We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Haitians Of The Triangle HOTT a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Haitians Of The Triangle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?
The legacy of Haitians Of The Triangle (HOTT), founded in 2018 by Mirlesna Azor-Sterlin & Vroselyn Benjamin, lies in its deliberate efforts in cultivating a sense of belonging, fostering community and identity among Haitians living in the Triangle area and across North Carolina. While still relatively young, the cultural group has begun building a meaningful legacy in several important ways such as education, visibility and representation, community building, and the legacy of leadership & intentional cultural preservation. For the pioneering, crafting, curating and navigating the landscape of the State of North Carolina, the Triangle area/region, the specific ever-changing, growing & multigenerational Haitian Community we serve plus more, we would love for people to remember that Haitians Of The Triangle (HOTT) has uplifted the Haitian Community , inspired others to take on leadership roles in the community setting some precedence for grassroots and culturally grounded activism. Even in its first decade, it stands as a model of what diaspora communities can achieve when they unite around shared identity and purpose.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
We’re the co-founders of Haitians Of The Triangle (HOTT), a cultural community group that we launched in 2018 to build an intentional and authentic Haitian Community in the Triangle area of North Carolina. We both originally lived in Massachusetts, where there’s a strong and deeply rooted Haitian presence. After moving to the Triangle area, we were struck by how much we missed that sense of home – being surrounded by the language, food, music and shared experiences of our culture. That homesickness quickly turned into a realization: if we are missing this connection, other transplants must be too. Instead of waiting to find it, we decided to create it.
One of us in an educator, passionate about creating spaces for learning, growth, and cultural preservation. The other is in project management, skilled in organizing, coordinating and building systems that bring people together. By combining our strengths and our love for Haiti, we set out to build something meaningful – not just for ourselves, but for the broader Haitian community here in the Triangle and across North Carolina.
What started as a small group (particularly on the GroupMe app) has grown into a vibrant network of individuals and families who are connected not just by heritage, but by a shared commitment to community. HOTT is more than a group—it’s a passion project, a labor of love, a divine order, a space to celebrate who we are, and a foundation for future generations to stay rooted in their identity, no matter where they live and to ensure that our culture thrives- even far from home.
Our journey has been both deeply personal and incredibly rewarding. HOTT has been a response to a need we felt in our bones, and a reflection of the love we have for our heritage and our people.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
It’s actually a beautiful full-circle story. Our parents are from the same small town in Haiti called Plaisance (Northern part of Haiti), but we didn’t know each other growing up. We both received Bachelor’s degrees in sociology, which speaks to our shared passion for people, community, and culture. After each of us moved out of Massachusetts and settled in North Carolina, we found ourselves missing the strong Haitian presence we grew up around. By chance, we were both part of a larger online group here in North Carolina. Vroselyn noticed the Haitian flag in Mirlesna’s bio and decided to send a private message—and that simple gesture sparked everything. From that point on, we realized we shared the same vision: to create an intentional and authentic Haitian community in this new space we now called home. That’s how Haitians of the Triangle was born—a blend of shared roots, shared purpose, and good timing.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
We believe culture isn’t just something you inherit—it’s something you actively live, protect, and pass on. That’s why we’re committed to creating spaces where Haitian identity is not only remembered, but fully lived and celebrated, right here in the Triangle. We want future generations to know that being Haitian is powerful, no matter where you are in the world. That’s why we focus on hosting cultural events, creating resources, and connecting Haitians across generations. We know that when people feel seen, supported, and rooted in their identity, the culture not only survives—it flourishes. That’s the mission driving our journey.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: HaitiansOfTheTriangle
- Facebook: Haitians Of The Triangle
- Linkedin: Haitians Of The Triangle
- SoundCloud: N/A
- Other: Groupme : https://groupme.com/join_group/38824140/IlJTwsC8
