On Friday night, November 22, the Haitian Student Association (HSA) hosted its annual Kreyol Fest, gathering students, staff, friends, and family to celebrate the beautiful culture of Haiti.

The event started with an introduction to the e-board and a short speech from the club’s President, Virginie Gilbert. But to officially begin the festivities, all attendees stood for the Haitian National Anthem sung by four members of the HSA.

The night was full of food, music, and fun. A soul train line with a 25-dollar cash prize, a game of “Are you really Haitian?” where participants were quizzed on Haitian culture, and a poem done in Haitian creole on having pride in your culture. 

Students were excited to show off their culture with dance performances exhibiting traditional Haitian moves and dances like Kompa and with cultural foods like plantain, diri djondjon aka Haitian black rice, and mac au gratin or Haiti’s prized mac and cheese.

It was an event to remember and a beautiful show of how culture unifies people. Kean students were full of love and passion as they represented the culture of the island.

Tania Edmond, a junior and Psychology major from Union, NJ, who was in the thick of the music and dancing happening on the dance floor, talked about what she loved most about her culture.

“I love everything about my culture, but if I have to choose, music is my favorite part,” she expressed. “When you listen to it, you’re like this is us, it’s like you can hear Haiti, we have a distinct sound; I love it.”

As life was celebrated on the dance floor, it allowed all of Kean’s Haitian students like Edmond to reflect on what they admire about their culture and how they feel sharing it with others,

Shukuran Adewolde, a junior and Exercise Science major from Newark, NJ, spoke on the generosity of Haitian people when it comes to outsiders participating in their culture.

“There’s no discrimination at all!” said Adewolde. “If you want to dance to Kompa, you dance to Kompa, if you want to eat some food, you can join and eat some food; we don’t discriminate.”

And as the music continued to play and attendees ate their Haitian dinner, various people of all cultures were seen enjoying and honoring the spirit of the island.

Haiti is its people: passionate, strong, and vibrant. 

Wilda Bauge, a junior and Supply Chain Management major and current New Jersey resident, had one thing to say about her culture, something many students agreed on.

“I love everything about my culture,” she said. “We’re all family here!”

And as the night came to an end, the spirit of Haiti continued, unwavering in its boldness.