Press Releases

Miami – Today, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jean Monestime and more than twenty other elected officials from South Florida’s district 24 will come together at 12:00 noon, at North Miami City Hall, second floor, to urge the U.S. to remember its commitment to Haiti, as the third anniversary of the devastating earthquake approaches. Saturday, January 12, 2013, will mark three years since the massive earthquake leveled Haiti, killing more than three hundred thousand people, injuring another three hundred thousand and leaving one million people homeless.

“The people of Haiti are hurting. Still, hundreds of thousands of people live in tent cities, and progress has been slow in rebuilding homes, roads, schools, hospitals and businesses. As the most powerful democracy in the world, the U.S. has a duty and moral obligation to provide leadership and continued support to the people of Haiti. I also urge the international community to continue its support, to help rebuild the struggling Island Nation,” says Congresswoman Wilson.

Congresswoman Wilson and elected officials within district 24 stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti, who are still suffering. The Congresswoman and the elected officials participating in today’s news conference will all wear black in honor the thousands of people who lost their lives in the devastating earthquake.

Background

Following the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, that killed hundreds of thousands of people and left more than one million homeless, Congresswoman Wilson, who represents one of the largest Haitian-American populations in the country, put in a request to the White House for an extension and re-designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals living in the United States. She also hand-delivered a letter to President Obama, signed by 50 members of Congress, with this dual request.

WHO: Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and Miami Dade County Commissioner Jean
Monestime

WHAT: South Florida Elected Officials Urge U.S. To Remember Its Commitment to Haiti

WHEN: Friday, January 11, 2013, 12:00 noon

WHERE: North Miami City Hall, second floor, 776 NE 125 Street, North Miami, FL

33161

PARTICIPANTS:

Senator Oscar Braynon II, State Rep. Daphne Campbell, State Rep. Barbara Watson, State Rep. Shevrin Jones, State Rep. Cynthia Stafford, State Rep. Sharon Pritchett, North Miami Vice-Mayor Marie Erlande Steril, North Miami Councilman Jean Marcellus, North Miami Councilman Scott Galvin, North Miami Beach Mayor George Vallejo, North Miami Beach Councilman Frantz Pierre, North Miami Beach Councilman Philippe Derose, Miami Dade School Board Member Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall, City of Miramar Vice Mayor Troy Samuels, El Portal Mayor Daisy Black, El Portal Councilman Adam Old, Miami Dade Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, Opa-Locka Mayor Myra Taylor, Opa-Locka Vice Mayor Joseph L. Kelley, Opa-Locka Commissioner Timothy Holmes, Pembroke Park Mayor Ashira Mohammed, West Park Commissioner Thomas Dorsett and West Park Commissioner Rita Mack.

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U.S. Rep. Frederica S. Wilson is a second-term Congresswoman from Florida representing parts of Northern Miami-Dade and Southeast Broward counties. A former state legislator and school principal, she is the founder of the 5000 Role Models for Excellence Project, a mentoring program for young males at risk of dropping out of school.