Yakini Ajanaku-Coffy and Jean-Paul Coffy are teachers and musicians. They’re also both Haitian and Chicagoan. They own and operate a music-based pre-school called La Grande Famille in the city’s Kenwood area.
Like many Haitians in the U.S., they have loved ones affected by the Jan. 12 earthquake. Not knowing the fate of his parents and brothers and sisters amid the destruction and rubble, Jean-Paul went to Haiti to see for himself. Here’s been there since Jan. 22, negotiating for health care services and basic necessities for his mom and dad, who have no one else to depend on. He’s torn between family in Haiti and family in Chicago.
We interviewed Yakini, a wonderful singer, and she told us their Haiti heartache story. For more on this family’s saga, view and listen to the video above.
You can also read e-mails exchanged between Yakini and Jean-Paul and get updates on their family through their blog, Help Coffy.