On a mission of caring
For the past 13 years, the founder and volunteers of the Caribbean-American Outreach Association (USA) have been on a mission — working to bring much-needed help to those with HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean. On Nov. 10 in Queens, the nonprofit organization will be funding its onsite medical missions to the region and other programs through a black-tie benefit event. The annual fund-raising Dinner-Dance, Fashion Show and Awards Ceremony will be held at the Hilton Hotel JFK Airport, 144-02 135th Ave., from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Herman Lamont, Jamaica’s consul general in New York, will be the keynote speaker at the event.
Honorees for the formal affair include the Rev. Roger Lloyd Angelo Weller of the Faith Evangelistic Ministries Brooklyn Assembly; Sadie Campbell of the Jamaica Progressive League; Dr. Bernice Onome Dema of the Urhobo Association of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut; TV talk show host Ina Dillon; registered nurses Beulah Hendricks, Icilda Sterling Harrison and Cecilia Maria Mitchell; nutritionist Marlene Richards, and Brooklyn 86th Assembly District Leader Ernest Kebreau (a.k.a. E-UNEEK).
Jean Hamilton, the association’s leader, said Friday that her group’s next visit to the Caribbean may come in June 2013. Previ- ous missions have targeted Jamaica, Trinidad and Dominica.
Testing for ailments, such as hypertensio and diabetes as well as pediatric and OB/GYN exams, will be conducted by doctors and nurses on the missions. In addition students get scholarships, books, school supplies, uniforms, and funds for transportation and lunch.
Locally, Caribbean-American Outreach held a community health fair New York in September, and another is planned for December, she said.
The benefit’s fashion show will feature designs by Novs and Muffets Closet. DJ Omar will provide music for the evening.
Donation is $100. For tickets and information, call (347) 500-4551 or (215) 681-5487.
Student-playwright’s talent on the rise
What an amazing tale and an extraordinary talent — nursing student Kimberly La Force from St. Lucia took a writing assignment and turned out a play good enough to be included in “The Best American Short Plays” series, an annual anthology.
“Writing of any form has been like therapy for me,” said La Force, whose short play “A Marriage Proposal” came from her New York City College of Technology (City Tech) creative writing class taught by Prof. Jane Mushabac. Before the class, LaForce had only written some poems .
“A Marriage Proposal” examines issues surrounding reasons for marriage other than traditional Western perspectives.
“Some of these issues include men and women’s different perspectives on marriage, the use of marriage as a pathway for U.S. citizenship and marriage as a commodity,” said the 28-year-old student/playwright.
La Force, who is due to start a master of science program in Narrative Medicine at Columbia University next spring, wants to merge clinical medicine and writing “to teach them how to communicate better with patients.”
PANCAP on guard vs. HIV/AIDS
Infection rates have lowered slightly in the Caribbean in recent years, but HIV/AIDS is still a serious problem, and the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) hasn’t dropped its guard.
PANCAP members — which include the region’s nations and a host of public and private organizations — will gather in Belize City, Belize, for the group’s 12th annual general meeting, scheduled for Thursday and Friday. “PANCAP: Forging New Paths,” is the theme for the session.
Created in 2001 by the heads of state and governments of the Caribbean Community of Nations (CARICOM), PANCAP has become an umbrella organization combating the disease. Visitpancap.org for more.
Mixing it up for a cause — Haiti students
The Friends of Haiti 2010 organization will present the Love for Haiti’s Children Networking Mixer on Oct. 30 in Brooklyn at Kombit Bar and Restaurant, 279 Flatbush Ave., from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event will benefit the rebuilding of Ecole d’Amitié (School of Friendship) in Ranquitte, Haiti.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, Rep. Yvette Clarke, Rep. Charles Rangel, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and Manhattan Deputy Borough President Rosemonde Pierre-Louis are among the benefit’s high-powered invited guests.
The evening begins with an hour-long open bar. Donation is $20 per person for advance tickets and $25 at the door.
For information, call (516) 987-2416, (646) 606-6402, (347) 546-1468 or send email to event@foh2010.com. Purchase tickets online at foh2010.eventbrite.com.
This event is sponsored by Kombit Restaurant, ToutHaiti.com, Capinord.com and Rockmasters Entertainment.