Haitian Konpa Day in NYC: Support Resolution 987 at the Nov. 20 City Council Hearing

By Haitianbeatz

On Thursday, November 20 at 10 AM, Haitian music will meet City Hall. New Yorkers will gather at 250 Broadway, 8th Floor (Hearing Room 2) as the City Council considers Resolution 987, which would declare July 26 as Haitian Konpa Day in New York City.

A resolution is a formal statement from the City Council that shows the city’s support for an idea or cause. In this case, it says that Konpa, and Haitian music as a whole, deserve a permanent place in the city’s cultural calendar. It does not create a new law, but it sends a strong, public message about what and who New York chooses to honor.

For Haitian New Yorkers, this is about pride, history, and visibility. For music and dance lovers, it is a chance to celebrate a sound that has shaped parties, family gatherings, and nightlife across the five boroughs for decades. For the wider community, it is an invitation to learn, enjoy, and stand with Haitian culture in a clear and joyful way.

Council Member Rita Joseph is championing this resolution, and public support can help move it forward. You can register to testify online at https://council.nyc.gov/testify/, whether you want to speak in person or submit written comments. Your story about Konpa, your neighborhood party memories, or your support as an ally can all help shape how this celebration grows.

If you care about Haitian culture, live music, dance, or the soul of New York City, this hearing is for you. This is a chance to help make Haitian Konpa Day a yearly tradition that belongs to all of us.

What Is Resolution 987 and Why Is It Important for Haitian Konpa Day?

Resolution 987 is about putting Haitian Konpa where it belongs, in the official story of New York City. It takes what many communities already celebrate in homes, clubs, parks, and streets, and says, “This matters to the whole city.”

Instead of just one more party on the summer calendar, Resolution 987 would give Haitian Konpa a named place in public life. It would create a yearly moment when schools, cultural groups, media, and city leaders all look toward Haitian music and dance and say, this is part of who we are in New York.

That is what makes this resolution more than a simple statement. It is a way to claim space, history, and respect.

Understanding Resolution 987 in simple terms

A city council resolution is an official public statement from the New York City Council. It is how the Council shows support for an idea, a cause, or a community. It does not create a new law or rule that people must follow. Instead, it sets a clear position for the city.

Resolution 987 says that New York City supports the recognition of Haitian Konpa Day. If the Council passes it, July 26 would be added to the city calendar every year as Haitian Konpa Day.

In plain terms, that means:

• The city publicly recognizes Konpa as part of its culture.

• The date appears on official city lists and can be used for events and programs.

• Community groups, schools, and venues have a clear day to plan around.

At its heart, this resolution is about celebration, awareness, and respect. It honors Konpa not only as party music, but as a deep Haitian tradition that carries memory, love stories, politics, and the rhythm of everyday life. It tells young Haitian New Yorkers that their family’s music belongs in the spotlight, not just in the background.

Choosing one official day on the calendar has real power. When a date is named, it becomes a shared point of focus. People know when to plan events, teachers know when to bring it into lessons, and the media knows when to highlight it.

New York is a global music and culture capital, from hip hop in the Bronx to salsa in Harlem and Afrobeats in Brooklyn. Haitian and Caribbean communities are a big part of that story, especially in neighborhoods like Flatbush, Canarsie, Queens Village, and parts of the Bronx.

An official Haitian Konpa Day tells the city, and the world, that this sound and this community are not on the sidelines. They are central to the rhythm of New York. It gives older generations a moment of recognition and gives young people a yearly reminder that their roots are valued.

Council Member Rita Joseph and her role in supporting Haitian culture

Council Member Rita Joseph is the New York City Council representative for the 40th district that includes many Haitian and Caribbean residents. She is a Haitian American educator turned lawmaker who grew up with the same music and traditions this resolution honors.

By sponsoring Resolution 987, Rita Joseph is using her role to lift up her own community’s culture. Her support sends a message that Haitian roots deserve public pride, not quiet recognition. It shows how someone in office can turn community values into official city action.

Rita Joseph’s work on Resolution 987 is a clear example of how policy can reflect the real lives of the people who live in a district. It ties the beat of Konpa to the halls of City Hall and invites every New Yorker to listen.

Konpa is more than a sound in New York City, it is a heartbeat. For Haitian families across the boroughs, Konpa means joy, love, memory, and a bridge between Haiti and home in NYC. When you hear those guitars and horns blend over a steady groove, you are not just hearing music, you are hearing history.

This legacy is exactly why Haitian Konpa Day matters so much. To understand it, you have to start with what Konpa actually is, then look at how it grew into a key part of New York nightlife and culture.

If you plan to show up for Haitian Konpa Day, you should feel ready and informed. This section walks you through when and where to go, what happens in the room, and how your presence helps Resolution 987 move forward.

When and where is the hearing for Haitian Konpa Day?

The hearing for Haitian Konpa Day and Resolution 987 will take place on Thursday, November 20 at 10 AM. The City Council will meet at:

• Address: 250 Broadway

• Floor: 8th Floor

• Room: Hearing Room 2

This hearing is not just about rules. It is about stories, culture, and respect. Your voice can help council members feel the real human side of Haitian Konpa and the community behind it.

Think of the hearing as a big step on the path to an official Haitian Konpa Day. Your presence, your words, and even your quiet support in the audience all help move Resolution 987 toward the finish line.

What Haitian Konpa Day Could Look Like in New York City Each Year

Once Haitian Konpa Day is on the city calendar, July 26 can turn into a yearly highlight across the five boroughs. Picture a summer Friday or weekend where you can hear Konpa on street corners, in parks, at schools, and in clubs from morning to night. This is about long term recognition, not a one time event at City Hall.

Citywide celebrations of Haitian music, dance, and art

On Haitian Konpa Day, New York could feel like a giant open air block party built around Haitian culture.

You might see:

• Free park concerts in places like Prospect Park, Central Park, and Roy Wilkins Park, with live Konpa bands, guest singers, and local dance crews.

• Outdoor dance parties on plazas and pedestrian streets, where DJs spin classic and new Konpa, and dance teachers walk people through the basic steps.

• Cultural festivals in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx that mix food vendors, artisan markets, art exhibits, and kids activities with a main Konpa stage.

Museums and cultural centers could host special programs that day, such as:

• Talks on the history of Konpa and Haitian music.

• Film screenings about Haitian artists and the diaspora.

• Gallery tours focused on Haitian painters, photographers, and sculptors.

At night, the city’s nightlife could carry the celebration even further. Clubs, lounges, and community centers could host Konpa nights, with:

• Haitian DJs curating full Konpa sets.

• Live bands sharing the bill with other Caribbean styles.

• Dance teachers offering short intro classes before the party starts.

Haitian Konpa has been in New York City’s homes, clubs, and streets for generations. Resolution 987 simply puts that truth on the record. It says Haitian music, Haitian dance, and Haitian stories belong in the heart of this city, not on the sidelines.

The next step is clear. Mark the hearing on your calendar: Thursday, November 20 at 10 AM, at 250 Broadway, 8th Floor, Hearing Room 2. Then visit https://council.nyc.gov/testify/ to register. Decide if you will attend in person, testify virtually, or send a written statement. Even a short testimony that says who you are, what Konpa means to you, and why you support Haitian Konpa Day can carry real weight.

This resolution, recognized and championed by Council Member Rita Joseph, reflects years of work by artists, elders, organizers, and neighbors who kept Konpa alive in New York. Their effort, and your voice now, help give Haitian children and teens a city that honors their parents’ music in public, not just in private spaces.

Haitian Konpa Day is about recognition, but it is also about joy. Share this information with your family, friends, and coworkers. Send the registration link to your group chats. Bring someone with you to 250 Broadway if you can, or invite them to submit written support.

When you show up for Resolution 987, you help write a new line in New York City’s cultural story. Be part of that moment, add your name to the record, and help make Haitian Konpa Day a yearly celebration that the whole city can dance to.