International Day of Prayer for Haiti

The Association of Black Psychologists Disaster Relief Task Force, on behalf of

The Association of Black Psychologists, experts and specialists on Black/African American Mental Health issues announces

 February 12, 2010 as an International Day of Prayer for the victims and survivors of Haiti cause by the devastating earthquake that struck the island nation on January 12, 2010 at 4:53 PM, Eastern standard time.  This organization is in its 43^rd year of advancing a psychology dedicated and committed to the liberation of the African spirit.

We are asking the International Community to join The Association of Black Psychologists in praying for the spirit of approximate 150,000 or more Haitians who have died and for the Haitian people in Haiti and throughout the world.  In honor of our Haitian brothers and sisters we are asking the world community to join the collective effort by lighting a candle and two minutes of silence at exactly 4:53 PM Eastern standard time on February 12, 2010.  This will mark a formal beginning of the spiritual and psychological healing of Haiti’s people and by extension African people. 

February 12, 2010 will also begin the International Month of Healing (February 12, 2010 to March 12, 2010) for Haitian’s and African people throughout the world.  We ask that throughout the month churches, community groups, organizations, families and individuals participate in simple healing rituals (prayer circles, talking circles, water rituals, dance, fire rituals, silent meditation, poetry readings, singing, drumming, and other activities) that will serve to heal the spirit of the International community and that of our Haitian and African family.  The Association of Black Psychologists is guided by the principles of the African Centered Worldview, in which all human beings should be: 

Free to grow and realize their highest human potential;
Free from oppressive and humanly demeaning environments;
Free to live cooperatively with other human beings;
Free to develop knowledge of ones-self and or ones historically and culturally determined identity;
Free to defend oneself against the dehumanizing influences of anti-human forces; and
Free to achieve human dignity (Akbar, 1991, 718 Black Psychology, Jones, Ed.).

In Spirit and Community,
Co-Chairs, The Association of Black Psychologists Disaster Relief Task Force 
Gislene C. Mariette, Ph.D., This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 323 930-0609 
Mary E. Hargrow, Ph.D., Wade W. Noble, Ph.D.