture, tourism, commerce, and renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. On governance and social justice, he pledges to end patronage-based hiring in public administration, publish state expenditures, combat corruption and impunity, ensure equal treatment of citizens, and protect women against violence and discrimination. He also emphasizes greater participation for Haitians in the provinces, the diaspora, and people with disabilities.⁠ ⁠ Born on September 1, 1985, in Cavaillon, Emile is 41. He is married and the father of two boys. He studied economics at Université Quisqueya (where he teaches) and sociology at the State University of Haiti, then earned an MBA in finance and banking in Taiwan. ⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican

American Airlines officially returned to Haiti on Sunday, November 1, with the arrival of its first commercial flight at Cap-Haïtien’s Hugo Chávez International Airport. The move ends nearly two years of suspended operations by major U.S. carriers in the country.⁠ ⁠ Flight AA2492 departed Miami International Airport aboard a Boeing 737 aircraft and landed in Cap-Haïtien, marking the resumption of regular commercial service. The inaugural flight operated with an all-Haitian crew. Airport officials organized activities to mark the occasion at both ends of the route, with inaugural events planned in Miami and Cap-Haïtien.⁠ ⁠ The airline is now operating daily nonstop service between Miami and Cap-Haïtien using Boeing 737 aircraft. Typical schedules show morning departures from Miami around 10:15–10:20 a.m. arriving in Cap-Haïtien around 12:15–12:28 p.m., with the return flight departing Cap-Haïtien in the early afternoon and reaching Miami mid-afternoon. ⁠ ⁠ The airline had announced the November 1 restart earlier in the year, becoming the first major U.S. carrier to formally restore regular commercial flights to Haiti since the late-2024 suspension.⁠ ⁠ U.S. commercial service to Haiti was largely halted in late 2024 after multiple incidents in which commercial aircraft were struck by gunfire near Port-au-Prince amid the country’s gang-related security crisis. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration imposed restrictions barring U.S. carriers from the capital’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport; those restrictions on Port-au-Prince remain in effect. Cap-Haïtien and other northern airports were cleared for service, allowing this return.⁠ ⁠ American previously operated to Cap-Haïtien for years before broader suspensions. Haiti had been the only Caribbean nation without direct U.S. carrier flights during the suspension period. Regional operators continued limited Miami–Cap-Haïtien service in the interim.⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican #haitian

Fèt Gede, the Festival of the Dead, is one of the most sacred and powerful celebrations on the Haitian Vodou calendar. Held every year on November 1 and 2, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, it is a time when families and Vodouists gather in cemeteries across Haiti to honor the ancestors with offerings, rituals, drums, and the signature banda dance.⁠ ⁠ Also known as the Festival of the Ancestors, Fèt Gede (Fèt = Festival, Gede = the sacred dead) is far more than remembrance. It is a living conversation between the living and those who came before us. The Gede, the family of lwa who guard the threshold between life and death, are both fierce and joyful. They remind us that death is not an ending, but a continuation; that the ancestors still walk with us, guide us, and strengthen us. In their presence, the boundary thins, and the community reconnects with the roots that have sustained Haiti through every trial.⁠ ⁠ Often described as Haiti’s equivalent of Mardi Gras, Mexico’s Day of the Dead, and Halloween rolled into one, Fèt Gede carries its own deep truth: life and death, joy and sorrow, fertility and finality exist together. It is a celebration of resilience, of lineage, and of the unbreakable bond between the living and the dead.⁠ ⁠ 📸 @verdyverna ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican #haitian

Haitians Honor Their Ancestors Through Fèt Gede, a Two-Day Celebration of Life, Death, and Tradition Every year on November 1 and 2, Haitians in Haiti and across the diaspora observe Fèt Gede, one of the most meaningful celebrations in Haitian Vodou. It is a time to honor loved ones who have passed away, remember our ancestors, and celebrate the connection between the living and the dead. During Fèt Gede, Vodou practitioners gather at cemeteries to pray, light candles, make offerings, and pay their respects. Some wear black, purple, and white, while others celebrate through music, dancing, and traditional ceremonies. At the heart of the celebration are the Gede spirits, who are associated with death, ancestors, and the cycle of life. Baron Samedi and Manman Brigitte are among the best-known spirits connected to these traditions. While Fèt Gede takes place around the same time as All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, it has its own deep roots in Haitian history, spirituality, and culture. For many Haitians, Fèt Gede is more than a day of remembrance. It is a celebration of those who came before us and the traditions that continue to connect generations. #lunionsuite #haitianamerican

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Saturday that President Donald Trump has agreed to grant an immediate visa to the mother of 15-year-old Javits Frimpong after a phone call between the two.⁠ ⁠ “The murder of a child is a pain no parent should have to endure, let alone from thousands of miles away,” Mamdani posted on X. “Javits Frimpong’s mother deserves to say goodbye to her son in person. I just got off the phone with President Trump and he has agreed to grant her visa immediately. All of New York City is mourning this tragedy.”⁠ ⁠ Frimpong, a Ghanaian immigrant who had moved to the Bronx about a year earlier to live with his father, was fatally shot Thursday morning, October 29, while walking to school. Police said he was shot once in the abdomen near East 171st Street and Crotona Place in the Claremont section of the Bronx, shortly before 9:30 a.m. Officers transported him to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No arrests have been made. Investigators are seeking three teenage males last seen in dark clothing and masks. The motive remains under investigation.⁠ ⁠ Frimpong’s father, Thomas Frimpong, has said his son had been bullied at DreamYard Preparatory School and that school officials had recently suspended two students in connection with incidents involving him.⁠ ⁠ Frimpong’s mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, remains in Ghana (Kumasi). Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said he had spoken with her and assigned officials to help with the visa process. He added that the Ghanaian government would cover her full travel costs and contribute toward a dignified funeral while continuing efforts to secure justice. Community members and elected officials have held vigils in the Bronx as the investigation continues.⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican

At Aya Nakamura’s sold-out concerts in Montreal’s on October 24–25, the French-Malian star performed an acoustic version of her song “J’ai mal.” As the guitar began, a familiar melody cut through the room. Many Haitian fans in the audience recognized it immediately. The opening notes closely matched “Se pa pou dat,” the long-running konpa classic by Haitian singer @AlanCave. Nakamura continued with her lyrics without mentioning Cavé or the song. Within hours, videos of the moment circulated online. Some listeners saw the resemblance as an uncredited use of a major Haitian track. Others viewed it as a possible influence or a simple arrangement choice. The clips turned into a wider conversation about recognition, cultural borrowing, and how Haitian music sometimes appears on larger international stages without credit. “Se pa pou dat” is one of the defining love songs of modern Haitian music. The track has remained a staple for more than two decades. Its slow, emotional melody is instantly recognizable to many in the Haitian diaspora, even to those who do not speak Kreyol. Aya Nakamura, is the most-streamed French-speaking female artist in the world. Her sound blends Afrobeat, R&B, & urban pop, and “J’ai mal” is an earlier, more vulnerable song that has stayed in her repertoire. Days later, on October 30, Alan Cavé responded on Instagram. He had attended Nakamura’s shows and also joined a master class with her musicians. During that session, he learned that her drummer and musical director are Haitian, a discovery he described with pride. He later met Nakamura and thanked her and her team for their warm welcome. Addressing the musical moment, he wrote: “Hearing a few notes of ‘Se pa pou dat’ blend into your ‘J’ai mal’ in the middle of your show…it touched me, but I didn’t feel any pain. Next time, we could sing it together.” He added that it was beautiful to see a song he created years ago continue its journey into another generation’s music. Rather than focusing on the debate, Cavé treated the moment as a sign that the song is still traveling and framed the unexpected connection as an open door. 🎥 @Naishaazorr Janellesimonee1/Tiktok #lunionsuite

Burna Boy made history on October 29 as the first African artist to perform at Apple Music Hall, Apple’s new 600-capacity live music venue inside London’s iconic Battersea Power Station.⁠ ⁠ The intimate venue, which opened just weeks earlier, is designed to bring artists and audiences closer together, featuring advanced Spatial Audio technology.One of the night’s standout moments came during his performance of “4 Kampé II,” his collaboration with Haitian artist Joé Dwèt Filé. A large Haitian flag was displayed behind Burna Boy as he performed the track, with dancers and his full band bringing the song to life. The visual tribute and performance offered a moment of recognition for Haitian fans, who have embraced the collaboration.⁠ ⁠ The London performance came just four days after Burna Boy brought “4 Kampé II” to the international stage at the NFL Paris Game halftime show on October 25 at Stade de France. On that occasion, he invited Joé Dwèt Filé to join him, giving the two artists an opportunity to perform their collaboration together.⁠ ⁠ With “4 Kampé II” continuing to feature in Burna Boy’s live performances across international stages, the collaboration has become a notable part of his setlist. Rooted in Haitian konpa, the song represents a musical connection between two artists and continues to introduce Haitian sounds to audiences around the world.⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican #haitian

Amazing!!!!!! 🎃🇭🇹 Two of our own turned Halloween into a stylish tribute to music and film, serving detailed looks inspired by Aaliyah and Teyana Taylor’s role in One Battle After Another. ⁠ ⁠ The first look channels Teyana Taylor as Perfidia Beverly Hills from One Battle After Another. @Maddymorebuckss standout detail is the prominent baby bump, mirroring the film’s striking image of Taylor’s character in action.⁠ ⁠ The second recreation by @Sidmich_ captures Aaliyah’s signature glam. Long, straight black hair frames dramatic smoky eye makeup. The midriff-baring top and bold silver belt complete a sleek early-2000s stage and photoshoot aesthetic, polished, confident, and instantly recognizable.⁠ ⁠ Together, the two Haitian beauties offer a sharp pairing of music history and contemporary film for Halloween.⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican #haitian

American Airlines will restart daily nonstop service between Miami and Cap-Haïtien on Sunday, November 1, 2026.⁠ ⁠ The flights will operate from Miami International Airport to Cap-Haïtien’s Hugo Chávez International Airport on Boeing 737 aircraft. The service marks the return of a major U.S. airline to Haiti after nearly two years of limited options for travelers.⁠ ⁠ Under the schedule, the Miami–Cap-Haïtien flight is set to depart around 10:15 a.m. and arrive around 12:15 p.m. local time. The return flight leaves Cap-Haïtien around 1:15 p.m. and lands in Miami around 3:15 p.m. The timing allows for onward connections through Miami for passengers traveling from other U.S. cities.⁠ ⁠ Cap-Haïtien becomes American Airlines’ 100th destination across Mexico, the Caribbean, and Latin America. The resumption comes as U.S. commercial flights to Port-au-Prince remain restricted under the Federal Aviation Administration’s ban, which has been in place since late 2024 following security incidents involving gunfire on aircraft in the capital. Cap-Haïtien and other northern airports have remained open to U.S. carriers.⁠ ⁠ For many in the Haitian diaspora in South Florida and beyond, the daily Miami–Cap-Haïtien route restores a direct, major-carrier option for family visits, business travel, and connections to northern Haiti. Cap-Haïtien serves as a key gateway for the northern region, and the new service adds capacity after years of reliance on smaller operators.⁠ ⁠ American Airlines previously served Cap-Haïtien starting in 2014 after the airport’s runway was rehabilitated. The November 1 restart places the northern city back on the airline’s network during the winter travel season.⁠ ⁠

On Wednesday, October 28, during her My Life, My Story residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas, Mary J. Blige surprised the crowd by bringing @WyclefJean onstage for a performance of their 2000 hit collaboration “911.” Blige and Wyclef traded verses and chorus lines as the stage glowed in red and orange LED visuals with atmospheric smoke. The audience, phones raised, captured the energetic reunion of the two longtime collaborators.⁠ ⁠ “911,” from Wyclef’s 2000 album The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book, peaked in the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains one of their best-known joint tracks, blending R&B, hip-hop, and Caribbean influences. Bringing it back live during Blige’s first-ever Las Vegas residency added a nostalgic, high-energy highlight to an already memorable night that also included her direct response to a heckler.⁠ ⁠ This viral clip captures both the unfiltered stage presence the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul is known for and the seamless chemistry between her and Wyclef on one of their signature songs.⁠ ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican #haitian

An ICE arrest of a Haitian poultry plant worker in Temperanceville, Virginia, has spread fear among the immigrant workforce at a Tyson Foods facility and across the Delmarva Peninsula. Agricultural groups are now warning that the administration’s enforcement operations threaten the nation’s food production and grocery prices.⁠ ⁠ According to @NYTimes, on August 18, ICE agents arrested Frandrich Pierre, a Haitian asylum seeker who held a valid work permit, outside the Tyson Foods plant. Pierre had worked there for two years sorting chicken parts for $21 an hour. He was later released and has an upcoming asylum hearing. The arrest, captured on video by coworkers, prompted many Haitian workers to stop reporting to work out of fear.⁠ ⁠ The revocation of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians has led ICE to arrest people who had been living and working in the U.S. legally. The Delmarva Peninsula, spanning parts of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, is a major poultry processing hub for large producers including Tyson, Perdue, and Mountaire. These companies have long relied on Haitian labor and, in some cases, offered to sponsor work visas and permanent residency. Now, many workers are staying home or going into hiding, leaving plants short-staffed.⁠ ⁠ While ICE has not conducted raids inside the poultry plants themselves, workers told The New York Times that companies are scrambling to hire and train replacements. None of the three major producers, Perdue, Mountaire, or Tyson, commented on the impact. Tyson has issued letters for employees to carry that ask law enforcement to “allow our team member to come to work” and state that their work is “crucial to Tyson’s continuing operations.” ⁠ ⁠ Last week, a coalition of food industry groups warned President Trump that the immigration crackdown is affecting the nation’s food supply. At a protest in Salisbury, Maryland, residents said companies are not doing enough to protect longtime immigrant employees, some of whom have worked at the plants for decades. As ICE continues deportations to Haiti, workers are being returned to a country in crisis.⁠ ⁠ Source: New York Times ⁠ #lunionsuite #haitianamerican #haitia

Javits Frimpong, a quiet 15-year-old who left Ghana for a brighter future in New York just one year ago, was fatally shot Thursday morning steps from his Bronx home as he walked to school. His father says he knows who is responsible and points to recent bullying that led to suspensions. On Thursday, October 29, around 9:24–9:30 a.m., Javits Frimpong was ambushed in the Claremont section of the Bronx, just one block from the apartment he shared with his father. The tenth-grader at DreamYard Preparatory School was struck once in the abdomen. Surveillance video captured him running for his life as at least one person in black pursued him; he managed to run about a block before collapsing. Officers from the NYPD’s 42nd Precinct, responding to a 911 call, did not wait for an ambulance. They placed the injured teen in a patrol car and rushed him to St. Barnabas Hospital. He was initially listed in stable condition after surgery but died a short time later. Police say Frimpong was the intended target. They are searching for three teenage males, described as wearing black clothing or sweatsuits and blue surgical masks, who fled the scene toward Crotona Park or Fulton Avenue. No arrests have been made, and investigators have not publicly confirmed a motive. Thomas Frimpong, 60, a yellow cab driver who has lived in New York since around 2000, brought his son from Ghana approximately one year earlier so the boy could pursue better opportunities. Javits’s mother remains in Ghana. The day before the shooting marked roughly the one-year anniversary of Javits’s arrival. Frimpong believes the killing is connected to bullying at school. He says the principal contacted him about three days earlier to report that two students had been bullying Javits and were suspended for a week. School officials told him Javits was innocent and had only been defending himself. This loss has shaken not only the Ghanaian community but immigrant families of every background who understand the sacrifices made to give children a better life in America. Our community extends its deepest condolences and solidarity. Rest in perfect peace, Javits. 🎥 Pix11 ABC7 #lunionsuite #haitianamerican