Standing Tall with Ed Mangano

Gina Faustin, Kompa Guide’s CEO, was honored by Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano along with several others of various ethnic origins at a breakfast meeting on December 15. Staff and friends of Haitian-Americans United for Progress (HAUP) were present in large numbers at the event which gathered at least 300 participants.

Faustin is a Haiti booster par excellence, promoting it as a travel destination along with its unique music, culinary offerings and and culture.

Next January 11, Kompa Guide will partner with HAUP to celebrate Haiti’s Independence, honor the memory of the 2010 earthquake victims, and pay tribute to all those who rallied to Haiti’s side at a time of extreme need.

The event, organized in cooperation with the office of County Executive Edward Mangano, will be held on January 11, 2012 from 6 pm to 9 pm at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building in Mineola. It will be free and open to the public.

HAUP’s event will feature and be moderated by Haitian-American poet/performer Michèle Voltaire Marcelin whose writings and performances in English, French, and Creole are much praised and sought after. Haitian music, dance performances and gourmet meals illustrative of Haitian cuisine will be offered to the 250 or more assembled guests, community and business leaders, and officials from Nassau County.

The Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative building in Mineola, Nassau County is an excellent venue for the festive event that aims to highlight the Haitian presence in Nassau County. Indeed, many Haitian professionals (physicians, teachers, engineers, architects, nurses, financial services executives, realtors and lawyers) have made the county their home. The recent election of Haitian-American Carrie Solages is testament to their growing presence and impact on local developments.