Naomi Osaka shares post on social media looking for Haitian artists, replies pour in from artists showcasing their best work
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has proven time and again that she has stayed connected to her roots. The daughter of a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, Osaka put up a post on Instagram on Wednesday searching for Haitian artists. She later posted the same request on her Twitter handle as well.
"If you’re a Haitian artist or if you know a Haitian artist tag them or respond to this tweet please," tweeted Naomi Osaka.
If you’re a Haitian artist or if you know a Haitian artist tag them or respond to this tweet please 🥺🙏🏾
From the post, it appears as though the former World No. 1 is keen on exploring Haitian art and promoting artists from her father's home country.
Pretty soon replies poured in from various artists showcasing their artwork. Here are some of the best tweets:
@naomiosaka Bonjou @naomiosaka !☀️ I heard you’re looking for a Haitian artist 🇭🇹here are some of my work😊❤️ https://t.co/azsUxgBVCh
@naomiosaka 👋🏾 https://t.co/ET5khyPki5
@naomiosaka Hi Naomi I'm an digital and traditional painter based in Haiti :3 here's some of my work https://t.co/3Q1sxfNAGo
@naomiosaka i do graphite drawings https://t.co/H6k6Hol5Kt
@naomiosaka Midas here, I’m a professional illustrator, concept artist and character designer 🙏🔥 https://t.co/EnQ0bzRq4d
@naomiosaka Hi!!! I'm a Haitian-American kidlit artist! ☀️twitter.com/boxfulthoughts… https://t.co/SqmRgbEZnW
@naomiosaka My dear friend @art_herold ! He’s amazing!🇭🇹♥️ https://t.co/L2ULBirFaj
@naomiosaka @naomiosaka my name is Youseline Vital i’m an artist and artisan. I use sequins and beads for create paintings. payetdesign.com/payetdesign.com https://t.co/I21UOF2Kv8
@naomiosaka Ayibobo Naomi, let me show you some of my artworks! Inspired by Haitain Vodou, as always. I hope you'll like them! 💜 Mèsi. https://t.co/ZCMEwNYR9B
@naomiosaka My uncle Guy Jourdan! 💜
He is a self-taught painter, who paints what he sees daily living in Haiti! https://t.co/dLDKinT8QF
Naomi Osaka is deeply connected to her Haitian roots
Despite being born in Japan and later raised in the USA, Naomi Osaka continues to have a close connection with her father's native country. Earlier this year, she donated her prize money from the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati to earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.
The island nation suffered a devastating 7.2-magnitude earthquake in mid-August, causing the deaths of more than 2200 people and leaving around 650,000 people in need of assistance.
The incident deeply affected the Japanese and she immediately took the decision to donate her Cincinnati prize money.
"Really hurts to see all the devastation that’s going on in Haiti, and I feel like we really can’t catch a break," Naomi Osaka wrote on Twitter. "I’m about to play a tournament this week and I’ll give all the prize money to relief efforts for Haiti. I know our ancestors blood is strong we’ll keep rising."
Really hurts to see all the devastation that’s going on in Haiti, and I feel like we really can’t catch a break. I’m about to play a tournament this week and I’ll give all the prize money to relief efforts for Haiti. I know our ancestors blood is strong we’ll keep rising 🇭🇹❤️🙏🏾
When asked about it at a tournament press conference, an emotional Osaka had to leave the room to compose herself. She later revealed that the earthquake struck close to her parents' school.
"It's really scary," she said. "I see the news every day, and honestly the earthquake was kind of close to my parents' school there, so I'm honestly not really sure how that's doing and I haven't seen any pictures or video of it yet."
The Australian Open champion felt she wasn't doing enough for relief efforts and that donating her prize money was the first step towards raising awareness.
"I feel like I'm not really doing that much," she said. "I'm trying to figure out what I can do. The prize money thing was the first thing I thought I could do that would raise the most awareness. I guess that is the reason I announced it."
Naomi Osaka has also made several trips to Haiti in the past few years. She was felicitated in the country following her successful 2018 season in which she won her maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open. She has also been to the school that her parents built in the Caribbean nation and spent time with young kids.
Naomi Osaka has admitted that each of her trips to Haiti has left a profound impact on her.
So I’m in Haiti right now 👋 twitter.com/MCHaiti/status…