Beautiful Voices--Devastated Landscape

Hello everyone,
For the newsletter, Hillary Prag gave me some amazing photos taken by teenagers in Haiti this summer. I don't think that I will be able to include all of them (and their accompanying testimonies), so I am posting them here. I'm sure that Hillary would be happy to answer any questions you have about these photos, the artists who took them, and the ongoing socioeconomic and political struggles in Haiti--exacerbated by the extreme devastation resulting from this season's tropical storms and hurricanes. Thank you so much for sharing this with us, Hillary.

The first photo concerns reforestation. If all of Haiti was covered in trees like this it would make a huge difference, and it’s obviously more beautiful. That’s why I took the photo, because I don’t want people to cut down more trees.
The third photo talks about the environment. It shows that there are people who ignore the law and just throw garbage wherever they feel like which is a true problem in Haiti.
--Jacques Antoine

--Jacques Antoine

--James Milhomme

--Jean Guito Cadet

In Haiti when the rain falls the water engulfs the streets because there is no storm drain system. This keeps cars from driving – not just the water but the garbage too. I wish they would build storm drains, and I wish the state would keep people from littering.

I took this picture to show how ugly it is when people throw garbage in the ravine. When the rain falls all the garbage goes into the ocean and shows up in other countries. Then the people in those countries badmouth Haiti.

--Julio Laguerre

I took this picture because I can’t stand to see garbage and I want to see this situation change. We are not the ones who are supposed to take care of this kind of thing; the state authorities are the ones who need to do their job and fix it. This is why I want you to know how I feel when I see garbage on the street.

When someone looks me in the eye I would rather they not see the bad things only, but that they would try to see my dreams for people who live on the streets and the children who are suffering there. I took some photos which explained some things about the country and the environment and more developed countries who help us.

--Mackenzy Paul

I wanted to show in my photos how there are gardens and forests in Haiti along with places to play soccer. I took them in gardens mostly to show how well plants grow in this country. I took lots of pictures to show how women collaborate when they’re washing clothes in the river. Also, I wanted to show how these women don’t have a public water tap anywhere near their homes, so they have to come here to wash which is dangerous because of all the rocks above them that could fall down.
-Franncy Decimis

When you think about it, we owe everything beautiful in this country to trees.
-Andreson Bayard

Study Abroad and Internships in China

Hi Guys,

I attended a meeting a couple of weeks ago about study and internships in China through the China Studies Institute in Beijing, and the programs look pretty cool. Graduate students can take courses in China through the Graduate Center (sponsored by the China Studies Institute and JKSIS) and receive support for advanced research in studies on Chinese society, politics, and foreign policy. Semester-long and summer programs are offered for course studies and language immersion.

Students can also participate in part-time or full-time internships while taking classes. During the summer term, students do not have to be enrolled in classes to participate in a full-time internship for 6 credits (288 hours). No knowledge of Chinese language is required, but it certainly helps. The program will help you find placement in an organization from one of the following categories: media (NBC, CNN, China Radio International, etc.); business (AmCham, Days Inn, Motorola, etc.); NGO and non-profits (Asia Foundation, UNIFEM, etc.); and law firms (I don't recommend this area unless your Chinese reading level is pretty high).

Program fees apply, of course, and there are academic requirements for all course and internship programs.

I spent a little time talking to students who participated in the Chinese immersion classes in Beijing, and I was pretty impressed with their language fluency and knowledge of the city's hot spots. These programs are definitely worth looking into.

For more information, visit http://www.china-studies.net/index.html

Hi IIC'ers,

In case anyone missed the email from last week about the work study position available at the Rocky Mountain Survivor Center, I wanted to post it here, as it'd be a great opportunity for those of you in our department who are interested in this are of work.

Communications and Marketing Assistant
Development Department, Rocky Mountain Survivor’s Center
1574 Gaylord Street, Denver, CO 80206

Supervisor Name: Ariela Shapiro, Director of Development
E-mail: ashapiro@rmscdenver.org
Phone: 303-321-3221

Start Date 10/31/08-
End Date 6/4/09
Pay Range: $11 per hour
20-25 hours per week

The Communications and Marketing Assistant will work with the Development Director to implement an agency-wide communications and marketing plan.

Key Tasks (though not an exhaustive list) include:

• Web-site updates
• Quarterly newsletter creation and dissemination
• Assist in coordinating media activities with local and national media sources
• Logistical support for events
• Assist in coordinating media related activities with local and national partnering agencies
• Administrative functions as needed

Required Skills:

• Solid writing ability; journalism or research experience is competitive
• Knowledge and comfort with computer, the internet and web-site maintenance functions
• Experience organizing fundraising and or advocacy events
• Very organized
• A background in non-profit work is excellent
• Familiarity with media outlets in Colorado
• Comfort level with approaching media outlets
• High sensitivity level to marginalized populations and victims of genocide, torture and other human rights abuses
• Appreciation of cross-cultural issues and barriers
  

While not required, a basic knowledge and understanding of human rights law, international conflict studies and American foreign and domestic policy towards immigration, trafficking victims and asylum seekers is very competitive.

Happy Wednesday!

-Mackenzie

Hello Fall 2008 IIC Students!

Welcome to the IIC Blog! This is an IIC Program forum for advertising noteworthy events, sharing experiences, and forging closer connections with fellow IIC students through discussion. I hope that we will use it constructively to enhance our time at DU. Please check it regularly for updates about program, campus, and community events, and I will do my best to keep information as current as possible. If you have any questions or need information about becoming a blog contributor, please contact me, Jenny Herron, at Jenny.Herron@du.edu. I look forward to hearing from you!