Ellington

On a recent Sunday morning, Jesse O'Quinn woke up thinking about plans for his upcoming 23rd birthday. He couldn't shake recent images he'd seen of the devastation in Haiti, and instead of getting presents on his birthday, he wanted to give back.

"After seeing what families and children have gone through in Haiti, I have no need for anything," O'Quinn says.

O'Quinn, a student at the Mississippi State University School of Architecture in Jackson, decided to organize a Haiti relief event with the help of his peers and local business owners. "Helping Haiti One Block at a Time" will take place tonight at Wired Espresso Café from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. A minimum donation of $5 is suggested, and all proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund.

At the benefit, donors will receive gifts of artwork made by O'Quinn and students from MSU. The artwork consists of small intimate paintings and mixed media on small pieces of wood, recycled from the school's architecture studio.

"The blocks of art were a way for me to get my entire class to participate in the event," O'Quinn says. "We have created Haiti-inspired blocks that are reflections of our emotions."

In an effort to educate the public about Haiti, the students have put together a slide show and printed photographs of the earthquake's destruction. O'Quinn, a Jackson native, says he wants the event to be a time of reflection.

"I thought it was important to reach the souls of people as they come to this relief benefit," he says. "I think it is important to remember what the event is about. It's about the victims of Haiti, the orphans, the husbands who have lost their wives, and the families that have been broken apart."

Wired Espresso Café is located at 115 N. State St. across from the Old Capitol building. For more information about the event, call 601-209-3796.