In less than an hour from now it will be exactly one week since the 7.0 earthquake devastated Haiti.
On Friday, the Hip Hop Caucus launched www.HipHopHelpHaiti.org, as a network and resource for the Hip Hop community to organize for Haiti. Tonight, we are holding a National Conference Call on Haiti at 9:00pm EST/6:00pm PST. I'd like to open this up for everyone to join. Here are the details
Date: Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Time: 9:00pm EST/6:00pm PST
Call-in Instructions: At the time of the call, or a few minutes early, dial: 1 (712) 432-0075; when prompted by the operator enter this access code: 802697#
International callers can call-in using Skype (instructions are here).
Confirmed speakers include Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus; Ron Daniels, Institute of the Black World 21st Century, members of the White House team, former editor of Source and Vibe Magazines Erik Parker, who was in Haiti during the earthquake; and rap superstars David Banner, Jim Jones, and MC Lyte, and celebrity personality and Haiti cultural ambassador Omarosa.
In preparation for the rebuilding in Haiti, we must start organizing our advocacy efforts to ensure that the people of Haiti have a strong recovery. We have already had a small victory in the granting of Temporary Protective Status to the 30,000 Haitian nationals who were in the U.S. before the earthquake and were under threat for deportation.
We need to advocate further for things like debt cancellation, and humanitarian aid in the form of grants. Tonight's call will in-part cover these issues, so please join the call. Also, it is critical that you become a member of HipHopHelpHaiti.org, so that we can work together to keep Haiti a priority after the international news media leaves. Join now.
HipHopHelpHaiti.org is not an organization, it is a network meant to empower people to organize in response to the crisis in Haiti. We are committed to updating this site with concrete ways to provide assistance now to the Haitian people. We also open this site up for you to put forth the information you have and the projects you are doing or want to get started. You can create awareness events and fundraisers, start discussions, start groups...start organizing now.
Power to the People!
Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr.