An update from Haiti

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Hey friends!

Thanks for taking the time to be in this space and support us in the way that you do. I’ve wanted to send an update for a while, but it’s been hard to put words to all the feelings of the situation that continues to cause so much pain and fear in Haiti.

For many it seems the news on July 7th of the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse was a huge shock. I was reading so many headlines in the international news and across social media as if this was a heartbreaking tragedy that was out of the blue. I want to acknowledge the pain and trauma that the former President’s family is experiencing- no one should have to live through that. And simultaneously must say that hundreds of families in Haiti, particularly in Port au Prince- in Village de Dieu, in Martissant, in Delmas 32, know this pain and trauma all too well as it has become the norm of day to day life since 2018, but particularly this year.

Leading up to July 7th, we had experienced on-going peyi lock since the summer of 2018. We had experienced a 200% increase in kidnappings; leaving the house with an uncertainty if you would return became the new norm. We saw the remaining infrastructure of a democracy crumble as the current regime laid a path towards dictatorship. We saw already hurting businesses (ours included) take a devastating hit as the currency was so drastically manipulated last fall. We heard violent threats that were acted out from gang leaders as they expanded their control in many areas. We saw innocent lives such as Evelyne Sincere tragically taken from this earth as kidnappings with no consequence became the norm. We mourn the lives of truth seekers such activist Netty Duclaire and journalist Diego Charles who were not afraid to speak out against the corruption. The physical threat of people speaking out in Haiti is all too real- that’s where we are today.

This all needs to be acknowledged because July 7th was not an isolated event- it was the pot boiling over that has been on the edge for a while.

What I’ve expressed above does not at all encompass the layers of political and international transgressions that contributed to the state of Haiti today, but it does give you an honest sense of what’s been happening in our world.

This space, Haiti Design Co, is meant to be one that uplifts and elevates the beauty and talent of Haiti. Sometimes we have to find a balance between doing that and being honest with what’s going on. Over the years in the wake of a natural disaster or political turmoil we have directed people in this space to buy Haitian made products or donate to a specific project of impact in Haiti. And with a heavy sigh, here we are again. How many more of those messages can we share? It’s all been said.

We try our best to stay focused on what we CAN do- creating jobs, holistic employee support, business start up, promoting Haitian made. Yet…. Many times lately it feels futile.

There is so much around us that can make us feel as if we are drowning- so much uncertainty and elements out of our control. But what I know to be true, to be real- is the impact in our little community from these jobs created. I know there’s a lot we can’t fix, but there is a whole lot of good when we focus on what we can fix.

There continue to be light carriers along the way- local business owners who refuse to give up. Those warriors pressing on against all odds- building, growing, and investing in Haiti based businesses and services. Those who refused to let their joy and vision be stolen from the situation and push forward to invest in the impact they can have around them. And also the customers- you amazing beings showing up to support Haiti made and keeping us working during these dark days.

So today I want to thank those heros (well mostly Sheros really). Thank you for giving us inspiration.

Ou pa janm te bag vag 🖤

Below I’m going to link some of my favorite local Haitian-made businesses that I encourage you to support! Another big support to us would be you joining HDC Fam, our monthly contributors that support our holistic employee programs. You can donate once or join HDC Fam below.

Keep carrying the light forward friends! Pa lage!

-Chandler

Co-founder of HDC

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Haiti-Made Brands We Love

Behind the Scenes... F21 Shoot with Haiti Design Co

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Behind the scenes of our F21 shoot at @galeriemonnin in Kenscoff Haiti ✨

@njoachim’s album “Fanm D’Ayiti” is a household favorite of ours and we were over the moon when it aligned for her to be a part of this shoot with us in Haiti. Her work so beautifully weaves together Haitian tradition, cultural icons, classical arrangements, and soul grooving beats.

This behind the scenes clip of @faily.makeup and @njoachim features the iconic “Legba Nan Konsole” from the album. When asked why Nathalie decided to cover this song this is what she shared-

“This was a song that Emerante de Predines sang. I paired it with Maman m voye m peze kafe (another song of hers). Both songs brought together a crucial message: one that demonstrates Emerante's own strength in bringing forth the story of ordinary people trying to go about living their lives in Haiti but meeting obstacles that are meant to be accepted without question, and all the while needing to have faith that Legba (a spiritual connector and communicator) will care for them in the presence of their struggles. The story is all too familiar in Haiti's current landscape, as is the need for continued faith.”

Getting to know Paul Beaubrun

We had the honor of chatting with the talented musician, Paul Beaubrun, back in April. Originally this interview was going to be focusing on Paul’s Haitian American experience, but organically it turned into a conversation about much more. Paul is the real deal. Genuine and humble as they come- full of wisdom and grace, gratitude for his roots and connection seeking with humankind. He is not only a mega talent in his own right, son of the iconic Boukman Eksperyans, but also a beautiful soul.

Enjoy!

My name is Paul Beaubrun. I’m born and raised in Haiti. I was raised in a musical family, Boukman Eksperans. My dad, my mom, my uncle, my aunt, my cousins- they all created a band and I was lucky, my brothers and my sisters- we were raised in that family. And now I live in NY. My first memories of American culture was how direct things were, there was such an energy. When we first got to America we were in New York, and you can imagine, there is such an energy, an electricity, things are moving, moving. I liked it- I liked the fact that things were moving, I have that also in my personality. I loved that things were happening there. I was very engaged in that, that’s my style. I remember when I was young, I used to go to the city- to Manhattan. There was always something there that I loved. It’s not that I don’t like Brooklyn, Queens, I love those areas, but there was something on this island when I’m in Manhattan or Harlem. There is a history there that I really loved, I loved the energy there. That’s one of my first memories when I got to America. 

As I grew up, the parts of Haitian culture I felt so proud of were all the types of expressions in our culture. In our music, food, style, dance, paintings. In our culture I love the expression. I think the expression of Haitian culture is so unique- and at the same time you can see how Haiti has touched so many places in America. When it comes to art, to dance, especially music. When you go to New Orleans you feel it, you feel the creole, you feel us there, and I’m proud of that. 

If I could reiterate anything to my younger self it would be don't take anything seriously. There's a lot of wisdom in that. It doesn't mean do not commit and doesn't mean when you do something, you don't do it seriously. I would tell my younger self, listen, don't identify yourself with the result, no matter what that is. Don't identify with it. Just accept whatever happens, happens, but keep going, you know, keep going. Don't take it too seriously. Keep moving, keep going.

People were very mean to me in the beginning, because they expected me to be great. You know- “You're not this, you're not that, it should be this. You should do that.” In the beginning it was a struggle for me because I was like, “Oh my goodness. I'm just learning”. Even though my parents play music that doesn't mean I'm going to be great at it, you know, right away. Give me a minute. They expected me to be amazing, and everything has to be impeccable, and it's not like that. And that was hard for me. 

The biggest lies that I see need to be decolonized about Haitian culture is around Haitian Vodou. The fact that most people here think it's evil, you know? They just don't have enough information here. I think the best way to learn the truth is to go to a lakou.

When people want to know how to meditate, they go to India or make a trip. They travel there and they come back. They get something from it and they're not scared, they go with an open heart. I think it's the same. If you are interested, you need to go and introduce yourself. Talk to the people responsible, ask them questions, they will tell you. And if you're genuinely interested, you will get your information. You will get what you need to introduce it to your kids, your children and make it a normal thing.

Not like- “oh my God, what is this?” No, it shouldn't be like that. It's a cultural thing. It's one of the most innocent ways of living. It's a way of being. There's a lot of wisdom in it. For example, when you go into a lakou, in Haiti, where I live, you're not allowed to cut trees. You're not allowed to kill animals and you're not allowed to put trash on the floor. You have to protect the rivers. When you walk inside the lakou, we say hi to everyone. It's all about respect to your environment, respect to nature, respect to people. It's simple, but there's a lot of wisdom in it. There's a lot of things in Haiti you don't see enough, but we still have it. When you go to the rural area in Haiti you still feel it. That's what we have, that's important. 

When you have the chance to see many different cultures, it’s a chance to see where humans are connected. When I'm looking at the Haitian culture, American culture, in Brazil, anywhere, I'm looking for the connection. You see it is a human expression of many different places, like a big flower, you know, this is human expression- And it's one to me. I would say my ability to see that and always try to bring that through art, to music, to many different styles of music and bring it together- that would be my superpower. You know, I always try to see that. 

The biggest thing from all the cultures in my experience that I want to hand down to my kids is respect. You have to bring respect at the forefront, and compassion. For example, if I go somewhere and I see a lot of people playing music, and I don't know them, let's say I don't know the culture at all, for me, I would say, don't jump in it right away, you know, because you have to let it be respected. Give it a moment. Appreciate what you are looking at first. And then little by little, you will feel yourself into it. And the power will invite you to come in. You’re probably gonna have a conversation with someone. You never know what is going to happen, but always let some things breathe and have respect for everything anywhere that you go. 

The evolution of my music- it's always been in my head, but now I feel like I'm mature enough to find it. I'm finally at the point where I can play exactly what I had in my head. And I'm happy about that. That's the evolution for me in terms of the artist that I am today, that I'm able to play what's in my head and I'm able to express myself fully and a hundred percent. I know who I am in terms of a man and in terms of a musician, in terms of a human being, and you will feel that in the music.

I'm working on many different projects right now.  I'm working with Michael Brun, he is producing my whole album, my solo album. If anyone doesn't know Michael Brun please go check him out. He is one of the greatest producers and is like my brother too, we are like family. He has a good sense in music, which I love, and we have a great connection. He’s producing the whole album for me, it's almost done. And then I was just in Haiti earlier this year and I did a live virtual show for WXPN in Philadelphia with NPR, which they put out in May. We were also able to record an EP from that show with a good friend of mine, an amazing drummer and musician, JohnBern Thomas and many other musicians. We are putting an EP out together from that show. And then I'm working on a project with someone who's doing poetry, her name is Tico Armand. She looks like a goddess, I'm not joking. We're doing a poetry project together and we did some pictures together. I've never worked on anything like that,  it is going to be interesting to finish this project. And then I'm working on a couple singles with GA3TAN and Kabysh. GA3TAN is going to blow up real soon because he's one of the most talented DJs and producers. .So a lot of things happening and things are moving together. 

QUICK DIVE:

Do you identify as Haitian American?

No, I don't. I identify as a human being, and then from a human being, we can go deeper than that if you want, it depends on the conversation we're having. But first I identify as a human being or a child of the universe. I don't even identify as Haitian, I know I'm Haitian, I know where I come from. I love everything about where I come from. But from reading, from thinking, I see that we are more than our identity and we are more than that. So I tried to connect with people like that through more of their identity. 

Who have been your top three inspirations as an artist?

My parents; they were the first people that I saw. And because I can feel them in everything that I'm doing. And the second would be nature. I love nature. I love walking to the mountains, the birds, trees. When you go inside a mountain, you see a waterfall, you see a river. I love things like that, they inspire me a lot. And the third would be listening to a lot of different kinds of music. The serendipity sometimes of listening to someone that you didn't know at all and then they just blow you away. To me, that always sparks a lot in me. That's a big inspiration for me. 

What is your inspiration for your style of fashion?

I have always loved style. I can say my style is more vintage because that's all I do. I walk into a lot of vintage stores. I love looking for things that have substance in them. 

Where do you tend to find yourself most in your creative flow? 

It can be anywhere for me, but there's a couple that I've been seeing lately. When I'm in the shower something will come clear to me or when I'm on the airplane. I've written songs on the airplane. I'm so focused when I’m in the air, it just happens to you. 

What’s been the highlight of your career so far?

It's been a blessing to meet many different people from many different places. To perform with many different musicians. Meeting Arcade Fire and performing with them,  Jackson Browne, touring with Ms.Lauryn Hill, Michael Brun. A lot of Haitian musicians that I've admired for a long time, now I’ve had a chance to work with them. There's so many little pieces that come together to create that to me. It's more about the whole journey, but the highlight would be the excitement of being out there. And now we are connected, and I'm discovering your work and I love it. To me, that's a highlight. 

If you could share a message with Haitian American elementary students, what is the most important thing you'd want them to know? 

This moment that we're living now is such a great moment, it's an opportunity. It's an opportunity for Haitian Americans, an opportunity for black people that didn't have an opportunity back in the day. Just be yourself and take the chance now to just be yourself and create.

What was on your mind when you were writing “Oh, Mama”?

You know when you’re at the edge of knowing yourself fully and you get a little bit frustrated because you know intellectually, mentally you’re there? Sometimes the intellectual, the mental makes you suffer. You’re thinking too much, you’re not living it. So I think at that time that’s where I was. I knew I had a lot inside to say but I couldn’t say it yet, and I think that’s what in that song it felt like.

To stay up to date with all of Paul’s projects and tour dates, make sure to follow him on IG @Paulbeaubrun and check out his website- PaulBeaubrun.com

We had the pleasure of shooting with Paul in preparation for our Brooklyn Circus x Haiti Design Co product launch. Click on the link below to check out the whole limited edition collection of hand-stitched leather essentials.

New Collection COMING SOON!

NEW COLLECTION DROPS 7.1.21

We cannot wait to share this new collection with you all!

Here is a sneak peak of what’s to come and a glimpse into our behind the scenes F21 shoot!

Photos & Video- Ayasha Media

Makeup- @failymakeup

Models- Nathalie Joachim & Kavakia Laguerre

Music- Featuring “Papa" Loko” on Nathalie Joachim’s Grammy nominated album “Fanm D’Ayiti”

Father's Day Feature: Meet Frentz Neptune

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Meet Frentz Neptune:

Photographer, Coffee Connoisseur, Entrepreneur, and most importantly- Dad.

My name is Frentz Neptune.  I was born and raised in Haiti.  When I was a little boy my mother moved my siblings and I to the city of Port-au-Prince in search of a better life.  We landed in Cite Soleil for years until my mother saved enough money from selling used clothing to buy a little piece of property in Delmas.  Today I share my time between Haiti and Orlando, Florida.   

frentz neptune haiti design co haiti shirts

Becoming a father is what caused me to purchase my first camera.  I wanted to capture my son’s life in a way that mine was never captured.  I wanted his important moments to be tangible and remembered as he grew up.  Having a family has motivated me to be a provider.  My children are the fuel behind my passion for business and serving others.  I want to be an example for them and show them love in action. 

I went into fatherhood with very little expectations.  I did not have a stable father figure in my life, but I was determined to work on myself and be a rock and provider for my children.  I want them to truly experience what it is like to live in community and help your neighbor.  Hospitality is a beautiful part of my culture.  I also want my children to respect their elders like we are taught to do from a young age.  I want them to know my story and know the strength and beauty my people share.  I speak to my children in Haitian Creole.  I love our language and I want my children to be able to communicate with their family in Haiti.  I also cook a lot of Haitian food, and we have awesome compas dance parties together!  

I opened a direct trade coffee company last year called Avanti Coffee Company.  I have been working with farmers in the southern peninsula growing organic, high elevation coffee.  My extended family members are coffee farmers and by the end of this year we will have planted over 90,000 coffee trees among our farms.  It is a business as mission.  Haiti has a lot of poverty, but I believe economic development can help people out of their problems so we can see a new, prosperous Haiti in the future. I also direct a nonprofit organization called Haiti Foundation Against Poverty.  We focus on education and family empowerment through child sponsorships, job creation through Gift of Hope Haiti, and agriculture development.  I am also a photography/videographer.  I am passionate about telling stories through my lens and showcasing culture and beauty in my country.  

Man, those kids watch everything.  Kids are so curious.  Ha.  My kids are hands on with our work, but most of all I hope they are paying attention to the impact they can make on other people’s lives.  It doesn’t matter where they live or the profession they choose, we all have the power to make a positive impact on people around us.  

frentz neptune haiti design co

Keep up with all of Frentz’s work by following along-

  • @frentzneptune

  • @avanticoffeeco

  • @giftofhopehaiti

  • @haitifoundationagainstpoverty 

Click on the images below to learn more and support' Frentz’s work-

Shop Frentz and his adorable sons’ look here-