Lynn

Good Afternoon everyone…I greet you in my native tongue “Creole” by saying “Sak Pase?“ which means “How‘s it Going?” Your response should be “Map Boule” which means “I‘m Doing Well.” So again, Sak Pase? This is a phrase commonly used in the Haitian community.

When I was approached a couple of weeks about participating in Haiti Day as a speaker, I was a bit reluctant. Born in the United States and never actually visiting Haiti, always made me feel like my knowledge of Haiti could never be described as well as someone who actually was born and raised there. My husband often teases me and says “you’re not Haitian your a “Fake-tion”. But as I reflect on my childhood years and into adulthood, I realized my link to my Haitian culture was just as strong as a person who is a native son.

My parents migrated from Haiti to the US nearly 40 years ago. They had hopes to make a better life for themselves and their children. Despite leaving behind family and friends, they knew the bond they had with their country would live forever in their hearts. Although my parents loved Haiti dearly, I can remember the stories they shared with me and my siblings. They spoke of the constant turmoil and despair that often over-shadowed this beautiful tropical island. Stories of cruelty and injustice by the government towards the Haitian people often made me angry and ashamed. I realized at very young age, visiting Haiti was not an option I wanted to explore.

As I got older, I began to embrace and take pride in my Haitian culture more and more. The desire to begin speaking my parents native tongue became much easier for me. My early childhood conversations with my parents always consisted of them speaking Creole (a French dialect) and me responding back to them in English.

I began learning how to master the wonderful Haitian meals my mom would prepare for the family. I also realized how much I enjoyed listening to the rhythmic beat of Kompas music.

As I entered...