Just as the students of Cabrini College came together to support the Haitian relief effort, so did two of Cabrini’s alumni Jolaine Gero, ’08 and Junie Joachim, ’06.
Gero and Joachim came to Cabrini during WYBF’s “Streaming Hope for Haiti” fundraiser to speak to students about their ties back in Haiti and see what current students were doing for the Haitian relief effort.
“I think Cabrini is doing an awesome job in their efforts for Haiti. I was excited for the ‘Streaming Hope for Haiti’ fundraiser, t-shirts and other events on campus after the quake hit. It’s so nice to see my Cabrini family pull together for something that I felt hit so close to home,” Gero said.
Gero is Haitian-American. She was born in Indiana, however, both of her parents and her two older siblings are immigrants of Haiti.
Joachim, on the other hand, was born and raised in Haiti and came to Cabrini in 2004. She still has family residing in Haiti that survived the earthquake.
“I am delighted that our students and alumnae with family-roots in Haiti were able to meet each other (some for the first time) and play a role in encouraging present Cabrini students to mobilize on behalf of Haiti,” Gero said.
“The alumnae (Jolaine Gero ’08 and Junie Joachim ’06) told us they immediately thought of Cabrini as a community where they knew they would find a compassionate and active response, once the devastating earthquake hit Haiti,” Mary Laver, director of international partnerships, said.
Gero and Joachim spoke to students and urged them to continue the relief efforts and spread awareness about the situation because this is going to be an ongoing struggle for Haiti.
“Really get into their minds and get some things to stay in because that’s how we’re going to rebuild the place, if people keep remembering what’s happening and what’s going on. It’s going to take us a while to get back to our feet and we need everyones help, we need everyones participation at the local and national level and however you can help,” Joachim said.
“I am very very very sad about what’s going on Haiti, but because God keeps me, I have faith that everything is only getting better from here. It’s hard to know a month has gone by from the quake but I am still on the look out for any and every opportunity I can put my hands to and help,” Gero said.
For Gero and Joachim the earthquake in Haiti really hit home.
Not only do they share a past from Cabrini, but they share Haitian roots and a deep understanding of the struggles that people in Haiti will continue to face in the future.
“It was a beautiful thing for me as a staff person, to witness the ‘generations’ of Cabrini students (from past and present) inspire each other to stretch their minds and hearts to see how when one part of the human family is suffering, we are all suffering, and we can all help,” Laver said. “I can see Frances Cabrini smiling with approval as our conversation stretched across the world!”
