Our featured guests include Haitian artists, Professor Joel Renfort and his wife, artist, Martine Renfort. The Renforts have their beautiful art featured in the Malden Public Library during the month of May. Mr. Renfort will talk about his art and poetry in his discussion, “When Painting Meets Poetry.”

Just added is our featured guest, musician, Kera Washington, Zili Misik Founder & Band Leader and the Director of Yanvalou Drumming and Dance Ensemble, Wellesley College. Ms. Washington has been performing and teaching music, using Boston as her base, for over twenty years. Her first love is percussion, which she found while studying ethnomusicology at Wellesley College, Wesleyan University, Brown University, and in Interdisciplinary Studies at Tufts. She studies with master musicians from Haiti, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Brazil, and the United States. She is on faculty in the Music Department of Wellesley College.

Erga Pierette, 1st Vice President NAACP Mystic Valley Area Branch and Dean of Community, Culture and Equity, Malden Catholic will be our emcee for the night and will read some Haitian poetry and will talk about Haiti.

Please join us for some samples of popular Haitian foods from Grêp Kafé. Start learning Haitian Creole with one of our language apps, check out some books in Haitian Creole for kids and adults, and learn a little bit about Haiti and the country’s interesting historical connection to Malden, Massachusetts.

This event is generously co-sponsored by the Friends Of The Malden Public Library and co-sponsored by the NAACP Mystic Valley Area Branch.

Everyone is welcome to join us at this all-ages event. We look forward to seeing you there!