The BIG Show January 22, 2010
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I had to take a breather from Haiti. After a week of following twitter feeds and facebook groups and blogs -an intensive re immersion into this land and Her people (it’s been a year since I was there last)- I just had to step away from the computer and from the television. A luxury indeed…I think what did it for me was the CNN clip of Anderson Cooper ‘rushing in’ to ’save’ a bloodied child from some ‘looting incident’. My frustration had been the trend in which the media had been going. The whole looting thing seemed to have taken over. Anderson’s heroics just…I dunno, kinda cheapened the story for me. Took it to a level of ‘desperate for ratings’ kinda vibe. Even on the cover of Canada’s National Newspaper, the tried and true, Globe and Mail was there a pic of a Haitian cop beating on a looter with the caption, ‘Street Justice’. I mean, COME ON! I suppose the Globe too follows that adage, IF IT BLEEDS, IT READS.
But now I’m back at it just in time for the big George Clooney “Hope for Haiti Now” Telethon. Wow, it’s like it’s 1980 all over again, complete with a re hashing of ‘we are the world’! Enjoy!
Shifting from a Devastated Haiti to… January 18, 2010
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Lavalas supporters are caught in a torrential downpour in St. Marc in 2003
It’s been a week now. There are some stories of survivors still being pulled from the wreck but we will all hang our hats on the fact that those who could have been saved, have been saved. Time to breath. Time to mourn. And time to move on? While Charlie Beckett suggests media is looking for something else to “lead” on and apparently it’s up to we Social Media types to keep the ball rolling. I’m hoping like hell that people stick around and, as Robert Fatton Jr. says, “go beyond the tragic, emotional situation…” and look deeper into why the Haitian Government was “utterly” unprepared for this. Here’s a good read by Greg Marx on this.
There are so many threads to this event that must be looked into. Please don’t move on from Haiti just yet. Haitians need our understanding and our respect.
I’ve got an exhibit of my work from Haiti coming up over the month of February at Crema Coffee in Toronto. 50% of print sales will go to an as yet to be determined Charity focused on Haiti’s rebuilding. Pls come out and support!
I’m not the only photog doing what he/she can! Check out this post in the most excellent blog ” a photoeditor”.
an Excellent quote on Haiti’s future January 16, 2010
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George Packer
There’s a live event on Jan 19th as well
For those of us who have been lucky enough to go and ‘get schooled’ in Haiti, watching the world respond to this calamity has been somewhat bittersweet. Obviously it is incredibly and profoundly positive to have so many people focused on helping. It has been HUGE, we can all agree. However, my fear is that the misconception of Haiti and her culture will just be perpetuated. The images we have been bombarded with are what we will remember most after this fades from the top spot on Google…
My experiences in Haiti over the past 10 years were filled with laughter, beauty, and poignancy. I went there thinking to myself all I could teach these people, only to get there and realize all that they could teach me! I remember most affectionately (and humbly) being challenged to a game of basketball by some kids at an inner-city court. I was feeling pretty good about my ball skills in those days…but what followed was a thorough drubbing at the hands of these young studs. I sat exhausted -benched as it were- courtside in the scorching mid day sun, rubbing my aching and burning feet, and I watched these kids play on and on. It occurred to me that many of them had schooled me barefoot for godsakes! I remember thinking at the time how this was a perfect metaphor for the the tenacity and resolve of a grandly misunderstood people!
Rebuilding January 15, 2010
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St Marc, Haiti, 2009
I suggested a must read link yesterday in my post and I feel the need to repeat the importance of what Robert Maguire and Robert Fatton Jr. are saying. Here’s the link again. Having spent time in rural Haiti over the past 10 years, I am especially keen on Dr. Maquire’s take on what needs to be done: Establish opportunities in rural Haiti for the displaced people in Port au Prince. After all, it is where most living in the city came from originally! Here’s a quote from his piece:
“The impact of the earthquake has been exacerbated by the huge migration to Port-au-Prince over the past three decades, as Haiti’s rural economy and people have been neglected by both the Haitian government and, largely, by international donors…”
I highly recommend these two if you are curious about where your donated money should go.
Vital and Beautiful Haiti January 14, 2010
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This is a time for us all to act. Whatever charity you choose. Wycliff’s is AWESOME. Go there and text your support. The Canadian Red Cross is another you can trust…Please beware of scams. Sadly, it’s no big surprise that there are vultures who profit off this kinda thing. Speaking of which, how’d you like that KING SCUM, Pat Robertson’s take on Haiti? What a douche. Here is a piece that is a MUST READ when it comes to what is really going on and what needs to be done: READ IT!
Anyway, AFTER you’ve acted take some time to pray, meditate, light a candle…whatever it is you do. At some point do yourself a favor and take the time to learn a little about this much-maligned land. This is not the first time we’ve been inundated with horrifying images of Haiti. In fact with new media’s pervasive influence, Haiti is a country many of us had written off as perpetually messed up LONG before this even. Those that are familiar with my work know this popular misconception is something I’ve been looking to beat down for ages: to educate we rich North Americans about Haiti, the Capable…Haiti, the Sublime….Haiti, the Beautiful…Haiti, the Vital!
And that’s where I’m going to leave this post. Take some time to go through my images of Haiti. At the very least it’ll be a welcome break from what we’ve been seeing over the past day or so….but also I hope these inspire you to look deeper into the question of ‘what is Haiti’. Please do not write Her off as pathetic, poor, needy, but rather, understand that this country, and her people have much to offer and much to teach us.
Please pass these around to people who you think might need them….
