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Edwidge Danticat:
The butterfly's Way

The Haitian Institute:
Hinduism vs Vodouism

Haitian-American Identity

Haitian Indepedence Concert 2002

Beethova Obas in concert

Emeline Michel

Claes Gabriel art exhibition

Edwidge Danticat:
Kitchen Poet

NOAH website

NOAH
2002
Awards
Gala

The National Organization
for the Advancements of Haitians held its annual awards gala on Saturday, March 2, 2002. The beautiful evening was held at the Organization of American States in Washington, DC. On the road to Haiti's 200th Independence celebration in 2004, NOAH properly acknowledged a group of Haitian-Americans, who have achieved great success in the American system and beyond. With more than 30 years in America, Haitian communities are "empowering through unity (L'Union fait la force)," electing judges and representatives, and nurturing future political leaders.

NOAH is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1991 by Dr. Joseph E. Baptiste in Washington, DC. According to Dr. Baptiste, "NOAH is a leading social policy and economic development organization for the advancement of Haitians in Haiti and the US." Through the years and through some major political contacts, NOAH has influenced many US policies concerning Haiti. Either NOAH or Dr. Baptiste's Dental Implant office sponsors many Haitian businesses in the community. NOAH board of directors and members include some of the most successful Haitians and Haitian-Americans in the United States.

Through many collaborations, NOAH achieved many milestones in the states as well as in Haiti, including "bringing clean water to Pointe a Raquette, Gonaive; provided medicine and equipments for health clinics and hospitals throughout the country; establishing a four-year scholarship's program with the Piney Woods Country Life School to educate the under served Haitian children." With the group that was awarded on Saturday night, NOAH will no doubt create more powerful collaborations and achieve more success for Haitians and Haitian-Americans.

The guests were well entertained by Ricardo "Ti Plume" Frank, along with Maryse Coulange. Haitian legend, Michel Presoir also lend a helping hand during the night. NOAH awarded the Haitian-American Achievement Award to a very diverse group of people, from judges, to entrepreneurs, to artists, and future political leaders.

Dumas M. Simeus is the chairman, CEO and controlling stockholder of Simeus Foods International, Inc., a privately owned manufacturer of frozen food products for the restaurant industry. Simeus Foods is headquartered in Mansfield, Texas. With revenues approaching $200 million, Simeus Foods is the largest black-owned firm in Texas and ranks among Black Enterprise magazine's largest black-owned businesses in the United States. Prior to purchasing Simeus Foods in 1996, Dumas Simeus served as president and CEO of TLC Beatrice International Foods, the nation's largest African-American corporation. He is a member of the Haitian-American Business Development council, and serves as chairman of NOAH.

The Honorable Fred Seraphin was appointed, by Florida Governor Jeb Bush, as Miami-Dade's first Haitian-American county judge. Seraphin emigrated from Haiti to the United States in 1967, arriving in New York to join the rest of his family. His mother, Madeline, arrived first, having fled Haiti during the Duvalier years after his father, Franck, a parliamentary opponent to President Jean-Claude Duvalier, was murdered by the regime. He was the last of seven siblings to come to the U.S. Seraphin, 43, worked for more than seven years for the Miami-Dade public defender's office, handling criminal cases, and also has practiced privately.

Rudolphe Moise is both treasurer of NOAH and the President of NOAH, Florida. In addition to guiding the activities of one of NOAH's largest and most active chapters, he is president of Comprehensive Health Centers, Inc. Dr. Moise also owns the only Haitian radio station in Florida, WRHB 1020 AM, Radio Carnivale.

Harriet R. Michel, president of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), received the Humanitarian Award for her work with NOAH. As noted by Dr. Baptiste, Harriet Michel managed to put several powerful CEO's on the back of a tap tap in Haiti in order to feel first hand the Haitian experience.

In the city of North Miami, out of five council members three are of Haitian decent. Jacques Despinosse is one of three Haitian-American councilmen for the city. He was born on December 30, 1945, in Port de Paix, Haiti, and completed his secondary education at Lycee Toussaint Louverture. He immigrated to the United States in 1968, and started a new life in New York. Mr. Despinosse moved to Florida in 1977, attended Miami Dade Community College where he completed non-credit courses in international trade, and has been living in North Miami for the past 12 years. Mr. Despinosse is married to Ruth for 32 years now, is the proud father of four children, and is the owner and operator of Despinosse Consultant Services. Mr. Despinosse is the founder of the Haitian-American Democratic Club and a member of the South Florida Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of Haiti National Foundation. He has served on a number of boards and committees in the City of North Miami, City of Miami and Miami-Dade County.

Alix Desulme received the NOAH Youth Award. He is a young man of only 24 years, but with a long list of experience in the political field. Alix is a senior at St. Thomas University, working on double major in Organizational Leadership and Political Science. He is the President/CEO of Alix Desulme and Associates, a Miami-based public relations and governmental affairs firm. Alix has volunteered countless hours in political campaigns as well as community activities. He currently serves on boards of Miami-Dade Young Democrats, North Miami Chambers of Commerce, and Haitian-American Community Association of Dade (HACAD). With those and many other organization involvements, without a doubt Alix Desulme has a bright future in the political field.

Carl Alexandre is the director of the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), Criminal Division, United States Department of Justice. Before being named director, Carl Alexandre served for two and one-half years as the Department's Senior Resident Legal Advisor in Haiti, where he managed training programs for judges in six jurisdictions as well as in Port-au-Prince. Mr. Alexandre joined the Justice Department in 1989, and served as a senior trial attorney in the Criminal Division. Before joining the Justice Department, Mr. Alexandre was an Assistant District Attorney in Oklahoma City.

Marie P. Saint-Fleur is a state representative in Massachusetts. She's been a legislator since 1999, studied at University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Boston College Law School. Ms. Saint-Fleur has been serving her entire district, including the Boston Haitian community. With the support of her district, Marie Saint-Fleur is looking to one day run for the Senate office.

Farah Juste received the Arts and Entertainment Award. She has been singing for more than 20 years. Very well known throughout Haitian communities inside and outside Haiti, she has left her trademark as an intensely committed artist. Her music is characterized by the social and political message denouncing injustice and inequalities in Haitian society. Through her lyrics, she seeks to uplift the oppressed and to maintain their fighting spirits. She is extremely active in defending the rights of children, of Haitian refugees in Miami and in participating in community events.

NOAH honored these people, among many others, who very well deserve to be recognized for their efforts to uplift themselves and in the process uplift Haiti, her children and culture.

© march 2002, echodhaiti.com