Parade, Flag Day highlight Heritage Month in Boston

Unity parade set for May 20: The annual parade features marching bands, floats, dancers and dignitaries- all celebrating Haitian and Haitian-American culture. Photo by Don WestUnity parade set for May 20: The annual parade features marching bands, floats, dancers and dignitaries- all celebrating Haitian and Haitian-American culture. Photo by Don WestHaitian-Americans United Inc. organizes the celebrations each year of Haitian Heritage Month in Boston, Massachusetts. H.A.U. and its partner organizations continue to focus on “Unity” as a central theme for each event; while evoking the spirit and the determination of the ancestors that led Haiti’s independence on January 1st 1804.

The Haitian Heritage theme for this year is: Haiti counts on its Diaspora and Friends: Unified to support Education and Reconstruction. As to previous years, H.A.U. will coordinate three major events for the Haitian Heritage Month with one in collaboration with Haitian-American State Representative Linda Dorcena Forry.

•The Haitian Heritage Month/Flag Day celebration at the State House, hosted by State Representative Linda Dorcena Forry, will be held on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 from 4 to 6 PM. Several artists from the Haitian community of Massachusetts will be performing and several leaders and officials will be speaking at the event.

• The 17th Annual Haitian Flag Raising Ceremony: The Haitian flag will be raised on Friday,
May 18th 2012 between 12 and 2 PM, at Boston City Hall, Government Center; with the participation of high school students, cultural groups, city and state officials. The ceremony will be preceded by a breakfast at 10:30 A.M. on the 5th floor of Boston City Hall. The annual breakfast with Boston Haitian leaders and Boston City Councilors is hosted by City Councilor Ron Consalvo. Several other cities in Massachusetts like Brockton, Lawrence will hold similar events.

•The 12th Annual Haitian Unity Parade will take place on Blue Hill Avenue, Sunday May 20 th starting in Mattapan Square at 1PM. More than one hundred local organizations, schools and businesses from all over New England, floats and marching bands are expected to participate. The parade will be led by Mr. Elie Jean Louis, Assistant Academic Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools, as Grand Marshall for this year. The event will feature lead sponsors Mayor Thomas Menino, State Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry and a host of city and state public officials.