VOA标准英语2011--Passion, Pride Flourish in Miami's Little Haiti

Passion, Pride Flourish in Miami's Little Haiti

Little Havana is a well known neighborhood in Miami, Florida. But Cubans are not the only immigrants with an area of the city all their own.

A walk through one Miami neighborhood, could leave you thinking you're in another country.

"Little Haiti," is one of the largest Haitian enclaves outside the Caribbean nation. In this neighborhood, residents speak Creole, roosters roam freely and once a month, Haitians gather to celebrate and share their culture.

“It’s just like bringing a little piece of home here. I think it brings that island flavor to the middle of Miami, said Marie Vickles, visual arts coordinator¹ at the Little Haiti Cultural Center in the heart of the neighborhood. The center partnered with a South Florida group, the Rhythm Foundation, to launch the Big Night in Little Haiti event.

The celebration features art, entertainment and food.

“It kind of reunites everybody, and I wish that more people knew about it,” said South Florida Jacques Deverson.

Getting more people to know about Little Haiti is a wish organizers share.

"I believe that Miami is more than the beach," said author David Brown.

Visitors join Brown, who wrote The Story of Little Haiti, for a walking tour.

“Little Haiti is a very special place," he noted². "Sometimes when I'm giving a tour, I feel like I'm in a watercolor painting.”

Helen Weiss often drives by the area, but she says this is her first time inside.

“I’m really so impressed with the beautiful coloring on the building and the people, and the museum is fabulous³, and it’s just, it’s an unexpected delight,” Weiss said.

Activist⁴ Lucie Tondreau says honoring their heritage is also important for Haitians.

"We have our restaurants, we have our libraries, we have things to show that we are here. We have a background, we have a culture, we have an identity, and we are trying to give it also to our children," Tondreau said.

They also have the dance moves. With the help of a little Haitian music, Carolle Lassegue proudly shows off hers.

“They are my people, and I enjoy being with my friends,” Lassegue said.

And through Big Night, it seems the community has made some new friends, too.

1 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 fabulous   

adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的

参考例句：

• We had a fabulous time at the party.我们在晚会上玩得很痛快。
• This is a fabulous sum of money.这是一笔巨款。

4 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。