LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University presents “Past, Present, and Building Hope for Haiti’s Future: Panel and Forum” Wednesday, February 10, from 7-8:30 p.m. in Haggin Auditorium (Mitchell Fine Arts Building). Although admission is free, donations will be taken during the program; checks can be made to Transylvania University Hope for Haiti. The program is open to the public.
The panel, featuring Transylvania professors Gregg Bocketti and Kathleen Jagger and special Haitian guest speakers Geuber Lamour and Jean Reynold Alcius, will discuss how Haiti arrived at this current moment in history, the arising public health issues and what will have to be done as Haiti begins to move toward the future.
President Charles L. Shearer will open the program and senior international affairs major Janelle Johnson will serve as moderator.
“The Struggles of Nation Building in Modern Haiti”
Transylvania history professor Gregg Bocketti
Bocketti has a Ph.D. in history and an M.A. in Latin American Studies from Tulane University.
“Post-Earthquake Haiti: An Exceptional Public Health Challenge”
Biology professor and associate dean of the college Kathleen Jagger
Jagger holds a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Cincinnati and a M.P.H. in international health from Harvard University.
“Haiti: A Turning Point”
Gueber Lamour, a Haitian native who moved to the United States 19 years ago currently works as a freelance Creole interpreter and provides language support for the Department of Homeland Security.
“Haiti: Now or Never”
Jean Reynold Alcius, a native of Haiti, currently serves as treasurer for the Kentucky Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, is the Haitian secretary for Servas International and works for the Episcopal church and Haitian organizations in Lexington.
An open forum will immediately follow the presentations.
All donations will go directly to Partners in Health (PIH), a Boston-based international non-governmental organization, co-founded by Dr. Paul Farmer, whose goal is providing preferential options for the poor in health care. PIH builds partnerships in Haiti and elsewhere to remove structural barriers to health and human dignity. Some of their medical staff have been working in Haiti for more than 20 years, and these efforts have been chronicled in the Pulitzer-prize winning book, “Mountains Beyond Mountains.” For more information on PIH, see www.standwithhaiti.org.
This educational fundraiser continues Transylvania’s Hope for Haiti that was kicked off with “Evening at the Cabaret” shows January 29 and 30. The musical productions raised $1,695 toward Transylvania’s $10,000 goal fund for earthquake relief.
For more information on this event and Transylvania’s Hope for Haiti, contact the public relations office at (859) 233-8120.