One of the most powerful stories of inspiration for this mission came from the diary of Lieutenant Colonel Mervin Willett Gonin, who was amongst the first British soldiers to liberate the concentration camp, Bergen-Belsen in 1945.

“It was shortly after the British Red Cross arrived, though it may have no connection, that a very large quantity of lipstick arrived. This was not at all what we men wanted, we were screaming for hundreds and thousands of other things and I don’t know who asked for lipstick. I wish so much that I could discover who did it, it was the action of genius, sheer unadulterated brilliance. I believe nothing did more for those internees than the lipstick. Women lay in bed with no sheets and no nightie but with scarlet red lips, you saw them wandering about with nothing but a blanket over their shoulders, but with scarlet red lips. I saw a woman dead on the post-mortem table and clutched in her hand was a piece of lipstick. At last someone had done something to make them individuals again, they were someone, no longer merely the number tattooed on the arm. At last they could take an interest in their appearance. That lipstick started to give them back their humanity.”

As we search for a way to keep them fed, we can give these kids a reason to laugh like children, to play like children, and to dance.

Rather than lipstick, help us source paints, journals, copper wire, pencils, scissors, feathers, glitter and charcoal. Support us in our current Indieagogo Campaign: http://www.indiegogo.com/rainbowstohaiti

Following my first year of law school, I spent the summer of 2003 in Mississippi, investigating cases for a death penalty defense office.  It was a fascinating and horrifying summer, where the silver lining we sought was a life in prison, rather than death.  Since then, I’ve worked on a variety of important human rights causes.  I’ve worked side by side with many dedicated, passionate, hard workers who are committed to making the world a better place by alleviating suffering and helping people survive.

What’s been missing in these endeavors, however, is an element of *joy*.   What draws me to Project HOPE Art’s work with orphans in Haiti is precisely that joy.  It is the sparkle, the whimsy, the art, the laughter, and the delight.

Because playing, dancing, and creating are essential to leading a life worth living.  And these things should not be a luxury for those who can afford it.

Because laughter is a human necessity.  And joy is a human right.

 

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To help us bring joy  and sparkle to Haiti this July, please consider donating to Rainbows to Haiti

Chòtdeben means swimsuit in Creole.
We had taken the girls of OJFA swimming at Hotel Oloffson a few times before, but they always swam in their underwear.

Not a big deal in Haiti where public bathing, public defecation and general lack of clothing leave residents showing more than they might care to show.
HOWEVER. I could never photograph the girls swimming because I couldn’t bare to trade their dignity for capturing a few digital smiles.

A swim team in Orinda, Calif. donated these swimsuits and Project HOPE Art friend Alex Mace brought the girls their own chòtdeben for the first time.
Pure Joy.

This May, HOPE Art will stay closer to home and create art with kids in our own backyard at San Francisco’s City of Dreams program.  Their mission is to help youth living in San Francisco’s low-income housing communities build brighter futures through mentorship and youth development.  They are guided by a bold vision: To end the generational poverty cycle in the city’s most challenged neighborhoods.  Project HOPE Art is planning 3 projects to introduce City of Dreams students to our work and the kids we work with in Haiti.  Jenni Ward will be leading a photo collage project, Melissa Schilling will show them how to create moss graffiti and Elizabeth Marley will lead a life size architectural sculpture project. Stay tuned for pics of our creations!