Hello Family, Friends, Colleagues and Supporters,
The crisis in Haiti has brought a range of emotions in Haiti and inthe Diaspora. The immediate need for medical attention and basic necessities outweighs everything else. But as the evacuation of Port au Prince continues, the emotional reactions will manifest in Haitiand the Diaspora as well. We have already been a fragile community and now the sense of normalcy is strained. It is imperative that we begin to examine ourselves as a community and as members of a global community. Action is not always overt but must be deliberate. We are urging those who have specific skills within the Diaspora and global community tojoin us in thinking and strategizing about the most effective ways to rebuild, reform, and recreate the spirit of a nation of survivors. The notion of personal and spiritual independence and freedom is integral to the fiber of Haitian people. My husband, Blondel Joseph, and I are putting our skills together for a project of Hope and Resilience. I am a school psychologist and received my doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. For the past seven years, I have primarily worked with supporting Haitian students who have survived political, social, and physical trauma in the U.S. and Haiti. My husband is an artist and graduated from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. He has facilitated several art workshops on identity and resilience for young people in the U.S., Europe, and Haiti. With our talents and experience, we are launching a program using the arts in Haiti. We want to facilitate art sessions for survivors and their families and create murals of hope throughout Haiti. We are calling the project Walls of Hope. In 2007, we began a community project in the north of Haiti. We have gotten word that many students we have worked with that were pursuing higher education opportunities in Port-au-Prince have lost their lives. Thus we have chosen to create our first mural in Saint Raphael, Haiti, where we plan to run retreats throughout the summer on our property. We are asking you to donate one or more tubes of acrylic (of all colors), paintbrushes, artist kits of various sizes, and tents. Wewill also take donations toward buying supplies in Haiti, such as food, tents, and sleeping bags, etc. for the retreats. We are hoping to collect 500 tubes of paint, 100 brushes, 20 sleeping bags, and 10 tents. We will use our own funds to construct the wall. Please let us know if you know of art therapists or any others who maybe willing to help facilitate the project in Haiti. And please send donations of any kind to 2800 SW 73rd Way, Apt. 1602, Davie, FL 33314. Also, feel free to contact us with questions or for additional details.
Warm Regards,
Blondel Joseph / Charlene Desir
