Senate Resolution No. 1976

BY: Senator PARKER

COMMENDING the 7th Annual Haitian Culture Day
Parade and Festival on May 9, 2026

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay tribute to those organizations and communities whose commitment to
cultural celebration, historical remembrance, and community pride
enriches the civic and cultural life of the State of New York and the
City of New York; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commend the organizers and participants of the 7th Annual Haitian
Culture Day Parade and Festival, presented by Life of Hope on Saturday,
May 9, 2026, in Brooklyn, New York; and

WHEREAS, Haiti holds a singular and irreplaceable place in the
history of the world: on January 1, 1804, the people of Haiti, the
majority of them enslaved Africans who had risen up and broken their
chains, established the first Black republic in the Western Hemisphere
and the first nation in history born of a successful slave revolution,
defeating the forces of Napoleon Bonaparte and forever changing the
course of human freedom; Haiti's victory was not merely a national
triumph but a moral declaration heard across the Atlantic world,
inspiring liberation movements and striking fear into the hearts of
slaveholding powers everywhere; and

WHEREAS, May is recognized as Haitian Heritage Month in the State of
New York, a time to honor the extraordinary history, culture, and
contributions of the Haitian people and the Haitian diaspora, whose
presence in New York City enriches every aspect of our civic, cultural,
economic, and political life; and

WHEREAS, The Haitian Culture Day Parade and Festival, presented
under the 2026 theme "We Belong," winds through Brooklyn's officially
recognized Little Haiti and Little Caribbean districts, a corridor that
bears the names of two of Haiti's most beloved sons: Toussaint
L'Ouverture, the revolutionary general who led the Haitian Revolution,
and Pierre Toussaint, the Haitian-born philanthropist and devout
Catholic whose legacy of charity lives on in these streets; and

WHEREAS, The parade brings together community organizations,
marching bands, dancers, cheerleaders, and floats honoring Haitian
history and culture, followed by a free, family-friendly festival
featuring live musical performances, arts, cuisine, vendors, and
community resources, a celebration that affirms the dignity, resilience,
and pride of the Haitian community in the heart of Brooklyn; and

WHEREAS, The Haitian diaspora community in Brooklyn represents one
of the most vibrant, civically engaged, and culturally rich communities
in the State of New York, and the residents of this great State are
proud to call their Haitian neighbors partners in building a more just,
more joyful, and more beautifully diverse New York; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is proudly moved to honor Life of
Hope, its leadership and volunteers, and all who contribute to making
the Haitian Culture Day Parade a living expression of one of the most
powerful freedom stories in human history; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the organizers and participants of the 7th Annual Haitian
Culture Day Parade and Festival on May 9, 2026, and to extend
congratulations and deepest appreciation to the Haitian community of
Brooklyn and New York State for the enduring gifts of their history,
their culture, and their presence among us; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Life of Hope and the organizers of the Haitian Culture
Day Parade and Festival, as an expression of this Legislative Body's
profound admiration and support for their work.