On Jan. 20, Ruth Fleury, proprietor of Students of Tomorrow (SOT) Publishing, celebrated her new kids’s ebook, “Soup Joumou: Freedom Celebration” printed on Jan. 1, on the Freedom Day Celebration.
Writer Justine A. P. Louis and founding father of Viv Liv Books who wrote “Dahlia Explores the Haitian Creole Alphabet” joined Fleury on the ebook signing occasion.
The celebration was held in partnership with Viv Liv Books, and it was sponsored by Nancy Vielle from New York Life, the Haitian Girls’s Alliance and Ti TonTon Artwork. Chef Kesley from Crystal’s Nook, a bar in Brooklyn, catered for the occasion.
Fleury, a mother of 5, mentioned, “What retains me younger is smiling and selecting pleasure. My father conjures up me to belief the upper energy, hold it optimistic, and luxuriate in life.”
The creator is the youngest of 4 siblings. Her oldest sister was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti whereas she and her different two siblings had been born in Brooklyn, NY. Her mom is from Jacmel, Haiti whereas her father is from Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
She has a giant household on each side: Her paternal grandfather had 9 kids; two kids previous to marrying her grandmother. Her maternal grandmother had seven kids, resided in Haiti and died in 1996.
Fleury sees her mom as the best affect on the trail she is on right this moment in life. “Previous to migrating to america, she was an entrepreneur and owned a small enterprise in Haiti. I, too, have adopted the entrepreneurship journey,” she added.
She additionally shared that as a younger little one, her older siblings weren’t round as a lot, which gave her a quiet house to speak to God, self-reflect and journal typically. She at all times loved studying particularly informative textual content. She seen there was an absence of relatable books with individuals who appeared like her rising up.
“So I perceive the problem some kids face who usually are not curious about studying as a result of they’re unable to attach with the story. This is among the causes that led me to start out writing based mostly on my remark as a mom and childhood educator. My purpose is to extend studying one little one at a time in varied communities,” she added.
As a baby, she loved consuming Soup Joumou on Jan. 1 with my household. Nevertheless, she didn’t know why her household had it and gathered collectively.
“Once I grew to become a younger grownup, I lastly realized that the tasteful Soup Joumou represents Haiti’s independence from France. On Jan. 1, 1804, Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared Haiti as the primary Black Republic to be liberated. This heroic act paved the best way for different Black individuals to realize braveness to struggle for freedom,” she continued. This yr marks 220 years of independence for Haiti.
As a Black lady raised in a Haitian family and low-income neighborhood, her experiences have taught her to be resilient and affected person.
“Haitian individuals everywhere in the world have endured many obstacles and roadblocks over the previous 220 years. However one factor for positive, they’re devoted and exhausting employees. Quitting is just not an possibility for us,” she acknowledged.
From studying her ebook, Fleury desires kids and households to realize perception in regards to the significance of Jan. 1 for Haitian individuals and Black Historical past.
“I would really like it to have an effect the place unity shines among the many varied Black cultures inside our communities. My ebook will empower Black communities to make use of the recipe to cook dinner Soup Joumou and Have fun Freedom for all Black nations,” she continued.
She desires to deal with “spreading peace, assist and unity as symbols of human love,” she mentioned. “I wish to encourage younger Black women and boys to be courageous, assertive and constant in attaining their purpose by positivity and powerful will.”
To assist Fleury, these can buy her books, and discover extra data on SOT Publishing: https://www.scholarsoftomorrowpublishing.com/.
To assist Louis and fellow authors at VivLiv Books, these can buy their books and discover extra data right here: https://www.vivlivbooks.com/.
