a1510: Naple Daily News: Caribbean Haitian Festival (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JD Lemieux <lxhaiti@yahoo.com>

Haitian culture on display at Caribbean Haitian Festival

Thursday, March 28, 2002

By DIANNA SMITH, dlsmith@naplesnews.com



Local Haitians want to introduce themselves to Collier
County.

They want people to know about their culture. They want art
lovers to capture the stories hidden in expensive pieces of
art and the positive messages relayed through Haitian
poetry and dance.

They plan to do this Saturday at the Caribbean Haitian
Festival at Cambier Park in Naples. This will be the first
time the Haitian culture will be celebrated with the public
in Collier County.



"We want people to know the Haitian community here. We want
the Haitians to feel like there are people out there who
like them, and they're doing some positive things."

— Patrick Chanea


>From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., visitors can experience a cultural
show, where Haitian women will perform monologues, dance
and poetry.

A workshop will be held to explain to Haitian parents and
teens how to apply for financial aid for college and how to
apply for successful jobs. Vendors will be scattered
throughout the park, selling Haitian arts and crafts, music
and food.

The history of Haiti will be told through pamphlets and
speakers.

Club Creole, a Haitian student organization at the
University of South Florida, is helping with the event.
Alumni Ronald Victor, club adviser, said Saturday's
festival is meant to erase the negative stereotypes some
people have of Haitians.

"We like people to know, for example, we used to be the
country of freedom for everyone," Victor said. "We had
Haitians who came here to help America fight for the
revolution. If they would take a look at the colorful
history we have, they would realize the contributions we've
made to the world."

The Association for the Advancement of the Haitian People
also is helping with the event. The Naples-based group
formed four months ago by the Rev. Wilfred Baker to help
Haitians with housing, employment and schooling.

There are 55 members so far, and Baker said he believes the
membership will increase once more Haitians find out about
the assistance the group offers.

"Our purpose is to organize the Haitian community," he
said. "We are a black minority, we have to work together."

Club Creole President Mathilde Time said many people don't
know anything about the Haitian culture, which is why
people associate Haitians with voodoo and believe Haitians
cannot speak English and are not well-educated.

She wants others to see that those stereotypes are not
true.

"I would like for them to see us as a symbol of hope," Time
said.

Patrick Chanea, a Club Creole member and festival
organizer, said he especially wants to give younger
Haitians hope. He wants them to attend the workshop about
college, so they can learn about how to apply for school
and how to get accepted.

What he ultimately wants, he said, is for people of
different cultures and races to join together Saturday and
help local Haitians celebrate their culture.

"We want people to know the Haitian community here," Chanea
said. "We want the Haitians to feel like there are people
out there who like them, and they're doing some positive
things."


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