Thriving Mindfully as the Real You!
My first carnival experience happened during my Heart of Haiti trip on February 27 in Jacmel, Haiti. It was “belle bagay” (a Kreyol word that means fabulous, fantastic, it was cool etc.). The papermache artwork and masks, music, food, and lively crowds of people filled with “joie de vivre” (joy of living) made it a special experience. Watch my videos and see photos below. Click here to see all of my photos from the Jacmel Carnival.
Today, I am remembering my Heart of Haiti visit to Haitian metal artisan Serge Jolimeau’s atelier on February 26, 2011, in Croix des Bouquets, a town located outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. See the video above. At first glance, I fell in love with Jolimeau’s artwork featuring La Sirene, a beautiful African-inspired mermaid and Haitian loa who rules the seas with her husband Agwe. La Sirene brings luck and money from the ocean’s depth were she makes her own music. She adores objects of beauty, jewelry, gold and diamonds. She is also a seductress like Haitian loa Erzulie Freda and dangerously fierce like Haitian loa Erzulie Dantor. Erzulie is the goddess of love and one of my all time favorite Haitian goddesses. Mermaids have always been some of my favorites (on my first night in Port-au-Prince, I purchased two paintings featuring La Sirene – see photo). La Sirene and Erzulie show up in my own paintings, wire sculptures and books!
Did you know that Jolimeau’s metal artwork is made from oil cans? What a powerful way to recycle and recreate beauty!
His artwork reflects his family’s farming background, fertile imagination, and passion for Haitian Voodoo and folklore, the human body, animals, and figures from mythology. It is featured and sold in the Heart of Haiti collection at Macy’s.
About Serge Jolimeau:
Jolimeau, a native of Croix des Bouquets, was born in 1952. Croix des Bouquets is the home of several great Haitian sculptors including the late Georges Liautaud and Murat Brierre, the brothers Louisjuste, and Gabriel Bien-Aimé. As a child, he as inspired by the blacksmiths in his village. After he completed high school, he worked as an apprentice under metal sculptor Serisier Louisjuste. His work has been published in Where Art is Joy (Rodman, 1988), Forgerons duVodou/ Voodoo Blacksmiths (Foubert, 1990), and A Haitian Celebration: Art and Culture (Stebich, 1992). He has shown his work at the Brooklyn Museum in New York City, LACITA in Biarritz, France, and in Germany, Haiti, and Mexico. Currently, he serves as a community leader for the Association of Artists and Artisans of Croix des Bouquets. To learn more about Jolimeau, visit the links below.
1) http://www.gardenartists.cc/leprimitif/one_of_a_kinds__serge_jolimeau.htm
2) http://www.indigoarts.com/gallery_haiti_jolimeau.html
3) http://www.folkartmarket.org/index.php/profiles/entry/serge_jolimeau
4) http://www.haitianpainting.com/hp.asp?page=ARTISTS_PORTFOLIO&id=31
5) http://www.haitisupportgroup.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=articl…
About the Heart of Haiti:
The Heart of Haiti campaign is a partnership between Fairwinds Trading, Macy’s, and the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. It was created to provide sustainable income to Haitian artisans impacted by the January 2010 earthquake. Through the partnership, the artisans create artwork that is sold as the Heart of Haiti collection in Macy’s stores. The sales from these hand-made products including quilts, metalwork, paper måché, painting and jewelry generate the sustainable income and provide trade instead of aid to the Haitian artisans.
February 26, my second day in Haiti, began with a visit to the Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince. As the van pulled up in front of the Palace, I heard the sound of a marching band. Men dressed in matching band uniforms played beautiful music as I surveyed the earthquake damage. I looked across the street and saw the tent camps in Champ de Mars plaza and wondered how could music be made in the midst of heartbreaking devastation. The answer came in the form of a six-word memoir equation as I noticed Haitian people moving through their morning with grace and dignity. Faith + Hope + Determination + Resiliency + Creativity = HAITI.
Watch a video of my visit to the Presidential Palace and Champ de Mars Plaza, the location of the largest tent camp in Port-au-Prince. See below. Listen to my audio blog about the visit. Check out photos from my visit below.
The Heart of Haiti campaign is a partnership between Fairwinds Trading, Macy’s, and the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. It was created to provide sustainable income to Haitian artisans impacted by the January 2010 earthquake. Through the partnership, the artisans create artwork that is sold as the Heart of Haiti collection in Macy’s stores. The sales from these hand-made products including quilts, metalwork, paper måché, painting and jewelry generate the sustainable income and provide trade instead of aid to the Haitian artisans. Everywhere, a social media firm that represents Macy’s, sponsored my trip to Haiti. Click here to read about my trip’s details.
Photos from Visit to Presidential Palace and Champ de Mar Plaza
Happy March All!
I hope your first day of March is filled with many blessings. Mine has been filled with the blessing of memories from my recent trip to Haiti as a blogger ambassador for the Heart of Haiti campaign. The Heart of Haiti campaign is a partnership between Fairwinds Trading, Macy’s, and the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.
As many of you may know, I was in Haiti with a dynamic group of nine digital sisters and one digital brother from February 25-28. My trip was sponsored by Everywhere, a social media company that represents Macy’s. The trip allowed me to visit Port-au-Prince, Croix des Bouquets, and Jacmel. So many wonderful things happened. That’s why I am going to take my time in posting photos, videos, and audio blogs about my travel experiences this week and next week. I thought you might like to watch a video of me sharing what I learned from being in Haiti. See below. It was filmed on February 28 in Jacmel, Haiti. For more updates on the Heart of Haiti trip, click here. Enjoy!
See you good people on March 1!
I had to come back from my social media vacation and share the great news! Recently, I was selected to travel to Haiti as a Heart of Haiti Blogger Ambassador with Willa Shalit of Fairwinds Trading and the Everywhere team on February 25-28.
When I return from my trip, I will host a live chat on Vokle about my experiences on March 5 at 8:00 pm ET. Please join me. Click here to register and participate in the online chat.
One more thing — I began 2011 with a commitment to conduct digital advocacy and raise funds on Crowdrise.com for two Haitian organizations over the next two years (January 2011 – January 2013):
I am also raising funds for Renewal 4 Haiti with my “Open your heart to Haiti today!” CafePress.com site. Please consider making a donation to support these organizations. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!
I’ll be back to my social media schedule in March. Until then, enjoy February!
Last night’s Digital Sisterhood Radio show featuring a discussion about the digital advocacy efforts of Heart of Haiti Ambassadors “Mommy Niri” Nirasha Jaganath and ‘”Real Life Sarah” Sarah Pinnix was filled with insights on the power of giving back and supporting Haitian artisans through Macy’s Heart of Haiti partnership. See highlights from the Twitter conversation below. If you missed the show, click here to listen to the audio recording.
Twitter Highlights from 1/19 Heart of Haiti show on Digital Sisterhood Radio:
mommyniri RT @DigitalSisterhd: Thank you @mommyniri & @realifesarah for being great guests tonight on the #heartofhaiti show. You both rocked! #digitalsisterhood about 16 hours ago via TweetChat mommyniri RT @AmandaMichelle @digitalsisterhd OH! ppl should check out http://www.farmhaitiNOW.org! #digitalsisterhood #heartofhaiti about 17 hours ago via web
DonnaShenk RT @reallifesarah:I’m so glad you’re with us, Donna!! You are awesome! #digitalsisterhood #heartofhaiti Thanks Sarah for your advice! about 17 hours ago via HootSuite mommyniri RT @DigitalSisterhd @reallifesarah is giving simple ways to give back in yr local community now #heartofhaiti #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via web
RealLifeSarah @donnashenk I’m so glad you’re with us, Donna!! You are awesome! #digitalsisterhood #heartofhaiti about 17 hours ago via HootSuite
amandamichelle .@digitalsisterhd OH! ppl should check out http://www.farmhaitiNOW.org! #digitalsisterhood #heartofhaiti about 17 hours ago via HootSuite DonnaShenk How do you mom’s do it? I want to go and serve! I miss the travel and serving of others since motherhood – #Haiti #heartofhaiti about 17 hours ago via HootSuite DonnaShenk RT @reallifesarah: RT @theoutdoorwife: #Haiti shot on an iPhone – jeremycowart: http://jeremycowart.com/#951743/iPhone #heartofhaiti about 17 hours ago via HootSuite mommyniri RT @DigitalSisterhd @reallifesarah also plans to give #heartofhaiti collection as gifts to family and friends in 2011. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via web RealLifeSarah RT @theoutdoorwife: #Haiti shot on an iPhone – jeremycowart: http://jeremycowart.com/#951743/iPhone #heartofhaiti about 17 hours ago via HootSuite
LADYDAY93 RT @DigitalSisterhd: the #gno #heartofhaiti chat reminded @mommyniri that ppl have taken time out of their lives to discuss important issues. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via TweetChat mommyniri @RealLifeSarah thank you! Tearing up from memories! #heartofhaiti about 17 hours ago via web mommyniri RT @DigitalSisterhd @reallifesarah says she was inspired by #heartofhaiti to show her children how the wrld lives. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via web DonnaShenk RT @reallifesarah: I LOVE listening to @mommyniri ‘s beautiful voice! Her accent is so cool! #digitalsisterhood #heartofhaiti / beautiful! about 17 hours ago via HootSuite
brittont13 RT @DigitalSisterhd: the diversity of the #gno #heartofhaiti chat was so great says @reallifesarah #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via TweetChat RealLifeSarah RT @digitalsisterhd: photos of haiti a year later made the experience real for @mommyniri during #heartofhaiti #gno chat #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via HootSuite brittont13 RT @mommyniri: RT @DigitalSisterhd @reallifesarah said that she shed tears during the #heartofhaiti #gno chat last week becuz she was able 2 talk 2 artist about 17 hours ago via web mommyniri RT @DigitalSisterhd the diversity of the #gno #heartofhaiti chat was so great says @reallifesarah #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via web RealLifeSarah RT @digitalsisterhd: @RealLifeSarah -shed tears during #heartofhaiti #gno chat last wk bc she was able 2 talk 2 artists #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via HootSuite mommyniri RT @DigitalSisterhd @reallifesarah said that she shed tears during the #heartofhaiti #gno chat last week becuz she was able 2 talk 2 artist about 17 hours ago via web brittont13 RT @RealLifeSarah: I LOVE listening to @mommyniri ‘s beautiful voice! Her accent is so cool! #digitalsisterhood #heartofhaiti about 17 hours ago via HootSuite RealLifeSarah I LOVE listening to @mommyniri ‘s beautiful voice! Her accent is so cool! #digitalsisterhood #heartofhaiti about 17 hours ago via HootSuite RealLifeSarah RT @brittont13: RT @DigitalSisterhd: @mommyniri says her fav #heartofhaiti blog post was about going to haiti as an amb. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via HootSuite mommyniri RT @DigitalSisterhd @reallifesarah also wrote a great week of posts for giving #heartofhaiti gifts to teachers #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via web
beEverywhere RT @DigitalSisterhd: @mommyniri says her fav #heartofhaiti blog post was the one she wrote about going to haiti as an ambassador. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via TweetGrid.com brittont13 RT @DigitalSisterhd: @mommyniri says her fav #heartofhaiti blog post was the one she wrote about going to haiti as an ambassador. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via TweetGrid.com RealLifeSarah RT @digitalsisterhd: @mommyniri has been on receiving end of receiving aid in south africa during riots. #heartofhaiti #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via HootSuite RealLifeSarah Come listen NOW! #HeartofHaiti ambassdrs @banteringblonde @mommyniri @RealLifeSarah @fabdogooder on DSRadio @8pm http://bit.ly/RU8jz about 17 hours ago via HootSuite RealLifeSarah RT @digitalsisterhd: @RealLifeSarah is talking about how she heard @ the #heartofhaiti campaign from @theblogrollers. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via HootSuite
DemLaura33 RT @amandamichelle: RT @digitalsisterhd: #DigitalSisterhood Radio @8pm ET for #HeartofHaiti Ambassadors show. Join us. http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/42015 about 18 hours ago via HootSuitemommyniri RT @AmandaMichelle@digitalsisterhd OH! ppl should check out http://www.farmhaitiNOW.org! #digitalsisterhood#heartofhaiti about 16 hours agomommyniri RT @DigitalSisterhd@reallifesarah is giving simple ways to give back in yr local community now #heartofhaiti#digitalsisterhood about 16 hours ago via webRealLifeSarah@donnashenk I’m so glad you’re with us, Donna!! You are awesome! #digitalsisterhood#heartofhaiti about 17 hours ago via HootSuiteamandamichelle .@digitalsisterhd OH! ppl should check out http://www.farmhaitiNOW.org! #digitalsisterhood#heartofhaiti about 17 hours ago via HootSuitemommyniri RT @DigitalSisterhd@reallifesarah also plans to give #heartofhaiti collection as gifts to family and friends in 2011. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via webLADYDAY93 RT @DigitalSisterhd: the #gno#heartofhaiti chat reminded @mommyniri that ppl have taken time out of their lives to discuss important issues. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via TweetChat
KatherineMO TY! RT @DigitalSisterhd: Happy #Digitalsisterhood Wednesday @thejstandard@vwoodsonhair@heyheylbj@spelmancollege@spelmandmis@marcommodel about 17 hours ago via TweetDeckRealLifeSarah I feel so humbled, listening to @mommyniri, and all she’s been through! #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via HootSuitemommyniri RT @DigitalSisterhd@reallifesarah says she was inspired by #heartofhaiti to show her children how the wrld lives. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via webDonnaShenk RT @reallifesarah: I LOVE listening to @mommyniri ‘s beautiful voice! Her accent is so cool! #digitalsisterhood#heartofhaiti / beautiful! about 17 hours ago via HootSuitebrittont13 RT @DigitalSisterhd: the diversity of the #gno#heartofhaiti chat was so great says @reallifesarah#digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via TweetChatRealLifeSarah RT @digitalsisterhd: photos of haiti a year later made the experience real for @mommyniri during #heartofhaiti#gno chat #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via HootSuitemommyniri RT @DigitalSisterhd the diversity of the #gno#heartofhaiti chat was so great says @reallifesarah#digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via webRealLifeSarah RT @digitalsisterhd: @RealLifeSarah -shed tears during #heartofhaiti#gno chat last wk bc she was able 2 talk 2 artists #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via HootSuitebrittont13 RT @RealLifeSarah: I LOVE listening to @mommyniri ‘s beautiful voice! Her accent is so cool! #digitalsisterhood#heartofhaiti about 17 hours ago via HootSuiteRealLifeSarah I LOVE listening to @mommyniri ‘s beautiful voice! Her accent is so cool! #digitalsisterhood#heartofhaiti about 17 hours ago via HootSuiteRealLifeSarah RT @brittont13: RT @DigitalSisterhd: @mommyniri says her fav #heartofhaiti blog post was about going to haiti as an amb. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via HootSuitemommyniri RT @DigitalSisterhd@reallifesarah also wrote a great week of posts for giving #heartofhaiti gifts to teachers #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via webbeEverywhere RT @DigitalSisterhd: @mommyniri says her fav #heartofhaiti blog post was the one she wrote about going to haiti as an ambassador. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via TweetGrid.combrittont13 RT @DigitalSisterhd: @mommyniri says her fav #heartofhaiti blog post was the one she wrote about going to haiti as an ambassador. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via TweetGrid.comRealLifeSarah RT @digitalsisterhd: @mommyniri has been on receiving end of receiving aid in south africa during riots. #heartofhaiti#digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via HootSuiteRealLifeSarah RT @digitalsisterhd: @RealLifeSarah is talking about how she heard @ the #heartofhaiti campaign from @theblogrollers. #digitalsisterhood about 17 hours ago via HootSuiteDemLaura33 RT @amandamichelle: RT @digitalsisterhd: #DigitalSisterhood Radio @8pm ET for #HeartofHaiti Ambassadors show. Join us. http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/42015 about 17 hours ago via HootSuiteamandamichelle RT @digitalsisterhd: #DigitalSisterhood Radio @8pm ET for #HeartofHaiti Ambassadors show. Join us. http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/42015 about 17 hours ago via HootSuite
yayayarndiva RT @DigitalSisterhd: Use http://tweetchat.com to follow tonight’s #HeartofHaiti show on #Digitalsisterhood Radio at 8pm. #digitalsisterhood about 18 hours ago via TweetChatLADYDAY93 RT @DigitalSisterhd: Almost time for #DigitalSisterhood Radio @8pm ET for #HeartofHaiti Ambassadors show. Join us. http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/42015 about 18 hours ago via HootSuite
Today I am keeping the heart of Haiti beating by hosting a Digital Sisterhood Radio show about the digital advocacy efforts of my fellow Heart of Haiti Ambassadors. Click here to tune into the live show at 8:00 pm ET. You will have an opportunity to hear from the following Heart of Haiti Ambassadors:
1) Fiona Bryan,
2) Nirasha Jaganath,
3) Sarah Pinnix, and
I will live tweet during the show. Please use the hashtags #digitalsisterhood and #HeartofHaiti to follow the conversation on Twitter tonight. You can also use http://tweetchat.com/room/digitalsisterhood.
If you miss the live show, don’t fret. You can click here to listen to an audio recording (search for the January 19th show in the archives section).
This morning I listened to Amy Goodman’s Democracy Now! program and learned that former despot Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier” returned to Haiti yesterday. Anger filled my entire body. Why? I couldn’t imagine how “Baby Doc” was allowed to return to a country he had harmed deeply. I carried the anger with me into my morning subway commute. As I walked to work, I wondered what could I do to keep the Heart of Haiti beating today. So I decided to use my Digital Sisterhood Twitter account as a vehicle for sharing a message that asked my Twitter followers to join me in taking a deep breathe and sending love and light to Haitians at 12 noon. I am going to do it this week. Join me.
Ananda Leeke 