• About

    Cindy Similien is an award-winning Haitian-American author, cultural ambassador, and community advocate. Her life's motto is: “Live to love; work to improve the lives of others; and create a legacy.” She studied English Literature and Creative Writing at Barnard College-Columbia University.

     

    CSJ Media Publishing is the platform in which she created when someone challenged her to be all that God created her to be. She discovered one of her life's purpose is to inspire, encourage, and empower others through her words. The "C" and "S" in CSJ Media Publishing stand for her first and last names, and the "J" stands for Jesus, for she believes that all of her achievements, accolades, and success are direct results of her faith in God, through Jesus Christ.

     

    Her favorite Bible verse is: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

  • Publications

    Books written by Cindy Similien

    Children's Books

    • Haiti Is (2017)
    • Ayiti Se (Haitian Creole Version) (2017)
    • Today, I Am Thankful For... (2017)
    • Haití Es (Spanish Edition) (2019)
    • I Am A Black Girl (2020)
    • Soy Una Niña Negra (Spanish Edition) (2020)
    • Mateo Goes To Cape (2020)
    • Mateo Vai à Cabo Verde (Portuguese Edition) (2020)
    • Just A Kid With A Dream (2020)
    • Good Night, Baby Baby (2020)
    • T is For Tanzania! (2020)
    • A Boy Named Jorge (2020)
    • Imperfectly Perfect Me (2020)
    • What Freedom Looks Like (2021)
    • When Grandma Makes Soup Joumou (2021)
    • The Day We Visit Daddy In Prison (2021)
    • I Love Jamaica From A to Z (2024)

     

    Culinary

    • Cook Like A Haitian E-Cookbook Series (2016)
    • A Haitian Thanksgiving Dinner: Simple, Easy, and Delicious Recipes
    • Let's Speak Haitian Food: Stories from the Haitian Diaspora on Cuisine, Community, and Culture (2017)
    • The Haitian Vegan: 30 Simple Meal Recipes (2020)
    • What's For Dinner? A Cookbook To Address Food Disparities in Prisons (2020)

    Business

    • Build the Right Foundation: Five Characteristics of a Successful Non-profit Organization (2020)

     

    Motivational/Inspirational

    • Goal Chic Reflection Journal (2013)
    • Goal Chic: Changing the World, One Goal at a Time (2015)
    • How to Stay Motivated: Inspiration and Advice for Everyday (2015)
    • Living Expectantly: 30 Days to Living an Authentic Life (2015)
    • Get To Know Yourself: 100-Day Journal for Middle School Girls (2020)
    • Get to Know Yourself: 150 Questions for Middle School Girls (2020)

     

  • Awards/Recognition

    (Selected)

     

    2016 Star Network’s 40 Stars Under Forty Award

    2016 PowerUP! KREYOL Business 2nd Place Winner

    2016 Caribbean-American Heritage Celebration Economic Development Award

    2016 Caribbean Life Impact Award

    2016 The United State of Women Summit’s Nominated Changemaker

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    2017 Barnard College Young Alumna Award

    2017 Citizens Committee Neighborhood Grant Award

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    2020 Citizens Committee of NYC "All In Neighborhood" Grant Award

    2020 United Nations Association Emerging Leader Fellow

    2020 "Brooklyn COVID-19 Hero" Award (Office of Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams )

    2020 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards Winner (Bronze Medalist)

    2020 Western Union "Acts of Kindness" Award

    2020 Loyale Linens for Good Award

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    2021 United Nations Association Emerging Leader Fellow - “Champions for Equality"

    2021 National Juvenile Justice Network's Youth Justice Leadership institute Fellow

    2021 Western Union "Acts of Kindness" Award

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    2022 Citizens Committee of NYC "All In Neighborhood" Grant Award

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    2023 Citizens Committee of NYC "All In Neighborhood" Grant Award

  • Featured in the Media

    New York Times

    Amsterdam News

    NBCNews

    Our Times Press

    Good Morning America

    New York Daily News

    NPR

    The Haitian Times

    Haiti Libre

    Le Nouvelliste (Haiti)

    Caribbean Life

    Face2Face Africa

    Forest Hill Times

    BK Reader

    Gothamist

    Brooklyn Reporter

    A Nação (Cape Verde)

    Expresso das Ilhas (Cape Verde)

    Dominican Today

    The Memphis Flyer Newspaper

    WNYC

    Gothamist

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    Just A Kid With A Dream Foundation, Inc.

    Through her initiative, "Just A Kid With A Dream Foundation, Inc.", Cindy's books have reached different corners around the world, creating an impact on the lives of children and their families in countries, including but not limited to the USA, Haiti, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Cape Verde, and Tanzania.

  • Inspiration Behind My Books

    Why I do what I do

    The idea to write a book about Jamaica came to mind while I was swimming in the ocean at Negril, a town in western Jamaica. Rain had begun to lightly fall. I was afraid there would be lightening. Thankfully, there was none. I decided to remain in the water while others swam back to shore to seek...
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    In 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic upended life as we knew it, shifting the normalcy of our daily lives. It was a time of uncertainty and fear. In the weeks following the initial news of reported cases in the USA, many people experienced what was called "quarantine insomnia." Adults and...
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    While working on my book, "When Grandma Makes Soup Joumou," I paused and thought about what it was like for the formerly enslaved in Haiti to experience freedom for the first time on January 1, 1804. The front cover is that of a Pan-African flag, and can be used as an educational tool during...
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  • Contact

    To contact the Author, please send us a message. We would love to hear from you!