Haiti: Sunshine after Devastating Earthquake

Although it is proving to be a challenge to get donations, medical care, food and water to all parts of Haiti due to blockages of debris and rubble on the roadways to and from the airport and other major roads, I ask that we press on. There is nothing God cannot do if we believe. For with God all things are possible. Peace and love go to my Haitian people both here in the states and abroad in Haiti, especially during this devastating condition in which an estimation of close to 4 million people in and around Port-Au-Prince (Petion-ville) have been affected. The water is contaminated, and the scent of dead bodies permeates the environment while its remains decompose, causing widespread plagues and infestation of bacteria (parasites) viral, and airborne diseases such as Tuberculosis, Malaria, HIV, and Malaria--to name a few. At this time, the aftermath outweighs the hundreds of relief workers as thousands of natives wait on extremely LONG lines for help or take the dangerous journey instead to seek help and support in hospitals such as the one in Cap Haitien and in other neighboring cities. Others await for help pinned under buildings and debris at this point close to death if not dead already. Yet, more natives in neighboring cities such as Jacmel, Leogane, and Carrefour are without electricity, food, water, and most of all, shelters as their surroundings too have crumbled into millions of pieces from the quake. These areas necessitate immediate attention as the damages sustained here are unparalleled yet are not captured by the media. But relief workers are putting their best foot forward in catering to the wounded, the hungry, and the missing, which warrants a sincere appreciation for their timely response and tireless efforts to save lives.

So be good courage and keep the faith. God WILL provide a way in doing so not only through the support of philanthropists and humanitarians around the world, but also by the spiritual strength and emotional support by our own people and by people who aren’t afraid to love across races and cultures despite socioeconomic statuses because love is the only thing that remains after all materialistic things perish. This catastrophe only highlights the need to assist Haiti continuously. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere with 90% of the country living in poverty and 30% of those in abject poverty. Adult literacy is at 56% with approximately 90% of the school being private---unaffordable to most as unemployment is high and minimum wage at $1.70. It is unfortunate that it takes this natural disaster to bring the conditions of this country to light when this has been ongoing for decades. But right now, we can focus on the primary: to help save lives.

A big thank you to President Obama and his administration for their immediately action and dedication to relief efforts as he has pledge to offer $100MM. His exclaims the importance to assist during this hour of need. Honorable Bill Clinton is appreciated for his dedication as the Envoy for Haiti over the last few years and his sponsored fund to continue streamlining their development and now their recovery. Also a special thanks to Wyclef Jean, Haitian-born American Musician and Ambassador, who started Yele.org with $1MM from his own pocket for the namesake and dignity of Haiti. He relentlessly continues without ceasing to bring awareness and change to what some call a "forsaken country." Sincere gratitude to Dr. Stephen Carryl and Dr. Jean Claude Compas from Brooklyn who have organized donations for relief in Haiti and have arranged to travel there to medically assist the country. Notwithstanding, Mayor Bloomberg, Councilman Mathieu Eugene, and Elsie St. Louis Accilien (from Haitian Americans United for Progress) are being very resourceful in rallying up New Yorkers of all ethnicties to help. Last, I would like to thank all the countries (Dominican Republic, Germany, China, Spain, France, Mexico, etc.) and celebrities who are committed to the cause!

To inquiry about conditions or family/friends in Haiti, please call 1888-407-4747. To provide support, please visit my team's fundraising intiative of UNICEF: inside.unicefusa.org. Other reptubable organizations/websites include http://www.yele.org/ http://haitirelieffund.org/index.html, clintonfoundation.org/haiti, doctorswithoutborders.org. www.vwaayiti.org http://www.forhaitiwithlove.org/.

You can also text YELE to 501501 to donate $5 via your cell phone, or text "HAITI" to "90999" (American Cross) to make a $10 donation. The amount will be added to your next phone bill. Food, water, and money is the two importance resources needed at this time as these directly assist in retaining the wounded by providing nutrition and paying for medical assistance. Blankets and others items of bulk are too expensive to ship at this time. Other organizations are

World Vision and CONCERN (www.concern-worldwide.org).

P.S. I desire to coordinate a team or join a team to travel to Haiti to help in orphanages and help rebuild schools and homes in the near future. Please contact me if you desire to unite for this cause or have information about a team joining for this initiative.
Please reply or contact me with your comments and feedback.

Mexcian Discrimination due to Swine Flu

Originally Posted May 2009.....

So....I saw a question in the newspaper yesterday asking whether Mexicans are being discriminated against or whether people are protecting themselves against the flu. There is no doubt that this strain of the flu is medically linked to Mexico, but are people blaming Mexicans for getting sick or having the propensity to get sick with this rare viral infection? There are mixed reviews responding to this question. From what I sense, Americans are treating this flu strain as if it were a life-threatening illness. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), there have been 896 confirmed cases of the Swine Flu throughout 41 states and 2 deaths, one of whom was a baby in Arizona originally from Mexico, and the other was a teacher from Texas. In New York, only 98 people have been "infected" with the flu, most of whom recovered without hospitalization or medication. Yet, the response from people is a bit outrageous. Grant it, no one wants to fall ill from an ailment that can be "prevented." Notwithstanding, this strain of the flu is spreading at rapid speed as "24 countries have officially reported 2371 cases of the [swine flu ]"( http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html). Therefore, medication has to continue being produced and distributed as fast as needed and in some cases faster as to not run out. But have Americans been taking precautionary measures to prevent the normal strain of influenza in the past years, which kills over 30,000 a year? How many people actually receive an influenza vaccination each year flu? Why is it now that everyone wants to start the Purell craze. It is typical for people to panic when something bad happens. But why is it that the CDC and other health departments/agencies must inform us to practice "good cough etiquette" and that washing one's hands throughout the day can help circumvent various bacterial and viral infections? Is not washing your hands with soap and water something every mother teaches her child at a tender age? In New York, I see a prevalence of face masks, hand sanitizers, and napkins to open doors and hold on to subway polls. Why now? News flash! If you have not been taking care of your immune system, all the hand sanitizer in the world will not prevent you from getting sick!

So are Mexicans really the blame? I think its common to want to find someone to blame, but the reality is that many viruses, infections, and diseases exist in this world. So why not eat healthy, exercise, take multivitamins, and do things necessary to limit the risks of falling ill to these ailments on a daily basis as opposed to frantically running to hardware stores and pharmacies to pick up large supplies of latex gloves, face masks, and Vitamin C when word goes around that influenza is spreading and is highly contagious? In this way, being selfish is not such a negative thing.

To answer my own question, I do not think Mexicans are the blame as to why others are sick neither are the Americans who brought the flu back to the states. It is a cosmic happenstance! Do I think they are being discriminated against? I cannot say I sense such a feeling. I believe that people want to protect themselves from becoming ill, but I just feel as though some measures are extreme. While we are overly concerned about preventing a flu, I urge everyone to think of the hundreds who have died in Mexico and other countries because either they lack the resources to combat the illness or their immune systems are not strong enough to fight it while waiting for help...or a combination of the two. Mongolia and other countries are now receiving vaccinations, and it is pleasing to see us becoming more interdependent and helping each other for an important cause instead of dividing against each other to satisfy our own interests. While neither you or I could have prevented this from occurring, I hope we are appreciative to have the technology to not only detect the viral infection but also to develop resources to cure it.

To conclude, one of the most "influential and outspoken countries in the world" sizes as a apart of the bigger picture we call THE WORLD, which can still fall susceptible to a wide-spread illness. We are fortunate enough to have the means to restore back to health from various illnesses and must share that with those who are not as fortunate. I'm appreciative to know that the CDC is working in dispensing vaccinations worldwide as we are all ONE and need each other to survive. From what I hear from CNN and other news stations, the Swine vaccination is offered for FREE in various locations to combat this annoying "pig" bug! Check the CDC website for details.

I'm set up. Now what?

For starters, I've been thinking about blogging since....FOREVER! At first, I was unsure whether this style of writing was right for me. It took me a while to realize that there is no "real" style. Blogging is about writing how and what you think and feel. One's rhetoric is of less or no importance at all. I appreciate all the bloggers who have come before me and encourage all those who are interested in placing their thoughts on papers, so to speak, to start blogging. I have chosen this venue over twitter because I'd rather discuss issues of concern....things plaguing us, laws inhibiting us, and taboo norms that seem to only benefit a selected few....than to post my hour to hour schedule...Yes, urination is normal, sleeping is necessary, and talking on the phone to a new love interest is fun, but exclaming those personables about yourself only reflects just that: YOU. While I do not wholeheartedly condemn such social venues, I personally believe that the world is bigger than just you or me. The difference of what people are versus what they proclaim to be is that we are the center of "our" world, not of "the" world.