The Haitian Roundtable

Kreyol Connection | Celebrating Haitian Heritage Month

This May, the Haitian Roundtable (HRT) hosted The Kreyol Connection, a vibrant evening of culture and community in celebration of Haitian Heritage Month. The event marked a historic milestone: the grand opening of the new home of Haiti Cultural Exchange (HCX), affectionately known as “Ti Kay HCX.”

Located at 35 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn, “Ti Kay HCX” serves as a dedicated sanctuary for Haitian innovation and creation. Founded by Executive Director Regine Roumain, HCX is a dynamic nonprofit organization established to develop, present, and promote the diverse cultural expressions of the Haitian people.

HRT was thrilled to join our sister organization and community partners for this landmark occasion, strengthening the bonds of the diaspora through art and shared heritage.

Get Involved:

Explore: Learn more about HCX’s exciting programs—from Mizik Ayiti to the Haiti Film Fest—at haiticulturalx.org.
Visit: Stop by the new space during open hours, Thursday through Sunday, 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM.

HRT Presents: LE SALON

On February 24th, the Haitian Roundtable (HRT) proudly launched Le Salon, our new signature series designed to unite the influential leaders, creators, and tastemakers shaping our culture today. Our inaugural event featured a captivating conversation between two powerhouse voices: veteran tech leader and 1804 List Inductee Annie Jean-Baptiste and award-winning journalist Magalie Laguerre-Wilkinson.

The Speakers:

Annie Jean-Baptiste: A trailblazing executive and HRT 1804 List Inductee, Annie currently serves as the Director of Universal Product Development at Google. She is the author of Building for Everyone—the definitive guide to inclusive product design—and her latest book, Empowerment for All, which provides a bold framework for innovation and change management. Her work has been recognized by Vogue, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and MSNBC.

Magalie Laguerre-Wilkinson: A Peabody and Emmy Award-winning journalist and founder of MagCap Media, Magalie’s career spans over two decades of global storytelling. A former 60 Minutes producer and Vice President of News Programming at Paramount/Nickelodeon, she is a sought-after bilingual moderator known for bringing warmth and depth to critical discussions on innovation and social impact.

Community Partners

A special thank you to our Co-Partners who helped make this launch a success:

Descendants of Hope
Gentlemen’s Factory
Haitian American Lawyers Association of New York
Haitian Ladies Network
Little Haiti BK
Silicon Harlem

In Conversation With Karine Jean-Pierre

On Monday, November 3rd, HRT co-sponsored an event at BRIC Arts Media featuring former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre discussing her new book “Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines.”

Guided by the thoughtful moderation of CBS Mornings’ Vladimir Duthiers, the discussion was honest, inspiring, and deeply resonant — a celebration of leadership, resilience, and Haitian excellence.

HRT would like to extend our thanks to our event partners: Haiti Cultural Exchange, Little Haiti BK, Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, NYC Council Member Farah Louis, and the New York City Council Brooklyn Delegation. A very special thanks to our co-sponsor, BRIC Arts Media, for making this event possible and so successful!

We are delighted to share photos from the event, which you can find here: https://fromsmash.com/vtQ3x7kXRb-et

Photos: https://dpo252.pixieset.com/bricwithkarinejeanpierre/

Our Mission

The Haitian Roundtable (“HRT”), founded in 2008, is a not-for-profit organization of Haitian-American professionals committed to civic engagement and strategic initiatives benefiting the Haitian community. The organization seeks to heighten awareness of Haitians as an important constituency among thought leaders and newsmakers, policymakers and institutions through partnerships, programs and events recognizing Haitian excellence. HRT is committed to working collaboratively with the goal of redefining the narrative about Haiti and Haitians. We are guided by our Motto: As Haitians, We Are The Keepers of Our Legacy.

The 1804 List of Haitian-American Changemakers and Ones to Watch

Le Salon

On February 24, 2026, the Haitian Roundtable proudly launched Le Salon, our new signature series bringing together the influential leaders, creators, and tastemakers who are moving our culture forward. Our inaugural event featured a captivating conversation between two powerhouse voices: veteran tech leader and 1804 List Inductee Annie Jean-Baptiste and award-winning journalist Magalie Laguerre-Wilkinson.

Haiti Dialogue Series

HRT hosts the Haiti Dialogue Series, which serves as a forum to discuss current and relevant topics that impact the Haitian community. The Dialogue Series brings together distinguished thought leaders and accomplished practitioners for candid conversation on a variety of important issues.

Kreyol Connection

HRT frequently sponsors Kreyol Connection. These networking receptions offer opportunities for professionals to celebrate Haitian culture after work, as they build lasting social bonds. The events are held at elegant venues throughout New York City and co-hosted by various high profile Haitian-Americans.