[SPEAKER_11]: How y'all doing today? My name is Prince Alcidor. Guess what his name is. Also Prince.
[SPEAKER_10]: All right, so first off, we're going to be introducing y'all to the Haitian National Anthem by Kernessa and Yamile.
[SPEAKER_12]: Pour les aïeux, pour la patrie, Aux dieux des poids, aux dieux des poids. Sous ta garde infinie, Prenons droit notre vie, O Dieu des Pouvoirs, O Dieu des Pouvoirs, pour les ailleurs, pour la Patrie. O Dieu, O Dieu, O Dieu des Pouvoirs, pour les ailleurs, pour la Patrie.
[SPEAKER_06]: What did you tell them? Oh, nothing.
[SPEAKER_12]: O Haiti, pays en cette joie. C'est pour marcher maintenant à main. Nous m'y donnes pas fait pour qu'entre-t' nous fêtes pour s'admettre. Nous allons marcher maintenant I know, I know, I know.
[SPEAKER_10]: And now we will be welcoming our very own Mr. Principal de Leyva.
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you everyone. It's a big day for our Haitian community as today marks our annual celebration of Haitian Flag Day. These assemblies help us understand the diversity of our Mustang population, as we all can learn about other cultures and have a better understanding of one another. I'd like to recognize a few people today. Obviously, our superintendent, Dr. Maryse Edvard-Vincent, who will be participating in this assembly, and I'm going to let her do more of the chanting than I will do. I'd also like to recognize our mayor who's not here, but she would be presenting a proclamation. I think the superintendent's gonna be doing that as well. Definitely have to thank the Black Student Union. Let's give them a round of applause. Without them, we wouldn't have had our assembly, and without the guidance of Ms. Andrea Artsell, Ms. Jemiah Jackson, and Mr. Rose Walker for all their guidance in having this assembly happen, so let's congratulate them as well. So on May 18th each year, Haitians across the world commemorate the country's independence from France. and a moment of red and blue flag that was hoisted up for the first time in 1803. For a little history, that's when the white band was taken out of the flag during the French rule, creating the first Haitian flag that's symbolic of the alliance of black and mixed race people left behind to fight for freedom. I'd like to welcome back our two princes, Medford High's two princes, to continue with the celebration, and I'm glad to be part of this assembly. Thank you all.
[SPEAKER_11]: And now, we have an opening dance.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you again for being here, and I'm very privileged and grateful to be able to share this space again with you all. What you're going to watch is a dance that we create, not only me as a choreographer who helped them, but those young people really have so much passion and so much eager to do so much more. So if you feel the vibe while they're dancing, just shake yourself wherever you are. So I would like to welcome you, Ibo, because Ibo is a dance of freedom. It's a dance really represent Haiti at its core. So for the day of celebrating the flag, this is the best way we could definitely share our culture with you with Ibo. So welcome, Ibo.
[SPEAKER_11]: And now we will be sharing opening remarks by Dr. Maurice-Edouard Vincent, the superintendent of Bedford Public Schools, who will be sharing the Haitian Flag Day proclamation on behalf of Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn.
[SPEAKER_08]: Good afternoon, everyone. Sac passe! Sac passe! Sakpase. That's good. Sakpase means it's good. What's happening? How's it going? Napule, even though if you take it literally, It says like it's burning, but you don't really use it literally that way. It's just, it's good. So it's good to hear everyone knowing that phrase. I'm so excited to be here, always to come before you. As I begin my remarks today, I want to say thank you again to the BSU. I want to thank all, Ms. Andrea Pierre-Paul, Ms. Walker, Charose Walker. I know Ms. A, Ms. Jackson. I'm not sure of all of the other advisors that helped, but thank you for coordinating today's event and just giving us an opportunity to share with the larger community about the Haitian culture. And so, as I said, I'm going to share very, very brief remarks, and then I have a special citation from the mayor from the city of Method to share because she was not able to be with us today. Today, I am going to do something a little bit different than what I've done in the past. This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to be at the city of Method Haitian Flag Day celebration as well. And I shared a few key proverbs. And I want to share a few of them with you here as well. Because within the Haitian culture, proverbs are used a lot. And for my staff and people that I work with, a lot of times when I share, I give visual images. And I do feel it's because of my culture and how I was raised that usually there is either a proverb or a visual image to connect to something that you're trying to say. So as you can see, the wonderful red and blue today represents the flag. And on the flag, the statement on the flag says, L'union fait la force, which means our unity, our strength is being in unity or being in accord. So that is a guiding principle of Haitians. And as superintendent, there are many times when I have spoken in the past, I've said we are one Medford, one district, because we are stronger together than we are apart, and you can take that on all levels. So together we stand strong, but divided we will fall. Medford and Haiti are similar in that we have diverse and historic populations. Many of us in the room have different skin color tones. We practice different religions. We speak different languages. We have different traditions. But together, we are a blend of cultures, much like our mascot here, the Mustang horse. I've said many times that mustangs come in a variety of colors. Some have patches, some have spots, and some have stripes. They are intelligent, peaceful horses who are hard workers and live in herds led by a female. We are all Mustangs, no matter our color, heritage, or creed. And our Mustangs happen to be led by a female, me. As we come together today to celebrate, I want to share a quote with you from Maya Angelou. She said, we all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color. I say that to you because I feel it's symbolic of Medford. No matter what color you are, what creed you are, we are stronger together and everyone has equal value. So I want to just share a few proverbs with you. One is this. It's three words. If you can repeat after me, I'd greatly appreciate it. The first word is shita. Pa. Bai. Shita, pa, bai. Excellent. A plus for all of you. A plus. What does that mean? It means sitting doesn't yield. What it means is if you're sitting down, you're not able to produce. So it's an encouraging proverb that tells you get up, get out there, do what you need to do. Shita pabai. Another proverb I want to just share with you, which is a short proverb, Tutmunsemun. It's four words. Tut. Mun. Se. Mun. People are people. It means we love one another. We care for one another. We are all people. Everyone has equal value. Tutmunsemun. One more time. Tutmunsemun. Wonderful. I just want to say I am so proud and grateful for this opportunity to stand before all of you and share a little bit of my culture, which all of these wonderful students are sharing with you as well. And I thank you for that. I want to share the proclamation from the city of Method from Mayor Brianna Lungo-Kurd. Haitian American Heritage Month. Whereas Haitian American Heritage Month is a jubilant celebration in the United States, embracing Haitian heritage and culture, And whereas first celebrated in Boston, Massachusetts in 1988, Haitian American Heritage Month is now observed nationwide in the month of May from Florida to Massachusetts with parades, festivals, and school activities. And, whereas, Haitian American Heritage Month salutes Haitian and Haitian American communities who exhibit appreciation for their culture and heritage that has immeasurably enriched the lives of the people of Medford, our state and our nation. And, whereas, As educators, authors, community leaders, activists, athletes, artists, musicians, and politicians, Haitian Americans have made their mark in every facet of society and have contributed to the betterment and diversity of our city, state, and nation. And whereas May 18th is Haitian Flag Day, in Haiti, which celebrates the culture and heritage of the Haitian flag, which honors their forefathers and replenishes their resolve for Haiti's future. And whereas the city of Method and the United States of America have thrived as a melding of immigrants, united by common values and the promise of a better tomorrow, and whereas there is a strong connection between Haitians and Medford's community and I encourage all of our residents to honor this observance now therefore I Breonna Lungo-Koehn, Mayor of the City of Medford, do hereby proclaim the month of May as Haitian American Heritage Month, signed with the seal of Medford by our Mayor, Mayor Breonna Lungo-Koehn. Thank you.
[SPEAKER_10]: And now we have a poem written by our very own Dionysia.
[SPEAKER_07]: Hi, everybody. My first love, my first struggle. My smile, but also my snag. All black pride, my toxic relationship. We are afflicted by all these walls and these lies. Aren't we the cause of all these incurable diseases? It's their fault. It's your fault, but also my fault. They simply had to dump my nationality to deny you. But today, when they put me down because of you, I get up because of my freedom. I carry your name because I'm Haitian, and my bravery also comes from my roots. To greet you, do not hesitate if I ask you sac passe, because my origin also the blood that runs in my veins. Because I love my country, I will not only die for it, I will also live for it. Because I'm Haitian, I will not only fall fighting for it, but I will also rise. Because ADA is my only family. My mom owe my pride.
[SPEAKER_11]: Thank you for that. And now we have another poem by Wejena Prince.
[SPEAKER_06]: Does it work? OK. Hello, everyone. My name's Gina. I wrote this poem. I'll be reading a poem about the earthquake in Haiti that happened. Oh, Haiti, the land of pride and joy, where our ancestors fought with courage and ploy for freedom from the French long ago. to choose their own faith and no longer bow. From Toussaint Levati to Jean-Jacques Dessalines, from the north to the south, from Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haïtien, we have fought and we have bled, only for our freedom we have wed. Then came the earthquake, so dreadful and strong, the land shook and trembled, nothing to be done. I was only seven, lost and scared. All I could think about was how scared I was. As my world crumbled and many lost, it was a tragic day that we will never forget. For it seems our hope and dreams were swept, but we could not break. We could not be stopped. So we picked up pieces, built new, and took a stand. We remember our history, our strength, and our courage. We vowed to never forget the revolution and the power it gave us. Our Haiti, the land of pride and joy, we will continue to fight for freedom, no matter the cost. So let us remember the earthquake and our revolution. Let us never forget our courage and strength and our will to move on. Thank you.
[SPEAKER_11]: And now we'll be introducing Labodai. But before that, let me explain what it is. It's a rhythm of traditional dance music played to the drum and arranged to electronic music. How we as Haitians express ourselves to the world. The love for our country and people. Join us as we show you how we show our love with Labodai.
[SPEAKER_05]: ♪ Shower on pencil and just love it back it ♪ We are the champions! Watch out! Watch out! Watch out! Watch out! All right, and now we're going to introduce
[SPEAKER_10]: I apologize. All right, and now we are going to introduce the legendary dance of the whole Haitian community. Introducing, Kupa! A little quick mistake over here. So while they're getting ready, I'm going to just read one of my poems for y'all. So this poem I wrote about Hades. I'm going to just read that to y'all. Haiti is a land of vibrant hues where the sun shines bright and never snooze. From the mountains to the sea, its beauty never ceases to be. Its people are full of life with a spirit that can't be cut by any knife. They dance and sing with all their might. Their joy and passion shine so bright. Their food is simply divine, with spices and flavors that intertwine. From guyo to akra to zijonjon, each dish is a delicious marathon. Haiti has seen these shares of struggles, but its people always rise in juggles. They rise above the challenges with the strength that's as firm as metal hinges. It is a land of wonder. May its beauty and its people never surrender. May its people forever be... Damn. Never mind. It is the lands of mountains and sea, a place of beauty and history. From the lush green hills to the sandy shore, it is a land that you'll always adore. The people of Haiti are strong and brave, with a spirit that's never been enslaved. They face their fair share of trials and pain, but they will always rise up again. The culture of Haiti is rich and diverse, from the music to the art that they converse, with rhythms that make your heart beat fast, and colors that make your senses vast. The food of Haiti is a feast for the soul with flavors that makes you feel whole. From the spicy stews to the sweetest treats, it's a cuisine that can't be beat. So let us remember Haiti, this land of the free, and all the beauty and the strength that we see. Let us stand with the people who face each day with grace and honor the spirit of this remarkable place. All right. All right. Now, for real, we're going to... Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
[SPEAKER_11]: Before we get to this dancing, Stevens Exeter, can you please come down? That sunshine, nah. Yo, Stevens. Yo. Yo, Steve-O. Now, now.
[SPEAKER_10]: Now we're going to really announce the Kumbaya dance. Hope y'all enjoy.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's brutal, she wants me to hit her, she loves the style, she likes it. She says I'm cool, she wants me to be cool, she wants me to go crazy, she makes me freak out. Honestly, do it for me, sir.
[SPEAKER_04]: Si c'est ça. Si l'pas commandé ou pon di tête en bas, Kembe l'nacheux de pou a pou gaif li la, Pédé a pointé toute cocaïla, Pou a balta pou pou gaila, Pousse l'lique mandé ou l'éveil, Mettez sous tabla, Pou l'marcher sous quatre pattes, L'éveil bat chante la, Pou qu'on enlève l'sa.
[SPEAKER_05]: Hamza Bisho Basse Difeh You got your gym suit on. foreign foreign
[SPEAKER_11]: That was very bell, you know? So I'm Bell Bagari. I love my culture. Did y'all enjoy that? Yeah.
[SPEAKER_10]: All right, we got that.
[SPEAKER_11]: And now we have some closing remarks by Sheryl Swalker.
[SPEAKER_09]: Good afternoon, everyone. How was that? Our BSU members, they worked really hard on all of this for months, so let's give them another round of applause. And I'd like to personally thank them, so I'm going to call them out one by one by name, starting with Prince Altador. Come on out, Prince. Come all the way out, Prince. Photo op, Prince. Prince Exeter. Let's go. Let's go. Come on out. You got to stay out. Where are the names? Sorry. Daniel Jun Ilan. Come on out, Daniel. Lude Georges. Lude, come on out. Come out, Lude, Daniel. Shamika Moyse. Christy Boncore. Come on out. Come on out. Thalintia Menelius. Sorry if I chopped that up. Imarly Etienne. Come on out, Imarly. Cornisa Lajoie. Cornisa. Nicole Newby. Talia Jean Baptiste. Yamile Etienne. Reina Paribia. Isman Petifre. And unfortunately, our BSU advisors are not here, so that would be Miss Jackson and Miss A, but Mr. Dello Russo, can you please come to the stage? As well as, last but not least, our wonderful Miss Andrea Pierpont, please. Just want to thank you all, and it has been a pleasure as I will be leaving. It makes me a little sad, but I am so proud of you. And yes, this is a great performance today. So take care.