Dear Source:
The world is changed.
Inarguably the proudest and most honorable moments in world history have been when people separated by age, culture and country come together for a unified cause; when a nation of people put aside their differences in order to help those less fortunate, struggling or deserving; days when we set aside time from our “busy schedules” to recognize the unsung heroes that walk among us, or that may live very far away. These are the moments we should revel in.
To quote a brother of mine “never in modern history has the world seen a people with such resilience as that of a Haitian,” and history has shown this to be true.
Let’s take a quick look back at the history of the Republic of Haiti: This country is the first independent nation in Latin America or the Caribbean and also holds the honor of being the first black-governed republic in the world. The Haitian people have survived numerous natural disasters alongside years of political and economic strife, a history of both riots and rebellions, and being the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Such a rich and sordid history deserves nothing less than all of our respect and recognition.
Margaret Mead, a very popular cultural anthropologist during the 1960s once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has." The campaigns spurred by the earthquakes have been hugely successful, raising millions of dollars in just a few days. Charitable organizations have come to the forefront, using their resources and manpower to help those affected, celebrities have used their power and wealth to make valuable contributions, and everyday people have also done their part with the ease of the text message campaigns. On Friday, the “Hope for Haiti Now” telethon was able to raise over $58 million dollars for the people of Haiti.
As the news cameras move out of the devastation and the newspapers move on to more “timely” stories, let us not forget what happened on January 12th. The most recent estimates set the death toll at over 150,000 in the capital alone. I implore you all to do a little research and to get involved.
Ways to help:
Stay informed through the Virgin Islands online Source web site
Contact your local American Red Cross or text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10
Contact UNICEF or text UNICEF to 20222 to donate $10
Check out yele.org
At the end of the day the only thing that truly separate us and our individual plights are the seas and oceans; don’t let the opportunity to make a difference pass you by. Sincerely,
Stephanie Felix
Christiansted, St. Croix
