Jezebel: Haiti

Donna Karan Shoots Ad Campaign In Haiti, Gets Called Racist

Jenna Sauers — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:45:00 EST

Critics are calling Donna Karan misguided and possibly racist for shooting her new spring ad campaign in Haiti, but using a white model as its star. In two ads, Victoria's Secret supermodel Adriana Lima appears alone, but in the third, pictured above, two Haitian teenagers pose in the background behind her. Unusually for a fashion campaign, the images all bear text identifying the location as Jacmel, Haiti, and directing viewers to the brand's web site, which has a whole section on Haiti. Karan has raised a lot of money for Haiti, both through her own charity and along with the Clinton Foundation, and she frequently uses interviews and public appearances to talk about the country's development needs and earthquake-recovery efforts, even now, after Haiti has sort of ceased to be the "fashionable" cause on all the rich people's lips. She also credits by name the Haitian artist, Philippe Dodard, whose work inspired her spring collection. Nonetheless, the juxtaposition of luxury clothing — Donna Karan sells $2,000 dresses — and the poorest country in the Western hemisphere is troubling, and perhaps undercuts the message Karan thinks she's sending. Karan would have done better to highlight whatever local involvement there was in the production of the shoot. And, sigh, why do the black people always have to be in the background? [Telegraph] More »

Kim Kardashian Finally Does Something That's Not Totally Obnoxious

Cassie Murdoch — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST

This time of year brings out the best in all of us, and even Kim Kardashian is getting into the holiday spirit. The tarnished star has traveled to Haiti to spend some time "giving back" with the charity cWe Advance, which calls itself "a movement to advance the health, safety, and well being of women throughout Haiti." It was co-founded by actress Maria Bello, who's also on the trip. According to a source, this isn't Kim's attempt to do some last minute damage control: "Her intention was always to take the end of the year to focus on some of the other things that are important to her and this trip was one." Of course her mother Kris Jenner is also with her, lest Kim get one bit of attention that she's not involved in. [People] More »

Models Giving Hope To Orphans In Haiti

Jenna Sauers — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST

Last night at Milk Studios in New York City, models Coco Rocha and Behati Prinsloo screened this film about their post-earthquake humanitarian trip to Haiti. It's 23 minutes long, but well worth a look. As is Lakay Pam, the charity Prinsloo and Rocha opted to work with, which runs orphanages, schools, and extra-curricular sports clubs for some of Haiti's poorest children. Haiti had an estimated 380,000 orphans before last January's devastating earthquake; since the disaster, that number has more than doubled, to nearly 1 million. Watch as Rocha and Prinsloo, along with Cedric Roche of Lakay Pam, and Rocha's husband, James Conran, and agency booker, Micki Schneider, organize a drive to collect letters from children in the West, have them translated, and match them as pen-pals with the Haitian kids. They visit schools and orphanages, play soccer, and venture into one of Port-au-Prince's notorious tent cities. The part where a little girl gets a coloring book, and her entire face changes, is heart-breaking. As Rocha pointed out last night, all of these children are eligible for adoption. (John Seabrook wrote movingly of his and his wife's years-long effort to adopt an orphan from Haiti in the New Yorker last year.) If you can't do that, surely you can kick Lakay Pam, or another organization doing good work in Haiti, some cash. More »

Charity Gives People In Haiti These Awesome All-Terrain Wheelchairs

Jenna Sauers — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EDT

Last night at a premiere party for a movie — The Way, although I saw neither (star) Martin Sheen nor (director) Emilio Estevez and therefore didn't get to pester them with questions about Catholicism or Steve Jobs or whatever — I met a lady who runs a pretty cool charity. More »

Female Journalists & Researchers Respond To Haiti PTSD Article

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:35:00 EDT

GOOD magazine recently ran a piece written by Mother Jones reporter Mac McClelland in which she details her disturbing experience in Haiti, subsequent PTSD, and her healing process. The crux of her story — that engaging in violent sex helped aid her recovery — is deeply personal, complicated, and unsettling. But so is PTSD, and recovery is never simple. More »

Haitian Women Celebrate With Red Garb, Courage

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:07:00 EST

[Haiti, February 27: Women dressed in party attire prepare to participate in a parade during carnival weekend in Jacmel, Haiti. This year's celebration was met with mixed emotion as the memory of the 2010 earthquake, which forced the cancellation of last year's event, loomed large. Image via Getty.] More »

FUCK YOU, 2010

Dodai Stewart — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 12:30:25 EST

Fuck 2010. This year fucking sucked. More »

The Year's 10 Biggest Celebrity Gossip Stories

Dodai Stewart — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 15:50:00 EST

Some big stuff went down in Celebland this year: Cheating, rehab, hookers, blow, engagements, adoptions, and offensive tirades! Here are the top ten stories that kept us enthralled. More »

DJ Suspended For Comments About Haitian Women And HIV

Irin Carmon — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 14:23:11 EST

"The reason I'm HIV negative is because I don't mess with Haitian girls," New York radio DJ Cipha Sounds recently said on air. He's apologized and has been suspended, but he's reopened some very painful wounds. More »

Is Live-Tweeting About Rape A Wake-Up Call Or A Mistake?

Phil Bronstein — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 17:30:00 EDT

"On my way to the hospital with a girl whose tongue was bitten off when she was raped." Did that tweet get your attention? That was the point. More »

Lindsay Might Tell Her Story On The Today Show

Dodai Stewart — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT

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Lindsay Lohan's first post-jail and post-rehab interview may be aired on the Today show.

The Bachelorette Doesn't Really Want A Wedding

Dodai Stewart — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky would like to elope.

Elin Nordegren's First Interview: "I've Been Through Hell"

Dodai Stewart — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Elin Nordegren has done an exclusive interview with People.

...Or Maybe Wyclef's Presidential Bid Isn't Over Just Yet

Hortense Smith — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 12:05:00 EDT

Though Haiti's electoral council rejected Wyclef Jean's bid for the presidency, claiming that Jean did not meet a mandatory residency requirement, Jean's legal team is planning to appeal the decision in the hopes of keeping his candidacy alive. [MSNBC] More »

Kat Von D: "I've Got A Lot Of Respect For Jesse"

Dodai Stewart — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Kat Von D did a radio interview in which she attempted to justify, rationalize and explain dating Jesse James.

Is This Seriously Wyclef's First Campaign Ad?

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EDT

We hope not; whatever you think of Wyclef Jean's qualifications for the Haitian presidency, you'd think he could put together a decent — hell, even moving — video. However, this unintelligible footage leaves something to be desired. More »

Who The Hell Is Sean Penn To Criticize Wyclef Jean?

Anna North — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:30:00 EDT

Many Haitians seem thrilled that Wyclef Jean is officially running for President of Haiti. But never mind that — what does Sean Penn think? More »

The Pros & Cons Of Wyclef's Bid For Haitian Presidency

Dodai Stewart — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:18:00 EDT

Last night on CNN, Wyclef Jean announced that he is running to become the next president of Haiti. When asked what his qualifications are, Wycelf said: More »

Dominican Prostitutes In Haiti: Prized For Their Light Skin, Patronized By Peacekeepers

Irin Carmon — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:46:39 EDT

What does increased foreign presence in post-earthquake Haiti bring? Donated money, aid workers and increased U.N. presence, for sure. Also, Dominican prostitutes hoping to make a living off them. More »

Kelly Cutrone Is So Over Haiti; Hollywood Death Is The Real Crisis

Jenna Sauers — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:24:00 EDT

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The PR honcho is so over revenge. In the contemporary Panopticon of social media, reality television, and e-mail forwards, Cutrone's rule is "don't ever put anything in writing and never say anything when anyone's around." Except for, apparently, this interview. More »

After The Earthquake: Sexual Assault In Haiti

Irin Carmon — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 10:00:00 EDT

The chilling story of one woman's sexual assault in post-disaster Haiti is on the front page of The New York Times today. Unfortunately, the story's subject isn't alone. More »

A Thousand Words

Anna Holmes — Fri, 21 May 2010 09:10:00 EDT

[Port-au-Prince, May 20. Image via AP]

Numbers Game

Anna Holmes — Mon, 17 May 2010 13:10:00 EDT

[Port-au-Prince, May 16. Image via AP]

Proof That Anna Wintour Knows Joy; Plus-Size Models Protest Fashion Week

Jenna Sauers — Thu, 06 May 2010 12:40:00 EDT

The Met Ball may be more fun than we ever imagined — most parties are after everyone is wasties! Here's Anna Wintour, almost smiling. And dancing with P. Diddy. Wait, is Katy Perry crowd-surfing or just on a table? [VillageVoice]

Mom Serves Up Oxycodone Sandwich • Lesbian Teen Attacked By Classmates

Katy Kelleher — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:20:00 EDT

• A New York mom has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child after two of her oxycodone pills ended up in jelly sandwich prepared by her 3-year-old daughter. More »

It Takes A Village

Anna Holmes — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:10:00 EDT

[Port-au-Prince, April 13. Image via AP]

Taste/Buds

Anna Holmes — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:10:00 EDT

[Port-au-Prince, April 12. Image via Getty]

Sigourney: Jim Cameron Didn't Win Oscar Because He's A Dude

Dodai Stewart — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Sigourney Weaver on why James Cameron didn't get the Oscar for best director:

Above & Beyond

Anna Holmes — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:10:00 EDT

[Port-au-Prince, April 11. Image via Getty]

Survey Breaks Down Sex Habits By Country • Andrew Young Faces Jail Time For Sex Tape

Katy Kelleher — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:40:00 EST

• Information that might be useful in planning your next vacation: Brazilians last the longest in bed, Austrian men are the most promiscuous, and Germany has the world's worst lovers. And Greece is believed to be the horniest country. More »

International Women's Day: A Celebration In Pictures

Katy Kelleher — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST

Yesterday, March 8th, was International Women's Day, a day globally devoted to "celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future." The day was indeed celebrated, from Gaza to Tunisia, Paris to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. More »

Teachers Punished For "Spirit" Lap Dance • Fox Viewers Aren't Interested In Michelle Obama

Katy Kelleher — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:20:00 EST

• Two high school teachers from Winnipeg have been suspended for performing a lap dance at a pep rally. School officials say the dance was "totally inappropriate" and a 12th grade student called it "dirty." Video after the jump. • More »

Carey Defies Vogue Editrix; Steve Madden, Misunderstood Creative Genius Of Footwear

Jenna Sauers — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:40:00 EST

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Carey Mulligan isn't taking Anna Wintour's sartorial advice. "Anna said I should wear short for the Oscars. I was like ‘No, that is so not what I had in my head when I was 6!" Once bitten, twice shy. [People]

Reading, Writing, Arithmetic

Anna Holmes — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:15:00 EST

[Santo, Haiti; February 18. Image via Getty]

Haiti Releases Eight Missionaries, Reconsiders Orphanages

Anna North — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:30:00 EST

Yesterday a judge authorized the release of eight of the ten American missionaries held in Haiti, but accusations are piling up against one of their advisers. Meanwhile, some activists want to keep all Haitian children out of orphanages. More »

Patience, Prudence

Anna Holmes — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:15:00 EST

[Port-au-Prince, February 15. Image via Getty]

We Are The World, Redux

Anna Holmes — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:00:00 EST

I think it's safe to say that Jennifer Hudson and Celine Dion were the biggest voices in the new, appropriately star-studded version of We Are The World, which just aired on NBC. More info - including donation options - here. More »

No Haitian Orphan For Angie; LC's Book Is Number One

Dodai Stewart — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST

Angelina Jolie sat down with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, and had to explain that she is not trying to adopt from Haiti:

To Catch A Thief

Anna Holmes — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:10:00 EST

[Port-au-Prince, February 10. Image via Getty]

Sending Out An SOS

Anna Holmes — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:10:00 EST

[Port-au-Prince, February 9. Image via Getty]