The news media showed pictures of the immediate family and family friends. What I found amazing is that it appears that only light-skinned Cubans are trying to escape from their homeland. I saw the Cuban basketball team in the late Olympics. I have also seen pictures of Cubans in a television special one by Harry Belafonte. What I saw were dark-skinned Cubans having the time of their lives. It made me wonder, in light of what I have been told by African people living in Florida, that the light-skinned Cubans are more racist that some southerners. What is really going on in Cuba, and what is this Elian Gonzales issue about? The more I got into thinking this way, the more questions were raised. Why are most of the people trying to escape from Cuba light-skinned? Why are the majority of the athletics in the Olympics dark-skinned? The women's basketball team and the volleyballs teams were the bomb. They were some big, pretty sisters. I also thought of the Haitians. Why are Haitians sent back to Haiti and Cubans allowed to stay in America? They are both supposedly oppressed people. The Haitians are dark and the Cubans, who are trying to escape, light. Is there something more than meets the eye?
The last week of January 2005, the Fifth Annual World Social Forum was held in Porto Alegre, Brazil, bringing together 150,000 grassroots leaders, intellectuals and activists to discuss how the world can be made more free and more just. The conference's theme was "Another World Is Possible," and the speakers and participants showed that another, more fair treatment of Haiti is possible. The conference's keynote speaker, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, discussed the debt that the world owes Haiti in a press conference. He acknowledged that Haiti's Constitutional President had been kidnapped, and declared that he and other Latin American Presidents understood that there could be no solution to Haiti's crisis without President Aristide. At a workshop in Porto Alegre, called "Haiti, the International Community's Dictatorship," speakers from Haiti, the U.S. and the Caribbean led a discussion of the human rights crisis in Haiti, and explored ways that people from outside Haiti could promote the country's sovereignty and the return of its democracy.
Collectively, these works, done in a burned-looking technique called 'soleil brulé', spell out Haiti. While visiting his daughters, who live in Inverrary, TIGA proudly displayed stacks of the paintings - each different and haunting, each either spiritual or personal portrayals of Haitian vodou gods and goddesses or his beloved relatives. Haiti through the lens of a camera is portrayed in "Haiti: Land of Contrasts," from May 7 to 29, at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center in Fort Lauderdale. It features the images of Roberto Stephenson, author of Les Interiors d'Haiti, and Daniel Kedar, whose books include Reflections, Haiti from Above, and Portrait of a Country. The final event of the month takes place at 7 p.m. on May 22 at the Broward County Main Library, when Dr. Alex Stepick will speak on "Perception of the Haitian Profile." He'll be followed by another lecturer, Terry Rey of Florida International University, who'll discuss "Religion and Politics in Haitian History."
Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990. According to the World Factbook, Aruba exports live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment and transport equipment to the Netherlands, Columbia, Panama, the United States, Venezuela and the Netherlands Antilles.
Biographer Delia Jarrett-Macauley stumbled across Marson's name while doing research for another book. The book has been well-received throughout Britain. Copies have sold out during every one of Jarrett-Macauley's book-signings and scheduled talks. "I saw this clipping that said, `Una Marson, the well-known BBC producer is now on holiday in Jamaica.' And I said: `What! You mean we had a black woman producer at the BBC as early as 1945 and we don't know about it.' I decided her story must be known," she said. Marson joined the BBC in 1936 and made an immediate impact, rising rapidly through the ranks. In 1942 she became the West Indies producer and created the Caribbean Voices programme, which won exposure and respectability for Caribbean writers and poets.
Randall Robinson, founder and president of TransAfrica will speak at 12:30 p.m. at the Black Business and Professional Association's (BBPA) 4th Annual African American Economic Summit to be held Saturday, May 20 at the Renaissance Long Beach Hotel from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Robinson is a noted activist and author of Defending the Spirit: A Black Life in America. He is best known for his leadership in spearheading the movement to influence United States policies toward Africa and the Caribbean. Robinson played a significant role in the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa in the 1980s and the restoration of Democracy in Haiti.
Haitian konpa groups have developed a reputation as one of the liveliest facets of the West Indian celebrations. "Everybody agreed to bring costumes, which could mean that they will be all in uniformity and coordinated with the leader of the group of whichever band it is," said Jean Alexander, spokeswoman for the Carnival Association. "They are going to be visited by some of the members, to see what it is they are portraying." Haitian konpa groups have developed a reputation as one of the liveliest facets of the West Indian celebrations. "Everybody agreed to bring costumes, which could mean that they will be all in uniformity and coordinated with the leader of the group of whichever band it is," said Jean Alexander, spokeswoman for the Carnival Association. "They are going to be visited by some of the members, to see what it is they are portraying."
Beneficiaries thus far include: West Yorkshire's Cosmos, assigned L30,000 to stage a year-long exhibition for local ethnic communities; Liverpool's Nigerian Community Development Project, given L90,000 to refurbish its Grade II listed building; Wales's Gateway historic parks and gardens access project, granted L113,000; Brixton's National Museum and Archive of Black History, handed L302,000; and central London's Coram's Fields play area for children, awarded £1m for a complete restoration. [Helen Jackson] says there are many ways in which HLF can benefit the black community and that it is particularly keen to address issues such as social exclusion, depravation and young people's concerns. "We want to ensure lottery funding goes to all groups," she says. "We are aware we have more to do in really promoting equality of access to our funding.
"The launch event in March was really successful. Everything came together for a totally perfect night," Laura Quinla, Rhythm Foundation Director said. "What was especially cool was that it was a lot of different kinds of people of all backgrounds and ages having a great time together." "It is important to focus on the wealth of culture that Haiti has great music, art, dance. The culture is so rich. Little Haiti also has a lot of nice experiences to offer the general public," Quinla said. "We are hoping our night grows and encompasses all the artist studios, cultural venues, shops and restaurants in the area. I think it will be something people throughout South Florida will look forward to every month."
The first Africans came to America in August, so obviously, it's our entire history - in so far as the celebration or acknowledgement was. It has to do with [Jonathan Jackson], George Jackson and prisons. I believe in a time when the United States has more people in prison than any other industrialized nation, the prediction that if the current rate of incarceration stays the way it is now, one in three men will be incarcerated or on parole in 2020, which is not very far. I think it is contingent on us to look at that - the re-enslavement of African Americans continuing. I think this benefit for Haiti is important, because of what Haiti represents - a nearby island that had a successful slave rebellion, it has always suffered from intrusions from America from as far back as the 1800s, so I think joining together the national and international struggles is important. It is important for African Americans to look at themselves locally, nationally and internationally - to see ourselves in the world. Black August 2003 offers an opportunity to do that.
