Haitian Americans feel Haiti earthquake, aftershocks

Fendy Mesy sat in front of her computer in her dimly lit office on the second floor of Howard University's School of Communications building. She attacked the paper work sprawled across her large desk. She checked the e-mails and consulted with her co-workers about upcoming events in the School's calendar.It was nearly a week since the 7.0 earthquake ravaged Haiti, the first country to be ruled by people of African ancestry. ?Haiti wrench independence from French colonial powers 0n January 1804.

"This is the first time I have been able to focus since last Tuesday," said the 24-year old special projects coordinator. Mesy, a Haitian American with almost her entire family living on the island country, spent the entire week before in a state of agony, waiting to hear from relatives and consoling her frantic mother.

"The first couple of hours were the most challenging," she said. "When I found out I was on my way to LSAT prep class with Rhodes Prep in downtown Washington. ?I got a breaking news email alert on my phone from BET."

"'Breaking news earthquake hit," the message on the email said. Mesy scrolled down to read the rest of the message. Then she saw it. The earthquake had hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

"My eyes just froze," she said. But she recovered enough to call her parents in Silver Spring, MD, who have been living there for 27 years. Her father was watching the news but her mother was on her way to work. She had no idea. Mesy delivered the news to her. Her mother went into complete shock.

Mesy's immediate family has 20 members, only four - three aunts and an uncle - live outside Haiti. Sixteen were in Haiti when the massive earthquake hit the island, which Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic.

For three days, they waited to hear from the 16 relatives, including Mesy's blind grandfather. All have since been found. "I saw my father cry for the first time this weekend," Mesy said.

"I have spoken to friends I haven't spoken to in over a year. This has been one of the most drastic life experiences for me. This hit home."

In LeDroit Park, Haitian American Michelle Previlon can relate to Mesy's experiences all too well. She was sitting in a business meeting in Howard University's Armour J. Blackburn Center on Tuesday around 6 p.m., the day of the earthquake, when she received a chain text message of the earthquake from a friend. She didn't grasp the severity of it until she heard the pain in her mother's voice.

"My mother called me in tears. She is from the most devastated part of Haiti, Port au Prince," Previlon said. Previlon has never been to Haiti, but she grew up in a section of Brooklyn, New York, where the Haitian culture is abundant and has given her a connection to her parent's homeland.

"In Haiti, people don't relocate too often," she said. "So many of the people my mother left either perished or are missing."

Previlon's mother is a nurse and has left for Haiti on a medical rescue mission. The earthquake has triggered a massive relief response from all over the world.

"This disaster shows how countries come together to help," said Ivon Alceme, co-host of a Washington-based Haitian radio show, 'Konbit Lakay,' on WPFW, 83.9 FM. " But, in Haiti we need to prepare more for things like this."

Alceme took a swipe at Haiti's legendary week or incompetent leadership. ?"When leaders are elected, we need to be sure that there is a structure in place to protect as many people as possible," he said. "It was obvious that we as Haitians don't have that. It's sad."

The Haitian government, he said, has historically been unable to protect its people from the aftermath of disasters. ?In September 2008, hurricanes left the port city of Gonaives, home of many farmers, submerged under water. ?To this day, Gonaives is still contaminated and destroyed. The majority of its residents have deserted it to find work in other places.

Alceme hopes the same does not happen to Port au Prince, but wonders what will happen when the stories from Haiti are yesterday's news.

"The buildings that were destroyed belong to rich people, so when they rebuild Port au Prince they will build for the rich people," Alceme said. "There are over 3 million people in Port au Prince, which is too many, but poor people move there from the countryside in search of work and a better way of life."

Food, medical supplies now are nice, but how will the people continue to benefit from the help down the road?" Alceme wondered.

"I'm afraid the poor will be left behind. The food, water, help is coming now and that's fine, but what happens when CNN, FOX are gone? Who's going to follow the little people when they are forced to leave?" Alceme asked. ?"When the media leave, I want to go down there and make sure the rebuilding is not for a few. It's for everybody.