A HAITIAN CREOLE RADIO EXPERIENCE
Souvni on the Mike
"Where Language Lives, Culture Breathes"
Souvni on the Mike is more than a radio show — it is a living bridge between the academic study of Haitian Creole and the vibrant cultural expression of a global diaspora. Rooted in humor, storytelling, and linguistic celebration, the program invites educators, students, and community members into a space where Kreyòl Ayisyen thrives as the rich, complex, and fully legitimate language it has always been.
Academic Outreach & Partnership Guide | For University Educators, Linguistics Departments & Creole Learners
Program Overview
Souvni on the Mike is a Haitian Creole radio program that blends humor, science, cultural storytelling, and communal engagement into an experience unlike any other broadcast. Hosted from South Florida — the heartland of the Haitian diaspora in the United States — the show serves Haitian communities across the globe and welcomes anyone curious about the beauty of Kreyòl.
OUR MISSION To preserve Haitian Creole (Kreyòl Ayisyen), debunk myths about the language — including the persistent and inaccurate claim that it is merely "broken French" — and celebrate its extraordinary linguistic richness, historical depth, and cultural power. |
The broadcast format weaves together multiple segment types: oral storytelling drawn from Haitian tradition, deep dives into language structure and etymology, cultural rituals and music, lively listener interaction, and interviews with academic experts. Each episode is designed to entertain, educate, and connect — yon sèl kominote, yon sèl vwa (one community, one voice).
Academic Value
A Living Linguistic Resource
Souvni on the Mike offers something that textbooks alone cannot: authentic, contemporary, conversational Haitian Creole in its natural habitat. For students and researchers in Creole studies, this kind of immersive, real-world language exposure is invaluable. The show functions as a living corpus — rich with idiomatic expressions, regional variations, code-switching patterns, and the evolving lexicon of a language spoken by over 12 million people worldwide.
KEY STATISTIC Haitian Creole is the third most commonly spoken language in Florida, after English and Spanish. Approximately 426,000 people in Florida speak Haitian Creole, with major concentrations in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Orlando, and Tampa. |
Alignment with University Programs
The show's content aligns naturally with Haitian Creole and Caribbean studies programs at leading institutions, including:
● University of Florida — Home to one of the nation's most established Haitian Creole language programs, offering three levels of Creole instruction and a BA track in Haitian Studies
● Florida International University — The Haitian Studies Program of Excellence at LACC, featuring an Undergraduate Certificate in Haitian Studies and deep community partnerships
● Duke University — The Haiti Lab and Haitian Creole Language Program through the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
● Harvard University — Haitian Creole language courses and research through the Department of African and African American Studies
● University of Kansas — The Institute of Haitian Studies, contributing to diaspora research and language preservation
Research Relevance
The program provides rich primary material for scholars working across multiple disciplines:
● Sociolinguistics — Language attitudes, code-switching, language contact phenomena
● Diaspora Studies — Identity formation, cultural maintenance, transnational communication
● Caribbean Studies — Haitian cultural practices, oral traditions, music as cultural text
● Heritage Language Preservation — Intergenerational transmission, language revitalization strategies
● Applied Linguistics — Creole language pedagogy, authentic input for second-language acquisition
Playlist Highlights — Show Segments
Each episode of Souvni on the Mike draws from a rotating menu of carefully crafted segments, each designed to illuminate a different facet of Haitian Creole language and culture:
Educator Guidance — How to Use This Resource
We designed Souvni on the Mike to be more than entertainment — it is a pedagogical tool ready to enrich your classroom. Here are practical ways to integrate the show into your curriculum:
Listening Comprehension
Assign specific episodes or segments as listening exercises. Students can transcribe portions, identify unfamiliar vocabulary, and summarize content — building aural fluency with authentic, unscripted Creole speech at natural speed.
Discussion Prompts
Use cultural segments like Istwa Lakay and Mizik ak Memwa as springboards for classroom discussion. Topics might include diaspora identity, cultural memory, the relationship between music and language, or the politics of language prestige.
Comparative Linguistics Exercises
Draw on dialogue segments to design exercises comparing Haitian Creole and French grammatical structures, phonological systems, and lexical evolution — helping students understand creolization as a dynamic linguistic process.
Student Projects
Inspired by the skit dialogues, assign oral history collection projects where students interview Creole speakers in their own communities, record narratives, and analyze them for linguistic and cultural content.
Vocabulary Building
Create vocabulary logs based on La Famille Pòt episodes. Students can track new words, their etymologies, and usage contexts — building a personalized glossary rooted in authentic language use rather than textbook lists.
COMPANION GUIDES Downloadable companion guides with episode-specific discussion questions, vocabulary lists, and activity worksheets are currently in development and will be available soon. Contact us to be notified when they launch or to request custom materials for your course. |
Student Benefits
Whether you are a heritage speaker reconnecting with your roots or a new learner discovering Kreyòl for the first time, Souvni on the Mike offers transformative learning opportunities:
Benefit | What You Gain |
Authentic Language Exposure | Hear contemporary, conversational Haitian Creole as it is actually spoken — with natural rhythm, intonation, humor, and emotion that recordings in textbooks cannot replicate. |
Cultural Immersion | Go beyond grammar and vocabulary to experience the cultural context in which language lives: proverbs, oral traditions, music, food talk, and community rituals. |
Diaspora Connection | Connect with the real-world Haitian diaspora community and understand how the language functions in everyday life across Florida, New York, Boston, Montreal, and beyond. |
Listening & Comprehension | Sharpen your aural skills through sustained exposure to varied speakers, registers, and topics — the single most effective way to build comprehension fluency. |
Linguistic Legitimacy | Gain a deep understanding of Creole's fully developed grammar, rich vocabulary, and historical roots — and the confidence to advocate for its recognition as a complete language. |
Heritage Reclamation | For heritage speakers: reclaim, celebrate, and deepen your relationship with a language that carries the history, resilience, and genius of the Haitian people. |
"Lang manman w se richès ou." |
Collaboration Opportunities
We believe that the preservation and celebration of Haitian Creole is a shared endeavor. Souvni on the Mike actively seeks academic partnerships that amplify both the show's impact and the reach of university programs. We invite you to explore the following collaboration pathways:
Opportunity | Details |
Co-Developed Episodes | Collaborate with us to produce episodes focused on specific linguistic or cultural topics aligned with your curriculum — from Creole morphology to Vodou and spiritual traditions. |
Joint Research Projects | Partner on research exploring language preservation, diaspora identity, heritage language transmission, or Creole sociolinguistics — with the show serving as a data source and dissemination platform. |
Academic Series Sponsorship | Sponsor a special multi-episode series on a theme of mutual interest — such as the history of Creole education, Haitian literature in translation, or the linguistics of Caribbean creoles. |
Cross-Promotion | Promote your Haitian Studies program, courses, conferences, and events to our engaged listener base while we share your resources with ours. Ansanm nou pi fò — together we are stronger. |
LET'S BUILD SOMETHING TOGETHER We are especially interested in partnerships with departments launching or expanding Haitian Creole course offerings. If your institution is growing its Creole program, Souvni on the Mike can serve as a dynamic supplemental resource from day one. |
Contact & Connect
Mandaly Host & Creator, Souvni on the Mike Location: South Florida Email: Limanecasimi@aol.com Podcast link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2571746 Website: www.souvni.org Streaming Platform: [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2571746] |
Whether you are a professor seeking fresh resources for your Creole classroom, a student hungry for authentic language exposure, or a fellow cultural advocate committed to keeping Kreyòl alive — we would love to hear from you.
This show exists because we believe that language is not just a tool for communication; it is a vessel for memory, identity, resistance, and joy. Every episode is an act of preservation — and every listener, every educator, every student who tunes in becomes part of that story.
"Pale Kreyòl, se onore zansèt nou." |
Souvni on the Mike — Kote lang viv, kilti respire.
Where Language Lives, Culture Breathes.
© 2026 Souvni on the Mike | South Florida | Academic Outreach Edition
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