Miami-Dade’s Commissioner Jean Monestime invites public to celebrate the 208th anniversary of the Independence of Haiti

MIAMI – Residents of Miami-Dade County are invited to join Miami-Dade County District 2 Commissioner Jean Monestime at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at the Stephen P. Clark Center to commemorate the 208th anniversary of the independence of Haiti.  Commissioner Jean Monestime will also take this opportunity to recognize leaders from various sectors in the community.  
 
“Two hundred and eight years ago, our forefathers rebelled against their colonial masters to form the first independent black republic in the western hemisphere,” said Commissioner Monestime. “Today we remember Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Toussaint L’Ouverture, Alexandre Pétion, Henri Christophe, Capois La Mort and all the other heroes who broke the chains of slavery. We also use this occasion to recognize a few community leaders who are carrying the torch of freedom while paving the way for future generations”.
 
Commissioner Monestime is the first Haitian-American to serve on the Miami-Dade County Commission.