WORCESTER—When Rosette Gazemar arrived in Worcester in 2012 to attend Clark University, she carried more than textbooks and dreams.
She brought with her a deep commitment to celebrating and preserving Haitian culture—even as she adapted to life in a new city. Just four years later, that passion led her to organize Worcester’s very first Haitian Flag Day celebration.
Now, a decade later, Gazemar is preparing to raise the Haitian flag in front of City Hall once again.
“This is my baby that I’ve protected for 10 years,” Gazemar, founder of the Haitian-American Socio-Cultural Association of Worcester (HASCAW), told the Worcester Guardian. “Celebrating this anniversary is my pride.”
The 10th Annual Haitian Flag Day events take place this weekend in two parts: a flag-raising ceremony on Friday, May 16 at 10:30 a.m. outside Worcester City Hall, and a community celebration on Sunday, May 18 from 2-5 p.m. at the YWCA. Both events are free and open to all.
More than a party, the annual tradition honors a defining moment in world history: the 1803 creation of Haiti’s flag, born from the only successful revolution in which enslaved people overthrew their oppressors to establish an independent nation. That flag became a global symbol of liberation.
“Haitian Flag Day is when Haitians in the diaspora publicly honor our ancestral culture and proclaim it to the wider communities in which we live,” Gazemar explained.
Gazemar founded HASCAW in 2015, just a few years after settling in Worcester. Since then, the organization has grown into a central force in local Haitian cultural life. For this year’s milestone celebration, HASCAW joined forces with other local Haitian-led groups to form the Worcester Haitian Cultural Leaders Group, which Gazemar now chairs.
“This year, I decided to partner with all Haitian organizations in Worcester,” she said. “It was the best decision I could’ve made. Together we are stronger, and the pride will be for all of us.”
A weekend of culture and community
The two-day celebration kicks off with Friday’s ceremony, where the Haitian flag will be raised as attendees sing traditional songs and hear remarks from community leaders. It’s a solemn and joyful moment—but it also carries weight in the current climate.
Gazemar noted that not everyone in the Haitian community feels safe attending public events, especially those with uncertain immigration status. But for those who can safely participate, visibility matters.
“It’s important for Haitians with a legal right to be here to stand up for and exercise their right to celebrate in public, supported by the presence of the whole Worcester community,” she said.
On Sunday, the energy shifts to full-on celebration mode. The YWCA hosts this gala-style cultural gathering featuring Haitian music, dance, fashion, and food. Expect vibrant clothing, traditional dishes, and plenty of opportunity to make new friends.
“There’s so much to experience—our gastronomy, our dance, our music, our beliefs,” said Gazemar. “Do not miss it!”
A decade of growth and pride
Gazemar has witnessed Worcester’s Haitian community grow steadily over the past decade. Events such as Haitian Flag Day, she said, play a crucial role in that evolution—not just by uniting Haitian Americans, but by helping the wider community understand the country’s legacy and complexity.
“Haiti is the first Black independent country in the world,” she said. “Our motto, L’Union fait la force—‘Unity is strength’—is what brings us together.”
For those attending for the first time, Gazemar promises more than entertainment. She promises connection.
“Not only will you enjoy fantastic Haitian food, entertainment, and spirit, but you’ll have a chance to make wonderful Haitian friends,” she said.
And for Gazemar, that’s the heart of it all: sharing Haiti’s culture with the city she now calls home.
Have news, tips, or a story worth telling? Reach Editor Charlene Arsenault at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org—because good stories (and great scoops) deserve to be shared.
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