Okay, hi everybody, thank you for coming out.

This is our third annual Haitian Heritage Month, but Haitian Flag Day celebration.

And um it's going well, right?

We we we you always show up.

Um I hope we caught the singing out there because we we sounded great.

You know, my aunt, she's what, 98 years old?

She's always singing the song, and several years she says she's gonna sing it.

She's coming out, she's coming out.

And then so I was like last year, it's like, oh, I didn't realize it was this year.

So I just went to get her, and she's like, my arm is hurting, I can't come out.

I can't sing, I can't come out.

My mom, my back is hurting, I'm not coming out.

So, you know, they're they're older and they're like, they find reasons that why they can't come out, but they're here in spirit.

And I and I and I hope one day you get to hear my aunt sing this song.

She had two songs that she wanted to sing for you.

That song, and then there was a song that she always sings because when Haiti was repay was paying back that 150 million dollar debt to France that wasn't a debt for winning their freedom, the country had songs and encouraged people to pay the debt and get out of the situation.

So she actually knows that song and is always singing in, and that's what she had planned for you.

So hopefully next year you'll get to hear it.

Oh, you know what?

I'm gonna record her, and then I'm gonna play it for you.

Make sure she she gets her her her day in in the limelight.

So um we're gonna start the program, and the other fun fact about about this is that this all started um one year when when there was a lot of things going on in Haiti.

That's like almost every year, right?

We were being attacked left and right again, that's like all the time.

And councilman Peters came to me and said, you know, let's talk about doing something for the Haitian community.

This councilman Peters here, he's our district three councilman David Peters.

He said, Let's do something for the Haitian community.

I want to do like a prayer or something because just something to show that we're where we stand with them and that we support them.

And um I said, yeah, that's great.

Um, but it's almost you know, May, that's when we celebrate our flag day.

And I always wanted to do a flag day celebration, so I said, if we really do that, that's gonna really commemorate Haiti and show us and show that we're supporting.

And he's like, wonderful.

That's how this got started.

And now it's an annual thing.

So I always want to thank Councilman Peters, who's gonna come up and read the city proclamation for us.

Um, but that's that's that's how it got started.

Thank you, Councilman Peters.

Come on up.

I think it's the big one.

Do I see?

You can stay here if you choose to.

Hello, everybody.

Greetings on behalf of the city of New Rochelle on behalf of our mayor, your dear Ram is Herbert, uh, and City Council, I believe, is here uh recognizing City Council as well as as our as our city here in the city of New Rochelle.

You know, this is a wonderful difference as you said it's this one?

This one.

She wants me to read this one.

Yeah.

Okay.

So we take this one off.

All right.

This is a wonderful day and a wonderful event.

Uh, you know, to have uh Haitian Day here, Heritage Day here in New Rochelle with this with the community that is so strong and so vibrant and has such a rich history of overcoming any kind of oppression that emerges in the lifeblood of the Haitian community.

This is just a wonderful day.

And uh, I'm just really happy that all of you who are here are able to participate in this great event.

So our the proclamation reads as such, but you being here is so much more.

The proclamation reads, uh the office of the mayor, the city of New Rochelle proclamation honoring Haitian Heritage Day, whereas the city of New Rochelle takes pride in recognizing and celebrating the rich cultural diversity that strengthens our community, and whereas Haitian Heritage Month is celebrated during the month of May to honor the history, culture, and contributions of the Haitian people, both in Haiti and throughout the diaspora, including right here in New Rochelle.

And whereas May is a significant month in Haitian history, encompassing important milestones, such as Haitian Flag Day on May 18th, a symbol of pride, resilience, and unity for Haitians around the world.

And whereas the Haitian American community has contributed immeasurably to the social, cultural, economic, and civic life of New Rochelle through leadership, entrepreneurship, education, arts, and service.

And whereas by observing Haitian Heritage Month, we honor the enduring spirit of the Haitian people, acknowledge the contributions of Haitian Americans to our city, and promote cultural understanding, respect, and unity among all residents.

Now, therefore, I, your dear Ramos Herbert, mayor of the city of New Rochelle do hereby proclaim the month of May as Haitian Heritage Month in the city of New Rochelle and encourage all residents to join in recognizing and celebrating the rich history and cultural legacy of our Haitian American community.

Done at New Rochelle this 14th day of May 2026, the mayor, your dear Ramos Herbert.

We appreciate you.

Hello.

Thank you.

First, I want to thank Miriam for your advocacy in doing this.

Three years already, right?

Yes, very good, very impressive.

Thanks.

Thanks to City Hall staff for putting this together.

It's always a lot of work.

You guys do a great job.

Our council members here that are really representative and supportive of our heritage months here in Neurochell.

And so today, you know, we're here to celebrate Haitian American Heritage Month, along with all the contributions Haitian Americans have provided to our nation and the community here in Neurochelle.

The Republic of Haiti was founded January 1st, 1804.

And a key part of that rich history is status, it's its status as the first sovereign state in the Caribbean, the first black-led republic in the world, and the second republic in the Americas.

So the Haitian flag bears the country's motto, right?

Um Lunar Far La Force.

Did I get that clear face?

Close, close.

All right, which means unity makes strength.

Right?

It's a model that speaks to the spirit of a people who cast off oppression and joined together to build a nation.

So on this Haitian History Month, we celebrate that spirit of unity and the Haitian Americans who share it with us, with the rest of us here, especially in this nation and our city of Neurochell.

So thank you.

Enjoy this month and enjoy the celebration today.

And now we will hear some remarks.

Christine.

Yes.

Let me go.

So Christine, hold on.

Christine.

Christine is here with us.

You know who Christine is?

Christine is.

She's always been a strong supporter of us in New Rochelle and all throughout the county.

And uh Christine is the director of constituent services and community affairs, Office of Senator Shelley Mayer, who's also a strong advocate for us.

But Christine is also Haitian.

So it's Christine Fiz MA, right?

Um and so Christina's here, and she's gonna tell us uh give us some information.

And not only is Christine Haitian, but I am so delighted because Christine now lives in Neurochelle.

Yeah.

So she's also a Neurochell resident.

Come on up, Christine.

Bonsoir to one.

Um, okay.

Um, good evening.

So, like uh Mary Emma saying, um, I do serve as a director of constituent services and community fairs for Senator Shelley Mayer.

Um, it is truly an honor tonight as we celebrate Haitian Flag Day and Haitian Heritage Month here in New Rochelle.

And yes, I'm so happy to be a new resident.

I moved here also with my mom, and so we were both here at both new New Rochelle residents.

And so, as a daughter of a Haitian immigrants, um the celebration means something deeply personal to me.

Growing up Haitian in America, I used to joke that the only thing American about me was that I just lived in America.

Um, because inside my home, everything was Haitian, the music, the food, the language, the dancing, um, the tableau, the amount, the china, the plastic on the couches, um, the faith, the values, and the discipline and the resilience.

Um, my mother made sure that I knew who exactly I was and where I came from.

And today I'm grateful for that.

I'm grateful that I was raised in a culture that taught me faith before fear, um, perseverance before excuses, and community before self.

Haitians are a people of strength, brilliance, creativity, and survival.

We are a people that continue to rise even through adversity.

And while tonight is a celebration, we also recognize that many members of our community are carrying real con real concerns right now, especially surrounding immigration and CPS.

Um, I want our Haitian community to know this that Upa Punkantu, you're not alone.

Our office or um with Senator Shelley Mayor is here to help connect residents to resources, guidance, and support services.

If you or your family need assistance, navigating state services or resources, please reach out to our office.

Um, you ain't got your fe no Westchester County.

So Sepoksam they create Westchester Haitian Collective.

What gen papier sa devant we get information angle and ed.

And they've grouped no same, Punu Cafe Ray C Westchester County, no New York, New Gangs News.

I graduated with my MPA, and ceremony no week.

So this is for us.

So I create so the collective was created with the vision of building stronger connections within our Haitian community, connecting families, resources, organizations, opportunities, culture apply, cultural pride, and each other.

We want to continue expanding that work across Westchester County and creating spaces where Haitians feel seen, supported, um, empowered, and united.

So if you're interested in getting involved, the papers are out front.

There's a website, you can contact me.

I also have my card.

Um please speak to me after the program.

And to the young people, congratulations.

Um, I especially want to encourage you to get involved civically.

Um for high school students, we in our office, I also run our youth advisory council.

So students from across the district have the opportunity to engage directly with government, discuss real issues affecting their communities, create legislative and community impact projects, and even present ideas to the senator.

Um applications, I'm gonna let Miriam know, and I'm here, so I'll let you guys know when the applications open up.

We run from during the school year.

Um so we would I would absolutely love to see more students that are here represented in our council.

Um because the future of our community is not just in preserving our culture, it's in empowering the next generation to lead.

Um tonight, as we raise this Haitian flag, we raise more than colors, we raise history, we raise resilience, we raise faith, we raise pride, and we raise hope for the generations to come.

Thank you all.

Happy Haitian flag day.

Bonje Benino.

So before we do the population.

Hold on a second.

So one of the things that I wanted to highlight tonight before we do the um give the proclamations to our graduates.

Again, we're highlighting our students, graduates from pre-K to college, and even beyond.

Um because again, that's that's how we in Haiti and in our culture, we measure our progress, right?

How well our kids are doing, how important education is, and us highlighting our children.

So that's that's that's the idea behind making sure that we let them know that we're proud of them, that uh they are graduating and we know where they're going, where they're coming from, so that we can best support them.

We know where they are, so we can follow them and make sure that they do their absolute best.

So that's that's what we're gonna do next.

But before that, you know, we're celebrating our 100 year um anniversary, the Neurochell High School.

And the idea that I had um was to, hey, a hundred year celebration, we need to go back and get a list of all of the Haitians that are graduated from Neurochell High School, as as you know, something here.

I think we need to do it for other communities too.

But um that's something that I'm in the process now of putting together.

But I already have some names that I'd like to say.

I'm not gonna do all of them, but some names just to help us remember some of the folks, some of them are no longer with us, but um just some of the people who graduated from Neurochell High School and uh I hope whether they're here or not.

I hope they hear us in calling in their spirit.

So I'm gonna start with the ones that I know are the oldest, but I've asked other people to start putting the list together.

But um this one, I saw the commission of police here.

Is he still here?

Oh, he may have left.

All right, but this these are my cousins who lived on Morris Street.

This is where I first met the police commissioner, because that's where he grew up on Morris Street, and uh they moved away, but this is where you know they started, and um their oldest son is is Pierre Pinarat.

Um we have Nicole Pinarat, who the police police commission always says she was older than us, how much you know he he would always look at her and like her.

Um there was there was Yolette Pinarat, they all graduated from Neurochal High School, um, and they were like the some of the the first ones.

Um you have Mona Evelard, Evelard is a long list of family that's here.

Um you have um you know, Joel Evelard.

Like I said, I'm calling out the older ones.

You have some of my older siblings, my Claude Desim, Bernard Desim, that graduated from here.

You have Guy Fuenklin.

They were back then, a lot of them were into the kung fu and they were always doing a lot of kung fu in the in the area and and and putting on exhibitions.

Um and just coming here as as uh first generation immigrants and and making their marks, and you know, a lot of them grew up, bought homes here, and raised their family, and we've got this long list of individuals that have, you know, it's good to see the family, the Neurochell family tree, the Haitian Neurochell family tree.

So I am putting that together.

I wanted to just kind of mention it because it's been so long since um, you know, we've seen some of these individuals.

So that was the thought, that's the idea, and that's that's that's something we can look forward to.

Um now we're gonna have the city manager and the um city council, district three, David Peters, and we'll we're gonna give out the proclamations.

You're coming too, Shane?

Yes, you can come because we live all over.

This is this is another city council, Shane, um, for district four, Shane, right?

Yes.

All right.

I'm gonna help with the names.

Yes.

These are these are this this year's graduates that we're gonna do first.

Um, and we're starting with the pre-K.

A little pre-K, if any of them are here.

This is um, let me see.

That's not our pre-K.

Right.

Let me see the the list.

Yeah, I'm not in that order.

They're definitely not in order.

So as I see them, then we'll say what what they are.

Okay, we can do it that way.

So this the first one, mom is here.

I don't know if she's if if if daughters here, she's probably not here.

But um Fadah, Fadia Dazir, right?

She's she's she's not here, but she's a college uh graduate, Iona.

She's got her master's in psychology.

Yes, from Iona College.

Mom is here so she could get it for her.

So we tell I we told her it's great, she's already working, but I know we have um one of our beloved psychologists, Dr.

Gomez is retiring, so here we have one that can possibly replace it.

That's how we have to do it, right?

We gotta network it like that.

Yes.

Thank you.

What's the next one?

All right.

Uh Schutzley Gedoah.

Schutzli Gedoah is graduating from the high school.

And I don't remember what his plans are, but I know he had some of them are you know have gap years, but he didn't.

He had things.

He he had a plan, huh?

High school too.

This is oh, this one is a nice story.

Samuel Decim, who happens to be my cousin, right?

That I didn't know of, right?

Who found out once he hit Neurochelle, and everybody's like, do you know Samuel Dassim?

He's you know, they seem like if you're they seem that means you're related.

So we start calling around, come to find out.

Yes, he's my cousin, and um he's graduating the high school, and he's going to SUNY Purchase to study computer science.

Yeah.

Middle school.

Middle school, Avery Villarson.

Is Avery here?

Going, leaving the middle school, going to high school.

Oh, I'm gonna tell you who Avery is.

Um, because I just put middle school going to high school because Avery actually doesn't go to school here, but his dad is Clifford, and Clifford owns the taboo um barber shop in Neurochall, long-time Neurochell resident.

So he, you know, he's he's he's here, but he's always here, and so we said we were gonna put him in there, and that's he's going to middle school to high school, and you know how our boarders are poor as I'm sure he's gonna hit Neurochell soon.

Middle school, another middle schooler.

Oh, Lawrence Mede.

Lawrence is going from, let's see, he's going from Alba Leonard Middle School to Neurochall High School.

And yeah, it's I don't think they're here.

It's a long, they have a lot of uh brothers and siblings, so almost every year there's one of them graduating.

They're from the um Webster Church.

Oh, yes.

Which one is this one?

Middle school.

Middle.

Oh, again, another cousin.

Christian Robert DeSim.

Um, this is my older cousin's son who's graduating from Isaac Young, going to um Neurochal High School.

I don't know if they made it yet.

Uh are you guys here?

No, they're not here, but another cousin.

Middle school.

Middle school, middle school.

Jehu Michelle.

Is Jehu Michel here?

Let's see.

Going from Alba Leonard Middle School to Neurochel High School.

I think that's another one from the church.

Elementary school.

We have an elementary school.

Julie Michaela Joseph.

Julie Mikaela Joseph.

And we said elementary.

Oh, she's going from Daniel Webster to Albert Leonard Middle School.

Congratulations, Julie.

Congratulations to everybody.

Yes.

I remember seeing that name.

We don't see it here.

Oh, pre-K, yes, it's the long list of our pre-Ks.

And what I found interesting is that they they, you know, which pre-K program that they're in, which helps you to know where you might want to put your little pre-Kers.

So they're graduating from, he's graduating from the little Bumblebee pre-K, and he's going to Daniel Webster.

Another pre-K.

Jazile Bellefleur.

Jacyl Bellefleur, and and Jasil Bellefleur is going from the little Bumblebee pre-K to Trinity.

I'm not surprised to see it's similar ones because of course we're gonna talk to one another.

Which where are you sending your kid?

Hey, we're gonna, I like this program here.

And you notice there's a there's a common ground here.

Pre-K.

Another pre-K, Nala Basquin.

Nala Baskin is Nala here.

I saw one little, she's waiting, she's over there.

Nala Baskin is um the learning experience pre-K to Daniel Webster.

Okay, and then this is the one um pre-K.

Uh Nasia Alexi Nasiah.

Hi, Nasiah, come on up.

You're here.

We get to see you, Nasiah.

And she has on her beautiful Haitian skirt.

Isn't she lovely?

Hi, Nessiah.

Congratulations.

Here you go.

Are you excited, Nasiah?

Tell us what you plan on doing.

High school.

Graduating high school.

Okay.

Um, these are these are twin sisters.

I don't know if we have both of them together.

And I actually met them when they were like in the 10th grade.

So now they're graduating.

This is uh Regeline Theodore and her sister Lachelle Theodore.

So they're they're graduating from Neurochell High School.

And I think they're thinking of taking a gap year, is what I understand, but I'm not sure.

Because I haven't seen them.

But congratulations.

Another high school, Sasha Mouscadin, graduating from Neurochal High School.

And I think they're interested in working for a year before they figure out what they want to do.

Sasha Muscade.

College.

And then another college, right?

Um Laurien Mede.

Remember I said there was a lot of them.

Laurian Medet.

She, where did she?

Where's hers?

Huh?

Say it again.

Lehman.

Lehman, yes.

She graduated from Lehman with a master's in accounting.

And she is looking for a job, City Hall.

And I know we're always looking for folks like this.

She has her accounting degree, and I told her I would let them know.

So here we have it right here.

These are old movies.

So we we we have one that's missing, and he's actually here, so I'm not gonna not say my his name because that's another cousin, and it's uh uh you have two?

Well, Valerie didn't tell me, so I didn't know if she wanted me to go, but let's both of them you guys come up.

We have um we have Frederick Johnson, right?

Frederick Johnson is graduating from Iona C Iona Prep.

He was at the high school, then he went to Iona Prep, right?

It's my little cousin, but you know, we also have to clarify first of all, that's the daughter of Ann Johnson who works right here in City Hall, right?

In facilities, congratulations.

Where do you gonna study, Frederick?

And where are you going?

I'm going to Penn State and I'm doing ETI enterprise technology integration.

Yes.

And he's going to Penn State where his sister, she just completed what, her first year or second year?

Girl, second year already.

And what is she studying?

I don't see her.

Oh, yeah.

Hi, Santa Seal.

Stanton Seal stand up.

What are you studying?

Uh human-centered design and development.

Excellent, excellent.

And you know, and her maiden name is Amazon, which is a long list of Amazons.

It's gonna be on this list.

So she's Johnson, that's her married name, but it's the descendants of the the Amazon family.

So we have that one.

And then Valerie, where Valerie, come up.

You have it?

Yeah.

Okay.

Makaiah.

And and we're also happy to have Bakaya Simpkins.

Please come up, please.

Yes.

Daughter of Daughter of Valerie Simkins.

Who's the assistant principal at the Neurochell High School?

Congratulations.

Congratulations.

Tell us what you're gonna study and where you're going.

Um next year I'll be studying biology at Barnard College.

Excellent.

Yeah.

She's right here in New York, so that means she can come home and do stuff with us.

Ah, pre med.

Yes, ma'am.

Uh one I know, doctor.

All right, I think that's it, right?

Oh, you know what I have?

I have some from last year, but one in particular.

I don't know if anybody's here from last year, but one in particular that we didn't give out, and and we've been trying to find a special way to give it to her, and she's actually here.

She's still here, right?

Yes.

We have huh?

Can I say it?

Yes, say it.

Kennedy Brunson.

Yes.

Oh, that's right, because she's in your church.

Come on, Kennedy.

Kennedy, you could tell us about your year already, because you already, she's you're at the high school now, right?

Come on, Kennedy.

Hi, Kennedy.

We said we weren't gonna just give it to you anytime.

Here you go.

Come and tell us.

Come on, Kennedy.

Go ahead.

Wait, wait, wait.

Tell us where you are, where you came from when you graduated last year.

And go ahead.

Um, I came from Albert Leonard Middle School.

And you're at um high school.

And how do you like it?

How do you like it?

Um, it's actually like pretty easy.

Oh any particular thing you're interested in and looking to do?

Um I'm in like pay vocal.

Uh huh.

And I'm looking to do like cooking classes because I want to go, I want to be a chef.

Excellent, excellent.

You want to sing something for us?

No.

I'm gonna ask.

Well, I'm glad you got it, Kennedy.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Bye.

All right, I think that's it, right?

Huh?

We're gonna, yes, we're gonna have we have some refreshments outside for you.

And that pretty much is it for this year.

But again, you know, we we do this and then we say we want to do more of a collaboration.

And and Christine talked about it, and now that she's in the Rochelle, maybe we can kind of solidify that a lot more, right?

So that we can really what'd you say?

Oh, so that we can really start to move some of our agendas.

Um, one thing I I know that I recently asked is like some of our young, some of our young students who are doing very well are are wrapped up in some of these immigration issues, and they have um, you know, they worked before, they would like to work, but right now it's not it's not clear or what status is and what what they can and can't do.

And we should be able to figure that out for them, knowing that there's a short window that they have to work.

Let's figure out you know what what can be done, if anything, of course.

We're not gonna do anything that's not right, but we should be able to to to handle it to give them that kind of support.

That's just one thing I know because they're here doing their thing.

Um and and as we all have as we come here in transition, but now that we have this network, let's better utilize it so that we can support them.

And of course, our most valuable asset, of course, is our children.

All right, guys, thank you so much for coming out.

We got some pate outside for you and some drinks.

Thank you.

Thank you, guys.

Well, thank you, David, Shane.