5 Years After the Earthquake in Haiti: A Reflection by Dave Hampton and Friends

With his permission, we are reprinting a portion of Dave Hampton's article about Haiti.  Dave grew up in Winston-Salem and graduated from Mt. Tabor High School.  Dave is an accomplished architect and worked on the reconstruction in Haiti after the January 12, 2010 earthquake.  This article focuses on the reflections of the people that have come together to assist in Haiti's successful revival.  Please click the link to read the complete article on messysystems.com

 5 years after the earthquake, Ayiti p’ap péri!

By Dave Hampton

Today is the fifth anniversary of the January 12, 2010 earthquake which rocked Haiti.

After reports on moments of silence observed, and reflections of that fateful day, you will have, by now, read or hear several accounts of Haiti today.

How far the nation is still behind.

How ineffective international aid has been, how it has been misallocated, how many homes were built or not built, and how many still must be built to reach the thousands still languishing in temporary camps.

How the government disappoints – its lack of capacity, the corruption, the re-appearance of unwelcome ghosts from the past (especially “Baby Doc” Duvalier, who returned in 2011 after an absence of nearly 25 years, and died there in 2014), and the specter of authoritarian rule.

You will have already read or heard all the reasons why not enough has been done in five years.

And that’s as it should be, for there is much to be held to account, still.

But for me…

not today. Not today.

Ayiti p’ap péri! (Haiti shall never perish!)

It is ironic how fortunate I have been to come to know so many people as a result of the events of January 12, 2010.

Today, I share the reflections of some of the friends, colleagues, and former coworkers from my 3 years in Haiti: why they are hopeful for Haiti’s future, or how working in Haiti inspired them.

Click here to read full article on messysystems.com

About Dave Hampton:  Dave Hampton is the creator of messysystems.com and Principal of re:ground llc, a consultancy providing expertise for the integration of natural systems and built environments to clients in international development, urban, and post-disaster markets. He has over 20 years experience in architecture, planning, and construction; 8 years as a leader in the sustainability field; 3 years in a post-disaster developing nation context.

From 2010-2012, he worked with Architecture for Humanity and J/P Haitian Relief Organization (J/P HRO) to manage the transition from emergency response to redevelopment by enlisting and supervising a multidisciplinary team of architects, engineers, planners, and builders to oversee the adaptive reuse, retrofit, and construction of new clinics, community centers, schools, and homes. He returned in 2013 to work on government capacity-building with UN-Habitat and Internews. Dave also has extensive experience managing multi-level (and multinational) donors, funders, and clients. His experience with Urban Habitat Chicago and the Delta Institute Rebuilding Exchange helped curb demolitions, bring the deconstruction industry to Chicago, and encourage materials reuse and repurposing at a municipal scale. In 2014, as part of the post-Hurricane Sandy ‘Rebuild by Design’ recovery initiative, he participated in Resilient Bridgeport with Waggonner Ball Architects.

He is a 2016 Master in Design Studies Risk and Resilience candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

The Big Eat 2015: Week 1

By Jessica Thomas Lewis

This is the second week for The BIG Eat, an annual downtown event that showcases local restaurants with signature dishes at 50% off.


The BIG Eat is held each Tuesday in January. Click on the picture to the right to see each week's participating establishments.

West End Coffee House at 390 N. Broad Street in Winston-Salem

Last week, the girls and I enjoyed the brownie sundae at West End Coffee House.  We got to choose the gelato flavor.   (The gelato is made in-house.  Yum.)  I chose vanilla bean, my younger chose sugar cookie and my older chose chocolate with a fancy name.  The brownie for our sundae was as big as the plate; it was huge!  Topped with whipped cream and drizzled with our choice of chocolate, caramel or hazelnut sauce.  We each ended up taking half of our brownie home.  Well worth it, especially at The BIG Eat price of $3.12.

You have to eat this Sundae with a fork!  My girls, of course, were joking in these photos.  Look how big it is!

This week, we've decided to try Sweet Potatoes for the first time.  I know, I know.  I can't believe we haven't been there yet, either.  Can't wait to tell y'all all about our first visit.  The signature dish for The BIG Eat this week at Sweet Pototoes is Mommas Meatloaf: smothered with mushroom-onion gravy topped with crispy tobacco onions served with the vegetable of the day and garlic smashed potatoes.  Priced at $7.00 during The Big Eat.

This was the beautiful sunset as we left downtown Winston-Salem after last week's The Big Eat.

A Cappella Jam for Hope

RJ Reynolds Auditorium

301 Hawthorne Road

Winston-Salem 27104

10th anniversary A Cappella Jam For Hope 

Minimum $5 donation.  

All proceeds go toward Summer Scholarships for Students. 

Free Family Event - 3rd Annual Hooper Bowl

Everyone is invited!  

Maple Springs UMC, Craven Hall

2569 Reynolda Road

Winston-Salem 27106

Admission is FREE, canned food donations for the Maple Springs Food Pantry will be collected. 

Hoops will be provided, but if you have one please bring it. Hoops will also be available for purchase with a percentage of proceeds going to the Food Pantry. 

Hula hooping is a fun way to get a jump start on the daily recommended 60+ minutes of activity to maintain a healthy lifestyle! 

For more information contact Monica Casey (monkeyhooper@gmail.com) or Mary Taylor Setliff (marytaylor@maplesprings.org).

The Best Part, of Waking Up

By Michael

A Day, great& dreadful, created to be long-remembered... In lieu of gazing at the Moon, I was nourished by the Ionic Sun* that poured thru the plastic pane of the city bus window.

No matter that it was brisk outdoors, I was lamping in the mansion, right here on this plastic seat, stationed in the back of the city bus wit' my feet kicked up in the seat before me...

I had been studying Light* for many moons, my latest& greatest light being Shanee Karriem^^... We had been building, by power-he-one (phone), for a while, so after much-ado, We were to meet at the coffee shop, on Trade. . .

The Sun* was breaking into illustrious bands of light as it pass'd thru the window pane... In my heart, I experienced an acute camaraderie wit' the people, as We traveled downtown, on a soul plane.

Surely The People could sense the brilliance of the moment as We were all illumined, at the will of the ebb&flow of shadows that breathed on the walls of the bus, as We came thru East Winston.

"Shanee Karriem...", her name escaped my lips in a breath. . .

The bus pulled into the terminal, and the door jerked ajar, vomiting it's human contents back to the realm of the cold, the unforgiving streets. All is well in my soul as the promise of love add'd an ever-vigilant spring to my step as I got closer to my Ionic Sun*, while not a Sun* of the Heavens, One Who warm'd my heart, nonetheless...

Her brilliance stunned me upon my entrance, her golden hue especially familiar thru my study of Light*... I'll never forget, two bird lips blowing pucker'd bliss over a hot tea... Eyes, shining like emeralds, set in the purest of gold... Long brown locks that appeared to have been dipped in turmeric, her wisdom so seasoned... a petite toe ring on nibbly toes, that made my breath catch in my chest...

I ❤ Her^^

"I'd like the Dark Columbian roast" I ordered from the mean owner of the shop, Chelsea, whom I had just bombed on a few days prior because of her flagrantly rude behavior.

She fixed my order with a grunt, as I studied Shanee Karriem, from across the room.....

"Mmm, mmm.... " I am without words, born u truth, I better found some, like now!

"Thank you.." I gave Miss Chelsea a few bucks for the joe, then I enter'd Light*

I am eternally grateful, for Her ... Shanee Karriem

1/5/2008 - 1/5/2015

About Michael: Michael aspires to be an upwardly mobile natural scientist whose life imitates the art he manifests in time/space. In this fashion, history is written in advance, so be mindful of the falling away of the hard shell, the haunts of the past, as he articulates his own self-defined hereafter. When a seed is born, so is a Universe; thus expansion is to the infinite.

Cheers to A New Year From Piedmont Triad Living

By Jessica Thomas Lewis
     
I, for one, am very excited about the New Year.  

2014 is the year I turned 40.  It is also my first full year of being single since the age of twenty-two.  This year brought several mini-vacations for my girls and myself.  It brought self growth.  It was, to be honest, one of the best years of my life thus far.  It also brought, here towards the end, a discovery of truth and betrayels that rocked me to the core and nearly brought me to a halt.

2014 brought a new energy to Piedmont Triad Living.  I'm excited to see growth in my labor of love, as it gives me a voice to share all that I love about the Piedmont Triad.  I live laugh love play shop local and I'm thankful that as a brand we have thousands of fans across our area.  

I am thrilled to have contributing writers to Piedmont Triad Living, each picked for their brilliant writing skills and interesting perspective of our area.  

I am proud that we're not afraid to talk about subjects that matter.  While we'll always be a family publication with fun and lighthearted topics, we're also ready to talk about the harder, more controversial topics.  The best conversations and the most significant changes have stemmed from controversy.  

Our goal for 2015 is to go to quarterly print; I'm proud that Piedmont Triad Living is a known, relevant name and that you allow us to be a part of your day.   In addition to the website and this blog, we are also on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.  Thank you for being a follower and a reader.  

I am so excited to see what 2015 brings us all.  

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.

Joy Cometh

By Carly Pete

So, it’s about forgiveness?

After submitting my first blog to this publication, I checked in on Facebook where I read a post from a friend about a St. Louis, Missouri police officer, so happens he’s black, saying he witnessed racism firsthand while on that city’s police force which caused him to resign after five years…an eyewitness account from a police officer regarding the Ferguson grand jury decision.  I paused. The friend who shared the post is a white male human being, the husband of a friend from church. We three share a mostly virtual acquaintance: we share information we care about on Facebook; we read.

And now, I write; I’ve begun a conversation with you.

Before signing out of Facebook that night, I saw a photo shared by another friend, someone I hadn’t seen in a while who hadn’t posted anything on Facebook for months. She looked fantastic! We distanced ourselves from each other last year. I clicked “like” on the post.

Instantly, I was overcome with emotion, ready to let bygones be bygones.

Ten days later, before she and I could reconcile, I learned through a Facebook post on her page that Carolyn passed away from complications with a medical procedure, ending her life abruptly.  Her family was devastated, and I, inconsolable. Reaching out to my adult sons in a private Facebook chat, I asked where they believed the energy and life force of a loved one goes when the body dies so suddenly. Michael and Lawrence, oldest and middle sons, allowed their younger brother Christopher to respond. Mike, my second husband, Christopher’s dad, passed away four years ago. Christopher wrote: “The energy goes through us and still lives through.  That inspired thought, or coming inspired actions, that “spirit” is what inspires because it has been implanted in you and everyone she’s touched.”

Everyone she’s touched…he was empathizing with me by gently reminding me he knows the pain of a sudden loss, too, their dad. Instantly, I’m reminded of the sacredness of my sojourn, of the amazing people whose lives have touched mine. I remember the joy, bask in it, and let it flow.

About Carly Pete: Carly, a 2013 graduate of Salem College, earned B.A. degrees in Communication and Creative Writing. She resides in Winston-Salem, where she works as a communication consultant, lyricist and writer.