rodney leon
GRITtv: Haiti 6 Months Post-Quake; Attention to Despair
The aftermath of the earthquake that rocked Haiti six months ago had faded from the headlines when Haitian-American hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean announced that he would run for president of the country. Meanwhile, most Haitians are still struggling to rebuild, lacking basic necessities and sometimes succumbing to despair. Marie St. Cyr and Rodney Leon have both been working to help rebuild Haiti; St. Cyr with MADRE and the Lambi Fund of Haiti and Leon as an architect, designing and helping to implement "soft houses" as interim solutions for those left homeless by the quake. They both returned to our studio to discuss the ongoing need for attention to Haiti's problems, and whether Wyclef's campaign will help or hurt.
Email this pageGRITtv: Rodney Leon: Mourning and Moving Forward in Haiti
Nearly a month ago, Haitian-American architect Rodney Leon was part of our panel discussion on a possible future for Haiti. The devastation from January's earthquake is beginning to be cleared, but the country still faces nearly unimaginable challenges in rebuilding. Rodney Leon joined Laura again in studio to tell us what's happened since the quake, which plans are moving forward, and what it will take to rebuild the country better and safer than before.
GRITtv: Looking Past Disaster: Possibilities for Haiti
The Heritage Foundation didn't wait very long after the earthquake in Haiti to issue its recommendations for Shock Doctrine-style "reforms," and the IMF has already offered a conditional loan to help rebuild. Haiti has seen enough of this type of policy already, and is in need of a different type of thinking: one not imposed from without, but developed from within the country and its communities. To discuss what would really help the people of Haiti, we ask architect Rodney Leon, working on the Belle Reve sustainable housing development in Haiti and a member of The Haitian Roundtable group, Michele Wucker, executive director of the World Policy Institute and Bill Fletcher Jr., executive editor of Black Commentator. If you've already given money but want to know what else you can do, we suggest joining the growing calls for forgiving Haiti's foreign debts. Some nations have already said they will do so, but more pressure can only help. The ONE campaign, the Hunger Site, and Jubilee USA have action you can take, and you can also contact your congressperson.
