August 1st was quite a night for the Young Professionals. UNA-GB’s bi-monthly “Taste of” series continued this past Wednesday with a focus on Haiti. 
UNA-GB’s Young Professionals enjoyed a Haitian dinner with 25 other young professionals, coming from as far as Providence, RI, while discussing the rich culture (and delicious food!) of Haiti. The night took place at Highland Creole Cuisine in Somerville, where there is a large Haitian population. The guests enjoyed an authentic three-course meal. The night started with salad and bread, and continued to the main course. Options ranged from fish and beef to chicken and creole goat, a common Haitian dish.
In attendance were several people who had visited Haiti, Haitian immigrants, and a variety of people who have volunteered in Haiti, including many returned Peace Corps volunteers who had spent time in Haiti. They worked in areas ranging from education, environment, and public health.
YP Chair Nate Tassinari led the group in a game of trivia, with the winner winning a $25 gift certificate. Everyone learned lots of fun facts. For example, Haiti has had many different flags, but only 4 national flags since its independence in 1804 and Haitian currency is named after the gourd. Haiti’s democratic government system is relatively young, only electing their first president in 1990. Their most recent election was especially important because Haiti was attempting to rebuild after the 2010 earthquake, and trying to cope with a cholera epidemic that followed the earthquake. At that time, the UN donated about $10 million for aid relief.
Check out more photos from the evening here and make sure to join us at our upcoming events. Next month, the Young Professionals will be co-hosting a film series at Emerson College. The series will begin in September and will hopefully offer screenings quarterly! The next “Taste Of” will also be in October – country and restaurant still in the works. Stay tuned for more information and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
-Leah B.