Zili Mizik plays at I AM KreyolOn June 26, acclaimed Boston designer Joelle Fontaine organized a fashion benefit to raise funds for Boston Mothers Care and Physicians for Haiti at the Red Fez in Boston’s South End. Both local non-profits, established in response to the January 2010 earthquake, continue to work in Haiti to support communities through long-term rebuilding efforts. Donations received from the benefit , for instance, will help Boston Mothers Care fund their latest project to bring clean, accessible water to Colminy, a small town outside of Saint-Marc, a coastal city 40 miles northwest of Port-au-Prince.
“This event has gotten us one step closer to meeting our goal of having a water well in Colminy,” said the co-founder Ines Palmarin. “It [also] gives us more exposure, to a different community - the art community.”
Co-founder Johane Fanfan agrees, “This shows that we’re not the only ones who care. It’s good to meet the new generation and for them to know what’s going on, to help Haiti.”
I AM KREYOL live model display
The benefit was indeed attended overwhelmingly by a younger, diverse crowd. It featured samplings of Fontaine’s clothing brand “I AM KREYOL”, along with a remarkable line-up of local musicians and visual art.
“I AM KREYOL is a reflection of who I am, who you are,” Fontaine said to the 150 attendees. “It’s culture. It represents Haiti and Haiti is my cause.”
The distinctive array of performances ranged from Zili Mizik’s signature full band Afro-diaspora stylings, Shea Rose’s genre-blending soul and Ashley Sterling’s tender folk to soulful poetry by Ashley Rose and live-painting by visual artist Wendy Michel.
“Whenever somebody invites us for a fundraiser, we always support,” said Kera Washington, musician and band leader of Zili Mizik. “It’s beautiful to be part of this art in progress. It’s reflective of what people are trying to give to Haiti...as Haiti remains a place in progress.”
Adler Eliacin, Treasurer of the Boston NAACP, added, “It’s good to be surrounded by people of the fashion, music, art [industries] for a great cause, a great local organization like Boston Mothers Care ...and I hope to see more events like this, by our people, for our people.”
For more information on Boston Mothers Care, contact Fabienne Eliacin at bmotherscare@gmail.com - 617-792-1025. For more information on Physicians for Haiti, visit www.physiciansforhaiti.org