Thursday, March 28, 2024

Haitian Heritage Month Celebrated in LA’s Leimert Park

Haiti Flag
Haiti Flag: Photo Credit, Ricky Richardson

Los Angeles-Premiere Events and Promotions Services presented and celebrated Haitian Heritage Month on Sunday, May 28th in Leimert Park from 11:00am-6pm.

The mission of the organization and the reason for the local festival is to preserve, interpret, teach, and promote knowledge and appreciation of the rich, ancient, and varied culture and traditions through education, folklore programs, public events, dialog, and other initiatives. Premiere Events and Promotions engages and serve participants of varying ages, interests, and walks of life.

Anna Jean, Sloan Toussaint and Jaquil Constant
Anna Jean, Sloan Toussaint and Jaquil Constant: Photo Credit, Ricky Richardson
Sloan Toussaint, WIZ, and Romaine Antoine Simon
Sloan Toussaint, WIZ, and Romaine Antoine Simon: Photo Credit, Ricky Richardson

In honor of Haitian Heritage Month in May and Haiti Flag Day on 5/18. The festival acknowledged the cultural influence of Haiti globally and locally in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Haitian Heritage Month Celebration featured multi-cultural performances, with Haiti’s rich history told from storytellers such as Sloan Toussaint. The stage was hosted by MC Haiti and DJ Stony provided an eclectic sounds that kept everyone dancing in between acts to Cadence, Kompa, Zouk, Reggae, Punta and Soca.

DJ Shiny
DJ Shiny: Photo Credit, Ricky Richardson

SHINE Muwasi provided the percolating rhythms of West Africa to officially open the program. The stage was set for additional performances that was provided by vocalist B. Morris with her marvelous version of “At Last” by the late great Etta James and an original tune “Phases.”

SHINE Muwasi
SHINE Muwasi: Photo Credit, Ricky Richardson
B. Morris:
B. Morris: Photo Credit, Ricky Richardson

Little Lenny and Little G were next to perform two high energy tunes “Lemonade Juice,” and “Your Legends.”

Little G and Little Lenny: Photo Credit, Ricky Richarson
Little G and Little Lenny: Photo Credit, Ricky Richarson

Romaine Antoine Simon and Celina Soto thrilled the crowd with a couple of tunes. The program featured another high octane set of West African Drumming by a trio of Drummers and dancers.

Celina Soto and Romaine Antoine Simon: Photo Credit, Ricky Richardson

Sloan Toussaint and Romaine Antoine Simon gave a detailed history lesson of Haiti to enlighten the crowd and Mr. Surprise LA was a highlight with reggae tunes.

Romaine Antoine Simon and Sloan Toussaint
Romaine Antoine Simon and Sloan Toussaint: Photo Credit, Ricky Richardson
Mr. Surprise LA: Photo Credit, Ricky Richardson

The celebration in Leimert Park continued for several more hours until the early evening as the crowd grew larger and larger and livelier.

The Haitian Heritage Month celebration is an expansion of the Haitian Flag Day, a major patriotic day celebration in Haiti and the Diaspora. Haitian President Dumarsais Estime started the Flag Day celebration with parades, cultural and athletic events in many cities in Haiti in the 1930s, when he was Minister of Education under President Stenio Vincent. Estime wanted to commemorate annual the creation of the Haitian flag on May 18 to encourage the development of patriotic sentiments among Haitian youth.

Ricky Richardson is a Southern California based writer, music reviewer and photographer. contact him via: [email protected]

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