Category: Haiti

A Surge For Haiti?

Below is an excerpt from a new entry published on Americas Quarterly

One wonders though: a surge in Haitian-American volunteerism after the earthquake was inevitable, but the question is if this revamped volunteerism is sustainable. After all, when it comes to Haiti, progress is seemingly embodied by a gaggle of constantly emerging organizations and individuals seeking to improve life. Far too often these efforts have either been too overwhelming, too redundant, too sporadic, or at the very least exhibiting poor coordination between different groups. Without a clearer consensus on the historical legacy that these ventures are building on, progress in Haiti risks being relegated to being more of a verb than a noun.

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The Creative Community: David Starkey Interviews Nadege Clitandre

The Creative Community: Nadege Clitandre from The Santa Barbara Channels on Vimeo.

David Starkey interviews Dr. Nadege Clitandre, Poet & Executive Director of Haiti Soleil an organization focused on building and developing community-centered public libraries, museums, and other institutions of educational and cultural exchange focused on advancing the intellectual growth of young Haitian citizens.

Hofstra University| A Day For Haiti | A Night For Haiti

Hofstra For Haiti

I will be delivering the opening remarks at Hofstra University’s A Day for Haiti on Tuesday April 13th.  More info on the day’s events are available below and here

On Tuesday, April 13, 2010, Hofstra will host “A Day for Haiti”, a full day conference examining the relief and rebuilding  efforts, the media coverage, the issues impacting children and education, the role of the United States, and the post-earthquake experiences of Haitian-Americans. The conference begins at 9:30am in the Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theatre, and the “Day for Haiti” will be followed by a “A Night for Haiti” which kicks-off at 7:00pm in the Main Dining Room in Mack Student Center. Join us as we celebrate the rich culture and heritage of Haiti.  Enjoy Haitian DJ Markensen, authentic Haitian food, live music and Haitian dance performances, and the renowned Haitian Mass Choir, directed by Dickson Guillaume. Both events are free and open to the entire campus community and to the public. For more information you may download the entire conference schedule here. Questions can be directed to the Hofstra Cultural Center at 516-463-5669.

Are Donors Done Giving to Haiti

Below is an excerpt from a new entry published on Americas Quarterly

These comments are aimed toward ensuring that Haiti doesn’t become further susceptible to what Columbia University business professor Glenn Hubbard has called “the aid trap,” the process through which economic sustainability in developing countries is undermined by benevolent charity and other aid efforts. But his concerns about aid’s intoxicating effects in this era of porno-misery, appears to have bypassed Haitian president René Préval, who recently quipped: “Do I need to develop a nuclear program for Haiti so that we come back to talking about Haiti?” This came in response to a question about the international audience’s shifting focus.

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Sante: Crisis in Haiti

Monday Feb 22nd: Santé: Crisis in Haiti
6:00-8:00pm Room 510 65 West 12 street (holds 80)
Haiti, a country with limited health infrastructure, is in crisis. Prior to the earthquake, 120,000 people with HIV/AIDS were receiving antiretroviral treatment in Port Au Prince alone, and diarrhea was the leading cause of death in children less than one year old.  How will Haiti prepare for the second wave of health problems as a consequence of public health infrastructure collapse?  GHEISKO and other health organizations have played important roles in Haiti’s HIV/AIDS crisis and are now adapting to emergency care. Cases studies and video clips of community-based organizations’ initiatives to combat HIV/AIDS, chronic diseases of poverty, and diseases of emergency will be discussed. Participants include:  Tamara Oyola-Santiago, Health Educator, The New School; Rebecca Heidkamp, Nutritionist, GHEISKO/ Cornell Weill; Charles King, CEO and President of Housing Works; and Georgette Delinois, Director of Barrier Free Living Non-Residential Domestic Violence Program. http://weill.cornell.edu/globalhealth/
FREE. RSVP to langscience@newschool.edu

Haitian Community Activist Jean Montrevil Faces Deportation


Haitian Community Activist Jean Montrevil Faces Deportation
Jean-montrevilweb2

Via Democracy Now
On Wednesday morning, Jean Montrevil was attending a regular immigration check-in when he was detained by agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, or ICE. He now faces deportation to Haiti for a twenty-year-old drug conviction, for which he has already served eleven years in prison. He has not broken any laws since then. Montrevil is married to an American citizen and is the father of four US citizen children. Montrevil is a longtime community leader in New York City and active in a number of immigrant rights groups, including Families for Freedom, the NYC New Sanctuary Movement, and Detention Watch Network.