10th Annual DC Haitian Ladies Brunch

On Sunday, December 6, 2015, Ambassador Paul Altidor hosted the 10th annual Haitian Ladies Brunch at the Embassy. What started off as a small gathering of a few friends is now a memorable occasion of friendship and fellowship among hundreds of Haitian and Haitian-American women in the area.

This year Ambassador Altidor was not only thrilled to host the brunch but also to reveal the ongoing renovations at the Embassy. “It has been a long road and although much still remains to be done.” He’s proud of the progress made. There are a number of changes to the structure and function of the Embassy. Most notably, the creation of a new, fully-equipped Consulate Suite to better serve the needs of the community.

With revealing the improvements, Ambassador Altidor felt this was an opportune time to also highlight the budding Haitian fashion industry, the beautiful art and the unique crafts that Haitian and Haitian-American designers are creating. “Too often, the story of Haiti is a negative one, which many of us promulgate. It is our duty to change the narrative by showcasing what is positive. Each year, I invite the DC Haitian Ladies to join me in a conspiracy of goodwill to alter that perception and view the country with new lenses, said Ambassador Altidor. “ In order to change the image for others, we must first do so ourselves”.

This annual tradition began in 2005, when Nadine Duplessy Kearns sought to connect with other Haitian women in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area. Like Kearns and her co-organizers, many Haitian women move to the area not knowing where to connect with others who share the same culture and background. For the last ten years, the brunch has served as an outlet to meet, network professionally and reflect on shared common experiences as Haitian women. This is the third year the Embassy of Haiti has hosted the Haitian Ladies Brunch. This year’s theme was “Haitian Threads and Trends: A Glimpse of Arts, Crafts and Fashion”.

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