Haiti | Paola… Lost in New York City

Haitian Food in NYC: La Caye Restaurant

May 20, 2013 by findingpaola

It’s funny, just a few days before I went to La Caye, my Cape-Verdean friend was telling me how much she loves “Shiktay.” It amused me that she loved the dish so much. And of course her random statement sent me to daydream over different Haitian dishes that I love. I’ve heard about La Caye from mutual friends, and decided to pay the small, chic restaurant a visit after a mini-shoot with Alejandro and Ania. Since we were frolicking around […]

Categories: HAITI, NYC Favorites, Sweet, Sweet Memories • Tags: Brooklyn, fritay, good eats, good food, Haiti, Haitian food, la caye, Prestige

Hope and A Future: A Celebration of Haiti

May 19, 2013 by findingpaola

“Everyday in America, we get up, and we live life because we have infrastructure. We have water. We have electricity. We don’t think about these things. We utilize these things. But (en Ayiti) in Haiti, we have to get up, and we have to (cheche lavi) look for life. But despite that, we still get up, we still say, ‘Thank you life.’ We still say mesi lavi.” -Marie-Yolaine Eusebe It’s 2013, and a major issue in Haiti is Cholera. Lack […]

Categories: HAITI, NYC Haitian events • Tags: Haiti, Brooklyn, Ayiti, Emeline Michel, event, non-profit, fundraiser, haitian, Belo, community2community, fresh water initiative, petit-goave, melanie charles, mazayik, marie-yolaine eusebe

Ready for Haitian Flag Day!

May 8, 2013 by findingpaola

With the help of my good friend, Alejandro, I was able to snap some good photos with Ania in Union Square two days ago. We went all out with our Haitian pride where we coordinated the Haitian flag colors. It was fun to shoot with Ania, the super model of the team. The tanks are now available on the website! http://www.ansanmnouseayiti.com Also our Haitian Flag Day giveaway is over, and the winner was announced on our Facebook page this past […]

Categories: Sweet, Sweet Memories • Tags: 4c, ansanmnouseayiti, Ayiti, findingpaola, Haiti, haitian, haitian pride, haitianpride, natural hair, naturalhair

Ansanm Nou Se Ayiti (Official video)

April 18, 2013 by findingpaola

Ansanm Nou Se Ayiti means Together We Are Haiti. It’s a tribute to Haiti: promoting beauty, unity, and history. CREDITS: Texts and vision by: Paola Mathe Performed by: Paola Mathe and Soukena Jn Jacques Produced and directed by: Joshua Bennett and Paola Mathe Music by: Peter Barr and Morgan Zwerlien Cinematography: Justin Ervin Edited by: Daniel Olshansky Makeup by: Shameika Bowman Necklaces by: Abby Omoruyi and Paola Mathe Assisted by: Erik Spink and Amitabha Joshi Words (Kreyol): […]

Categories: Ansanm Nou Se Ayiti • Tags: ansanm, Ansanm Nou Se Ayiti, Ayiti, beauty, Haiti, haitian girls, haitian women, history, movement, Paola, soukena, unity, video

Introducing the lady behind Bohiomania Haiti

April 9, 2013 by findingpaola

You probably remember the photos from the shoot I did for Bohiomania Haiti, a hand-made jewelry line by Haitian designer, Marie Valerie Placide. Recently, I had an opportunity to chat with her, and I got to learn how her jewelry line started. Looking back at our conversation, I remember why I admired Valerie so much when I was a child. Her intelligence, vivacious personality, and go-getter attitude are some of the many things to boast about this incredible, independent woman. […]

Categories: Faces of Haiti • Tags: art, Bohiomania, Haiti, Haitian woman, hand-made jewelry, jewelry designer, marie valerie placide, mvp

Ansanm Nou Se Ayiti T-shirts!

April 2, 2013 by findingpaola

Ansanm Nou Se Ayiti means Together We Are Haiti. It’s a tribute to Haiti. It’s a movement to unite Haitians living abroad and in Haiti because together we are stronger. #AnsanmNouSeAyiti I had the opportunity to shoot the “Ansanm Nou Se Ayiti” tshirts with Haitian musician, Paul Beaubrun of Zing Experience, and Haitian fashion model, Ania Charlot yesterday. Our necklaces are made by Haitian jewelry designer, MVP for the BohiomaniaHaiti line. Photos are by Alejandro Cerdena. It was a great experience. […]

Categories: Ansanm Nou Se Ayiti • Tags: ania charlot, Ansanm Nou Se Ayiti, Ayiti, Bohiomania, fashion model, Haiti, haitian, jewelry designer, movement, paul beaubrun, style, t-shirts, zing

NYC Adventures: A night with Zing

March 22, 2013 by findingpaola

“In one word, describe Zing Experience and what the band means to you.” That was the question my partner Natalia and I asked fans who came to see Zing perform during their album release party at Webster Hall, a couple of weeks ago. The answers were all very different and special in their own way. “Roots,” said Regine, founder of Haiti Cultural Exchange and long time supporter of Zing Experience and the Beaubrun family. “Unique,” added an older gentleman. “Original” […]

Categories: HAITI, My NYC Adventures, NYC Haitian events • Tags: album release party, ayibobo, Ayiti, Boukman Eksperyans, Haiti, haitian music, New York, nyc, racine, rasin, roots, webster hall, Zing Experience

Screen Shot 2013-03-05 at 8.08.18 PM.png

Official video stills from “Ansanm Nou Se Ayiti”

March 6, 2013 by findingpaola

Ansanm Nou Se Ayiti is a tribute to Haiti. It means: Together we are Haiti. A poem written by me, and inspired by Soukena and Ania. I decided to bring it to life by performing it on video. It is the beginning of a movement to bring the younger Haitian generation living abroad and in Haiti to come together for the better good of our beloved Haiti. Soukena and I both play Ayiti (Haiti) in this video in the […]

Categories: Ansanm Nou Se Ayiti • Tags: Ansanm Nou Se Ayiti, beauty, creative project, culture, freedom, Haiti, haitian women, love, movement, unity

Paola… Lost in New York City

A girl from a small town in Haiti leaving her mark in the big city.

Archives