Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Quick Facts:

What are we doing?

Jaclyn Brannon and Jessica Filkins are raising money to start an afterschool art class for the children of Haitian immigrants living in the Bahamas.

Why?

Because we care about the wellbeing of the children of Haitian immigrants who are growing up in the overcrowded slums known as Pigeon Pea and the Mud. According to Ronale, a local resident, “there is no place for the kids to play.” He describes leaving for school as “leaving the concentration camp.” We recognize that these children would greatly benefit from a safe, creative and fun afterschool activity.

Where?

Pigeon Pea and the Mud are the largest Haitian settlements in the Bahamas outside of Nassau, the nation’s capital. These adjacent communities are located in Marsh Harbor, on the island of Abaco in the northern Bahamas. The art classes will be held in a conveniently located office building, which is within walking distance of the Pigeon Pea and the Mud.

How?

We are raising money to purchase art supplies to bring to the Bahamas and are volunteering our time and skills to plan and implement this art program.

When?

Classes will run from January 2012 through March 2012. Class will be held in two sessions twice a week from 3:30 to 5:30 with one longer class on Saturdays.

Who?

Haitian and Bahamian children living in the Pigeon Pea and the Mud ages 5 though 12.

Why Us?

Jessica Filkins recently spent over a month in the northern Bahamas interviewing Haitian immigrants for her thesis: Haitians in Limbo: the Plight of Second Generation Haitians in the Bahamas. The focus of her work was on the issues surrounding citizenship, however she was most emotionally struck by the poor living conditions in which the children of these immigrants are being raised. Jessica graduated from Colorado College in May 2011 with a degree in Concepts of Human Nature from a Multicultural perspective. She is a working artist who has taken many art classes in high school and college. Jessica also interned with an art teacher at Palmer Elementary School in Colorado from September 2009 to December 2009.
Jaclyn Brannon is a working artist as well. She is a certified art teacher for 5-12th grades, who graduated in December of 2010 from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She co-created and organized an urban after school program in Boston as well as an 8-week high school painting course in 2009. She taught high school ceramics at Brookline High School in 2010 and taught grades 5-7th at Block Island School from January 2011-June 2011.

More info:

· The Bahamas gained independence from the UK in 1973.
the estimated population of the Bahamas is about 313,312
· Haitians migrating to America by boat must pass through the Bahamas and many remain there.
· A large number of Haitians have been migrating to the Bahamas since the early 1950s.
· Both the US and Bahamian defense forces work hard to deport most of the immigrants that arrive in the Bahamas.
· The 2000 census recorded 35,3658 Haitians living in the Bahamas however estimates of undocumented Haitians range from 30,000 to 60,000.
· Estimates of the number of Haitians and people of Haitian decent living in the Peas and Mud range from 2,000 to 6,000 in an area that spans about one city block.