Haitian Flag Day 2016

There's something about Haitian Flag Day that makes me so patriotic. Our other holidays are great, but flag day is powerful, potent even. What a reminder of our fight to liberation! Every person I pass wearing the flag inevitably puts a smile on my face. This day is ancestral and celebratory, so of course I celebrated!

I got the pleasure of spending my Haitian Flag Day evening at the Shapeshifter Lab in Brooklyn, which housed the event Haitian Flag Day Celebration. NYC Council Member Jumaane D. Williams and Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte partnered with Haiti Cultural Exchange to create a vibrant and festive event. As everyone embodied the richness of our Haitian heritage through music and dance, honorees were also presented and said beautiful things about Haitian, being Haitian and our flag. One of them said something really great, and I wanted to share her sentiments.

Vicky Jeudy is popularly known for her role as Janae in "Orange Is The New Black", but she is also an activist. As a Haitian American, she fights for all Haitians and those who support the community to love themselves and their people.

To be in the same room as her was one thing, but to see her engaged with her fellow Haitians and for her to speak to this Haitian, leaves me euphoric.

Check out my super short, super impromptu but super relevant interview of Vicky Jeudy. Listen to what the Haitian flag means to her. Ask yourself what it means to you. Embrace Haitian culture outside of the month of May.

Enjoy and ignore my awkward demeanor!

https://splice.gopro.com/v?id=x21xw75pa