The Haitian Student Association celebrated the rich history and heritage of Haiti in the Mandela Room last Sunday at their inaugural Mr. and Miss Haiti pageant. Themed “Zanset & Zetwal,” which translates to “ancestors and stars” in Haitian Creole, the event created an environment where anyone could display their connection and appreciation for Haitian culture, regardless of their own background.

A makeshift runway arranged from bundles of fairy lights, red hibiscus flowers and miniature Haitian flags cut through the middle of the room, and attendees took their seats on either side of the room. Tables were adorned with flashing stars encircled by billowing cotton clouds, with golden stars and moon motifs scattered across the surface.

“This theme honors those who came before us, the ancestors whose strength, sacrifice and stories paved the way,” Marc-Leonce Volcy, assistant director of Binghamton University’s Multicultural Resource Center and host of the event, said. “It celebrates the stars among us today, shining brightly with talent, ambition and purpose. As we move through the night’s program, you see how each participant embodies this connection between past and present, grounded in heritage yet reaching for greatness.”

Volcy, who is also Haitian himself, then invited Carla-Ann François, HaSA’s president and a senior majoring in political science, to introduce this year’s E-Board as they entered the stage one by one to individual walk-up songs.

Next, each participant was introduced to the crowd and the panel of judges through the fashion showcase. Female contestants represented Haiti’s past by dressing in traditional karabela dresses, colorfully patterned and ruffled skirts with designs in red, yellow, blue, purple and pink. Male contestants represented the country’s contemporary era by dressing in modern, street wear-inspired looks, featuring red-, blue- and white-striped jerseys and dark-wash jeans.

“Being Haitian has shaped every part of who I am,” Jodanayah Pierre, an intern for HaSA and a freshman majoring in global public health, said. “Through the music, the food, but especially the values. I have always been taught the importance of perseverance and remembering where I come from. Although Haiti has suffered for so long, I have never once felt ashamed. Seeing the sacrifices that my family and other Haitians have made over the years reminds me of the bravery that my ancestors took to fight for freedom and create a completely new nation.”

X-Fact’r Step Team then took to the stage in a five-person formation — clapping, stomping and snapping to create a chorus of beats intensely focused on rhythm, before building up to their closing number soundtracked by Wu-Tang Clan.

During the cultural presentation, contestants paid tribute to elements of Haitian identity, such as pantomiming sewing the nation’s flag, reading a spoken-word poem themed around the people’s resilience in Haitian Creole and narrating a childhood story from growing up in Haiti.

Contestant Jake Koshy, a freshman majoring in nursing, wanted to raise awareness around disaster relief as someone hoping to join the healthcare field. He acknowledged the gaps in Haitian governance, but also emphasized the power of the people in rebuilding and promoting reform. As someone who does not identify as Haitian, Koshy explained he was motivated to compete in the pageant due to his friendship with Miss Haiti contestant Amiram Cameau, a freshman majoring in integrative neuroscience.

“I’m also here today because I was inspired by my friend Amiram, who is also a participant here,” he said. “Her and I have been friends since first semester, and she has shown me all the beautiful parts of her culture, and this is my way of showing my appreciation for Haitian culture.”

Attendees were also served classic Haitian fare during the intermission, which draws from French and African culinary influences. Options for the main course included macaroni au gratin, rice and beans, fried beef or pork, with sides of fried plantains and pikliz, a spicy pickled slaw-like condiment that helps cut through the heavier tenderized meat.

Each contestant was encouraged to display their unique abilities during the talent showcase, with the majority opting for musical performances such as a saxophone solo to Fugees’ “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” singing along to Bill Withers and Grover Washington, Jr., “Just the Two of Us,” or covering Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” on electric guitar.

Before transitioning to the last round of the pageant, Binghamton Ballroom swept across the center of the room in a graceful waltz, set to a jazzy and romantic French track with soft, soaring piano scales.

In the question and answer segment, each contestant was prompted to answer a different question about Haiti, revolving around how they would encourage awareness and education. Some prompts included combating common misconceptions, bringing attention to issues affecting the country, and the significance that Haitian traditions and culture carry for them. At the end of the evening, Maurice Kuzwe, an undeclared freshman, and Cameau were crowned Mr. and Miss Haiti, respectively.

Throughout the event, Kuzwe spoke about the importance of Haitian culture and how the country is “more than struggle and poverty.”

“When I was young, I watched my mama and Mes Sœurs practice traditional dance. I saw their movement, their rhythm, and their pride in it,” Kuzwe wrote in an email. “It gave me pride too. It gave me a place as a Black man rooted in history. My parents fled the genocide in Rwanda and faced endless conflict, but we kept going. I am a survivor. I stand here because we did not break, and those moments stayed with me. They taught me to never hide where I’m from. They taught me to stand proud of the culture and carry it forward.”

“When I see Haitian traditional dance, I feel the same connection again,” he continued. “I feel home. I feel a sense of purpose. I want to be Mr. Haiti because I represent more than myself. I represent all my Black brothers, sisters, aunts, grandmama, grandpapa — people who continue to rise. I represent their strength and resilience. No matter what we face, we survive. As a people, as a family, we rise together. I carry that hope, and that future.”