Today we’d like to introduce you to Fabienne Polycarpe.
Hi Fabienne, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Thank you so much for this interview.
I would like to lead with this intention:
May this interview and these words find the right person at the right time. May my words inspire someone to listen to what their heart is calling them to do. May my courage encourage someone to take the leap of faith they need to walk in their truth and live fully as themselves. May this interview also find the right collaborators, partners, and sponsors for the work that I live and do. May it flow like water, without barriers or boundaries. May it move, penetrate, and reach wherever it is meant to go, with no limitations in this dimension, in this lifetime, and in lifetimes beyond my comprehension. May it all unfold with ease, for me, and for all those who need it.
My journey into this work really came from my own healing process. I grew up in Miami in a Haitian household, where my mother owned a beauty salon for over 30 years in Little Haiti. We spent more time in the salon than we did at home. Community care, culture, and wellness were always around me, even if I didn’t fully realize it at the time.
I worked for years in luxury development and construction. During that time, I was struggling personally, and I came to realize that I was using unhealthy habits to cope with the stress, pressure, and burnout of such a demanding role. In many ways, it was an incredible opportunity. I had the privilege of working alongside some of the best in the world of architecture, design, and construction. But it also came with a cost. It often felt like a sacrifice of my time, energy, creativity, and spirit. I felt like I constantly had to prove my worth, my value, and my place in the room.
As I began my healing journey, I found peace in nature. I started spending more time in my backyard, gardening and reconnecting with the earth. What began as a personal grounding practice slowly transformed into something much bigger. It became a path back to myself, a source of healing, and the beginning of a deeper calling.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
LMAO, it definitely has not been a smooth road at all. I often reflect on something my grandfather once told me: “You are a persistent son of a bitch.” (Welp)I remember telling him I honestly didn’t know how to receive that, and he responded, “It depends on what side you’re standing on.” That conversation stayed with me because I now understand that persistence has been one of the greatest gifts guiding my life.
There have been many struggles along the way, from going through a divorce to a custody battle that lasted longer than my marriage, to financial hardships, and starting from a small glimmer of hope while still trying to build a vision bigger than my current circumstances. There were many moments where things looked impossible and where it would have been easy to give up.
What kept me going was my faith, my resilience, and my belief that everything somehow works out in my favor. I’ve learned to focus more on possibilities than limitations and to ask myself, “What’s the best that can happen?” instead of living in fear or doubt. I believe we all have the right to dream, but more importantly, to put action behind those dreams until they become real accomplishments.
That mindset, coupled with curiosity, along with my healing journey and connection to nature, is what continues to shape the work I do today through Mén Beni Gardening and the communities we serve. We are no longer killing two birds with one stone, but rather saving two birds with one prayer.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Mén Beni means “blessed hands” in Creole, and culture is at the center of everything we do. We intentionally incorporate culture, storytelling, ancestral wisdom, and community traditions into our programming and experiences. While our work is deeply rooted in our cultural experiences, we are open to everyone. We see our spaces as an opportunity for people to remember, to learn, to live, to heal, and to understand that they already have access to the tools needed to reconnect with themselves and the world around them.
Mén Beni is a beautiful love story between me, the community, and the environment. At the heart of everything we do is the understanding that our well-being is connected to the earth. What began as a personal journey of healing has grown into a collective experience of care, transformation, and belonging. There is something about Mén Beni that people don’t just see, they feel it. It is vibrant, thoughtful, intentional, and alive. There is a certain magic woven throughout the work that is difficult to explain but easy to experience. It exists in the conversations, the gardens, the gatherings, the laughter, the healing, and the moments of remembrance.
Every workshop, activation, and experience is created with presence and purpose. Mén Beni invites people to slow down, reconnect with themselves, honor their stories, and cultivate a deeper relationship with community and the natural world. It feels right for the spirit because it is created from a place of authenticity, love, and reverence for life. More than an organization, Mén Beni is an expression of what becomes possible when we choose healing, connection, and care. It is a living reminder that we already carry within us the wisdom, beauty, and power needed to thrive. So I say all that to say Mén Beni Gardening is a wellness and environmental organization serving Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. Our mission is to renew, reconnect, and reawaken the mind, body, and spirit through self, community, and the environment.
While many organizations focus solely on healing, Mén Beni is equally committed to teaching people how to live. We believe wellness is not just about recovering from hardships, it is about cultivating joy, purpose, connection, creativity, and a meaningful relationship with ourselves, our communities, and the earth. Through culture, nature, and community-centered experiences, we create opportunities for people to heal, live, learn, grow, and thrive.
We see our spaces as places of remembrance and endless possibilities where people can reconnect with who they are, honor where they come from, and imagine what is possible for their future. Whether through gardening, cultural workshops, wellness experiences, community gatherings, or environmental education, our goal is to help people feel more connected, more empowered, and more fully alive.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My advice for anyone just starting out is to do what genuinely makes you happy. People say that all the time, but I think it’s deeper than most realize. I personally don’t believe in “grinding” because when you really think about the power of words, grinding implies resistance, force, and friction. I believe the things that come naturally to you are often clues to what you are meant to build around.
For me, nurturing people, gardening, creating art, and designing intentional wellness experiences come with ease because they are things I genuinely love. I create workshops and experiences from a place of curiosity, joy, and authenticity. I teach what I’m interested in, and I trust that if something resonates deeply with me, it will resonate with others too.
I think sometimes people feel pressured to create based only on trends, money, or what looks successful from the outside, but I’ve learned that longevity comes from alignment. When you enjoy the process, it becomes sustainable. You show up differently, your energy feels different, and people can feel that authenticity.
I also wish I had known earlier that it’s okay to create from a place of fun and ease. Everything doesn’t have to feel hard to be valuable. Some of the most impactful things I’ve created came from simply allowing myself to explore, experiment, and trust my instincts.
At the end of the day, I believe people should build from what naturally flows through them because that’s usually where their gifts, purpose, and impact live.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.menbeni.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/menbenigardening
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MenBeniGardening
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabiennepolycarpe
Image Credits
All Manjé Avec Mwen photos from : Jojo Photography
