Kreyolicious Blog

is drawn to cinema. Her blood stream has fragments of celluloid sprinkled all over it, and lots of vintage cutting room dust. If her parents

Girls like Liz Paul weren’t supposed to grow up to be savvy business women running retail empires. If anything, they’re supposed to be unstable adult

Christina “Krissy” Julme, the founder of BèlNègès, sporting a tee proclaiming one of the brand’s philosophies. Check out this conversation Kreyolicious had with her in

Kiana Rouchon, the reigning Miss Black Florida US Ambassador is always on the move. Literally. When she’s not visiting elementary schools to inspire little ones,

The first thing that impresses you when you’re interviewing the crowned Miss West Coast USA Natalie Iman Duvalsaint is how articulate she is. Being expressive

One of the hottest and most prolific wordsmiths on the lifestyle, travel and entertainment journalism scene, Danielle Pointdujour writes for some of print and digital

The Greater Washington Urban League along with the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities were one of the first outlets to feature the work

Life coach and licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) Jameson Mercier of —known as The Haitian Therapist—counsels clients on everything from marital problems to relationship issues

One of the most acclaimed authors of Haitian descent on this planet, Dany Laferrière as a member of the prestigious Academie Française, an institution for

James Vergneaud’s stage name Rebel Layonn is pronounced Rebel Lion—lion as in the king of the forest. Vergneaud says it’s fitting because the lion is

If you’re a pop music aficionado, the names of and songwriter-producers that have made an impact in that arena, can probably roll of your tongue

There are few pageant winner crowns that haven’t found their way on Medjy Mezilus’ head. Mezilus won the Miss Canada Globe tiara in 2012. Two

Leyla McCalla was born in New York, or was she? Listening to her sing on the farm-stage at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, you’d swear

His chimney-smoke voice belts out passionate songs with so much emotion that you’d swear that behind the microphone he’s being tortured by powerful, invisible hands.

The twelve tracks on the album Viktwa (Victory) from the group DiSip De Gazzman Couleur range for hyped-up, danceable numbers to sublime ballads. Shall we

Myabèl Cocktail Bar and Restaurant sits in a little city in Haiti called Croix-des-Bouquets. Co-owned by the attorney Regine Theodat, the eatery is concrete evidence

In a world where doubts are constantly being raised about the authenticity of the body parts of some of the most glamorous women in the

Hertz “Naz” Nazaire paints from Bridgeport, Connecticut. He has ties to New York, the US city he first started calling home when, at nine years

The song “Konfye ak Mefyans” (Trust and Suspicion) comes across as forthright, and as having been written from the innermost depths of the heart. The

entitled Invasion launches off with plenty of boasting: “Some have tried to copy, others have tried to emulate. They’ve all failed.” The automated female voice

Every blogger wants to be Karen Civil. Why wouldn’t they want to be her? She is an influential new media princess and the head honcho

If actress Sharon Pierre-Louis is a dream chaser, it’s a trait passed on from her parents. They—starting with her father—arrived to Miami from Haiti during

Talk about being at the right place at the right time! At the age of eighteen, Hencha Voigt left her home in Haiti to go

. Of the product, she raves: “Once I step out of the shower, I apply it to my feet and the results are remarkable. It

. The city of Miragoane was to be the site of one of Haiti’s most ferocious color wars, as asserted by many historians, including the

Ask Stephane Achille about herself and most likely she’ll respond with a blank stare—not because she’s at loss at to what to say, but rather,

Are you taken by love stories? This is a special love story. It’s between a man from Minnesota and the left portion of a little

. The 1890s begun with Florvil Hyppolite as Haiti’s president (being a Haitian, his name was actually Louis Mondestin Florvil Hyppolite). According to the book

Sandrah Chalmers is a visual artist and painter, whose paintings are very versatile. On one hand, there are the paintings that depict rites of passage

Carl Bazelais spent the first twelve years of his life in Haiti. In the late 1980s, he immigrated with his family to the United States,

He does oil portraits. He paints scenes from history and historical figures remembered or forgotten. For instance, among Noze’s collection of paintings is a work

Did you know that the CEO and founder of one of the biggest public health companies in the USA is…you guessed it…a Haitian? The man

Whitney Lubin is a graduate of Florida State University, and is definitely a hair expert. She and her stylist sister share duties running a hair

Former Miss Teen New York USA Lisa Elizabeth Drouillard has never fallen from the spotlight since her triumphant 2011 crowning. Drouillard, a student at John

Fashion designer Dayanne Danier is known for her chic women’s fashion line Bien Abyé. But she’s always wanted to intersect it with philanthropic activities. Enter

Marjorie Vail was browsing the internet one day, when she learned of the Mrs. Brooklyn International pageant. She had always wanted to be part of

It’s not unusual for some to earn nicknames during the college years, and nicknames that stick at that. For Jesler Mezidor, a student at Bethune

Ida Faubert led a fascinating life. She married twice, that in itself unusual for a Haitian woman of her era. She was born in Port-au-Prince

After a career that has spanned several decades, Emeline Michel doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone, but she hustles and bustles as if she

Marilene Phipps is just as fond of her paint brush as she is of her pen. She creates color-popping, religious-themed paintings. But she also dabbles

If you were to meet Melissa Laveaux on the streets of Paris, you would swear that she’s just like any other girl about town. Sure,

Listening to the poetry flowing from the mouth of spoken word artist Melissa Beauvery is quite a treat. She makes her poetic presentations at times

Stephanie Villedrouin Balmir is like most typical married mothers of two, except that she has a special responsibility, the revival of Haiti’s tourism industry. As

Marie-Valerie Placide’s line Bohiomania is literally taking the fashion world by storm. The line is less than three years old, and already it is creating

Haitians all over are betting that Haiti’s tourism will rise again, and those whom are part of the Haitian community in Canada are no exception.

La Source is an inspiring documentary made by Patrick Shen, a documentary filmmaker, whose independent production company Transcendental Media is based in Pasadena, California. The

Haitian women are the lifeblood of Haitian society and Claudine Michel, and co-directors Mark Schuller and Renée Bergan wanted the whole world to know this

The Oxford Dictionary the word quintessence as “the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class.” Surely, that is the definition that most

Kevin Dorival seems to be everywhere, ever since he published The Courage to Believe, an inspirational, self-help book that chronicles his journey from an individual

Moms are great beings. But does it seem like Haitian moms are in a category all by themselves? Or does it just seem that way

The photography community in France counts Henry Roy as one of their own, and one of the best at what he does. One of Roy’s

Award-winning thespian Alexandra Foucard is what some might call a quad threat. You read correctly. She is a singer, a theater and film actress, and

Elsie Augustave is a brand new voice in Haitian literature worth listening to. Her debut novel The Roving Tree brings Haiti and the United States

Myrvine Bernadotte is of that generational segment born in Boston, and raised by Haitian parents, who came to the United States in search of a

Nathalie Cerin has been singing all her life, but it wasn’t until 2009 that the singer-songwriter-performer decided to seriously pursue a career in singing. Talie,

Can Haiti’s tourism get its groove back? For Dina Simon of My Haiti Travels (MHT Global, LLC), that is the goal, and she won’t relent

Above: Rose Jeudy President of Haiti Staffing and Business Resources (HSBR) in her office in Haiti. Looking for a job? Willing to travel and go

It took the death of his father to open the eyes of Richard Petit, and lead him to discover his true calling: designing clothes. But

Don’t you dare doubt Gary Klang’s Haitianess, starting with his last name. Klang, it turns out, is as much French, and as much Haitian as,

There’s that one person in your life who you cherish like no other. That one person, who, if you woke up one day and found

Davidson Toussaint is succeeding where some thought he never would: in the Haiti tourism business. With Haiti Tourism Inc, the company he founded in 2011,

Who here thinks that Haiti is a great tourist destination, and one that will regain its footing at the top of the best tourism destinations

A couple of the members of the HEY team strikes a pose. Sainvil is second from the right. Growing up in Philadelphia, Herman Dolce, Angelo

Did I mention that I’m writing a book? Yeah, I am. Mè wi! I guess I should have brought it up to you beloved Kreyolicious

Above: Some of the bèl timoun of BelTiFi Inc…Diana Prud’homme, Director of Social Media and Interaction, Judith Jacques Director of Communications, Jessie Rigaud, Treasurer; Jihan

. Trouillot is the , some for the juvenile audience and she’s the creator of novels like [The Infamous Rosalie] a historical work set in

When most people meet Francie Latour, they’re probably surprised to learn that she only has two hands. After all, she is a journalist, , ,

Whatever problems Haiti may have, and whatever it may be lacking, it’s not in want when it comes to songs devoted to it. It seems

Photo: Martine Stephenson (standing) and Gabrielle Rigaud (sitting) are the masterminds behind Perle Hospitality. Haiti’s hospitality and tourism industry will be flourishing if Martine Stephenson

Natalia Stines is 5’9, and that’s before she slides her well-moisturized feet in a pair of stylish, high-heeled pumps. Her long, pretty face is accentuated

For anyone on the international art scene, and especially those who collect and appreciate Haitian art, Claude Dambreville is a true master. His paintings have

Most future filmmakers don’t start out as International Business majors, but that’s exactly what happened to producer/screenwriter/actor Robinson Vil. Vil, who immigrated to the United

Should students in Haiti be taught in three Languages? The woman behind The School of Choice—Ecole de Choix—in Mirebalais seems to think so. School of

If you were to ask a Haitian—actually anybody—to put together a list of the best books about Haiti written in the 20th Century—Elizabeth Abbott’s book

If you were to ask a Haitian—actually anybody—to put together a list of the best books about Haiti written in the 20th Century—Elizabeth Abbott’s book

Garcelle Beauvais is the pride of the Haitian community, not because she’s an actress in Hollywood who happens to be Haitian, but because she’s a

The hyphenated word multi-faceted was made for people like . Voltaire-Marcelin has written short stories, as in the short narratives that have been highly anthologized.

Sooner or later Shadine Ménard had to be part of something big—creatively-speaking. She grew up as the daughter of legendary novelist Evelyne Trouillot. Her uncle

can be best described as “alive”. Her works of art are characterized by the use of vibrant colors, larger than life subjects, and usually have

Chef Ron Duprat is bringing Haitian cuisine to the world stage with his week-long , which runs from August 3-9. The tour will introduce participants’

Hermanie Pierre’s head must feel weighed down from tiara burnout. Consider the pageants she’s won: Miss Saline County USA, Miss Northeast Arkansas, and Miss Haiti

, is the culmination of rocker Yohann Doré’s childhood love affair with rock. A love affair that had obstacles and thorns in its path, no

For a time in the 1980s, singer-songwriter-composer was what Marvin Gaye and Bob Dylan were in the 1960s, a sort of father of the Haitian

Curiously enough, included a track entitled on the album, about a city, whose ground until recently she had never stepped on. But naturally, the zeal

to attract black Americans to come live to Haiti. The publicity campaign, complete with branding ambassadors (Boyer called them agents, but they would be called

Vincent Ogé was such an example—as in he was born in 1755 of a black mother and a white father, and was educated in France.

, became her connection to the show business world in Haiti, and little Misty Jean often performed on stage during play intermissions or as a

Creating dangerously—that’s what Edwidge Danticat’s writing ancestors did. One of the most acclaimed writers of this century and last, and arguably the most prominent Haitian-American

In the mid-1990s, Haitian actor and film director Jean-Gardy Bien-Aimé took a crew of young actors with him to Cap Haitian, Haiti’s one-time capital in

Richard Sénécal. Just say this name to Haitian movie fans, and you get an instant smile, and in the next second, mentions of the movie