EPI DASSIT

“Planet Kreyol not

only serves as an

organization that

promotes cultural

awareness while

taking part in

service; it fosters

friendships with

students and

relationships with

professionals in the

Haitian

community...”

- Agenia Delouche

In This Issue

Empowering Haitian

Youth

Witnessing Spiritual

Wealth

Member Spotlight

Caribbean Market

Grand Opening

Last year’s E-Board along with the members of the current E-Board pose during elections

What is Planet Kreyol? Planet Kreyol is the Haitian Student Organization of the University of Miami. Our

mission is to promote cultural awareness while servicing the community and

preserving the ancestry of Haiti.

A Word from the President Dear fellow Canes,

Welcome to Planet Kreyol at the University of Miami! We are the

Haitian student organization on campus and I would like to welcome

you all to our family. The mission of PK is to share the Haitian culture

all throughout campus by putting on a variety of programs. Through

academic, social, professional, and cultural programming, we work to

shed a positive light on the country of Haiti and its people. We provide

opportunities for students to get involved in the local Haitian community

and engage and learn from this dynamic culture. Our university is

located in the heart of the largest population of the Haitian diaspora. This is the reason why we

believe it is truly important to expose all students to all the best that the Haitian culture has to

offer. Planet Kreyol is for everyone! Whether you're not Haitian and just interested in learning

about another culture, or if you want to find out more about your own Haitian heritage, we

welcome all to join us for a year of fun, enlightenment, and friendship! Here, in Planet Kreyol,

we are a family and it is my hope that you will find us to be a support system as you begin or

continue your journey here at the U!

Have a great year,

Guerdiana Thelomar

University of Miami Planet Kreyol Newsletter August 2014

Student Seeks to Empower Young People in Haiti

The current president of Planet Kreyol, Guerdiana Thelomar, is an

example of a student who has a vision and does something about it in the

hopes of inspiring change. A senior at UM studying Human and Social

Development along with Visual Journalism, Guerdi put together and

organized Generation Hope Haiti Summer Camp, an initiative that she

created to empower young people to have the courage to dream and

believe that those dreams can become reality.

“This summer I had the privilege of organizing the summer camp and

spending time with a group of over thirty young adults in my parents'

hometown of St. Marc, Haiti,” said Guerdi. “It was truly an inspiring and

life-changing experience not only for the participants (based on their

testimonials at the end of the camp), but also for me.”

The camp consisted of workshops that took place over the course of

three days and that covered topics such as Community Development and

Civic Engagement, Vision Planning and Purpose, Teambuilding,

Communication and Leadership, and Possibilities in Christ. “It was three

days of fun, profound discussions about living as a youth in Haiti, hope,

and change. We had an amazing time learning from one another and

sharing ideas,” said Guerdi. “After the camp was over, the young adults

continued to meet with me and share ideas on how they wanted to create

change in their community. Whether it was through writing and sharing a

song of hope or starting up a business, the visions that these young

people had and began to bring into reality simply blew me away. It was

my hope to get these youth to start thinking about how they themselves

could be change agents in their community, and that's what I witnessed.”

Guerdi shared her enthusiasm about this vision of hers coming to life in

saying, “It was truly a blessed summer and one that I will never, ever,

ever, ever forget!”

Molly at the JPII Center in Haiti

Guerdiana Thelomar starts Generation Hope Haiti Summer Camp

Witnessing Spiritual Wealth The University of Miami’s

Catholic Campus Ministry took

students on several mission trips

throughout the summer to Haiti.

They served at Kay Mari

Orphanage in the mountain village

of Duverger, the Missionaries of

Charity Children’s Hospital in Port-

au-Prince, and the John Paul II

Center for the New Evangelization.

Molly Shannon, a sophomore

at UM studying pre-physical

therapy, spent one week at the

JPII Center in Anse-a-Veau, Haiti.

During their time there, they

participated in building projects,

made home visits, and spent time

at a hospital, a prison, and an

orphanage.

“The Haitian people we met

had so much spiritual wealth,” said

Molly. “They sang and danced at

every chance they got. They

smiled and waved to strangers on

the street and welcomed us into

their modest homes without

question. They showed me what it

meant to have faith and be

genuinely happy. I will always

remember their heartfelt passion

and love for life and for others.”

Member Spotlight: Raheem Beauvais

Junior, majoring in Health Sector Management & Policy

Q: What is your favorite

part about the Haitian

culture?

A: The food! I grew up on

my mom’s cooking and

that’s pretty much all I

knew. I’ve never been to

Haiti and I don’t speak

Haitian Creole, but I eat

the food and that’s what

stands out to me.

Q: How has Planet

Kreyol impacted your

experience at UM so

far?

A: I think it has really

enriched my experience.

Before coming here I

didn’t know much about

Haitian history, and being

a part of Planet Kreyol

has definitely shown me

how beautiful, rich, and

fun Haitian culture can

be.

Q: What do you hope to

get out of Planet Kreyol

this year?

A: I hope that we get a lot

of new members and that

we can get our name out

to the UM campus as well

as to the larger Miami

community.

Caribbean Market makes its grand opening in Miami

Caribbean Marketplace Reopens in Little Haiti Last month, the highly anticipated Caribbean Marketplace in Little Haiti

celebrated its grand reopening after over a decade of being closed down.

Originally opened in 1990, the Marketplace served as an integral part of the

Little Haiti community in Miami, attracting not only Haitians in the area, but

also others outside of the community who wanted a taste of Caribbean

culture. The space includes gift shops, food and retail vendors, arts and

crafts, and an area available for private events.

Designed after the Iron Marketplace found in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, its vibrant

colors are a symbol of the spirit of the Caribbean and it doesn’t fail to leave

an impression on all who see it. Despite its location in Little Haiti, its craft

and food vendors represent many countries of the Caribbean including

Jamaica, Trinidad, and Barbados.

Expected to be a cultural hub for Little Haiti, the Caribbean Marketplace will

lend to the growth of this community, allowing the vendors and businesses

represented to showcase their culture while sharing it with others.

Caribbean Marketplace

5925 NE 2nd Ave, Miami (Besides the Little Haiti Cultural Center)

Hours: Thursday - Sunday, 11AM – 11PM

Follow Us

Stay connected with all of

our events and other

updates through our

various social media

sites:

Facebook: UMiami

Planet Kreyol

Twitter:

@UM_PlanetKreyol

Instagram:

@umiamiplanetkreyol

Newsletter written and edited

by Agenia Delouche, a

sophomore at the University of

Miami who serves as the

Public Relations Chair of

Planet Kreyol

Upcoming Events

First General Body Meeting Tuesday, September 2nd at 6pm Mahoney Classroom 103 Kompa on the Patio Tuesday, September 9th from 5-7pm SAC Patio

Nou Se Planet Kreyol