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By Michael Lopez

They say that timing is everything and, in the case of Jencarlos Canela's new duet, that seems to clearly be the case. Capitalizing on the Christmas spirit of  "Feliz Navidad", Jencarlos has recruited music legend José Feliciano for a new single and music video.

Titled "Aleluya," the track features plenty of acoustic flourishes and a heartfelt message about celebrating life. The video is quite moving, showcasing Jencarlos and José strumming their guitars on a quiet stage.

And the single has an extra special meaning for Canela. He's letting the International Rescue Committee (IRC) use it as an anthem for their work being done in Haiti. Jencarlos has even become the official spokesman for the organization, lending his face and voice to the cause.

But we get the feeling "Aleluya" may have an even deeper meaning than that. Canela is about to become a first-time father, which is a miracle to rejoice about all unto itself.

Are you a fan of Jencarlos Canela's music? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Aleluya, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Haiti, Holidays, International Rescue Committee, Jencarlos Canela, Jose Feliciano, Música

By Michael Lopez

Just when you thought she was a diva, Shakira turns around and displays an incredible act of generosity. Actually the Colombian singer has a long history of humanitarian work and is continuing the tradition in a major way, by donating nearly $800,000 to help rebuild a historic school in Haiti.

Recently Shakira also helped to lay the first bricks of a new school she's financing in Cartagena, Colombia, for underprivileged kids.

Though Haiti's devastating 7.0 earthquake happened over a year ago, there is still much rebuilding that needs to be done. Port-au-Prince, where the rattler was centered, received a massive amount of damage and several historic landmarks were leveled. One, in particular, was the Elie Dubois school, which has been providing vocational training to Haitian women since 1913.

Shaki’s Barefoot Foundation has partnered with Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to help rebuild the school and continue educating its thousands of enrolled students. And that’s only the beginning. The IDB’s goal is to reconstruct over 2,500 more Haitian learning institutions within the next five years.

“I am sure that the only thing that will change the course of Latin America and the Caribbean’s destiny is for governments to make it a priority to invest in quality education for all boys and girls,” Shakira said. “From the moment they are born and forever.”

Since the earthquake, Elie Dubois students have been transplanted to makeshift classrooms in various parts of the city. But that won’t be for long. If all goes according to plan, IDB and the Barefoot Foundation will have the original campus up and running by early September.

Have you donated to those affected by the 2010 Haiti earthquake? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Agentes De Cambio, Barefoot Foundation, Cultura, Elie Dubois School, Haiti, Health, Shakira

By Michael Lopez

Wow. Now we feel even more proud to have dedicated an entire day of programming to reggaeton gods Wisin y Yandel. Not only do they go out of their way to honor their fans, but they continue to contribute to charitable causes around the world. Just last week, W y Y paid a visit to needy kids in Haiti and even offered $100,000 to help rebuild their orphanage.

Photo by Rachael Coleman Thompson/Tr3s

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since Port-Au-Prince was rocked by that devastating 7.0 earthquake. Though the telethons and donations helped bring some money to the struggling country, there is still plenty of work to be done.

The St. Joseph’s Home orphanage once stood seven-stories tall and housed dozens of children in need of housing. Since the earthquake, it has slowly crumbled into an unlivable pile of rubble. Wisin y Yandel visited the site and made a vow to help rebuild it via their very generous donation.

“This experience has changed my life," Wisin said. "We are more committed than ever to continue our support for the families of St. Joseph’s and to continue helping more children.”

“We pledge to always keep in touch," Yandel added, "and to come back and visit here when the reconstruction is complete.”

Maybe they'll even add a sound system when St. Joseph’s gets renovated so the children can blast hits from W y Y’s Regreso de los Vaqueros!

What causes have you volunteered for or donated to this year? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Cultura, Haiti, Health, Hope For Haiti, photo, Photos, St. Joseph's Home, Wisin y Yandel

Will a new love help Eva Longoria's recovery process? Only time will tell. Reports surfaced over the holiday weekend that Longoria wasn't going to let her impending divorce stand in the way of her plans to adopt a child.

Image : FilmMagic

Eva, 35, who married Tony Parker in 2007, had spoken about adopting before the break-up, and now friends say that she plans to press on – and follow the example of Sandra Bullock.

The Desperate Housewives actress, wants to adopt a child from Haiti as a single mother, reported the UK's Daily Mail.  Haiti has become very close to Eva’s heart since the earthquake in January and she has immersed herself in fundraising work to help the devastated island.

A source close to Longoria said:

"Eva had her heart set on adopting a child from Haiti. She so wants to be a mother. She wanted to adopt with Tony, but she’s happy to go ahead as a single parent and is very excited after what’s been a dark period."

However, a friend of Eva's told People magazine la actriz had no plans to adopt anytime soon and was "devastated" by the split. Adding that Eva's been leaning on her DH cast mates to help her get through it.

The friend told People:

"She is simply heartbroken. She really wishes Tony the best. She just wants this whole situation to be as peaceful as it can be under the circumstances. He's a good person at heart, and she wants the best for him."

So, will she? We think yes.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Eva Longoria, Haiti, Sandra Bullock, Tony Parker

By Michael Lopez

Our thoughts are with the people of Haiti right now, in more ways than one. Not only is the country still struggling to rebuild after that devastating earthquake, but they are now facing a deadly cholera epidemic that has led to over 1,000 deaths! And with cases now being spread to the Dominican Republic, both nations are on high alert.

Classified as a bacterium, cholera is an intestinal infection that is usually transmitted from unsanitary foods or contaminated drinking water. Common symptoms include vomiting and severe stomach pains, which (if untreated) can be fatal.

Image: Getty Images

Sadly, medical care is hard to come by in some of Haiti’s most impacted regions. Death tolls are continuing to rise and so is the frustration of many of its citizens. The lack of proper aid has led to riots and protests from survivors of lost family members.

Though groups like Doctors Without Borders and the U.N. have sent teams to help, complete containment of the virus is still a ways off. When speaking of the severity of the situation, a rep from Medecins Sans Frontieres said,

"If the number of cases continues to increase at the same rate, then we are going to have to adopt some drastic measures to be able to treat people,"

The Dominican Republic is also prepared for drastic action, as they got their first recorded cholera case on Tuesday (November 16) from a visiting Haitian tourist. Since then, the country has set up stop points on its borders, thoroughly cleaned its rivers, and chlorinated its water supply.

Another way the Dominican government is hoping to battle the outbreak is by urging tourists and locals to stay away from street-based food vendors. Reps from the Center for Disease Control agree with the decision, stating,

“Food vendors often work in urban environments with unhygienic practices – they have food sitting in warm temperatures for many hours which can permit rapid bacterial multiplication.”

Thankfully, global organizations like UNICEF are continuing to send medical response teams to the areas that need it most.

Do you have relatives in Haiti or the Dominican Republic? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Cholera, Cultura, Dominican Republic, Epidemic, Haiti, Health, UNICEF

By Michael Lopez

Welcome to a whole new way to be charitable. Back in the day, groups of stars would get involved with causes via telethons, auctions, or whatever. But now Eva Longoria Parker has taken giving into the modern age, with the first ever celebrity Twitter auction. And get this, so far she’s raised over $540,000!

Image: WireImage

This particular charity is to help aid children and those continuing to struggle in Haiti. By donating a set amount of dollars, you can not only make a difference, but get your favorite celebs to Tweet you a personalized message! And you can even get them follow you in the Twitterverse.

With over 750,000 Followers, it’s clear Eva’s a master of all things Twitter. Obviously, she would have been our first choice for a personalized message, but if you preferred another A-lister, you could’ve hooked up with Mario Lopez, Nicole Richie, or Lala Vasquez, all of whom were involved.

It’s clear Eva was very touched by overwhelming response, Tweeting,

“Thanks again to all of U that bid & won auctions @ http://TwitChange.com -our team is working hard behind the scenes for each of you all! Xo”

And remember, it’s not too late to donate. If you’re interested in helping those less fortunate in Haiti, please visit TwitChange.com.

Which celebs would you to have follow you on Twitter? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Agentes De Cambio, Celebrities, Charity, Eva Longoria Parker, Haiti, Health, TwitChange, twitter

In our latest installment of Deep Thoughts, Blogamole contributor Michael Lopez reflects on the alarming amount of recent natural disasters. Team Blogamole sends our love to those affected in Ecuador and around the world.

By Michael Lopez

There have been WAY too many earthquakes throughout Latin America in the past few months. Now, with the most recent 7.1 that struck Ecuador last Thursday (August 12), we hope more individuals pay attention to these areas and contribute in any way they can.

But the real question is…what’s causing all of this? According to scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, 2010’s large number of Richter-tippers is “well within the normal range.” It probably doesn't feel very normal to those caught in the disaster!

People often forget (probably because of the French language) that Haiti is considered part of Latin America, and we all remember what an epic disaster they went through back on January 12... A 7.0 magnitude quake devastated Port-au-Prince and reportedly killed over 230,000 people.

A little over a month later on February 27, a record-breaking 8.8 ravaged Chile (sending tsunami threats all the way to Hawaii)! It actually measured as the seventh strongest rattler of all time. But thankfully since it was in a less populated region, the death toll was substantially smaller.

Then, on April 4, a 7.2 hit Mexicali (which was felt up in LA) - and now a 7.1 in Ecuador! Amazingly, the Ecuador shaker was recorded as lasting over 10 minutes and felt across most of the nation. The fact that its epicenter was so deep (131 miles below the surface) helped stifle much of the impact.

Since 1900, an average of 16 quakes (magnitude 7 or bigger) have occurred worldwide each year.
Some years have had as little as six, while others (like 1943) had a whopping 32! With this past weekend's earthquake of 7.2 in Guam and Northern Mariana Islands, that stat isn’t very comforting.

Let’s just hope 2010 met its quota. To find out how you can help earthquake victims, visit the American Red Cross.

Did you have any family impacted by the quakes? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Cultura, Deep Thoughts, Earthquakes, Ecuador, Haiti

If former actor Ronald Reagan could be a president, why not Wyclef Jean? According to TIME, the controversial entertainer will announce his candidacy for president of Haiti this Thursday (August 5) on CNN's "Larry King Live."

Wyclef recently shared this statemtent with TIME:

"If not for the earthquake, I probably would have waited another 10 years before doing this. The quake drove home to me that Haiti can't wait another 10 years for us to bring it into the 21st century. If I can't take five years out to serve my country as president, then everything I've been singing about, like equal rights, doesn't mean anything."

Although Jean's rep wouldn't confirm the reports, it was acknowledged the singer will be making an announcement tomorrow. She wouldn't comment on what Jean will discuss at that time, so we guess we'll have to wait and see!

The former Fugees rapper has a personal connection to Hiaiti: Jean, 37, was born there but was raised in Brooklyn and New Jersey. The artist is a popular figure in Haiti and contributed his time and resources after the January 12 earthquake through his Yele Haiti foundation.

What will Jean have to do in order to be an eligible presidential candidate? He must prove he's resided in Haiti for five consecutive years, that he owns property in the country and that he has no other citizenship but Haitian.

Source: [MTV News]

Do you think Wyclef has what it takes to be President of Haiti? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Chisme, Gossip, Haiti, latin, Politics, President, Tr3s, wyclef jean

By Simone Hilliard

Salma followed up her European week of red carpet reds by donating the first-ever Gucci Première collection couture to Penelope Cruz's auction, benefitting the J/P Haitian Relief Organization.

A lucky philanthropic bidder dished out 17,000 euros (about $21,000) for the one-of-a-kind dress, along with the original sketch of the gown signed by Giannini, further cementing its status as a wearable work of art.

What a lovely gesture! Salma is certainly setting a great example for daughter, Valentina!

Source: [StyleNews]

Tr3s Comunidad, what's your take on Salma's philanthropy? Should she have shelled out cash for the charity or was donating her dress enough? Weigh in below, or @MTV3!

Tags Cannes International Film Festival, Charity, couture, Fashion, Haiti, Salma Hayek, Salma Hayek Pinault

The latest in a long list of Latino events in support for Haiti, Juan Luis Guerra's "Un Canto De Esparanza Por Haiti" concierto on April 18 was an amazing success! According to tweets by cantante Colombiano Juanes, who collaborated con el Dominicano for the event, the charity event raised over $2.5 million dollars for a brand new children's hospital.

In addition to Juanes, fellow artistas Latinos Enrique Iglesias, Alejandro Sanz, Miguel Bose, Luis Fonsi, and Milly Quezada joined Juan Luis Guerra for a night of inspirational music.

During the show, each of the guests performed three songs.  The venue quickly became a huge party with merengue, bachata, pop and rock beats uplifting the crowd. Juan Luis Guerra opened up the show with his hit songs,  "La Travesía," "A Pedir Su Mano" and "Las Avispas," and closed out the all-star spectacle with a few more tracks: "Como Yo," "Bachata en Fukuoka" and "El Farolito."

The concert took place at Santo Domingo's Estadio Olimpico where Guerra, one of the country's most famous artists, wanted to raise awareness for Haiti's continuing needs.

Thankfully, support came in droves: according to El Heraldo, the 50,000 capacity venue was 90% filled!

Juanes tweeted:

"Felicidades a Juan Luis Guerra y todalagente en Santo Domingo que fue al concierto!! Se recaudaron 2.500.000US para el nuevo hospital infatil de Haiti!"

Haiti is still recovering from the massive earthquake that happened earlier this year.

Tr3s comunidad, would you like to contribute to Haiti? Visit Yele Haiti or text HAITI to 501501 make a donation.

Tags Agentes De Cambio, Alejandro Sanz, Enrique Iglesias, Haiti, Juan Luis Guerra, Juanes, Luis Fonsi, Miguel Bose, Milly Quezada, Un Canto De Esparanza Por Haiti