Autres initiatives

Article dans la publication nationale France-Amerique:
http://www.france-amerique.com/articles/2009/02/26/un-pere-americain-et-son-fils-unis-par-le-francais.html

L'AFK donne les dictionnaires aux étudiants

Les étudiants de français le samedi matin au Centre Social Americana ont reçu une copie du dictionnaire Larousse français-anglais. Les étudiants emploieront leurs dictionnaires comme exercice pour identifier le nouveau vocabulaire pendant la classe. Ils emploieront également leurs dictionnaires à la maison pour augmenter leur vocabulaire.

Depliant en francais de la police a Louisville

Lettre envoyée au Conseil Administratif d'Education de Jefferson County
Submitted to Thomas Sauer, Director of Global Languages

JCPS November 11, 2008

Proposal to Offer Afterschool, Extracurricular French Language at Rutherford Elementary School

Fall 2008

The United African Communities of Louisville (UACL), L'Association Francophone de Kentucky (AFK), and the Haitian Tabernacle submit the following proposal. The UACL is a nonprofit organization based in Louisville and is dedicated to strengthening and supporting Louisville African Communities. The Organization represents and promotes the common interests of African refugees and immigrants and their communities. Although open to all nationalities, the UACL regroups six nationalities from the French-speaking countries of Burundi, Congo Brazzaville, Congo Kinshasa, Ivory Coast, Togo and Rwanda. The AFK is a nonprofit organization based in Louisville dedicated to the promotion of the French language and francophone cultures. The Haitian Tabernacle is located in Louisville and serves the Haitian community in the Rutherford Elementary area.

One concern of the UACL, AFK and the Haitian Tabernacle is the inadequacy of French course offerings in the elementary schools in Jefferson County. The families of UACL and Haitian Tabernacle members are originally from countries in French-speaking Africa and Haiti thus the knowledge of French is very useful to the future of the younger generation born in the US and residing in Jefferson County.

Rutherford Elementary School is in a unique position because of its central location in an area with a high immigrant population. This is evident in the student body which is comprised of approximately one-third of students from families of immigrants, many of whom come from countries where the French language is official or plays a distinguished role.

The UACL is currently working in conjunction with L'Association Francophone de Kentucky (L'AFK) and the Americana Community Center (ACC) to offer Saturday classes in French at the ACC. Over 30 students have benefitted from the Saturday courses (these courses are secular, non-religious). There is a bi-weekly mass reaches up to 40 participants. The Haitian The UACL is currently working in conjunction with L'Association Francophone de Kentucky (L'AFK) and the Americana Community Center (ACC) to offer Saturday classes in French at the ACC. Over 30 students have benefitted from the Saturday courses (these courses are secular, non-religious). There is a bi-weekly mass held in French at St Thomas More Catholic Church. Attendance at the Tabernacle serves over 100 members. French and French Haitian Creole are used during the services and for other cultural activities. Pastor Frantz Phillipe also launched a French-language radio station in January 2008-Radio Bonheur: La Voix des Haitiens de Kentucky. There is also a bi-monthly French Circle held at Iroquois Library. This demonstrates a strong interest in the French language in the immediate area near Rutherford.

The UACL, AFK, and Haitian Tabernacle propose to collaborate with Rutherford Elementary School through the following:

Offer the services of a trained instructor of French, Napoleon Akayezu. Mr. Akayezu is working on his MA in French at the University of Louisville. He also teaches French as an adjunct professor at Indiana University South.

Compensation for the services of Mr. Akayezu will be fully provided by the UACL through its supporters.

Mr. Akayezu and Rutherford will agree on the time and day of the French class offering. The class will be open to all students who may be interested, regardless of their prior knowledge of French, and held for one hour, once a week immediately following the dismissal of regular classes. Mr. Akayezu will comply with Rutherford's policy as to the surveillance of students until they are safely dismissed in the custody of their proper guardians.

Rutherford will provide class space and will notify parents of this afterschool, extra curricular class offering.

Thank you for your consideration,

Frantz Phillipe, Pastor                            Joseph Twagilmana, President

Haitian Tabernacle of Louisville            United African Communities of Louisville

Miguel Zapata, Vice President

L'Association Francophone de Kentucky

Lettre envoyee a la Bibliotheque iroquois (Louisville)

September 16, 2008

Sophie Maier

Louisville Public Library, Iroquois Branch

601 W. Woodlawn Avenue

Louisville, Kentucky 40215

Dear Sophie,

We are writing on behalf of the United African Communities of Louisville and L'Association Francophone de Louisville to request an increase in French language resources at the Iroquois Branch library. There has been a noticeable increase in the French-speaking population in the Iroquois area in recent years. Although there are no available data that list the ethno-linguistic demographics of the area served by the Iroquois branch library, there are indications of a French-speaking population presence. This is noted in a Saturday French language class offered each week at the Americana Community Center. The number of youth attending the weekly Saturday morning class has reached a total of 23 and still growing. Most of these students come from families originally from francophone Africa-Rwanda, Congo, Togo, and Burundi. There is also a bi-weekly church service in French at St. Thomas More Catholic Church. The bi-weekly French mass recently celebrated its first year anniversary. Total attendance often reaches over 45 worshipers. And finally, a French-speaking Cercle Français will be held bi-monthly at the Iroquois branch library (the first "cercle" was held September 6 to an audience of 11 participants).

These are just a few examples of the growing need for French language resources at the Iroquois branch library. We seek a balance between young children's resources, resources addressing young teenagers who are still perfecting their French, and resources for adults who are educated in French and would enjoying continuing using the French language through library resources.

We appreciate the fine work you are doing at the Iroquois branch library and value the interest you have in serving community needs.

Sincerely,

James J. Natsis, Ph.D.

President, Association Francophone de Louisville

Joseph Twagilmana, Ph.D.

President, United African Communities of Louisville

LES HAITIENS DE LOUISVILLE ONT FETE LEUR DRAPEAU

Ils étaient plus de 200 a se réunir cette année au gymnasium de Americana Community Center pour célébrer leur bicolore bleu et rouge ce dimanche 17 mai 2009 a compter de 4 heures pm. Vetus de maillots, de blue jeans, enfants comme adultes allaient défiler sur le podium de ce centre multi-ethnique pour faire valoir l'histoire de leur pays Haiti. C'est la troisieme consécutive, que les haitiens se réunissent, sous l'invitation de Haitian Tabernacle, dirigé par le Pasteur Frantz Philippe, lui aussi directeur et fondateur de l'unique et premiere station de radio haitienne a Louisville, Kentucky.

Un programme riche et varié était au menu: chants, danses, sketchs, courtes projections montrant la beauté de leur pays. Avec des vivas frénétiques, les haitiens ont scandé des slogans patriotiques en secouant en l'air leur petit drapeau. Sur leur visage, on pouvait lire aussi l'expression d'un certain nationalisme couvert de fierté d'etre citoyen de la premiere république noire indépendante.

L'année prochaine est plus prometteuse et sera beaucoup plus grandiose car les haitiens comptent organiser une parade a travers les rues de Louisville pour faire savoir a tout un chacun qu'il y a une communauté d'haitiens qui grandit dans cette ville. Différentes commissions seront mises sur pied question de donner un cachet plus spécial a cette cérémonie.

Pasteur Frantz P. Philippe
Ecoutez Radio Bonheur

http://radiobonheurky.com/