By Nick Lyndon, Chief Operating Officer
There are some obvious answers to this question
if you are talking about Amy Poehler, who played Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation, and Rainn Wilson,
who played Dwight Schrute on The Office:
- They are both Emmy-nominated TV stars from
comedy series filmed as though they were documentaries - They both played somewhat uptight, fanatic
perfectionists with a penchant for duty. - They both appeared in Monsters vs. Aliens in 2009 and Fight
for Your Right Revisited in 2011 (I had to look those up…). - They both released memoirs in the last few
years, Yes, Please and The Bassoon King.
In addition, I think they are both hilarious in
their roles on The Office and Parks and Recreation, and those are two
of my favorite comedy series. So, when
they released their memoirs, I read them both. Toward the end of both books, I
learned that both of them have spent time in Haiti, were inspired by the people
there, and join us in wanting to see the best for the people of that country.
(I can’t comment on whether or not the books
were good, because my motivation for reading was just to get some insight on
the people behind the characters I loved.)
Dwight Schrute:
- For my money, Dwight is one
of the best characters, not just because he was funny, but because he made
everyone around him funnier. - Favorite quote: “Bears.
Beets. Battlestar Galactica.” - Favorite moment: When Jim faked
that his desk and chair were wrapped in wrapping paper, and he sat down onto
air. - Favorite episode: When Dwight
was finally the Regional Manager!
Leslie Knope:
- Leslie’s heart was three
times as big as she was, and her love for her friends on the show overflowed
and seeped into my consciousness, and soon I loved her friends as much as she
did. - Favorite quote: “I stand
behind my decision to avoid salad and other disgusting things.” - Favorite moment: The episode
dedicated to Leslie and Ron after they hug it out and get waffles at JJ’s
Diner. - Favorite episode: I loved the
final episode of the series. I grew to love the characters and it was a very
fitting goodbye to them all.
What really won me over in both books was
seeing that they took the time to visit Haiti, experience both the beauty and
the need, and were willing to lend their platform to speak up for the people
there.
Rainn Wilson wrote, “The poverty was like none
I’d ever seen before. I’d traveled a great deal in Central America. Been to
Morocco and the Middle East as well. I’d seen much poverty in my travels but
not anything close to what I saw in rural Haiti. It was like a chunk of the
poorest Africa was dropped down on the end of a Caribbean island. Garbage was
everywhere. Everything seemed broken. There was rampant unemployment and the
most basic hygiene was impossible to maintain. It was a devastating experience
to witness. And yet an inspiring one.”
He went on to explain that he and his wife
loved the Haitian people, describing, “Through the tremendous difficulties
there, the Haitians rose tall. They had a vibrant culture, a beautiful
language, and a fierce nobility and independence. We fell in love with Haitian arts
and the indomitable spirit of the people. They were tough, bighearted, and
funny… We knew we wanted to be a part of Haiti in some way, shape, or form.
It’s a magical place, and people who visit fall in love with it.”
Amy Poehler had a similar experience, sharing,
“My first impression was of total chaos. The streets of Port-au-Prince were
filled with dust and trash and babies. There was so much to look at. Everyone
was busy carrying something. A man had a tray of hamburgers on his head. Women
were trucking their laundry through the streets as young children pulled heavy
pots of water. The roads were twisted and full of debris. It looked like
someone had picked up Haiti, held it upside down, and shaken it. It felt
unmoored.”
Poehler also recognized the reality that we
face every day at Restavek Freedom: child slavery. She writes, “There was a true
aesthetic but also a palpable darkness. I mean, let’s get real. Kids are slaves
there. Kids are bought and sold and put to work… In just a few minutes you could
tell which kids had parents and which were on their own. I kept trying to
connect the small children and the adults they were walking next to. I was
looking for comfort. I was uncomfortable… When I drove the streets of Haiti it
felt like many of the children I saw were lost and no one was looking for
them.”
She got to see people
working on behalf of those children, some who were finally safe, loved and
home. Stories that were hard and complex but also good. A line she wrote
synthesized one of the big lessons in life and in Haiti, “A little love goes a
long way.”
Both Poehler and Wilson saw
the heartbreak and the beauty, those in need of a little love and those gifting
it out generously, selflessly, and sacrificially. We here at Restavek Freedom
are so grateful to stand with Haitian friends, staff, child advocates, pastors,
leaders, and children who are together working to build a new Haiti, one where
no child will experience modern-day slavery, and where every child knows the
love we each crave.
Learn more about the issue
of child slavery in Haiti at https://restavekfreedom.org/
