What is Moise Lena Jean Louis, Tinana, former Miss Haiti International 2021, doing now?
She’s on a groundbreaking journey of cultural delegations and self-promotion, always claiming the right to be extraordinary. Everything she does is inspired by her beautiful hometown on Haiti’s eastern peninsula of Baradères Bay. She was born there to the Jean-Louis and Leriche family at the Carrefour Cadet in Petit-Trou-de-Nippes. She currently lives in Upper Manhattan, New York.
Previously, at the Wagner College Holocaust Center, Moise Lena tries to understand the parallel worlds created by her role in the real-life story “Rising Up” (2023). The story traces six Holocaust survivors living on Staten Island. In addition to continuing her academic career during Eco Festival Week 2018 while studying Business Administration at Kingsborough Community College, she founded “Speaking Up”, a student life initiative that helps her make inspiring connections and prepare her voice for the betterment of Haiti.
What have you been doing professionally since being crowned Miss Haiti International 2021?
My one-year pageantry-career as Miss Haiti International 2021 is behind me. Nevertheless, the title has opened many ambassadorship doors for me. Not to mention that I am the co-author of the book Speaking Worlds: Oral Histories from the Linden Learning Center published and copyrighted by the Student Press Initiative on November 13, 2010, from the TC Oral History Research Program and the Columbia University Center for Oral History Research (CCOHR). The book paints an elegant and captivating portrait of these former citizens of their homeland. It presents several oral histories in their respective languages, later transcribed into English to provide a brief account of their lives before arriving in the United States. I am now a student at Columbia University in New York City, pursuing my master’s degree in a preparatory program at the same parent conferred institution where I gave my oral history 15 years ago: Teachers College of Columbia University (TC).
Have you participated in any other competitions since then?
No, not yet. Maybe I’ll enter the next beauty pageant in the next few years, but that’s not my actual plan.
What will you do with such an incredible victory and such a great experience in 2021?
In 2021, some of you asked me via Facebook Messenger about my one-year tenure as Miss Haiti International 2021, which I was unable to answer, but I am trying to understand that as well and decided to reflect on it. When I was crowned Miss Haiti International 2021 during the pandemic, due to the health precautions and quarantine imposed by the authorities, I felt somewhat slender in my duties. The Haiti International Pageant organization was understanding and did not overburden me in fulfilling my duties. This sign of understanding encourages me to continue the dialogue after that year. I am using my platform to advocate for the physiological well-being of Haitian children in Haiti’s schools. Things happened at the speed of a windshield, and I truly could not comprehend how quickly and sometime stagnant this one-year commitment as Miss Haiti International 2021 went by. Now, as a former Miss Haiti International 2021, I can say that this would not have been possible without the support of everyone who watched and sent me encouraging messages and emails.
Would you say that your career has been a great success?
Oh aye! So, I knew that despite everything, my success could not immediately attract the attention of any fast-paced culture. I was very pleased with the fruits of the competition. This experience gave me the confidence I needed to progress and improve my understanding of the world.
Are you currently engaged in an activity that takes up all of your time?
Oh, definitely. Let’s put it this way: On the second day in Hollywood, Florida, where the beauty pageant was held after my crowning as Miss Haiti International 2021, I realized that the new title of Miss Haiti International 2021 would be very demanding at first. But after just a few days, I had settled in well, and within a year, I was fully on top of my pageant work. However, I think I will continue to devote my time to the issue of the physiological well-being of schoolchildren in Haiti. It’s my top priority, and I invest all my time in it.
What are your current and future goals?
This is an incredible question, and I am allowed to be a little redundant, but please bear with me. My current goal is my advanced education. My future goals is my advanced education, then perhaps and perhaps move to Haiti and continue there by bringing a dialogue to schools about developing the physiological well-being of all children there.
What can your fans expect from you?
First, I have to say that I don’t think I understand the power of social media and its algorithms, or maybe I don’t want to. Not even when I became Miss Haiti International 2021. But now, as a former Miss Haiti International 2021, my private lifestyle and discreet living mean a lot to me. I also think it can be somewhat demeaning to call my viewers or anyone who watches my brief pageant work as a fan. I don’t really like the term fan; I prefer to call them my admirers. But that said, I like to focus on myself and simply be the Tinana that is known to those classmates from Notre Dame de la Guadeloupe in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and at the École Béthel de Petit-Trou-de-Nippes. In the meantime, I refuse to conjure up the illusion of authenticity, I’d rather just be that person. But at the request of anyone who ever thinks of working with me, my business email is read every day: it’s at [email protected] or send me a follow or like on my new Facebook, where I start showing all my intellectual property, scattered thoughts and a little about my collaborative work as a diem editor for arts and culture topics, and there I automatically accept all Facebook follows and likes when you click here: Moise Lena Jean Louis, Tinana ™️
