Little Haiti Book Festival free events

The annual Little Haiti Book Festival, presented by the Miami Book Fair, will be May 5 at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex and Libreri Mapou at 5919 NE 2 Ave.

The Little Haiti Book Festival will feature authors from Haiti and the Haitian diaspora, literary panels and craft talks, workshops for writers, hands-on activities for children, a dance workshop and musical petting zoo, poetry, dance and music performances, and more.

The day-long event schedule is as follows:

FILM SCREENING

• PORT-AU-PRINCE, MY UNIQUE AND ONLY LOVE. A film screening of Georges Corvington: Port-au-Prince, my Unique and Only love will be followed by a Q&A with Haitian filmmaker Arnold Antonin. (Auditorium, 11 a.m.)

WORKSHOPS

• ON THE PAGE AND ONTHE STAGE. Workshop with seasoned storyteller Lucrece Louisdhon-Louinis and well-established writer Fabienne Josaphat. (Community Room, 11 a.m.)
• WORD WORKSHOP FOR TEENS. Writer and journalist Ebonie Ledbetter leads a writing workshop for teenagers on the complex issues of identity and belonging. (Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance, 1:30 p.m.)
• Writing for children? Learn children’s publishing tips FROM THE INSIDERS of EducaVision. (Community Room, 2 p.m.)
• READING TOOLBOX FOR PARENTS Lucrece Louisdhon-Louinis, an expert in literacy teach parents how to engage in a routine of book sharing with their children. (Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance, 3:00 p.m.)
• GETTING THROUGH THE GATES. Ready to publish? Come meet prestigious literary agent Melissa Danaczko. (Community Room, 3:30 p.m.)

PANELS

• A PROVERBIAL EDUCATION.Panel presentation with Pierre-André Pierre, Max Manigat, and Emeline Alexis-Schulz. (Auditorium, 1 p.m.)
• PERSPECTIVES ON VOUDOU RELIGION IN HAITI. Panel presentation with Jean Fils-Aimé, Jean-Claude Exulien, and Leonie Hermantin. (Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.)
• CALL TO ACTION: RESTAVÈK! CHILD SLAVERY IN HAITI. Panel discussion with Claudy Delne, Goldsmith Dorval, and Gepsie Metellus. (Auditorium, 4:00 p.m.)

ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN

• There will be ART! Visit the KIDS ART-MAKING STUDIO all day for hands-on activities connecting literature to arts and craft with GOGO MOAD (Art-Making Studio, all day).
• BOOKS FOR FREE! Courtesy of Miami Book Fair and The Children’s Trust’s Read to Learn Books for Free program. (Courtyard, all day)
• STORYTELLING. Award-winning writer Edwidge Danticat reads from My Mommy Medicine. (Art-Making Studio, 12 p.m.)
• STORYTELLING. Cancer survivor Tamara B. Rodriguez reads from Hair to the Queen! (Art-Making Studio, 12:30 p.m.)
• DANCE AND DRUMMING WORKSHOP with  Yanui, founder and choreographer of Tradisyon Lakou Lakay. (Art-Making Studio, 1:30 p.m.)
• DANCE AND DRUMMING WORKSHOP with Inez Barlatier, a singer-songwriter, rhythm guitarist, recording artist, percussionist, folkloric dancer, actress and hand-drum instructor. (Art-Making Studio, 3 p.m.)
• STORYTELLING. Stichiz, author of Tu Es Belle: You Are Beautiful: Abby’s Great Day, is a radio personality, an international award-winning entertainer, an artist on the rise, and a community champion. (Art-Making Studio, 4:30 p.m.)
• STORYTELLING. Marie Ketsia’s books include Beauty Walks in Nature (2010), Songs from a Tower (2009), Keeper of the Sky (2007), One More Daughter, America (2006), Daughter of the House (2005), A Fish Called Tanga (2003), and I’ll Fly Away (1999).  (Art-Making Studio, 5:00 p.m.)

IN THE COURTYARD

• THE RHYTHM FACTORY. Sing-a-long, move and groove with Michael Gil. (Courtyard, 12 p.m.)
• DANCE PERFORMANCE with Inez Barlatier, a singer-songwriter, rhythm guitarist, recording artist, percussionist, folkloric dancer, actress and hand-drum instructor. (Courtyard, 12:30 p.m.)
• POETIC LAKAY with Mecca Grimo Marcelin: Poetry, drumming and positive hip-hop with youth breakdancers. (Courtyard, 2:30 p.m.)
• LETTERPRESS PRINTING DEMOS with Tom Virgin. (Courtyard, all day)
• BOOKS FOR FREE! Courtesy of Miami Book Fair and The Children’s Trust’s Read to Learn Books for Free program. (Courtyard, all day)
• DJ NICKYMIX (Courtyard, all day)
• RARA LAKAY — Enjoy a live percussion-based performance by Rara Lakay as you embrace Haitian literary life and culture. (Courtyard, 5:30 p.m.)