My
goal with this project was to bring back images of Haiti to make people
aware
of what the Haitian people endure to survive from day to day.
There
is no news coverage when dozens of Haitians are killed or kidnapped on
a daily basis.
Despite
the inhumane conditions these people live in (extreme heat and humidity,
with little shelter,
little
food and medicine, and daily violence and fear) these people survive with
grace.
They
have big hearts and big smiles.
They
greet each other with a hearty Creole "Como ou yey" (How are you?)
The
answer is always: "Pa pe mal" (Not too bad!)
It
is so ironic that in one of the most poverty-stricken, disease-ridden and
most violent
spots
on the Earth, no one ever answers "Pa bon" (not good) to the question.
I purposely
did not photograph people who were sick, in pain or in deep poverty.
These
proud people deserve their dignity and I respected their feelings and wishes.
As
a "blanche" (white,) I was representing my country and race to a weary,
wary and
mistreated
people. I would not want someone aiming their camera at me when I
was down.
I
asked permission (sometimes with an interpreter) before I photographed
and attempted
to
record what I saw without drawing attention to myself.
The
people that I photographed tell the story of a country devoid of hope.
Most
people live in shacks (many with no roofs) with no running water, electricity
or
sewers (garbage is simply tossed out into the street along with raw sewage.)
There
is no industry in Haiti - nothing to sell or trade to the world.
Due
to the political instability and violence, no one wants to come to Haiti
for
business
or tourism. They are simply a people, that because of their unique
situation
(poor intervention on the part of powerful countries of the world,)
cannot
help themselves.
We
all have a responsibility to find a way to help these people.
I
challenge each and every one of you to do what I did:
Go
there. See for yourselves.
I
guarantee that you'll never take all that you have for granted again.
At
least look at the images I brought back (online, on DVD
or in a gallery)
and
feel what I felt while I was there.
