project.”
She said her work is grounded
in individual and community
portraiture.
Through her photographs
and writing, Roman said she
seeks to bridge two compelling
views: the individual —
shaped by Romain’s identity as
the daughter of Haitian immigrants
raised in the United
States; and the collective —
depicting the reality of Haiti as
a self-determining nation with
an ever-evolving generation of
people committed to redefining
its own ethos.
She believed that “in the
hands of Haitian people, the
camera can provide a broader
view of our own experiences
and histories, often in contrast
to accepted media depictions.
“The need remains for our
own gaze to be seen; one that
stokes the collective imagination
and keeps new ways of seeing
alive,” Romain said.
She said the images featured
in “Nou Pap Bliye” were
initially exhibited in her first
‘Where can we find light?’ Tribute to veteran broadcaster
poem, “The Hill We Climb,” to
the world.
“When day comes, we ask
ourselves, where can we find
light in this never-ending shade
the loss?” she asks. “The loss
we carry asea we must wade.
We’ve braved the belly of the
beast. We’ve learned that quiet
isn’t always peace. In the norms
and notions of what just is, isn’t
always justice.
“And yet, the dawn is hours
before we knew it,” she adds.
“Somehow, we do it. Somehow,
we’ve weathered and witnessed
a nation that isn’t broken, but
simply unfinished.
“We, the successors of
a country and a time, where
a skinny black girl, descended
from slaves and raised by
a single mother can dream of
becoming president, only to
find herself reciting for one,”
continues Gorman, referring to
herself. “And yes, we are far
from polished, far from pristine.
But that doesn’t mean we are
striving to form a union that
is perfect. We are striving to
forge our union with purpose,
to compose a country committed
to all cultures, colors, characters
and conditions of man.
“And so, we lift our gaze, not
solo exhibition, “Portraits for
Self-Determining Haiti”, at the
A.I.R. Gallery in Brooklyn, during
her time as a 2011-2012
A.I.R. Fellow.
Subsequent exhibits followed
at The Watergate Gallery
and Artomatic of Washington,
DC.T
he images are also in the
permanent collection at the
Schomburg Center for Research
in Black Culture in Harlem, and
are highlighted in a photo essay
in Meridians Vol 11, Dec 2011,
an academic journal published
by Smith College.
Romain said “Nou Pap
Bliye” highlights “what it
means to affirm, value, and sustain
the worldview of those who
have been historically misrepresented
to what stands between us, but
what stands before us,” she says.
“We close the divide because we
know to put our future first, we
must first put our differences
aside. We lay down our arms so
we can reach out our arms to
one another. We seek harm to
none, and harmony for all. Let
the globe, if nothing else, say
this is true.”
Gorman says that even as we
grieved, we grew.
“That even as we hurt, we
hoped, that even as we tired.
we tried, that will forever be
tied together victorious,” she
says. “Not because we will never
again know defeat, but because
we will never again sow division.”
In referring to Scripture, she
says “it tells us to envision that
everyone shall sit under their
own vine and fig tree, and no
one shall make them afraid.
“If we’re to live up to our
own time, then victory won’t
lie in the blade but in all the
bridges we’ve made,” Gorman
says. “That is the promise to
glade, the hill we climb. If only
we dare it.”
She says being American is
“more than a pride we inherit;
it’s the past we step into, and
how we repair it.”
Caribbean L 26 ife, JANUARY 22-28, 2021
and underrepresented
like the people of Haiti.”
Included in the book is an
original poem Romain wrote
while in Haiti post-earthquake.
In her efforts to reach a broad
audience with this empowering
message of Haiti, Romain had
the poem translated into multiple
Book cover of ‘Nou Pap Bliye” by Regine Romain.
languages, which include
Haitian Kreyòl, Twi (Ghana),
Spanish, Ibo (Nigeria) and
French.
“This book is a visionary
invitation to remember and
reconstruct our rich heritage
as we add color to the contours
and textures of the people and
places that continue to thrive
in the wake of persistent struggle”
writes Deirdre Hollman,
educator and founder of the
Black Comics Collective, and
author of the book’s forward.
“Crafted with pride and
dignity, ‘Nou Pap Bliye’ is the
culturally affirming coloring
book we all need and deserve.,”
Hollman added. “Perfect for
children and adults, the whole
family can indulge in the colors
of the African diaspora.”
Romain said the culturally
affirming images Hollman
spoke about were illustrated by
Tiffani Gomez, an interdisciplinary
Afro-Latina artist based in
Washington, D.C.
Romain said Gomez, her
niece, was “thrilled to work on
this project, especially during
the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine.”
“2020 was really difficult
because of the isolation
from family and community,”
Gomez said. “But working on
this book project allowed me
to dive deeper into my culture
and artistry.
“As a child, I never had a
coloring book about Haiti or
Haitian people,” she added.
“But, now, we all do, which is
so cool. Representation matters.”
Continued from Page 25
Continued from Page 25
Becket Cyrus, renowned as
the ABC of Calypso, told Caribbean
Life. “He was also a
fantastic MC, one of the best
I ever worked with. He made
‘MC-ing’ look so easy.
“Randy was a pioneer and
made a tremendous contribution
to the promotion of SVG
(St. Vincent and the Grenadines)
and Caribbean culture,
via radio and television,
at home and abroad,” added
the former perennial Calypso
Monarch in St. Vincent and
the Grenadines, stating that
Randy D last worked on the
“Nite Riders” shift on NICE
Radio (in St. Vincent and the
Grenadines), and was a founding
member and manager of
the local Graduates Calypso
Tent.
“Of his many outstanding
attributes, the one I will always
remember is that he gave everyone
a chance,” Becket continued.
“Every recording artist
was guaranteed a play by
Randy D. For many, his was
the only play we got. Spin-on,
my dear brother.”
Brooklyn resident Cyril
“Scorcher” Thomas, another
veteran calypsonian, said
Randy D was “one of the most
outstanding Vincentians who
really helped to foster our
music internationally.
“He was one the few promoters
who actually featured
Vincentian artists, such as
Soso, Becket and myself, when
other prominent Vincent promoters
here in America and
Canada were telling us we had
to go to Trinidad and make a
name in Trinidad before they
can put us on a show here in
North America,” he said.
“Randy D and his brother,
Philip, would feature us in
the Caribana shows in Canada,
where we at least got an
exposure,” he added. “He had
his ‘Vibes Caribbean’ show.
“Whenever he called, we were
all ready and willing to go —
Becket, Soso and I.
“So, in my mind, he was one
of the stalwarts in Vincentian
culture,” Scorcher continued.
“He gave and didn’t count the
cost. In my mind, he was one
of the greatest Vincentians of
all time.”
International soca star Vincentian
Kevin Lyttle, a Miami
resident, described Rand D’s
passing as “a sad thing for St.
Vincent and the Grenadines,
because Randy was a major
contributor to entertainment
in general.
“He had a very unique voice,
especially on radio,” Lyttle
said. “His voice was very distinguishable,
and you could
know when Randy D was on
(air). He was a great patriot.
“He loved his island people,”
he added. “He loved to see
his people succeed. He always
‘bigged’ me up. And he did
that to every artist he knew.
Also, he was a very humble
guy.
Continued from Page 25
COLORFUL HAITI
Ferrand “Randy D” Dopwell7.
Photo by Nelson A. King