On this date, exactly one year ago, a seven magnitude earthquake struck southern Haiti. The devastating quake left survivors without resources and cut from the outside world. Tuesday evening, the FAMU chapter of the National Council of Negro Women marked the anniversary at 6 p.m. with a candlelight vigil at the Eternal flame.
Chaplain of NCNW, Ja’Tia Nelson, a first year pre-pharmacy student from Atlanta, GA wanted to keep Haiti fresh on student’s minds.
“People in Haiti still need help and we should still remember to keep them in our prayers.” Nelson said.”It’s the one year anniversary and, with so much going on in the world, most people have put Haiti on the backburner.”
Students from a variety of racial backgrounds stood quietly together at the eternal flame, commemorating the event and remembering its impact.
The earthquake hit close to home for Esther Dorilus, a member of the Haitian Culture Club and first-year chemistry student from Naples, Fla.
“There are a lot of non- Haitians who don’t know what’s going in Haiti still,” Dorilus said. “I was in Naples, still in high school. I lost two family members and my step mom lost her sister.”
Members of NCNW started the event with an opening statement, followed by a prayer, poem, song, testimonies from fellow students, closing the ceremony with a prayer. NCNW has donated clothes and canned foods to Haiti since the earthquake.
“We will continue to do what we can to motivate people to give to the people in Haiti, whether it be their time, sending canned goods, used clothes, or just praying,”Holman said.