A Tale of two Earthquakes

Yesterday morning, I awoke to an email marked urgent, it was about the massive 8.8 earthquake that hit central Chile. My colleague and her family had recently visited Chile and on Friday as we left for the day, I told her to bring in pictures from her family vacation. That conversation seems light years away now.
The Chile earthquake was 500 times stronger than the 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti 6 weeks ago and as news accounts came in, it became clear that Chile's causalities would not be anywhere near than of Haiti's. The dead toll stands at 700, compared to Haiti's 220,000. The stark differences can only be blamed on poverty. Poverty preys on the weak, vulnerable, sick and in a twisted way exacerbates tragedy. Below I have listed the 4 main differences between the two.

1. In Haiti there is no money for seismic risk evaluations, frankly earthquakes were not on any one's radar, this is an island that is used to hurricanes and floods. The last quake was 200 years ago, so there is no institutional memory of it.
2. Building and zoning codes are lax; there is no money to inspect construction projects, force people to use better material or pay government workers to enforce the law.
3. Location. It is also important to note the epicenter of the quakes. In Haiti it was right outside the capital, in Chile it was 200 miles NE of the capitol Santiago and 70 miles from the second largest city Concepcion. The greater population density contributed to Haiti's enormous lose.
4. Chile's quake was deeper in the ground 21.7 miles as opposed to Haiti's which was 8.1 miles.

All of this contributed to the staggering lose of life in Haiti.

Even though Pat Robertson blames the audacity of defiant slaves in search of freedom for Haiti's recent tragedy, I squarely point the finger at poverty. The people didn't die from the earthquake, they died from poverty.

I Heart Haiti

This past Wednesday I hopped on a bus for NYC with my cousin Gabe. We were headed for the United Nations Association Haiti Conference. We were both excited as this was our first visit to the UN; we even walked pass Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary General! I am not going to say we were star struck, but definitely WOWED!

I wanted to come to the conference to meet other members of the Diaspora to connect and jointly discuss ways to leverage our networks, resources, knowledge and expertise for Haiti. 700 people were in attendance and the crowd mostly Haitian. We were all there because of the fierce urgency of now and the desire to seize this opportunity to forge a new relationship with Haiti.
The conference opened with remarks from UN Haitian Ambassador Léo Mérorès, who quickly described the situation on the ground, shared his heartfelt thanks to the global community for all their contributions and explained why this was a unique opportunity for the Haitian government to collaborate with the Diaspora. By the end of his talk it became clear to me that as a community we needed to get organized fast so that we can have a seat at the table as plans are drawn.

The half day conference also brought experts to cover topics on Education, Health, Micro Finance and Art. The best part of the day besides hearing the remarks of the ambassador was the evening reception. It provided an opportunity for conference participants to network and learn more about each other. I enjoyed this time, as I was able to speak to very passionate individuals-- architects, musicians, photographers, lawyers, graphic designers, non profit leaders, pastors, urban planners, entrepreneurs and educators; all currently or ready to use their skills and talents for Haiti. It was awesome and made me feel like if we can continue to meet in an organized fashion, we can harness our combined resources for Haiti.

A spunky petite woman named Danit Aronson, was selling fashionable t-shirts in the back corner, at the reception for Partners in Health. Danit created "I Heart Haiti" as a personal effort to raise money to help her loved ones and countless others rebuild their country. About the shirts Danit says, "through striking visuals and powerful words, the t-shirts are an integral tool in keeping the need for aid in Haiti in the limelight, even after the media trend goes down."
100% of the proceeds from the shirts will go to Partners in Health. By the time she and I finished talking about the t-shirts, fashion and our love for Haiti, I was more than happy to buy one!

Danit like many others is using her love for Haiti to do good and proving that each of us can make a difference.

Like Thieves in the Night

If you have been following events in Haiti over the past few weeks then you might be familiar with the so-called Baptist "missionaries" that flew to Haiti in the wake of the earth quake to rescue Haiti's most vulnerable--the orphans.

10 God-fearing Americans hailing from Texas, Missouri and Idaho hopped on a plane to the stricken island nation; armed with only the love of God in their righteous hearts and a vague plan to identify needy orphans. According to their own website, the church members only planned to spend a few hours in Haiti.

When the story first broke, the members claimed they rescued the children from a destroyed orphanage. It was later revealed that the 33 children, ranging in age from 2 months to 12 years old came from Calebasse, a small community outside of Port-au-Prince. Moreover, they were not orphans but given away by their parents to the Americans. The parents came forward later saying they gave up their children in hopes the Americans could provide them a better life. So with 33 children in tow they loaded them on a bus and headed for a rented hotel with a swimming pool in the DR.

The ring leader Laura Silsby, knew they didn't have the necessary paper work, yet believed they could get away with not following the law. After all, this is Haiti-- the poorest country in the western hemisphere in case the media has allowed you to forget; they don't have laws. And the Americans had the best of intentions. The 10 missionaries came to Haiti thinking they were saviors. Carla Thompson one of the members is quoted as saying " God is the one who called us to come here and we just really believed this was His purpose."

Well here is what I say to that, hiding behind Christian values doesn't change the fact that they attempted to kidnap those children. They did not have proper authorization to transport the children to the DR. They attempted to illegally traffick the children and they should have never come up with this misadventure in the first place. They have done more harm that good in a country that is already leery of foreign interventions and international adoptions.

Art is our Legacy

Art is powerful, it speaks a universal language and one piece can be multifaceted and tell a multitude of stories. Art is rich and vibrate and can change lives. Although I am not an artist, I have an earnest appreciation for musicians, painters, sculptors, dancers and actors, I respect how they are able to convey pure emotion and share their inner most thoughts with the world.

In Haiti, I took pictures of sculptures and paintings, some were in private homes and others were from the Nadar gallery which reportedly lost 50 perfect of its art. Many of the famous Haitian artists were self taught-- they translated their landscapes and enviroments on to canvas, stone, song and dance.

Sadly there is no national art museum in Haiti, these lost treasures were kept in private galleries. There is no money for such things.

While I mourn the lose of life, I also mourn the lose of art for it was our legacy. It was to outlast us and serve as evidence that our lives meant something.



*The picture attached is my favorite sculpture. The sculpture is owned by my friend's grandmother, who is an avid collector. It is located in her garden. I absolutely love the woman's features, the shape of her eyes, her wide nose and full lips--so beautiful and made in the image and reflection of a Haitian woman.

Plans for Resettlement

The government over the weekend finally revealed it's plan for resettlement. Prime Minister Jean Max Bellerive said the government does not own adequate land to house the 1.2 million displaced so they will annex private land on flat non-flood plains. This is good news albeit it would have been nice to have a decision sooner.

A Government Worthy of its People

In all of the conversations I have with my family and friends of Haitian descent, I am hard pressed to find ONE that trust's the government. Everyone I talk to repeats the same refrain, "they steal, lie, protect the interest of the elite and cheat!" Needless to say, there is deep mistrust and sense that the government is just unreliable.
And now that the eyes of the entire world is on Haiti, the actions of the government are even more scrutinized; its shortcomings tallied and flaws obvious for all to see. I agree that the criticism is warranted, the government doesn't have a great track record. Basic services are not provided and corruption is rampant.

Since the quake, President Rene Preval appears deflated; a shell of a man; still in shock by the magnitude of the personal and national lose felt. He does not appear to have the wherewithal to muster the will and strength to lead.
I understand the deep seeded mistrust but in defense of the government, they have made modest improvements; the most notable being increasing security, attracting foreign investments and reforming the judiciary. Small steps, but steps nonetheless. The US government as a result downgraded travel warnings to the island last fall. The Preval administration does deserve some credit.

My point is this, the government has a very long way to go; if they continue to make improvements, put the needs of the Haitian people first, public trust can begin anew. If not, Haiti will sadly always rely on aid. The government will continue to be weak and the people will not have anyone to hold accountable. We cannot afford to continue to sidestep the government. A country cannot rely on Missionaries and NGOs alone. After all, they don't have to stay.

It upset me to drive around Cap Haitien (called O Kap by the locals) and see billboards proudly boasting that the road, school or water project was funded by the EU, USAID or one of the numerous NGOs on the ground. The billboard should have said "brought you to by the Haitian government."

My Memory of O Kap, Le Cap, 2009

The air is filled with debris. The tropical sun in early August is fierce and unrelenting. Unaccustomed to this heat, I spray on my SPF 30 sun block and lather on layers of insect repellent.
The moment I step outside, beads of sweat form along my brows-- the spray and lotion combo create this greasy film and melt under the pressure of the sun. I am defenseless and hot. I use my bandanna to wipe my face and neck. I am also thinking jeans were a bad choice for the day. I resign myself to deal and try not to appear too bothered and uncomfortable in the heat. After all, this is nothing compared to want millions of Haitians go through-- sweat and mosquito bites will not kill me.

Needless to say, it was one of the many American moments I had in Haiti.

Five Block Radius

I try to imagine it; I think about my neighborhood in Boston. My favorite coffee shop, my hair salon, when I go to buy groceries, the bike trail across from my apartment building, the pizza shop down the street or the post office and bank branch; the 5 block radius that I know like the back of my hand and makes up the majority of where I do my business; the places I go to clear my head or rest after a busy day at work; lying in ruin in 20 seconds. Members of my community or family, dead or trapped beneath the rubble. Any semblance of my life gone.

My cousin *Lisa came back from Jacmel this week. She was there with a medical aid group based in South Florida as a translator for two weeks. She shared that the fear that something worst could happen was palpable, it was evident in the silent gestures, the way people moved about or in the wrinkles on their foreheads. People are genuinely shaken and anxious, worried that another earth quake might come. There are people that refuse to return to their homes, even though they are still standing, preferring the open air over closed walls. But being outdoors has its share of problems too. Rains have started to fall and are proving to be a major test for the delivery of aid. For the 1.2 million displaced, rain is not a friend.

Even still, they make their best effort to move forward, despite the signs of their lost everywhere they turn. A school desk, a shoe, a dress, toys and broken dishes are all reminders that life was there. We may not know all their names or stories but they left us signs that they were here so we do not forget.

* Name changed

Moxie

Much has been said and written about the resiliency of the Haitian people. Moxie, doesn't even begin to describe the people. I wish I had more of it. Last July when my sister and I were in Port-au-Prince we when to an outdoor Mass, celebrating a saint's feast day. We took an umbrella as the sky was grey and the clouds appeared pregnant with rain. There appeared to be 1000 people if not more in this square. On either side of the square people were on top of their roofs sitting in neat rows or peering out their window with out stretched arms, clasping their bibles and rosaries.

Maybe 15 minutes into Mass it started to pour. We huddled under the umbrella, Mass formally stopped, but few people left. I was soaking wet and frankly ready to leave. The rain was an intermission of sorts; in the meantime people sang religious songs and used the time to pray. As the rain subsided, Mass quickly resumed.

At the present moment, the Haitian government has yet to reveal a plan to move people to more suitable lands and tens of thousands have inadequate shelter. There is growing evidence of severe lack of coordination on the part of humanitarian aid organizations on the ground. The latest report revealing high levels of frustration coming from the UN's top humanitarian relief coordinator John Holmes. Five weeks since the quake these tent cities are taking on signs of permanency; lotto stands, barbers, bakers, cooks and others return to the business of life. Scraps of metal and tin are used to reinforce flimsy structures.

People march on despite the harsh and squalid conditions. I know it will take more than moxie to get through this misery but maybe the can-do spirit of the Haitian people will be enough to encourage the rest of us to stick it out in the rain too.

When the Rain Comes

Haiti's rainy season begins in March, barely two weeks away. Hurricane season is from June to November. There are an estimated 1.2 million internally displaced people living in cramped quarters, held up by bed sheets, wood and string. The fancier encampments have plastic sheeting to keep out the rain. And when it rains it Haiti, it pours. Haiti is prone to flooding and has a history of mud slides.

In the short term, plastic sheeting is a must for all tent city dwellers; but come June, people will need more durable structures to protect them from the rain and fend off forceful winds. Without permanent housing or hurricane shelters it will not take much for the wind and rain to literally wash people away. The urgency can not be understated. A concerted and coordinated effort by the Haitian government, UN, NGO community and foreign governments needs to be made to protect this highly vulnerable population.

Time is short, the rain will come.

Kanaval in Jacmel

Today would have been the biggest party in Jacmel, a laid back seaside town located 25 miles South of Port- au- Prince. Jacmel is renowned for its bustling arts community and dazzling Kanaval. The costumes, masks, dances and music capture the spirit of the Haitian people. The three day long party is the lead up to the somber Lenten season in this predominantly Catholic country.

Kanaval was cancelled; there is no momentary suspension from reality this year; little reason to gather in the streets from dusk to dawn, sun kissed and sweaty to dance and sing; not with the fresh memory and smell of pungent corpses still rotting under the rubble.

I am reminded of my lovely grandmother and great uncle who would face the phone to the streets so I could get a taste of the sweet horns blaring; how I wish there was joyous music coming out of Haiti right now instead of wailing motherless children.

Self Determination

The reality for the vast majority of Haitians is a life filled with difficulties. Their lives hang in the balance and their future is not always theirs. It is shaped by what aid groups, missionaries, USAID, MINUSTAH, the Catholic Church, IMF and WB believe it is. Self-determination, having a say about the direction of one's life-- that is stripped away, like dignity.
I have been concerned about the lack of self-determination before the quake and now even more so. There are reportedly 10,000 aid groups in Haiti, celebrity visits and high level diplomats. I believe that most groups are doing the right thing but I am concerned about the reconstruction of Haiti; how it is conducted, who is involved and what the priorities are. This is an opportunity to build a stronger and better Haiti. Its a chance to include ordinary Haitians in the conversation. Its a chance to involve the Diaspora in the US, Canada and France. This is our shot to significantly reduce poverty, strengthen institutions and correct systems of inequality. It will be a missed opportunity if its business as usual.

To Haiti with Love

Today is Valentine's Day and Haiti is on my mind and in my heart. In the summer of 2009 I went to Haiti for 3 weeks and can remember the sites and sounds as if it were yesterday. Car horns in Port-au-Prince beep more than taxis in Midtown, Manhattan! Traditional and colorful Tap-Taps line the streets. The lack of formal employment is not a deterrent for most; as people set up shop on street corners, sidewalks or sell their goods and services via bike or wheel barrel.
Those without electricity use the sun and moon for light and to predict time. Mass is 4 times a day and usually filled with people thanking God for His many blessings but hoping and praying this same God will provide a reprieve from the misery of poverty.
But amidst this harsh and merciless environment is incredible strength and resiliency. Haiti IS a beautiful country; breathtaking mountains, white sandy beaches, amazing art, music, cuisine and warm people. The ingenuity of Haitians impresses me, Haitians have always made a way out of no way. I witnessed a man make copies for people on the street in Port au Prince. Another man, fixed cars on the side of the road in Cap Haitien and women selling their art work in Jacmel. Haitians have an entrepreneurial spirit and its a force to be reckon with!
Haitians know how to get by, they have been doing that since 1804.

January 12th, the Day the Earth Shook

Since January 12th 2010, I have not been the same. I have been trying to make sense of the world since the 7.0 magnitude earth quake shook Port-au-Prince, Haiti and surrounding communities to their core. It has impacted me personally; I don't know a single Haitian person that does not know someone that was killed or lost their home, business, school or church. The impact has been profound.
My love for Haiti has inspired me to create this blog. This blog, although insignificant, is dedicated to Haiti and her people.

As long as I breathe, I will always have hope for Haiti.