Haitian Author Jerrice J Baptiste Shares Cultural Heritage at Rooted Book Reading

Story and

TANNERSVILLE – On Sunday afternoon, the new flower shop in the Village Rooted hosted a heartfelt reading by Jerrice J. Baptiste, Haitian poet and author, who shared selections from her children’s books and passages from her newest adult book, Coral in the Diaspora. Her latest work is, she said, “about retaining one’s culture, community, and roots” and blends themes of “traditions and rituals” with stories accessible across generations. “It’s for adults,” Baptiste explained, “but I call it a family book because different generations can read it.”

Baptiste has published seven children’s books, all with a musical writing style that captures young readers’ attention. Her stories, written for both boys and girls, often draw on her childhood in Haiti and life in the U.S., blending fictional narratives with real-life memories of her family. “Many of my stories go back several generations, including when my great-grandmother was still alive,” she shared. “It allows me to create something unique but rooted in my family’s history.”

Half of the proceeds from Coral in the Diaspora benefit a primary school in Haiti called Ecole Mixte La Rédemption, also known as “Bird of Grace.” Baptiste, who supports the school through various efforts, helped establish its website, https://www.birdofgrace-emr.org/, so that more people can connect with and support its mission.

Baptiste started writing Coral in the Diaspora about five years ago, and the process has been an evolution of her life’s work. She began writing poetry at age six and has been writing for 43 years. “My books are somewhat fiction, mixed with reality,” Baptiste said, explaining how she weaves her family’s history and life experiences together. Her work reflects the Caribbean’s multicultural influences, as she “likes to bring in different parts of the world” into her books.

Illustrator April Matula, a teacher and artist from Poughkeepsie, has brought all of Baptiste’s children’s books to life through her illustrations. Their partnership began when Matula connected with the manuscript for Tru Ma Belle. “When I sent her the manuscript for Tru Ma Belle, she fell in love with it,” Baptiste recalled. Tru Ma Belle, which translates to “You Are My Beautiful,” centers on cultural rituals, family, and self-esteem. “It’s about mothers and aunts waking up daughters with the words, ‘Tru Ma Belle,’” Baptiste explained. “It has poems as well for children to boost their self-esteem.”

Baptiste moved to the Hudson Valley 20 years ago after spending her teenage years in Brooklyn, following her family’s emigration from Haiti when she was 13. A friend introduced her to the area, and she fell in love with the landscape and slower pace of life. “I was taken by the pace of living here,” she said. “I also fell in love with the nature that surrounds us.” Since moving to the Hudson Valley, she has found the local community receptive to her work. She now lives in Prattsville and runs a free monthly poetry workshop at the Prattsville Art Center, sponsored by the Prattsville Art Project, where she has been a poet-in-residence for the past three years. She also conducts poetry workshops across the Hudson Valley.

Baptiste’s extensive outreach includes many school readings and community events, reaching audiences of all ages. “I do a lot of readings for children and adults,” she said. “I’ve done readings at hundreds of public schools since 2013 when I published Tru Ma Belle.” Her books reflect a commitment to fostering cultural pride and self-confidence among young readers while drawing adults into the richness of her heritage.

Coral in the Diaspora is available at www.abodepress.com/product-page/coral-in-the-diaspora-by-jerrice-j-baptiste. Baptiste’s next poetry workshop will be held at the Prattsville Art Center, where she continues to share her cultural stories and literary voice with the community. Find out more at www.prattsvilleartcenter.org.