Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson issued the following statement to mark the ten-year anniversary of the Haiti earthquake.
“On January 12, 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti at its very core, crippling the capital’s infrastructure, killing hundreds of thousands of people, and leaving more than one million homeless. As we mark the ten-year anniversary of that devastating event, we also must not forget the myriad other man-made and natural disasters that Haiti has endured since then, including a cholera outbreak, hurricanes, and political unrest.
“As the congressional representative of one of the largest Haitian-American communities in the United States, I have tirelessly fought for resources to help the island recover and rebuild. I also have introduced and co-sponsored several legislative measures to extend temporary protected status for Haitian nationals living and working in the United States and am a proud co-sponsor of the Dream and Promise Act, which provides a pathway to citizenship for TPS holders.
“The resilience of Haiti’s citizens is incomparable, but as their country’s motto, L’union fait la force, reminds us, there is strength in unity, and Haiti needs our ongoing support as much today as it did ten years ago.”
