Haiti Cultural Exchange (HCX) presents Diaspora NOW! HYPHENATED. On Saturday, March 11, and Sunday, March 12, 2023, HCX will present multidisciplinary works and artists who will each present a performance and participate in a post-show dialogue at the Mark Morris Dance Center (located at 3 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, New York).

Saturday March 11, 6-8pm, Monvelyno Alexis

Sunday March 12, 3-5pm, Musician Sherlee Skai

Diaspora NOW is a platform for emerging literary and performing artists of Haitian descent to premiere works in New York City, offering opportunities for Haitians and the general public to engage with new art that highlights experiences in the Diaspora.

This year’s Diaspora NOW, entitled, HYPHENATED, explores the status and role of Haitian artists as they navigate the dualities of their lives between the disparate cultures, economies, and racial orders of Haiti and the United States. The series will feature multidisciplinary works and artists who will each present a performance and participate in a moderated post-show dialogue about their work. [. . .]

Monvelyno Alexis: As a native of Haiti, Monvelyno learned from the creators of the Haitian roots music. He grabbed his guitar at the age of 18, matured into a skilled musician and made ethnological research at sacred places, such as Soukri, Badjo, Souvnans. The innovators of this movement guided the young musician helping him understand the language of the drum in relation to the guitar. As a well-rounded musician in search of an original sound, Monvelyno moved to the US to study music. This quest helped him to merge all of his influences and he offers listeners a New Music Movement for the Haitian Tradition. He names this new sound the Kod ak Po Project to strengthen the Haitian culture.

Album: DJÒ 21 Grenn Awenken is a blend of many of styles and genres of music to promote the nature of freedom as an independent solo artist. The album starts with mainstream club sounds to inspire joy and happiness to the audience, switching smoothly to the acoustic world for a quieter, more inspiring ambient vibe and finishing with the Traditional/spiritual to connect to our ancestors.

Sherlee Skai: World music singer-songwriter Sherlee Skai brings a unique sound shaped by multicultural influences from Haitian folklore to American jazz and soul. She sings from the heart combining music, activism, and history. Sherlee has graced stages such as Harlem Week and Lincoln Center with her polished, incandescent jazz vocals. She released her first album, “TOUTOUNI” – bare– in 2018 and is working on her second album, which she will release this year. 

A fierce activist, Sherlee Skai uses her music and voice as a tool to bring awareness about social injustice, notably U.S. immigration policies. Witnessing the mistreatment of Haitian migrants and others, she has made it her duty to advocate for more humane and equitable immigrant treatment. 

Album: Misyon / Mission is a socially engaged project that centers Haiti by calling out its internal and external antagonists and celebrate its culture. It is Creole soul: is a fusion of traditional rhythms, jazz, and contemporary sound.

For more information, see https://haiticulturalx.org/event/diaspora-now-hyphenated/2023-03-11/