The Haiti We Love You solidarity and prayer march occured in Brooklyn, New York on January 30th, 2010 in homage to the victims of the January 12th earthquake which devestated Haiti. At 11 am in freezing temparatures, people started gathered at the corner of Church and Rogers Avenues. At noon, everyone started walking chanting variations of “Haiti Will Rise Again”. The walk ended about a mile down Rogers Avenue at the Medgar Evers Univertsity gymnasium where city officials and various organizations gave speeches and closed out the ceremony. The march is sponsored by the West Indian American Day Carnival Association, the Caricom Consular Corps and a number Haitian groups and Caribbean organizations from around New York city.
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‘Haiti We Love You’ prayer march in Brooklyn offers support for New Yorkers
In too many instances, Haiti’s devastating earthquake and its victims have left the front pages of daily newspapers and the lead stories on mainstream radio and television. But in the Haitian community here, the 7.0 magnitude quake will be front page news for years to come. In the wake of disaster, the search for normalcy continues in New York.
There’s a tremendous feeling of helplessness being experienced by thousands of Haitian-Americans, who are watching and reading of the disaster, and mourning the death of relatives and friends.
All New Yorkers are invited to public outpouring for support, “Haiti We Love You” solidarity and prayer march on Saturday in Brooklyn, beginning at 11 a.m. at Rogers and Church Aves. The march is sponsored by the West Indian American Day Carnival Association, the Caricom Consular Corps and a number Haitian groups and Caribbean organizations from around the city. Call (718) 467-1797.
The issue of education back in Haiti is being raised by Haitian-American educators, explained Myriam Augustin, as she appeared last week on host Hugh Hamilton’s “Talk Back!” radio show on WBAI (99.5-FM).
Augustin, a veteran educator, is part of an ad hoc committee working to provide quality schooling for Haitian students after the quake. She was one of several New York Haitian community leaders discussing the earthquake’s aftermath. As another show guest, professor Nicole Falade of Long Island University said, the Haitian children need “food for the mind.” Falade said LIU will hold a one-day course examining the Haiti disaster on Feb. 22 and a benefit concert the following day.
The entire WBAI interview is available to hear at http://archive.wbai.org/ (look for the Jan. 20 edition of “Talk Back!"). And for information in the ad hoc educators committee and the LIU events, call Falade at (718)488-1252.
Phyllis Corbin, principal of Public School 269 in Brooklyn, said her school started a campaign to aid the relief effort and ease the pain of the many Haitian students at the school. Students, staffers and volunteers are pitching in. Call (718) 941-2800.
In Queens, Haitian Americans United for Progress and Council member Leroy Comrie (D-Queens) are accepting relief supplies and donations from the residents of southeast Queens, home for many Haitians and other Caribbean immigrants. Call (718) 776-3700.
