Overview:
US Communities honor Haitian Heritage Month, reflecting on years of celebration and community pride.
NEW YORK — From Irvington in New Jersey to North Hempstead in New York, a growing number of States, counties, and cities in the United States are officially recognizing May as Haitian Heritage Month, reflecting the increasing visibility and civic engagement of Haitian communities across the country.
Driven by local advocacy and community pride, these designations have turned May into a month of cultural celebration—from flag-raising ceremonies and street parades to public tributes and political proclamations. Haitian Americans are using the moment not only to honor their ancestry, but to call attention to their impact in the U.S and the challenges still facing Haiti.
On May 6, the North Hempstead Town Board officially dedicated May as Haitian Heritage Month, honoring one of Long Island’s most vibrant immigrant communities, the Long Island Press reported.
The proclamation was done in a ceremony filled with song, pride and reflection and welcomed by Haitian Americans gathered in New Cassel, home to a large Haitian population. The ceremony included a singing of the Haitian national anthem, a deeply emotional moment given the crisis currently facing Haiti.
“To be able to celebrate a flag of a country that the flag should be upside down, to get this from you all, I can’t tell you how that feels,” said Mimi Pierre Johnson, a Haitian American and state director of the Haitian Diaspora Political Action Committee.
Councilman Robert Troiano of North Hempstead was the first municipality on Long Island to declare May Haitian Heritage Month. The town has hosted public Haitian Flag Day celebrations for more than a decade, the Long Island Press said. Former Council Member Viviana Russell was at the ceremony and said the tradition began after Haitian residents in Westbury and Carle Place asked for a way to commemorate their heritage.
This year’s Haitian flag ceremony in North Hempstead will take place on May 18 along Prospect Avenue in New Cassel, a hub for Haitian-owned businesses and cultural activity.