{"id":370544,"date":"2026-10-11T20:21:01","date_gmt":"2026-10-11T20:21:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/370544\/"},"modified":"2026-10-11T20:21:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-11T20:21:01","slug":"haitian-creatives-showcase-their-culture-at-culturecon-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/370544\/","title":{"rendered":"Haitian creatives showcase their culture at CultureCon 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\tOverview:<\/p>\n

About 12,000 people gathered at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on Oct. 3 and 4 for CultureCon 2026, a festival celebrating Black creativity under the theme \u201cMuseum of Us.\u201d The lineup included Haitian artists and entrepreneurs, including hair artist Kayra Theodore, musician C!RND!E, visual artist Dimithry Victor, and the Flatbush restaurant Rogers Burgers. Theodore and C!RND!E told The Haitian Times what Haitian representation at the festival means to them, and C!RND!E said she hopes future editions will include Haitian-focused panels.<\/p>\n

From statement-making fashion and impromptu photoshoots to packed panels and networking opportunities, Black creativity was on display throughout the Brooklyn Navy Yard, in New York, as thousands gathered for CultureCon 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The two-day festival, held Oct. 3-4, 2026 at the Duggal Greenhouse, brought together creators, entrepreneurs, artists and cultural leaders from across industries. This year\u2019s theme, \u201cMuseum of Us\u201d, centered on the people behind the culture, celebrating their work while giving emerging creatives opportunities to learn, network and build their careers.<\/p>\n

CultureCon drew roughly 12,000 attendees and featured appearances from some of the biggest names in entertainment and culture, including Michael B. Jordan, John Legend, Olandria Carthen, Mahershala Ali, Aaron Pierre, Neicy Nash-Betts, Miles Caton, Daniel Kaluuya and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.<\/p>\n

But much of the energy extended beyond the main stages. Throughout the weekend, attendees moved between workshops, brand activations and spaces dedicated to career and business development.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The career lounge offered access to recruiters and speed networking, while programming on the Creative Business Stage focused on turning creative work into sustainable careers and businesses. A small-business marketplace gave Black-owned businesses another opportunity to put their products directly in front of thousands of attendees.<\/p>\n

\"AttendeesAttendees gather outside Activation Alley at CultureCon 2026 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York. Photo by Catherine Roth \/ The Haitian Times
\n\"ColorfulColorful directional signs guide attendees to stages, food trucks and other attractions at CultureCon 2026 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York. Photo by Catherine Roth \/ The Haitian Times
\n\"AttendeesAttendees view a display of portrait paintings at CultureCon 2026 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York. Photo by Catherine Roth \/ The Haitian Times
\n\"AttendeesAttendees gather at Nao\u2019s Caribbean Flavors, a Haitian food truck serving traditional Haitian cuisine, during CultureCon 2026 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Photo by Catherine Roth \/ The Haitian Times
\n<\/p>\n

Attendees filmed videos, posed for photographs and created social media content throughout the venue. People stopped to record and connect with other creatives. Fashion became an attraction in its own right, with guests arriving in elaborate, colorful, and highly individualized looks that reflected the range of Black style and creativity represented at the festival.<\/p>\n

Haitian creatives and entrepreneurs who contributed to that larger display of Black culture.<\/p>\n

Haitian-American multidisciplinary artist Kayra Theodore<\/a>, a member of CultureCon\u2019s 2026 Creative Class, uses hair artistry to tell stories, drawing on her life experiences and Haitian upbringing.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy Haitian identity influences a lot about my work,\u201d Theodore told The Haitian Times. \u201cThrough my hair, I\u2019m just defying those rules that were kind of put onto me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Haitian-AmericanHaitian-American artist Kayra Theodore\u2019s \u201cThe Art & Rituals of Hair\u201d exhibition showcases sculptural hairstyles, photography and hair-inspired artwork at CultureCon 2026 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Photo by Catherine Roth \/ The Haitian Times
\n\"PhotographsPhotographs and intricate hair sculptures featured in Haitian-American artist Kayra Theodore\u2019s \u201cThe Art & Rituals of Hair\u201d exhibition at CultureCon 2026 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Photo by Catherine Roth \/ The Haitian Times
\n\"AA series of photographs highlighting creative hairstyling and cultural expression featured in Haitian-American artist Kayra Theodore\u2019s \u201cThe Art & Rituals of Hair\u201d exhibition at CultureCon 2026 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Photo by Catherine Roth \/ The Haitian Times
\n<\/p>\n

Theodore recalled her mother taking her to braiding salons and once bringing in a photo of the jumbo box braids she wanted, only to be told the style couldn\u2019t be done.<\/p>\n

\u201cI took someone\u2019s \u2018no\u2019 and decided to make it my own \u2018yes\u2019 by teaching myself how to braid,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

For Theodore, seeing Haitian creatives represented at events like CultureCon also challenged traditional ideas of what success should look like.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo have Haitian creativity represented in these types of spaces shows that we don\u2019t have to follow a certain path in order to find success,\u201d Theodore said.<\/p>\n

Haitian-born, Queens-raised musician C!RND!E also brought a distinctly Haitian perspective to CultureCon. The artist describes her sound as \u201cKonpa drill,\u201d a genre she created by combining the cultures that shaped her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI make konpa drill music because I am Haitian-born and raised in Queens, New York, so I had to combine my cultures,\u201d C!RND!E told The Haitian Times.<\/p>\n

At CultureCon, she said she was surprised and excited to encounter a Haitian food truck playing Caribbean music. \u201cI saw a Haitian food truck and I was like, \u2018Damn my people,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cI felt at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, C!RND!E said she would like to see even more Haitian representation at future CultureCons, including Haitian-focused panels.<\/p>\n

Other Haitian creatives were represented throughout the weekend. Visual artist Dimithry Victor<\/a>, who was born in Haiti and raised in South Florida, was among CultureCon\u2019s 2026 Creative Class. Victor\u2019s work explores Black identity and his Haitian heritage through portraiture and storytelling.<\/p>\n

\"SignageSignage marks the Creative Business Stage at CultureCon 2026 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York. Photo by Catherine Roth \/ The Haitian Times
\n\"ColorfulColorful portrait paintings of prominent figures in music and entertainment are displayed at CultureCon 2026 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York. Photo by Catherine Roth \/ The Haitian Times
\n\"CultureConCultureCon attendees enjoy food and drinks outside at the Brooklyn Navy Yard during CultureCon 2026. Photo by Catherine Roth \/ The Haitian Times
\n\"ParticipatingParticipating artists\u2019 artwork is displayed inside CultureCon 2026 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York. Photo by Catherine Roth \/ The Haitian Times<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Haitian culture also appeared through food and entrepreneurship. Rogers Burgers<\/a>, the Haitian-owned Flatbush restaurant founded by Josue Pierre and Jonathan Pierre-Lafleur, served festivalgoers its Caribbean-American take on the classic burger. Actor Michael B. Jordan even stopped by the booth during the weekend.<\/p>\n

For Jeff Joy Fulcher, co-founder of Spread Da Wealth<\/a>, connection at CultureCon took the form of chess. Fulcher could be seen playing games with attendees throughout the festival, reflecting the community his organization has built around the game.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fulcher also represented Haiti through fashion, wearing Robert Provilus to the festival.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything we do as Haitian American creatives is for the people, just like everything that the people should do should be for us. We are one,\u201d Fulcher said.<\/p>\n

The festival\u2019s stages drew major figures in entertainment and culture, while some of CultureCon\u2019s most visible moments happened offstage, in vendor booths, networking spaces, and spontaneous interactions between attendees.<\/p>\n

Between panels, festivalgoers exchanged contacts, supported Black-owned businesses, posed for photographs and created content together, making the crowd itself as much a part of CultureCon as its scheduled programming.<\/p>\n

For the Haitian artists, entrepreneurs and attendees present, the weekend offered another opportunity to make Haitian culture visible within a broader celebration of Black creativity, through music, visual art, fashion, food and community.<\/p>\n

At the same time, C!RND!E\u2019s hope for Haitian-focused panels highlighted room for that representation to grow, potentially giving Haitian creatives an even larger platform at future CultureCons.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

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