A woman in Fort Dimanche laying biscuits to dry, biscuits made of butter, salt, water and dirt. The Haitians face shortages of food and electricity.

Photo: Ruth Fresmon, New York Times

In the midst of the excitement surrounding the results of Super Tuesday, I received another very disturbing e-mail from a friend regarding the plight of poor Haitians on the island who have resorted to eating dirt for food. Initially, I attributed the message to be a cruel hoax from an insensitive person. I live in Miami where a significant number of residents are of Haitian descent. There had been no reports, to my knowledge, in any of the local media.

I received the message again, this time from a different friend and this time more passionate in its request to help. I Googled the subject and found the article had been published in the Houston Chronicle. I would also find photos in The New York Times. It was true.

Many of my friends are Haitian and I have come to respect our shared history and African bloodline. Haitian people are brilliant and resilient. It hurts to know that some have been forced to eat these mud pies to survive. This is a human issue and these people need our help. Click here to read the Houston Chronicle article. Please spread the word about this situation.