Dr. Agathe Jean-Baptiste, grew up in the Central Plateau of Haiti where she returned to practice medicine after completing her medical training in Cuba. She is the daughter of Agronomist Chavannes Jean-Baptiste, recipient of the Goldman Environmental Prize and founder of the Peasant Movement of Haiti (M.P.P); the oldest and largest peasant cooperative in Haiti, with 60,000 plus members.
Above, Dr. Jean-Baptiste gives instruction on womb fetal positioning during a Midwifery training course for MPP collective members. 40 members from the collective participated in the free training.
(at right) Nurse, teacher-trainer Maestra Denise Desormeaux asks questions of Midwife student and MPP member Jean Jolles during the oral exam segment of the training. Jolles was one of 40 students, from throughout Haiti attending the week-long training.”I want to work and help within in my community and protect the women in my community,” Jolles said.
It’s days like today that I miss the voices, songs, and processions in my childhood neighborhood. There is something about the tradition of mothers and daughters winding their way through the neighborhood, to me that invokes the origins and peace of the Christmas holiday. Photos copyright ana elisa fuentes
Ephemera from the Las Fronteras: Sueños, Commadres y Manos or The Borders: Dreams, Godmothers and Hands exhibit I curated for the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, at a young age. It was such an honor to work with this group of talented Latina Artists, depicting their lives, culture, memories and relationships with one another, hence Commadres. The glyphs beside the text are from Mayan culture, the land my father was born.
Location: Seattle, the question: “Why Are You Here Today”Trayvon Gilliam of Seattle, “I’m here to show support for Trayvon. For justice” When I asked him if he had anything else to say or if he wanted to add anything else, Trayvon replied “Isn’t that enough.”
(l-r) Father and son, Glenn and Jennar, of Redmond, Washington: “This is my son’s first rally. We attended President Obama’s inauguration.” Jennar: “I don’t think it’s fair, what happened to Trayvon Martin. Marissa Alexander fired a warning shot and she got jail. Her husband should have gone to jail. George Zimmerman should have gone to jail. It’s good that people came here to show they care.”
(l-r) Son and mother Myles and Vanessa of Edmonds Washington: Vanessa: “It’s my opportunity to come and participate. We need our justice system revamped. I think the verdict is just another statement of this. Young black men are profiled because of the color of their skin. It’s unjust. I want justice for everyone. I don’t want my son to be another statistic. I am here to represent who I am”
Myles: “Don’t visualize me as a wrong person just because of the color of my skin. Don’t profile me”
(l-r) Two friends speaking: Ahoua of Seattle: I’m here to demand justice for Trayvon. To keep his name alive. I have two young boys of my own. Trayvon did nothing wrong. I do not want him to be forgotten” Holding the flag is Gwen of Seattle” “I’m here because we need accountability. He is dead. This child did nothing wrong. I have granchildren. Are they next? We are all the same. We’ve all come together, sorry we here again.”
At front, is Cheryl of Seattle: “I have black people in my family. I have black grandchildren. We talk about race all the time. All the time. They tell me whats really going on. 70 percent of black men have been, are in, or will be put in jail. My family is humiliated. Humiliated every day. They are terrified. They are frightened to leave the house. Afraid they are going to be the next to get killed. Last week my grandson was blowing kisses from the parking garage to his wife on the sidewalk below. The police stopped him and her, and asked her if that man was bothering her. My grandchildren ask me to take them downtown because they know I will protect them.”
If you draw a line in the sand, as the saying goes, you draw distinction, sets boundaries, throw the proverbial gauntlet. Simply say, enough is enough.
This column aims to address the tantamount concerns facing our environment, culture, society, and ethos. There is no better way, in my humble opinion other than to record the visual and opinion of the person on the street.
Think of it as a visual cross section of Americans.
I really love people. It is the joy of my profession is to speak, engage and converse with other people. I really do, love to listen and hear what people have to say.
My method is simple.
I ask a question. Write down the answer. Speak back what I’ve heard.
This keeps me in balance as a journalist, and gives the participant the space to add, ameliorate or subtract from the sum total of our conversation.
My twitter paper, also titled A Line in the Sand, may be found here
Today I honor and remember with love the life of Don Calamar, a combat photographer and Silver Medalist who survived the Invasion of Normandy also known as D-Day. Don, was my first photography and photojournalist instructor and sometimes father figure. I remember his soft spoken manner. Don taught more by example. He was unrelenting kind. I remember this the most about him.
His later years were devoted to family, photography instruction, alternative energy, and peace activism. Don was a positive influence in my life.
Always the educator, on one occasion after a family meal, Don and his wife Pat, were so excited to share with me how they prepared our dinner. Guiding me to their backyard for cookies and tea, like eager school children, they unveiled the solar cooker they constructed in their garden backyard.
I am so very grateful to have had a person like Don in my life, especially as a guiding force in my photojournalism career. Thank you for reading this tribute; a testimony to how one life can make an enduring difference in the lives of others.
Keenan G., 20, Cellular Biology student, Santa Barbara, California: “I feel like in the beginning, it didn’t. But now, it is a bigger deal. Issues like global warming, ice caps melting and our diminishing resources; these must be difficult decisions for our next president. I feel like the candidates need to listen to the people more and be less concerned with the popularity that comes with being President. Maybe I ought to look into and invest more time in the green party. These are issues that the entire planet is facing, not just the United States.”
Trudy B., 63, Vocalist, Santa Barbara, California: “Yes. I’ve always been interested in environmental issues. I don’t like some of the things we are doing to mother earth. I feel very strongly about our precious mother Earth. In many ways we have been unconscious about how we treat her and her resources. We need to wake up.”
Julie C. 69, Retired Nurse, Shreveport, Louisiana: “To a certain extent. I don’t want us to be foolhardy. I’m from a red state, Louisiana. I want us to be energy independent whether, it’s oil, gas, or solar. I’m a conservative. I study both sides of the issues. There are a lot of resources that should be taken use of. This will provide jobs. We need to be smart about what we do. Take every opportunity, be careful and watchful about how we protect our environment.”
Gerald D. 80, Retired Electrical Engineer, Portland, Oregon: “Environmental issues are not going to convince me one way or another. Period. They are not going to end up doing anything about it anyway.”
Oscar M., 60, Musician, Santa Barbara, California: “The environment is important to me. If I was voting, it would be somebody who is not representing corporate interests. I think we are due for big changes, on all levels, including our environment and our voting system.”
Todd G., 34, Electrician, Sheridan, Oregon: “No, not really. But, I think nuclear is the cleanest energy. I think it has the smallest environmental impact per square foot.”
Kyle D., 22, Unemployed, New Mexico: “I will not base my decisions on political discussion. They are roundabouts and the issues in question are constantly changing. I will decide in my own way. I will do my research then. I will vote based on who they are as a person. Specifics don’t matter.”
All replies and photographs are published with the participants permission. Photographs taken using an iPod touch.
A Line in the Sand column copyright, Ana Elisa Fuentes.
This blog post powered by foot and public transportation.
My sincere thanks to the participants.
Are Environmental issues influencing your election 2012 decisions?
Yesterday I watched and listened to an inspiring conversation with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and World Economic Forum Founder Klaus Schwab . Some quotes from yesterdays conversation moved me to post these photographs from the 2011 Nobel Peace Award in Oslo, Norway. The courageous, bold, and unstoppable efforts of these women, have indeed made their impact. The Archbishop mentioned them in their conversation yesterday.Some of his quotes I found compelling were: “We have excluded people for a very long time (pause) Women!” Then he went on to say, “we won’t make it without them.”
His comments reminded me of a remark made by Tawakkol Karman during the Women Peace and Security panel discussion , “A bird needs two wings to fly,” she said – explaining that men too must help women to fly. We cannot do it without their assistance. Each of these comments is in support of the other.
The link to the Archbishop Tutu and Schwab conversation may be found here at 1 hour and six minutes, after the opening address by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Crystal Award presentations.
While to some it may seem that a call to action on behalf of women may be a throwback from the past or an outdated feminist cry. Whatever your position, I encourage you to visit here and here.
You might also be interested in the interview with Billy Moyers and Leymah Gbowee
2011 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates , center Tawakkol Karman of Yemen, (r) President Ellen Jonson Sirleaf of Liberia and Leymah Gbowee, also of Liberia are greeted by dignitaries of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee to the official awards ceremony in Oslo, Norway on Saturday December 10, 2011. The three women were honored and awarded by the Committee " were awarded "for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work"
2011 Nobel Peace Prize co-recipient Leymah Gbowee during the film screening of "Pray the Devil Back to Hell" at the Vika Theatre in Oslo, Norway on Friday December 09, 2011. The film chronicles the life of Gbowee, a Social Worker by profession, who led the Women's Peace Movement in Liberia.
"Pray the Devil Back to Hell" Producer and Philanthropist Abigail Disney, and film director Gini Reticker during a Q & A of their film screening at the Vika Theater, in Oslo,Norway, Friday December 09, 2011.
Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini is a leading international advocate, writer, researcher and trainer in the field of women in conflict, conflict resolution and peace-building. In 2000 she co-drafted UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and was appointed to the Civil Society Advisory Group on resolution 1325, chaired by Mary Robinson. Resolution 1325 was ,unanimously adopted on October 31st, 2000, called for the respect of women's and children's rights and their inclusion in conflict resolution, peace negotiations, and peace building in conflict zones, resettlement and/or repatriation. Ms. Anderlini is the co-founder of ICAN, an American NGO based in Washington D.C. She is also the author of "Women Building Peace: What They Do, Why It Matters." http://www.icanpeacework.org/
Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini is a leading international advocate, writer, researcher and trainer in the field of women in conflict, conflict resolution and peace-building. In 2000 she co-drafted UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and was appointed to the Civil Society Advisory Group on resolution 1325, chaired by Mary Robinson. Resolution 1325 was ,unanimously adopted on October 31st, 2000, called for the respect of women's and children's rights and their inclusion in conflict resolution, peace negotiations, and peace building in conflict zones, resettlement and/or repatriation. Ms. Anderlini is the co-founder of ICAN, an American NGO based in Washington D.C. She is also the author of "Women Building Peace: What They Do, Why It Matters." http://www.icanpeacework.org/
Harriette Williams, an Advocacy Officer at Femmes Africa Solidarité during the panel discussion on Women, Peace and Security at the Det Norske Theater, December 11, 2011 in Oslo, Norway.
This post I dedicate to the memory of my mother whose roaring support for the rights and protection of women, burns in my heart daily. Her constant love and support is with me always.
Photos copyright ana elisa fuentes
Ephemera from the Las Fronteras: Sueños, Commadres y Manos or The Borders: Dreams, Godmothers and Hands exhibit I curated for the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, at a young age. It was such an honor to work with this group of talented Latina Artists, depicting their lives, culture, memories and relationships with one another, hence Commadres. The glyphs beside the text are from Mayan culture, the land my father was born.
AnaElisa 