MIRAMAR — The sky was clear and the weather simply beautiful on the morning of a typical hot and humid January day in Haiti. The streets of Port-au-Prince, its capital, were busy and everyone was moving around, going about their business as usual without thinking once that later in the afternoon of that Tuesday, January 12, 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake would strike the Caribbean country.
It was precisely 4:43pm when the first tremor rolled and rattled the ground below Port-au-Prince. It quickly ratcheted up its intensity with relentless force, inducing terror everywhere. In less than a minute, much of Port-au-Prince was reduced to rubble.
The devastating news took the world by shock, particularly the Haitian communities living aboard. We had heard about the magnitude of the natural disaster for days and weeks afterward. The Haitian government’s official count was more than 300,000 deaths, which would make the earthquake’s aftermath one of the worst natural disasters in recorded history, but other estimates were considerably smaller.
Approximately three million people were affected; hundreds of thousands of survivors were displaced. They were forced to live in makeshift internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. As a result, the country faced the greatest humanitarian crisis in its history.
As the years have drifted by, that date has become one of sorrow, an unforgettable moment for the resilient people living in Haiti. And those living outside never miss an opportunity to remember those who perished on that dark day. It is also seen as a day of reflection dedicated to the memory of the victims.
Last Thursday, January 12, 2023, marked thirteen years since the tragedy hit Haiti. As it has become a tradition in South Florida, members of the Haitian communities commemorated that day through several events held in Miramar, Miami, and North Miami, among other cities with large Haitian populations.
City of Miramar Commemorates the Tragedy
A commemorative ceremony was held in the morning at Miramar City Hall Plaza. The gathering was a way for the city council, especially the mayor’s office, to not only recognize those who died and the many more who continue to struggle in the aftermath, but also to show love and respect to the significant Haitian population living in this ethnically-diverse city in southern Broward County.
The event started around 10am with a few words from Mayor Wayne Messam who said the city supports the Haitian community and will be there for them. It ended in prayer.
“We honor the memories of our Haitian brothers and sisters who lost their lives during the tragic earthquake of 2010,” said Mayor Messam. “It is a day we will never forget and stand with the Haitian community to pray for continued healing for the country and people of Haiti. And it’s important for us not to forget the contributions of Haitian-Americans in our city.”
“We hope that the community will never forget the fact that our neighbors in Haiti have been dealing with this tragedy,” the mayor continued, “and multiple tragedies for some years and that they continue to require our support. To see many who survived and were able to bounce back is a real testimony and a reminder about how fragile life is and how natural disasters impact us all.”
The mayor was followed by several speakers. Among them were survivors of that earthquake who addressed the audience at City Hall Plaza, including Reginald Delva, a former ‘Secrétaire D’état à la Sécurité’ during Michel Martelly’s presidency. Delva spoke about how he was in his office when the ground began to shake and he spent the days afterward sifting through rubble searching for friends.
“It was nightmare,” he said. “It was like a bomb had hit the area. It took time for us to understand it was the entire capital that was hit by the earthquake. So, we were trying to help each other; trying to find family members, with no communication.”
Many non-Haitians were there at the city plaza to show support to the fellow Haitian residents in Miramar.
Little Haitian Neighborhood Commemorated the Earthquake
Local organization Family Action Network Movement (FANM) also hosted a memorial event at the Toussaint Louverture Memorial Statue, located at the corner of North Miami Avenue and 62nd Street in the afternoon of Thursday. It was a moment of reflection in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood.
Many speakers, earthquake survivors, and artists shared inspiring stories of resilience, strength and courage through songs and prayers while calling for a change in the motherland.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Florida Rep. Marie Woodson, newly elected Miami-Dade Commissioner District 2 Marleine Bastien, and other local elected officials addressed the gathering.
For the mayor, January 12, 2010, was a day that nobody will ever forget.
“We cannot forget the suffering, all the devastation back 13 years ago, and Haiti still has not recovered,” she said.
That dark day impacted Florida Rep. Marie Woodson in so many ways. During her speech, she said that a good friend she went to school with lost two kids in the earthquake. “Haiti’s entire infrastructure was almost destroyed,” she told the crowd.
Around 5pm, the participants silently started marching on 62nd Street eastbound and then turned south on Northeast 2nd Avenue. The procession reached Little Haiti Cultural Complex (212 NE 59 Terrace) around 5:50 pm., where the main commemoration was held.
Porsha Estimé from the former female trio band D’Sire was among the artists who performed at the memorial event. She sung “Rise up” by Andrea Day for the occasion.
Later in the evening, the City North Miami, where more than 30 percent of the residents are Haitian, hosted its own commemoration in remembrance of the 2010 earthquake.
Many of those who took part at the different commemorations said more needs to be done to prepare Haiti for natural disasters that include better infrastructure. At all the events commemorating this 13th anniversary, local leaders reiterated their support for Haiti amid crises both natural and political. Most of them agree that the international community must do something to help Haiti find the path to stability and progress.
For example, State Representative Marie Woodson emphasized, “It’s incumbent on the United States of America to do something about what’s going on over there.”
Thirteen years on, the earthquake in Haiti continues to rumble through the lives of millions of Haitians and the diaspora. Tremors rattle our communities each and every time we begin a new year, knowing what January 12th commemorates. The Haitian people are resilient and continue inspiring the world as they recover from that natural disaster. Courage is a powerful force and for this Caribbean nation, theirs offers a beacon of hope to the world.
Dessalines Ferdinand
Le Floridien