ReadCaribbean
2017-2018 PROGRAMMING REPORT
ReadCaribbean continues to be a community-driven initiative spearheaded by Miami Book Fair; Sosyete Koukouy, a Miami-based cultural organization and leading presenter of “all things Haitian;” and Libreri Mapou, Miami’s only Haiti-focused bookstore. ReadCaribbean partners with local artists, entrepreneurs, public officials, and thought leaders who want to recognize Haiti’s rich literary, cultural, and intellectual contributions. The ReadCaribbean program has provided Miami with a comprehensive Haitian-Caribbean literary and cultural series highlighting Caribbean contributions in the literary arts while also increasing the Caribbean community’s access to arts. The ReadCaribbean program has two main components: 1. The Little Haiti Book Festival - The Little Haiti Book Festival brings beautiful and familiar aspects of Haiti—visual arts, music and dance, cuisine, and joie de vivre to the forefront—but also challenges clichés and stereotypes with insightful panels and Q&As; films; and children’s book-inspired activities. Author programs and other events take place primarily in Creole with simultaneous translation and/or subtitles when appropriate. In May 2018, we had more than 2,500 attendees at the Little Haiti Book Festival. 2. ReadCaribbean at Miami Book Fair - The ReadCaribbean program at Miami Book Fair includes presentations by Haitian authors, book signings, and publishers from the Caribbean; storytelling, folk art, and music performances; and children’s writing workshops to inspire young people. At the 2017 Miami Book Fair in November, we had 3,500 attendees including 1,500 attendees at more than 17 author sessions. ReadCaribbean also has year-round programming that take place at various locations throughout South Florida. The goal of this programming is to celebrate South Florida’s unique identity, highlighting the vibrant and diverse literary culture of the Caribbean while encouraging the talents of Caribbean writers at home and in the diaspora. Below is more detailed information about the 2017-2018 ReadCaribbean program.
Miami Book Fair / 300 Northeast Second Avenue / Freedom Tower, 7th Floor / Miami, Florida 33132 T: 305.237.3258 / F: 305.237.3978 / miamibookfair.com / wbookfair@mdc.edu
2018 Little Haiti Book Festival At a time when the value and legitimacy of Haitian culture in the U.S. is being contested with renewed vigor, the Little Haiti Book Festival has taken a powerful stand, meeting a clearly identified need in the Miami community to highlight and promote Haitian and Caribbean authors who embody their impressive literary and intellectual legacy. This year’s Little Haiti Book Festival featured two days of vibrant cultural programming and connected attendees with authors from Haiti and the Haitian diaspora through insightful author-led discussions, creative writing workshops, children’s book-inspired activities, and music and dance performances. Author programs and other events took place primarily in Creole with simultaneous translation and/or subtitles when appropriate. Specifically, this year’s Little Haiti Book Festival (LHBF) welcomed more than 2,500 people, including approximately 150 for the opening evening keynote lecture. The opening night lecture featured acclaimed author Edwidge Dandicat and journalist Jacqueline Charles discussing their methods for and the ethics around the search for emotional, cultural, historical, and geographical accuracy. The LHBF continued Sunday with more than 75 exhibitors including authors, publishers, local food and crafts vendors, and service organizations. The main draw was LHBF’s lineup of authors and intellectuals who traveled from Haiti or various parts of the Haitian Diaspora, as well as authors from various parts of the Caribbean who contributed. Featured authors included Jean-Claude Exulien, Marie Vickles, Yaddyra Peralta, Rebecca N. Carmant, Françoise Elizée, Nathalie Nérée, Kara Vaval Ferrier, Jerry Delince, Frantz Delva, Nadège Fleurimond, Leonie Hermantin, Yanatha Desouvre, Thomas Logan, Dr. Jean Fils-Aimé, Dr. Jerry Gilles, Frantz-Alix Lubin, and Fabienne Josaphat. LHBF also boasted a wide variety of celebrated performers and local groups with deep roots in the community including singers, DJs, dance troupes, troubadours and drummers, storytellers, comedians, Vodou celebrants, and spoken word poets.
Miami Book Fair / 300 Northeast Second Avenue / Freedom Tower, 7th Floor / Miami, Florida 33132 T: 305.237.3258 / F: 305.237.3978 / miamibookfair.com / wbookfair@mdc.edu
Some specific artists, organizations, and programs that presented and participated in the event included: Michael Gil, Lucrece Louisdhon-Louinis, Venus Rising, Inez Barlatier, Weiselande “Yanui� Cesar, Aroze Twoubadou, GOGO MOAD, Extra Virgin Press, Read to Learn Books For Free, Conecta, and Haiti: An Island Luminous, a project of FIU made possible by the Green Family Foundation. The Little Haiti Book Festival, which has been presented in part by Sosyete Koukouy of Miami for the past five years, is made possible by the generosity of the Green Family Foundation and the FIU Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center. We continue to count on the support of Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Ayiti Community Trust, and the Center for Haitian Studies, among others.
Miami Book Fair / 300 Northeast Second Avenue / Freedom Tower, 7th Floor / Miami, Florida 33132 T: 305.237.3258 / F: 305.237.3978 / miamibookfair.com / wbookfair@mdc.edu
Attendee Feedback: Feedback for the event and its program was overwhelmingly positive. Below are a few of the highlights from the Little Haiti Book Festival attendee survey: • 96% of attendees were either extremely satisfied or satisfied with the LHBF. • 97% of attendees said they were either very likely or somewhat likely to return to the LHBF next year. • 63% of attendees said they attended the LHBF for the cultural performance/activities, 52% came to purchase books and browse the market place, 47% attended to see specific author presentations, 27% came for the children’s activities, and 23% came for the food.* • 33% of attendees said they heard about LHBF through social media, 28% said word of mouth, and 24% said radio, 25% said online, or through the Miami Book Fair website, and 18% said newspaper.* *The total percentage equals more than 100% because those surveyed could choose more than 1 option.
Anonymous Survey Feedback:
as tival w it s e f k oo an “The b teresting...c n i really r?” ge be lon t re nex for su ” n r u t “I’ll re articipate. op year t ful.” Power “Very
“Great idea, needed more events like this in the community.” “The food was fantastic; the performances were great and I enjoyed it very much.” “I really loved the music. Great venue!”
“I was v with t ery impress e he qua lity an d divers d ity. Gr eat job the !” “It is a great ev I think that w ent and e shou have e ve ld more o nts like this ften.” “I enjo ye event. d the entire ”
Miami Book Fair / 300 Northeast Second Avenue / Freedom Tower, 7th Floor / Miami, Florida 33132 T: 305.237.3258 / F: 305.237.3978 / miamibookfair.com / wbookfair@mdc.edu
Attendee Feedback on Social Media:
“Such a wonderful celebration of Haitian Culture! So Happy that Ayiti Community Trust was a part of it!” – Guerda Nicolas
“What an amazing, fantastic day!” – Kimberly Joy Green
Panelists/Moderators Comments: “These scholars taught us so much about zombification. I just want to sit with them all day and write stories! Thank you, Little Haiti Book Festival, Miami Book Fair, Michele Jessica Fievre and all. We need more of this!” – Fabienne Josaphat Miami writer (moderator) “Bravo! I was delighted to meet other experts on the topic.” – Frantz Alix Lubin (panelist) “Thank you so much for inviting me to participate in the Little Haiti Book Festival. What a great event! Well done! I thoroughly enjoyed my time.” – Nathalie Nérée (panelist)
Miami Book Fair / 300 Northeast Second Avenue / Freedom Tower, 7th Floor / Miami, Florida 33132 T: 305.237.3258 / F: 305.237.3978 / miamibookfair.com / wbookfair@mdc.edu
Little Haiti Book Festival 2018
Little Haiti Book Festival 2018
LHBF Marketing Robust marketing and promotional efforts encouraged community engagement by promoting the events through social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram); press releases to traditional media; radio advertising on local NPR affiliate and Creole language radio programs on various stations; e-mail blasts; the MBF website, and that of the Little Haiti Cultural Center and other partners; local bookstores; and through modest paid marketing and advertising strategies.
The event received plenty of media coverage in print, online, radio, and television— please see Appendix A for a full summary of our marketing efforts and media coverage. There was also extensive outreach and cross-promotional efforts of the “grassroots� variety including attending other Haitian Heritage Month events, posting fliers at churches, and engaging with the many community organizations who serve the Haitian community such as Fanm Aiyisyen, the Haitian Consulate in Miami, and many others.
Miami Book Fair / 300 Northeast Second Avenue / Freedom Tower, 7th Floor / Miami, Florida 33132 T: 305.237.3258 / F: 305.237.3978 / miamibookfair.com / wbookfair@mdc.edu
ReadCaribbean at Miami Book Fair In total, the ReadCaribbean program had more than 3,500 attendees including 1,500 attendees at 17 different ReadCaribbean author sessions and an additional 2,000 attendees at other ReadCaribbean programming at the Book Fair at the Porch, Children’s Alley and other areas of the Book Fair. The feedback from the community about the ReadCaribbean program has been overwhelmingly positive. We had more than 75 authors from Haiti and the Caribbean who participated in the ReadCaribbean program at the 2017 Miami Book Fair including sessions such as: • A Conversation on Haiti and the Photography of Thony Belizaire - With Raoul Peck, Edwidge Dandicat, Russell Banks, and Yanick Lahens. • Caribbean Illuminate - With Alfred Alexandre, Mireille Jean-Gilles, Yanick Lahens, Jose “Stonko” Lewest. • Haiti: Political Legacy of Our Historical Heroes - With Bayyinah E. Bello, Anthony M. Georges-Pierre, Clarens Renois. • Tensions in the Truths of Haitian History – With Jocelyn David, Fritz Deshommes, and Dr. Jean Fils-Aimé As part of the ReadCaribbean program, we also highlighted the Spanish language Caribbean authors who participated in the Ibero-American author program, and held a Haitian Caribbean themed night at The Porch featuring a screening of the film “Liberty in A Soup;” culinary demo, A Taste of The Islands with Cynthia “Chef Thia” Verna, and live music by Inez Barlatier.
Miami Book Fair / 300 Northeast Second Avenue / Freedom Tower, 7th Floor / Miami, Florida 33132 T: 305.237.3258 / F: 305.237.3978 / miamibookfair.com / wbookfair@mdc.edu
Miami Book Fair Year-Round Event Science Fiction/Speculative Fiction Workshop with Sora Edwards-Thro 2-day workshop: August 26 – August 27 In 2017-18 we focused the majority of our efforts on our two flagship programs – ReadCaribbean at the Miami Book Fair and the Little Haiti Book Festival. However, we did host one highly successful ReadCaribbean writing workshop in August 2017. At this two-day free workshop, participants learned the special craft and genre concerns of science fiction/speculative fiction and the directions the field is headed with instructor Sora Edwards-Thro. With a special emphasis on the Caribbean, the workshop was open to all and accessible to French-Creole speakers. This workshop focused on the poetics of the unreal, the conventions and tropes of the Black Fantastic, the Grotesque, the Afro-Surreal, the Gothic, the speculative, so-called “Third World,” indigenous writing, and science fiction as responsive narrative against colonization and imperialism. Participants read examples of literature, and created new writing in the tradition of notable science fiction/speculative fiction writers such as Octavia Butler, Nalo Hopkinson, Nnedi Okorafor, and Gary Victor. In addition to writing and reading exercises, attendees and the instructor addressed questions such as: How have the continual debates over the boundaries of genre—and/or their irrelevance—affected the ways sci-fi/speculative writers work? How can writing address the questions of race and gender, class and power, personal responsibility and justice that are fundamental to our society by presenting parallel worlds and heightened realities that satisfy the audience’s thirst for great stories? Attendee/Participant Feedback: • “I needed this.” • “This is unlike anything I imagined.” • “I found a community.” • “For once, I’m not a minority in a writing group.” • “I belong!” • “When is the next one?” • “I’m so happy I came.”
Miami Book Fair / 300 Northeast Second Avenue / Freedom Tower, 7th Floor / Miami, Florida 33132 T: 305.237.3258 / F: 305.237.3978 / miamibookfair.com / wbookfair@mdc.edu
Appendix A Little Haiti Book Festival Marketing Efforts and Media Coverage Social media Miami Book Fair promoted the Little Haiti Book Festival and its corresponding events through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and cross promotion on other media pages
Facebook Total number of Impressions Total number of post ‘Reactions’ Total number of post ‘Shares’ Total number of post ‘Comments’ Social Media – Paid Advertisements Total number of post Clicks We also reached over 56,000 users through promoted posts and targeted advertisements Total number of video views Total Event Responses on Facebook and Instagram. We got nearly 600 Clicks through this effort, spending only Total Event Ticket Clicks $0.34 per engagement with our content. Total Event Reach Social Media – Partner Organizations Various partner organizations also shared LHBF content and marketing materials through their own social media channels. Some of those organizations included • Beacon TV- producer of their Haitian show shared our posts w/photos • Ch. 2: producer of Your South Florida • City of Miami: Facebook & Twitter • Commissioner Monestime’s office • Jolt Radio • Miami.com
Instagram Total Impressions Total Likes Total Comments Total Saves Total Profile Visits IG Story Views Posts with Most Likes
23,660 325 56 16 458 1,058 276 25 6,965
12,794 452 7 10 30 3,697 191
Twitter Total Monthly Impressions
59,344
Total Monthly Engagements
906
• Shake 108FM • Stichiz, DJ, 103.5FM
Miami Book Fair / 300 Northeast Second Avenue / Freedom Tower, 7th Floor / Miami, Florida 33132 T: 305.237.3258 / F: 305.237.3978 / miamibookfair.com / wbookfair@mdc.edu
Email Marketing
Television, Radio, and Print
Little Haiti Book Festival was featured each week in Miami Book Fair’s weekly newsletter beginning in March and leading up to the event.
Stories and placements were on WLRN, Hot 105, Stichiz, DJ, 103.5FM, NBC 6, MDC TV, and Miami New Times.
The marketing team also sent 2 e-blasts to our mailing list of over 10,000 subscribers dedicated specifically to LHBF. From these alone we generated over 2,500 opens. LHBF also had placements in the content calendars and e-newsletters of various partner organizations including: • Commissioner Hardemon’s office’s Haitian Heritage Calendar • Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau calendar • Miami.com
Paid Marketing Paid advertisements were run on WSRF which ran ads between 4 & 5 times a day for 2 weeks in English and Kreyol as well as WLRN who also offered free spots during the news in Kreyol. We also purchased marketing and promotions through L’Union Suite. Print Marketing 5,000 Creole / 5,000 English postcards distributed throughout Miami-Dade 50 Creole / 50 English posters throughout Miami Dade
• Prism Culture Guide
20’ x 5’ Banner at Little Haiti Cultural Complex
• Second Avenue Partnership
Website (combined views - English, Creole, and all events): 3,846
• Miami Dade College News Online Stories and Content Through the efforts of the marketing team, we also saw LHBF promotions, stories, and blog posts on the websites of the Haitian Times, Hyperallergic.com, Miami New Times, and MiamiArtZine.com who published an article about the event and featured LHBF on the front page of their website for 2 days before the event.
6TH ANNUAL
Little Haiti Book Festival YITI
IA FOLI LIV NAN T
18 M A Y 5 & 6UR,AL2CO0MP LE X
LT LIT TL E HA ITI CU
Miami Book Fair / 300 Northeast Second Avenue / Freedom Tower, 7th Floor / Miami, Florida 33132 T: 305.237.3258 / F: 305.237.3978 / miamibookfair.com / wbookfair@mdc.edu