Hundreds flooded the streets with blue and red to celebrate Haitian Flag Day on Prospect Avenue in Westbury at the 10th annual town celebration, held in conjunction with Nassau County, Quiescere Resource Center and Westbury School District.
“To take it here on Prospect is huge,” said Mimi Pierre Johnson, former president of the Haitian American Political Action Committee and founder of the annual Flag Day celebration.
Haitian Flag Day is observed annually on May 18 each year, commemorating the adoption of the country’s flag in 1803 during the Haitian Revolution.
Pierre Johnson said Westbury and New Cassel have the largest Haitian population on Long Island, which made it the perfect location for the celebration, Pierre Johnson said.
The committee, a non-profit that aims to empower the Haitian-American community, has been involved in the Flag Day festivities since its beginnings, Pierre Johnson said. She said the celebration originally took place at the Yes We Can Community Center in Westbury and has since moved to Prospect Avenue.
The street is an especially fitting place to host the event, given its connection to the Haitian community, Pierre Johnson said.
“Most of these stores are Haitian-owned, most of these houses,” she said.
“It means so much,” said Erline Dorsainvil, the current president of the Haitian American Political Action Committee, who said planning this year’s event was one of the most “joyful” events she’s ever planned.
Dorsainvil said Haitian history has made its mark on the United States in many ways, and seeing it celebrated within the community is an impactful experience.
“Haiti has touched the whole entire world in so many ways,” Dorsainvil said.
She said the best part of the day was seeing “everybody in unity, coming together.”
Pierre Johnson said the celebration “uplifts” the Haitian population in the area and through community outreach it has seen higher participation from the school districts nearby.
Local Haitian-owned businesses turned out for the festival, selling homemade goods and foods. Westbury’s Nao Caribbean Flavors’ food truck and Island Hot sauce offered attendees classic Haitian flavors, and Soule Creation’s of GG displayed homemade jewelery and home goods.
One thing that everyone had in common at the fair, though, was their festive clothing, including T-shirts donning the flag, colorful accessories and miniature flags
Pierre Johnson said wearing blue and red is an important aspect of the celebration, as it shows Haitian pride and respect for the flag.
She said the Town of North Hempstead is a “champion of the Haitian community,” through their work with the Haitian American Political Action Committee.
Dorsainvil said she encourages people to learn more about Haitian culture and history, especially its connection to the United States. For more information on the political action committe, visit hapac.org.
