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JAnUARY 15 - 21, 2026
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Haitians honor their freedom culture, identity and pride for the school’s Haitian community. A portion of the program also “Independence Day is not honored students, faculty and only a moment of pride for Hai- alumni for their efforts in pretians, but a turning point for serving Haitian heritage and America and the world,” Union- uplifting the school’s Haitian dale High School Principal population. Assemblywoman Michaelle Shawn Brown told students and Solages, who reprecommunity memsents Elmont, bers at the school’s Franklin Square second annual Soup and Valley Stream, Joumou celebration, was recognized durcommemorating ing the program. Haiti’s Le Jour de Born in the United l’Indépendance. States to parents Held last Saturfrom Jacmel and day in the school’s Port-au-Prince, auditorium, the Solages made histoevent blended tradiry as the first person tion, remembrance of Haitian descent and student voices elected to New York with Haitian music, state government. dances and greetings MARIe SOnIA “I wish there in Creole as well as would be stability in English. It also paid SAInT ROSeHaiti,” she said, tribute to those lost BIenvIl attributing many of in the catastrophic President, Solidarite the nation’s chalJan. 12, 2010, earth- Haitiano-Americaine lenges to external quake in Haiti. de Long Island interference. “We Soup Joumou, a have never been savory pumpkinbased soup once forbidden to given the opportunity to govern enslaved people, has become a our own country.” Solages recalled the 2010 national symbol of Haitian resilience and independence. Tradi- earthquake, in which well over tionally served on Jan. 1 to mark 100,000 Haitians died, and the Haiti’s 1804 liberation from helplessness she felt trying to France, it represents unity, reach family members. “And it strength and remembrance. Last seems that every day, God is testweekend it served as more than a ing us as Haitian people,” she meal — it was a celebration of
By STACY DRIKS
sdriks@liherald.com
O
Maya Golos/Herald photos
A jolly Haitian holiday Even though Christmas in Haiti is traditionally celebrated on Dec. 24, Solidarite Haitiano-Americaine de Long Island hosted its holiday gathering on Jan. 11, at Bernard Brown Park, to avoid overlapping with local fire department events, toy giveaways and church visits. Above, a traditional Haitian coin toss game, in which the goal is to land a coin inside a jar of water. At right, Malia Val, 13, and SHALI President Marie Sonia Saint Rose-Bienvil spread holiday cheer in their festive sweaters. Other participants received toys, played Haitianinspired games and ate the country’s traditional food. Story, more photos, Page 3.
ur motto is strength, so we encourage our people to stick together to keep our nation alive.
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