FREE
Your Passport to the Caribbean American Community
Muslims celebrate end of Ramadan with Eid Al-Fitr housands of Muslims in Florida on Thursday, August 8th, celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan — In Central Florida more than an estimated 5,000 gathered for prayers, food and family festivities at Fort Mellon Park in Sanford and at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. “We should remember the lessons of this month and not forget them when the month is over,” said Mizra, dean of faculty at Zaytuna College in Berkeley, Calif. “We don’t worship the month; we worship God. This month is not an end, but a means, of bringing us closer to him.” Eid marks the end of the month of fasting, which the Muslim community celebrated with plates of traditional foods. James Chowbhury said the fasting of Ramadan helped him control his appetite, which he hopes to continue in the coming year. In this way, the end of Ramadan is like New Year’s Day and all those resolutions made and not yet broken. “I hope I can carry this on, maybe not for a year, but at least six months,” said Chowbhury, 37, of Sanford. Fasting, which includes no food or water from sunrise to sunset, is just one aspect of Ramadan, which encourages restraint from all of life’s indulgences, including Facebook and Twitter, said Tahreer Maswadi, 24, of Apopka. “It’s not just fasting. It’s mostly
— Continued on page 10 —
NEWS MAGAZINE
Caribbean American Passport now covers the Entire State of Florida! Join our growing list of distribution locations and get listed on our distribution list for FREE! Copies will be delivered to your location monthly! See page 3 for more details.
President of Haiti visits Florida for NAACP Convention he President of the Republic of Haiti, His Excellency Michel Joseph Martelly, the First Lady Sophia Martelly and Members of His Cabinet arrived in Orlando Florida on July 13, 2013 to take part of the 104th NAACP National Convention. The delegation was received at the airport by the Haitian Ambassador to the United States Mr. Paul Altidor, the Chief of Mission of the Consulate of Haiti, Consul Laurent Prosper, District 6 Commisioner Samuel B. Ings, District 5 Commissioner Daisy W. Ly-
President Martelly receives a key to the City of Orlando from Mayor Buddy Dyer.
Continued on page 13
The Jamaican American Association of Central Florida celebrates Jamaica’s 51st! The local Association also realizes their dream of purchasing a building On left: Sheriff Jerry L. Demings receives the Community Service Award. He is the first African-American Sheriff and Constitutional Officer in the history of Orange County, Florida and prior to that was the first African-American Chief of Police in the history of Orlando.
Continued on page 15
Continued on page ??
1