GIVE YOUR HEART FOR HAITI

Talented hands dip into the cool water, pulling stones from the local river in Cormier, a rural zone just east of Port au Prince. The stones have been smoothed from their time under the current, and their shapes are oblong and curving. The hands work slowly, moving with patience and love, carving the stones into hearts. These hands are the hands of Haitian artisans and these stone hearts will bring change.

It is only with our full hearts that we can create change. That’s why we love the sentiment of Urban Zen’s initiative, Million Hearts for Haiti. The goal of the project is to sell one million of these hand-carved stone hearts. Proceeds will fund the HAND/EYE campaign that offers small cash grants to artists who need to rebuild workshops, replenish tools, and further promote their art.

To promote the Million Hearts for Haiti project, Urban Zen is inviting everyone to showcase their creativity alongside their philanthropy. Purchase your own hand carved stone, decorate it, and photograph your art. Send it to Urban Zen also with a note about your inspiration to include at the Million Hearts exhibition, currently displayed in their New York City store (705 Greenwich Street). A crew of Fashion Design and Society MFA students from Parsons have already contributed their dazzling hearts.

(Photo: Urban Zen)

The initiative continues with Fashion for Haiti: One Million Hearts. Over 160 designers in the Council for American Fashion Designers will decorate papier-mache hearts to be auctioned off in order to raise money for the Haitian Artisan Project. The auction will take place on eBay from April 22, until May 2, 2013 and feature custom made hearts from Diane von Furstenberg, Oscar de la Renta, Tory Burch, and—of course—Urban Zen founder Donna Karan.

To learn more about the HAND/EYE Fund, Urban Zen, the Haitian Artisan Project, or the One Million Hearts campaign, visit their sites. To purchase your own stone heart from a Haitian artisan, visit a New York City DKNY or Urban Zen store (click here for a list of locations).