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Sean Penn and Ann Lee Are at the CORE of Community Rebuilding
Raye Mocioiu
Oscar-winner Sean Penn has branded himself a hero both on-screen and off. The Flag Day star has long used his Hollywood power to mobilize and motivate change internationally. From humanitarian efforts in New Orleans and Haiti to political controversies the likes of which have only been ventured by the bravest of journalists, Sean Penn has a history of boldly taking action for causes he cares about. In 2010, an earthquake rocked Haiti, causing significant damage to multiple cities in the region and affecting over three million people. Within hours of the disaster, Penn founded CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), which immediately mobilized a powerful network to take action, operating a 55,000 person tent camp for displaced locals.
“When I met Sean in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, I was working for one of the biggest U.S. NGOs,” says CORE co-founder Ann Lee. “Initially, I was cynical of an actor coming in to help, but Sean’s vision and perspective as an outsider proved different. Soon, he and I began to conspire against the traditional—and flawed—ways of emergency response. Instead, Sean shoe-stringed innovation to respond swiftly to one of the worst disasters of modern time, building lasting change in the hardest hit, poorest neighbourhoods. He has infused that mentality in our work over the past decade.” Lee, who has a long history of humanitarian efforts, worked as the lead on urban humanitarian response for the UN’s Organization for Coordination and Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and a private-sector liaison for the Secretary General’s World Humanitarian Summit. With Lee and Penn at the helm, CORE’s efforts have continued, employing hundreds of Haitians who implement programs focused on education, reforestation, and community development. Who better, after all, to lead a community to positive change than the community members themselves?
“In 2017, in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, we realized we could take our many years of emergency response experience and help communities in the Caribbean,” Lee continues. “This was a pivotal moment for CORE as we were able to extend our work beyond Haiti and apply our model of working directly with the local community and government.” More than ten years later, the organization continues to lead sustainable programs focused on four pillars: emergency relief, disaster preparedness, environmental resiliency and community building. The latter has proved a vital lesson, not just for the organization, but for the hard-hit communities it helps.
“The biggest impact we made in Haiti was centring all humanitarian action through and in support of communities and their social, cultural, and physical infrastructure, which in turn strengthens them against the next crisis—be it a natural disaster, economic downturn, or otherwise,” Lee shares. “We listened, we learned, and we engaged the local community to be their own best agents for rebuilding THEIR community. That ethos is the foundation to CORE.”
Today, CORE is working on the ground in Abaco and the East End of Grand Bahamas Island to support the hardest-hit communities recover through debris removal, housing repair, community infrastructure planning, and economic support. “We are not saviours,” says Lee. “We are not coming to help for the glory and recognition, and then leaving once the initial job is completed. We are trusted partners to the community, and that requires close collaboration with community leaders and members to ensure we are addressing their needs.”
HAITI STILL NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT
Donate now to directly support the communities most impacted by the devastating earthquake. coreresponse.org
Give the Gift That Helps Support Ontario’s Oldest Provincial Park
As you reflect on 2021, we hope you will include The Friends of Algonquin Park in your year-end charitable giving. The Friends of Algonquin Park (FOAP) is a charitable organization that works diligently to enhance the educational offerings in Algonquin Park. Like you, The Friends of Algonquin Park understand and appreciate the value of places like Algonquin Park and the importance of understanding what makes them truly special. This end of year fundraising campaign provides an opportunity for you to share your passion for Algonquin Park, and in turn, allow The Friends to continue to enhance and diversify the educational programs so that future generations can make treasured memories too. If you have ever visited Algonquin
Park and walked one of its many interpretive trails, stopped in at the Visitor Centre, or strolled the exhibits at the Logging Museum, then you have witnessed firsthand some of the contributions of The Friends of Algonquin Park. There are so many ways The Friends enhance Algonquin Park, from the Experience Algonquin workshops on Algonquin specific themes to coordinating volunteers for the Adopt-A-Trail program that helps maintain the interpretive walking trails. Whether it be through interactive interpretive events like Loggers Day and Meet the Researcher Day, educating school-aged children about the wonders of Algonquin Park through the Group Education Program, funding research to explore the plants, animals, and cultural history of the Park, or sharing it through its many publications, The Friends of Algonquin Park is dedicated to sharing the magic of natural spaces with everyone. Many more research, interpretive, and visitor education efforts await funding. Your contribution before the end of the year will allow The Friends of Algonquin Park to do even more in 2022.
It is because of support from individuals like you, that the FOAP is able to continue to educate people of all ages about Algonquin Park to ensure future stewards. Please remember Algonquin Park in your holiday gift plans! Your year-end tax-deductible donation will make a difference as The Friends of Algonquin Park continue to inspire generations. Please share the passion of Algonquin Park and the valuable efforts of The Friends of Algonquin Park with your family and friends. Thank you for making
Algonquin Park a priority in your year-end giving. Warm wishes from The Friends of Algonquin Park family to yours for a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season!
Make a Donation algonquinpark.on.ca/donate or call 613 637-2828 ext 239
Discover. Inspire. Change.
Emerging Global Heroes on the Path to Engaged Leadership and Inclusive Excellence
At the cusp of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation’s (PETF) 20th Anniversary, 15 emerging global heroes were welcomed into the PETF 2021-2024 Scientific Cycle of Language, Culture and Identity. In addition to academic excellence, these impressive doctoral Scholars were selected based on their demonstrated commitment to deep listening, profound curiosity, and willingness to engage with diverse people, cultures, ideologies, and perspectives. This leadership journey aims to empower the Scholars to have meaningful impacts in Canada and the world. Accompanied and mentored by PETF Fellows and Mentors, the 2021-24 Scholars will be immersed within the Foundation’s experiential leadership programming and Brave Spaces of democratic dialogue to share various perspectives on complex and intersecting issues of language, culture, and identity.
This impressive cohort of Scholars includes (from left to right): Roxana Akhmetova (Oxford University), María Juliana Angarita (Université du Québec à Montréal), Monique Auger (University of Victoria), Prativa Baral (John Hopkins University), Lydie C. Belporo (Université de Montréal), Étienne Cossette-Lefebvre (University of Toronto), Anick Desrosiers (McGill University), Raphaël Grenier-Benoit (University of Oxford), Jasmine Cassy Mah (Dalhousie University), Byron Maxey (University of Toronto), Kowan O’Keefe (University of Maryland), Joshua Okyere (University of Manitoba), Chanelle Robinson (Boston College), Christina Wood (York University), and Kylie Heales, Mary-Jean Mitchell Green – PET Scholar (University of Alberta).
A key criterion of the PETF Scholars selection is their valuable engagement with societal issues that impact Canadian and international communities. Their research topics span a variety of cutting-edge issues, from ethical artificial intelligence in the context of immigration to governance, peacebuilding, and heritage-building frameworks in Latin America and in Africa. Legal Scholars are studying the concept and right of self-ownership or the role of the judiciary in social change; while social justice, management, and health Scholars are investigating impacts of trauma and homelessness, healthcare for the elderly, Indigenous or Métis child welfare, and innovation and entrepreneurship in Haiti and Tunisia. Environmental and history Scholars are focusing on socio-political and ethical strategies to achieve net-zero emissions goals or the transformation of the Ottawa River to a regulated, recreational place.
Recently, the Scholars convened at an “Experiential Journey of Heritage in Quebec City” from October 12-15 (#PETF2021LCIHeritageQC). This immersive experience started at the Huron-Wendat First Nations Museum and Ekionkiestha’ National Longhouse in Wendake, QC, followed by a stay at the Monastère des Augustines—the birthplace of the first hospital in Canada, and a visit to Quebec City Hall.
The Scholars shared profound openness, empathy, and curiosity towards the different histories that make up Quebec’s rich cultural heritage. They were particularly compelled by the lived experiences of First Nations and Indigenous Peoples—many of whom have shown exemplary tenacity and pursued a variety of paths to revitalize their language and cultures. They also expressed a keen interest in learning more about the protection of French-speaking minorities and increasing linguistic diversity. Importantly, this new generation of global heroes was able to connect, reflect, and share innovative perspectives that strengthened their collaborative ties and friendships. It is ultimately this combination of human values that distinguish and form today’s global heroes.
