Well you shouldn’t be. And for good reason. Haiti still needs all the attention it can get.
In our breaking story, 24 hour news, Twitterati world, stories get stale fast, whether we like it or not, whether we care about them or not, whether they matter or not. The media has power – perhaps too much power – to frame how and what we think about, where we put our energy. While the media has moved on to the next headline, the next product, the next big thing, old news is still news in someone’s life. And we should pay attention.
Take Haiti for instance. Week by week, we are seeing fewer headlines, fewer dollars donated, fewer people remembering the tragedy of January 12, 2010. The flurry of giving is fading. The media captured our attention, pulled at our heartstrings, drew us closer to the crisis, but our recollection has tapered off. People’s attention spans have moved on to the next big thing.
Haiti and Haitians still need our support, which is why it is great that “Sustainable Haiti” is being held in conjunction with Social Venture Capital/Social Enterprise in Miami, March 17-19. Rebuilding a nation, an economy, and a national infrastructure is a time consuming activity. It doesn’t happen overnight. We must take a long term view of recovery. The goal of “Sustainable Haiti” is to connect – to learn how to play a positive role in Haiti’s recovery and future. “Sustainable Haiti” will include almost 50 panels, as well as workshops over three days that will include topics ranging from “The Media’s Role and Responsibility” to “Discussing Haiti’s Successful Entrepreneurs” to “Public Private Partnerships as a Catalyst for Jobs Growth.”
Concurrently, SVC/SE Miami will focus on the regional social innovation in Florida, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Interested in expanding your geographical knowledge of social enterprise? It will be a great opportunity to “get connected” to top social enterprise and financial leaders and organizations from Latin America and the Caribbean—in addition to organizations worldwide that have an interest in expanding to the region. The three day event is full of interesting speakers and conversations, with the goal of promoting economic development. Don’t miss Shari Berenbach, President of the Calvert Foundation, Matt Bishop, US Business Editor and New York Bureau Chief of the Economist, Martin Burt, Founder and CEO of Fundacion Paraguay, Carmen Page, Founder of One By One 4 Life, and Rodrigo Villar, General Director of New Ventures Mexico, among other exciting guests. There is something for everyone – a generalist approach as well as an attempt to bring specific attention to the region.
If the organizers of the conference have their way, we’ll be seeing Miami as the next regional hub of social entrepreneurship, especially with its strong Latin American and Caribbean Diaspora ties.
Photo Credit: ft.com
