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Tufts Medford Campus Forum on Haiti
January 25, 2010
Sponsored by Tisch College, the Institute for Global Leadership and the Schools of Art and Sciences and Engineering, this open forum provided a venue for students to come together to provide information, share ideas for responding, serve as resources for each other, and mobilize to achieve a maximum impact. Below are the notes from all the presenters at that meeting. If you have any additional announcements or would like to request volunteers please contact Mindy Nierenberg at mindy.nierenberg@tufts.edu.
Introduction: Dr. Aidee Herman, Faculty, School of Dental Medicine
• Helped to organize humanitarian efforts through the dental school by providing radiology equipment, and to create dental clinics in Haiti (2005 & 2008). • Similar humanitarian efforts in Ecuador and Peru.
A Community Perspective: Representative from the Somerville Haitian Coalition
• Providing grief counseling for the Somerville Haitian community • Helping to connect with families through text message application • Helping to coordinate disaster relief efforts in Somerville • In April, a medical delegation will be sent to Haiti: Somerville Haitian Coalition will organize with Mayor’s office, and local organizations to coordinate volunteer efforts, especially among medical professionals and mental health specialists. • Needs: Looking for monetary donations, as well as donations for medical trip (ie: alcohol, alcohol wipes, hand sanitizer, bandages – large & small, Vaseline, sterile water, large rolls of gauze, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Advil, Antibiotics for wounds) to Haiti.
City of Somerville Response: Jackie Rosetti, City of Somerville
• City of Somerville will be holding a fundraiser on Friday February 19th • Needs: Seeking performers, or student groups to volunteer or participate in the events City of Medford Response: Gwen Blackburn, City of Medford
• Organizing a tri-city relief effort, including Medford/Malden/ Everett • Students at Medford High School were given a media opportunity to talk about relatives they’ve lost, and their general thoughts and concerns • Medford High School has started collecting monetary donations; thus far raising $4,000 in • Travel to Haiti – passport issues – contact Congressman Edward J. Markey’s Office in Medford Square at 5 High Street, Suite 101, Medford MA 02155. Phone: 781-396-2900. 6th 2010– a Medford group will be taking medical supplies down to Haiti. Hallmark Health is also sending doctors along with Partners in Health. • Needs: Donations of lightly worn clothing and bedding, which can be dropped off in the six bins in the front foyer of Medford City Hall. Donations of new underwear, socks and tee shirts are also being accepted. • Needs: Donations of medical supplies (ie: alcohol, alcohol wipes, hand sanitizer, bandages – large & small, Vaseline, sterile water, large rolls of gauze, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Advil, Antibiotics for wounds), can be dropped off at the Board of Health Office, 3rd Floor, Medford City Hall.
Efforts at TUSM: Amy Kuhlik, Joyce Sackey, Tufts School of Medicine

• Think about what we can do not only for the immediate, but for the sustained and long-term • Meeting on the Tufts Boston Campus next Monday, February 1st at 4:30 pm, on possible • TUSM Website has a list of organizations that are established that are working on the ground, including: UNICEF-UN, US Department of State, American Red Cross, Americares, Oxfam America, World Food Program, Save-the-Children, and the Salvation Army.
Idea Presentations

Sherman Teichman, Institute of Global Leadership

• EXPOSURE will be working with Photo VII, who has been providing images from Haiti, to create a book of images that will be sold to raise money for Doctors of the World and Partners in Health. The project will take about 3 weeks to complete. • Raised $30,000 so far for Partners in Health • Embraces students participation in efforts; possibility of directed study credit for those interested in examining disaster response
Professor David Gute, Civil and Environmental Engineering

• Has been working with Engineers Without Borders; currently facing travel restrictions to Haiti • Encourages volunteers to work with the Somerville Haitian coalition to build a lasting relationship with the local Haitian community
Ketura Brown, student, The Fletcher School

• Working on a long term, Tufts-wide strategy to create short term volunteering opportunities 7-10 days) in Haiti similar to the Alternative Spring Breaks program • Ralph Bunche society would be willing to serve as the coordinating body of this program, but is also open to supporting another group that has more resources and a greater reach • Planning first trips in summer, end of this year, or beginning of next year
Carol Waters, student, The Fletcher School

• Ushahidi.com has been working to map the crisis on its online mapping platform. Information sent through text messages, emails, and submissions via their website needs to be processed and documented on their live map. These submissions help inform first responders in Haiti. In the long run, will help Haitian community monitor aid and will be a tool to provide accountability. • Need: volunteers to help process data • Training this weekend at Fletcher (1/29-1/31) • Contact Information: volunteer.ushahidi@gmail.com

Madueno Brown, Public Safety

• In response to the tragedy and the loss of family members suffered by staff of Public Safety, the department will be sponsoring a Clothing Drive for survivors • Clothing Drive - Collection bins will be located at Cousens gym
Katrina Moore, Africana Center

• Africana Center will be working with Tisch College to plan a service project in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., to support “Walls of Hope,” led by two Tufts alumna • The goal of “Walls of Hope” will be to recreate and cultivate hope for families through a • Need: art supplies for sessions
Edie Auner, Music Department

• Benefit Concert, February 14, 1:00 pm • Featuring performances by the Gospel Choir, faculty members, the community music • Need: 1) referrals for more groups to perform, 2) community members to spread the word
Helaina Stein, ’10, RESPE, & Allison Mahon, ’10, Jackson Jills

• Stressed the need for Tufts undergraduate and graduate community to coordinate efforts • Looking to create a database for events or a Google document that can be accessed by all • Looking to coordinate another meeting to organize fundraising efforts • Looking to organize big and small fundraisers—cause dinner at a dining hall, Tufts night at
Sarah Hartman, ‘13

• Offered insight into current situation in Haiti; Sarah has been traveling to Haiti for the past three years and was in Haiti during the aftermath • Stressed the importance of including members and leaders of the Haitian community in any • Stressed the importance of also supporting projects dedicated to long term relief efforts
Kaitlyn Bowles, ’12, & Mary Brunell

• Soles for Souls (http://www.soles4souls.org/ ): wanted to make donating accessible to everyone in the Tufts community; one of the foremost needs in Haiti is shoes. There will be collection bins in various locations on campus. • Need: please donate shoes, including sandals, and flip flops
Beth Bauer, Jumpstart, Site Manager

in Somerville where 90% of families are Haitian • In addition to their tragic loss from the earthquake, the center suffered a massive flood in the same week. Lost a large amount of books and school supplies. • Need: donations of school supplies, reading materials, and volunteers to organize Peter.federman@tufts.edu, Elizabeth.bauer@tufts.edu
Other Announcements
Francy Salizar, Sigma Lamdba Upsilon (Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority)
• Event: Bowling for Haiti, February 6th, Sacco’s Bowl Haven • Money goes to UNICEF – Goal is to raise $5,000, have already raised $2,000
Gwen Blackburn

• Vigil for Haiti – Saturday January 30th from 6-9 pm at 55 Otis Street
Aditya Kulkarni – Theta Chi Fraternity

• Will be selling “Tufts for Haiti” wristbands; suggested donation of $5 and all funds will go to • Looking into a comedy night at Hotung, with a suggested donation
Pan- African Alliance

• Organizing an open mic/testimonial event • Will be hosted at Hotung, Friday night emerald.carter@tufts.edu or Kristen.Johnson@tufts.edu
Student Question on Haitian Road and Infrastructure

• The infrastructure has been a tremendous obstacle to distributing materials • Response from Sherman Teichman: need to think about sequence and order; we must work to educate ourselves in the face of problems such as aid bottlenecking, obstacles to coordination; must make an intentional effort to listen to members of the Haitian diaspora
Somerville Haitian Coalition Representative

• Looking to be co-sponsors: call 617-625-6400
Student Representative of the Tufts Social Justice Arts Initiative

• Issue as Muse, April 2nd, 2010 Cohen Auditorium
School of Occupational Therapy
• In the process of planning and thinking about initiatives for long-term care

Source: http://activecitizen.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/HaitiReliefForumNotes.pdf