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Lise Coachi entered the Asbury Park City Council Chambers with the aid of a walker. She was surrounded by family and friends who led her to seat at the front of the room, giving her a birds-eye view. Like most elders, Ms. Coachi said very few words but intently watched the events of the day and the people within the standing room only crowd who had gathered for the inaugural Haitian Heritage Month Celebration on Saturday.

“She is the matriarch of our community,” said event Co-Chair Sheila Etienne said, who serves as vice president of the Asbury Park Board of Education. “She is someone who would pick people up who didn’t have a car to run them to work and job interviews.”

Across the room, Asbury Park High School student Fradlet Etienne also intently watched the events of the day. Not only salutatorian of his class but a member of the championship-winning high school soccer team, Etienne sat in the midst of the crowd taking in the magnitude of the personal histories of those around him.

Coachi and Etienne were among the distinguished honor recipients, given by the event’s committee. The inaugural event was founded by Kareen Delice Kircher, president of NJ-Haiti Partners. The Howell resident, who runs DevOps Advisors technology company, said most Haitians have a connection to Asbury Park, whether as residents, churchgoers, or simply people they know in the community. 

“The reason for today is to recognize so many people who have done so much for the community,” Kircher said. “Maybe they have never been thanked in any formal fashion and we want to take the time today to not only celebrate our Haitian heritage and our resilience but also those who have toiled in silence to make the community better for the younger ones among us. They didn’t necessarily have a title and they were not elected but they saw a need and they stepped up to fill that need.”

The award recipients included:

Healthcare Leader Award: Dr. Albert Joseph for providing care, even to those who cannot afford it.

Spiritual Leader Award: Youth Pastor Milot Noel, who has been known to counsel young people and their families, regardless of creed or denomination.

Business Leader Award: Jean Brutus of Sir Jean’s World of Beauty, for supporting any and all things Asbury Park, whether or not it directly benefits the Haitian Community. He’s a great support of the soccer players in Asbury Park.

Friend of Haiti Award: Living Word Christian Fellowship for their long-standing support of Haitian-Americans here, as well as of our efforts overseas in Haiti.

Student Scholar Award: Asbury Park HS Salutatorian Fradlet Etienne for being ranked No. 2 in his class; leading his soccer team to Central Group 1 State Championship; excelling in the classroom with a 3.9 GPA; and for serving as a volunteer in his church.

Caring Neighbor Award: Lise Coachi who was one of the original 13 Haitians to come to the shore between 1962 and 1965. She is best known for being the lady who, for decades, gave people car rides to work, school, or wherever they needed to go.

Educator Award: Rev. Dr. Frederic Cheriscat, an Asbury Park High School math teacher who served as a mentor, mediator, brother, father, friend to all kids who needed him. During his 26 year-long tenure, he defended the dignity of his students and helped them assimilate into the American culture.

Public Servant Award: Councilwoman Yvonne Clayton, for her part in the City of Asbury Park’s efforts to maintain a good relationship with the people who have been loyal to Asbury Park through thick and thin.

Pioneer Award: presented to the 13 Haitians who founded the local Haitian community 55 years ago. They include: Ms. Mathilde Napoleon Pierre, Ms. Raymonde Napoleon, Ms. Jacqueline Lizaire Parent, Ms. Claire Vilme Napoleon, Ms. Jacqueline Louis Desroses, Ms. Therese Lezin Napoleon, Ms. Resia Andre Napoleon, Ms. Lise Lizaire Coachi, Mr. Albert Napoleon, Mr. Raymond Napoleon, Mr. Davilmar Napoleon, Mr. Gustave Pierre, Mr. Armand Parent.

“During the bad times when people were leaving this city, you brought your families here,” Councilwoman Yvonne Clayton said during her award acceptance. “On behalf of the City, the City Council and all of the residents of Asbury Park, thank you.”

The Haitian community’s oral history along the Jersey Shore was shared by many during the 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. event. Cheriscat, a now retired educator, said his tenure at the high school included support from the district superintendent to graduate students at 23- and 24-years old.

“Nobody knew about this thing,” he said. “I spent three years never taking a day off because we had students who could not even write their name. They stayed with me. If we had to have an 8th or 9th period, they stayed in my class because I had to teach them. I told them that there is nothing they could not do.”  

“They stayed with me,” he said. “If we had to have an 8th or 9th period, they stayed in my class because I had to teach them. I told them that there is nothing they could not do.”  

And while the celebration featured Haitian dishes, music, dance, song, and spoken word performances, many city elders like Howard West and Cheriscat shared awe-inspiring personal success stories of overcoming bias and prejudice as the Haitian community came together to assimilate in their new home.

“I used to go home bloody because there was a fight between the blacks and the Haitians, every single day,” Cheriscat said. “My wife used to cry but you know what, we did something pretty good. We used to have meetings to help put the community together and now look at where we are today.”

The room was filled with social workers, those in all levels of academia, business owners, clergy, artists, doctors, retail workers, technologists, chefs, nurses, accountants, lawyers, to name a few, who continue to work to elevate the next generation.

Behind the scenes, many different organizations, individuals, and business owners responded to our call to put this together, Kircher said. They included pro bono performances by Cassandra Momplaisir, Ms. Vincent’s Girls dance troupe, poet Shana Louis, and Vision Spirituelle Gospel Band. NJ Haiti Partners member Jeff Richter sang the Haitian National Anthem, while Rev Dr Jean Guy Florival gave the invocation and Pastor Sony Augustin delivered the benediction.

The mistress of ceremonies went to Marie Gilles, a mortgage loan professional, and featured guest speaker Christopher Laurent, a civil engineer, shared an empowering talk on Haitian history to the empowering actions of the today’s community. Among his mentors were Cheriscat, who encouraged him to pursue his dreams at a time when he spoke very little English, Kircher said.

Keynote Speaker Reginald Mirthil shared his own road success and the importance of community support. The 1996 Asbury Park High School graduate went on to serve as the school’s principal prior to his current post as principal of Barack Obama Elementary School.

Mirthil who had organized a Fun Day at Sunset Park for all the city’s youth earlier in the day was balancing his time between attending two funerals and the search for a missing child, who was found by early afternoon. He said he wanted to take a moment to honor those who had slipped through the cracks.

“They are not here with us because of several reasons,” Mirthil said before expressing the importance of community unification. “When we talk about Haiti we are talking about force, empowerment and knowledge. I stand on the shoulders of every single person who has come before me and I will never forget.”

For more about NJ-Haiti partners, visit www.njhaitipartners.org.

[Photos courtesy of Howell native Eric A Cheavers who is a member of the Haitian community. Cheavers is the owner of Track 3 Productions, which allows him to do freelance work as a photographer, cameraman and editor. He also works professionally for a Philadelphia-based news organization as cameraman and editor.]

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