We believe that Little Haiti stands as the best place to open a museum that will serve the community and contribute to valorize the history and culture of Haiti.
We are positive that the Museum will have a very positive economic impact on the neighborhood and attract significant media attention and tourists from all over the world.
As for now, we do not receive money from any organization. We seek your help to start off this project and pay the first few months of rent for a location in Little Haiti.
Please find below a 1. short biography of the main actors in this project. 2. mission statement, 3. business model, and a
At the age of sixteen, he moved to Miami Florida to join his mother where he did his High School studies at North Senior High and attended to Miami Dade College and earned a degree in Travel & Tourism then a degree in Hospitality Management at Florida International University (F.I.U)
Emmanuel “Manny” Millien is a Philanthropist by nature. He founded this Museum with his own funds because he believes that the Afro-Culture “Voodoo” needs to be preserved and exposed to better views of it. His inspirations for the Afro-Culture has always been an important part of his life thus, he devoted his life to promote and preserve his heritage’s culture through Cultural Tourism in Miami.
During his studies, Emmanuel Millien wrote all his Tourism and Hospitality research papers on Haiti’s Culture. From there, he has discovered the whole prospect of the Afro-Diaspora culture that is based on “VOODOO/VODOU”
Emmanuel “Manny” Millien has been involved in many activities in the Miami Community like Haitian Restaurants “TapTap” General Manager for 4 years. Teached at Miami Dade County Public School for 12 years. Presently an Adjunct Professor at Miami Dade College.
The mission of the Museum is to enrich the Haitian community pride in its spiritual, religious, and diasporic legacy and heritage. The Museum seeks to collect, preserve, and share with the public the historical and contemporary artifacts and documents that illustrate the vitality of Haitian Vodou in the Caribbean and the United States.
Haitian Vodou represents the flamboyant example of a relentless resistance against slavery and colonialism. It is the soul of Haiti and Haitian people, the raison d’être of the struggle for freedom and equality in the face of oppression and imperialism. It promotes transformation, inclusion, and relationships across and against cultural and social barriers. Because of its tremendous modernity and vocal opposition to racial inequalities, Vodou has suffered from many misconceptions for centuries, from literature to modern American cinema. The goal of the Museum is precisely to counter those misconceptions by sharing a narrative of Afro-Diaspora resistance, resilience, and creation that fosters peace and reparation over destruction and resentment.
The Museum fosters quality learning directed toward the public and, more notably, toward the youth. Our permanent and temporary exhibit will provide an adequate educational programming that seeks to enhance the understanding of Afro-diaspora beliefs and Haitian culture. The transgenerational transmission of “Voodoo or Vodou” history acknowledges the civilization of African roots and the painful historical context that permitted it in the first place.
The Museum will bring many tourists and visitors to Miami and Florida. The Museum will join other already existing local organizations in the effort of revitalizing the historically Afro-Diaspora neighborhood of Little Haiti by promoting a culturally and socially ethical tourism. The opportunities offered by the Museum will significantly increase the impact of culturally-oriented tourism on the area and positively improve the image of Little Haiti among the general public. We firmly believe that a more accurate representation of Haitian Vodou can bring cultural harmony and peace among the Haitian American community of Miami.
The conservation and preservation of Vodou artifacts is vital considering the volatile political and social
We plan to work with local Houngans and Mambos (Vodou priests and priestesses) to offer conferences on various topics (Vodou and the Haitian Revolution, the role played by women in Vodou, etc.) and performances to visitors, such as a drum concerts or religious celebrations and worship sessions. These activities would be free for Little Haiti’s residents. In addition, we are excited to work with the local schools through activities adapted for a young audience.
The Museum seeks to maintain all of its operations with the best professional standards for accreditation approval. We adhere to the National Standards and Best Practices for U.S. Museums as defined by the American Alliance of Museums.
The MIVM is a private run, non-profit organization that brings cultural and educational development to the residents and visitors of Little Haiti. We strive to work with local businesses and leaders to create our own self-sustainable economic ecosystem.
Emmanuel Millien
OUR BUSINESS MODEL
Emmanuel “Manny” Millien the Founder has already invested his own funds purchasing and collecting large amounts of Arts, Historical, Antique and Ritual elements from Haiti and Brazil.
Our business model relies on our observation of the New Orleans Voodoo Museum. The NOVM runs almost all of its activities thanks to profit made from tickets and souvenirs sales. We believe that the MIVM will attract a massive tourist attention and could quickly become self-sustainable. We are positive that we can secure fellowships and grants, but please note that having a location and a few months of activity are usually the minimum requirements for applying.
As for now, the MIVM receives no funding from any public or private institutions and we do not have a location. We are actively looking for financial support in order to:
● Secure a location in a rapidly changing environment. The gentrification of Little Haiti makes renting increasingly harder for Haitian-run businesses and projects like ours.
● Set up a safe space for both the visitors and the artifacts displayed. Our goal is to maintain the integrity of pieces that often retain a symbolic and ritual value for Vodouists. Therefore, we need to undertake work on AC and lightning in the exhibition space
● Compensate the Houngans/Mambos and other educators for their participation to the activities of the Museum in the first few months of operation
We are positive that a sum of $150,000 will definitely help us to launch the project and become self-sustainable within 18 months after opening.
Miami International Voodoo Museum (MIVM) is a Non-Profit 501-©3 Organization founded by Emmanuel Millien in Miami Florida in October 2019. The museum seeks to inform and acknowledge the world about Afro-Diaspora’s Culture, Arts, History, and Spirituality.
The Miami International Museum will be based in Little Haiti as one of Miami’s Cultural Tourism Heritage Site. Thus, we are taking the initiative to place this authentic Cultural Museum to better expose all the territories that share the African Diaspora’s Culture such as Haitian Voudou, African Vaudou, Dominican Vudú, Jamaican Obeah, Trinidadian Shango, Cuban Santeria, Puerto-Rican Santeria, Venezuelan Santeria, Brazilian Candomble/Makumba, and Louisiana/USA Voodoo.
