buju bantan

Transcription

buju bantan

A
CARIBBEAN
YOUT H
APRIL 25TH, 2014
SUMMITS
A PHILADELPHIA
EXTERNAL REPORT
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CARIBBEAN YOUTH SUMMITS 2014 EXTERNAL REPORT
About Caribbean Youth Summits
Caribbean Youth Summits is an independent youth led partnership for Caribbean
Diaspora youth by Caribbean Diaspora youth.
Vision
To be a vehicle for the Caribbean Diaspora youth voice.
Goals
1. Discover and evaluate the status of Caribbean diaspora youth: Who are we?
What are our resources?
2. Be a springboard for events and a hub of information focusing on and facilitating
the Caribbean Diaspora youth agenda and network.
3. Assess the relationship
•
• between Caribbean Diaspora youth and youth in the Caribbean.
4. Develop engagement strategies
•
• for the relationship between Caribbean Diaspora youth and youth in the Caribbean.
Content Writer: Renée-Lauren Ellis
Collaborators: Lisa Soares, Shaina Silva, Karelle Samuda
Report Designer: Muriel Contreras
Editor: Rain Jarrett
Visit Us Online!
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WWW.CARIBBEANYOUTHSUMMIT.COM
@CARIBBEANYOUTH
@YOUTHCARIBBEAN
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES
1.....................BEFORE THE SUMMIT
3.....................THE SUMMIT - GETTING TO KNOW OURSELVES
10..................AFTER THE SUMMIT - FACILITATING ENGAGEMENT
12..................APPENDIX A - PLANNING COMMITTEE BIOGRAPHIES
14..................APPENDIX B - PANELISTS BIOGRAPHIES
16..................APPENDIX C - PAGEANT POEM BY SOFIYA BALLIN
19..................APPENDIX D - SPONSORS & PARTNERS
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BEFORE THE SUMMIT
In March 2013, on the grounds of Temple University, the Students Organized for Caribbean
bean-Americans on world history. From that discussion several questions arose:
What have Caribbean and Caribbean-Americans done around the world?
How did they do it?
Why did they do it?
When did they do it?
Those questions led to many more: How can we begin to understand that legacy? How can we
build on that legacy, honoring what has gone before us while being responsive to the demands
of our time?
With so many questions a starting point was not obvious, but it was clear that we needed
to at least begin talking to each other in a space and at a time of our choosing.
So, out of that SOCA-led discussion, came the idea of a Caribbean Youth Summit. The
Summit would bring together Caribbean Diaspora youth and begin to facilitate meaningful
dialogue within the group. Dialogue would not be the end goal, it would be the starting
point. The end goal: focus on youth — our issues, our goals, our place, our dreams, and,
most importantly, our engagement amongst ourselves in the United States and with our
mit was meant to be the foundation for engagement among the key 16 - 35 year old cohort¹
in the NorthEast USA so that the habit of meaningful engagement within the Diaspora and
with home countries begins early. We believe that this increases the likelihood of sustained
and meaningful engagement .
By December 2013, six young female Caribbean advocates began planning the inaugural
Caribbean Youth Summit, Philadelphia 2014, under the theme Reclaiming Our Caribbean
Identity. The Planning Committee thought it would be prudent to begin with the concept of
identity:
What does “being Caribbean” mean?
Does this identity easily cross generations?
How can we leverage our identity to ensure the constructive
and sustained engagement that’s necessary?
From the outset, this Planning Committee² intended the Summit to be an independent effort
led by Caribbean Diaspora youth. The Summit deliberately targeted Caribbean youth—college
and university students, professional studies students, and young professionals—to begin this
dialogue and to lay the foundation for action.
¹Generally a cohort is a group of people who have a particular characteristic in common. Here, the 16 - 35 year old cohort share the
characteristic of Caribbean descent or connection.
²Appendix A - Caribbean Youth Summits, Philadelphia 2014 Planning Committee Biographies
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The Panelists
The Planning Committee envisioned the Summit to be engaging and different, featuring a
deliberately diverse cross-section of Caribbean Diaspora youth. To capture this diversity
Emerging
Scholar, the Student Leader, the Entrepreneur, and the Activist
and a commitment to substantive dialogue as well as gender and island diversity required
the Planning Committee to consider carefully who would be panelists at this inaugural
event.
Accordingly, the Summit featured four inspiring and dedicated young Caribbean people
each making a mark in the Caribbean Diaspora while making and maintaining connections with their home countries. Marielle Barrow, the Emerging Scholar from Trinidad &
Tobago; Genymphas Higgs, the Student Leader from the Bahamas; Florcy Morisset,
the Entrepreneur from Haiti; and, Javed Jaghai Aajri, the Activist from Jamaica.³ With
these panelists laying the foundation for dialogue, the Summit would be a town hall-style
format that focused on audience engagement.
As part of their preparation for the Summit, panelists were asked to consider a few ques-
1.
relations, culture, gender, and sexuality?
2. What do you think are the important areas/issues that young persons in the Caribbean Diaspora should be focused on? How are these issues related to “identity”?
3.
4. What are your plans and reasons for engaging with the Caribbean Diaspora?
The CYS 2014 Panelists (L-R): Javed Jaghai Aajri, Florcy Morisset, Marielle Barrow, Genymphas Higgs
³Appendix B - Caribbean Youth Summits, Philadelphia 2014 Panelist Bios
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THE SUMMIT: GETTING TO KNOW OURSELVES
The inaugural Caribbean Youth Summit was held on Friday, April 25, 2014 in
Philadelphia, PA, at the First District Plaza. The timing was meant to take advantage of the large Caribbean crowd that usually supports the annual Penn Relays Carnival. Friday evening also allowed the targeted audience — Caribbean Diaspora youth
— to attend ahead of any of the usual Penn Relays Carnival activities, which usually
begin on Saturday morning.
Seventy people attended the Summit, approximately 50 of whom were in the 18-35 year
cohort. CUSO International, Caribbean Apparel, and the Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority participated by hosting display tables. Each participant presented opportunities
and information suitable for the attendees, especially the dominant cohort. CUSO
International highlighted the Jamaica Diaspora Youth Connect Project and volunteer opportunities available through its program. Caribbean Apparel, a small business in Philadelphia, showcased its work and textiles. Lambda Theta Alpha, which reached out to the
Planning Committee to offer its time and efforts, showcased local volunteer opportunities.
The sorority’s members volunteered at the Summit helping to check in attendees and to
facilitate audience engagement.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade from the
Government of Jamaica, the Honorable Arnaldo Brown, through a pre-recorded
address specific for the Summit, highlighted the need for events such as the Summit
that encouraged dialogue and Caribbean partnerships. He commended the Committee
for its coordinated approach to setting the youth agenda for the Caribbean Diaspora. He
also encouraged the Jamaican Diaspora to participate in a Mapping Project⁴ that is
meant to capture needed demographic information about the Diaspora to facilitate
improved relationships with the various home governments.
⁴www.mapjadiaspora.iom.int - for more information.
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A Poet Sets the Tone
artist, opened
our traditions and resilience, and how we should boldly claim ourselves in whatever space we
occupy. In part she declared
[...]
That I can’t complain about anything in front of my grandma
Bc nothing I go through will compare to
And the goats she had to tie up,
chickens she had to feed,
Water she had to fetch
The miles she walked to school
And how regardless of country girl circumstance
She raised six kids and got two master’s [sic] degrees
and taught me that I have no excuse.
I would tell her
How at every family bbq without fail
I’m guaranteed to hear Beres Hammond Buju Bantan, SHABBA!
Or Bob Marley wail
And of course **SINGS**“ACTION… not a bag a mout…”
I would tell her
That I had a professor once say the Caribbean had a tragic history
With Indian genocide, Imperialism, and slavery
This is true
But tonight we’ve seen what we’ve created
A culture with people of different views, that sit in different pews,
and are of different hues
Yet still they unite together in this room.
A culture so vibrant, colorful and complex
One that can not be suppressed, or sedated
Bc my name will always be Sof-yah
Earring will always be ERR-ing
And I don’t know what khaki is but I know KAH-kee
I wrote this to redeem myself
The belief that 1st generation means you put your culture up on a shelf
This was supposed to give me closure
After that epic fail of an interview
But I realized my answer was right
My culture affects the way I walk, talk, eat, the music I listen to, my values…
everthing.”
Jamaica has a famous motto: Out of many one
And whether you call it plaintain, platanos, or bunun
One people, one blood, one love.
[...]
⁵Appendix C - Text of Ms. Ballin’s poem. All copyright in this poem vests with Ms. Ballin. Reproduced here with permission.
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Laying the Foundation: The Panelists’ Perspectives
Emerging Scholar Marielle Barrow⁶ used her opening remarks to highlight the diversity and
complexity of the Caribbean: the number of islands, many languages, many ethnicities, and
political realities of Caribbean territories. Marielle focused too on the “twice Diasporized” nature
of Caribbean nationals: our ancestors’ roots are in the countries of West Africa, China, and the
Asian Subcontinent, while we have dispersed again for the United States and other countries.
For her, being Caribbean means being “diverse, dynamic, and mobile” and having “the capacity
Marielle’s emphasis on this mobility and adaptability is an important concept to the idea of reclaiming Caribbean identity. The Planning Committee agrees that this is an attractive idea because it
identity in favor of one that is interest-based. Instead of narrow self-interest, it means focusing on
partnerships and relationships with those who are curious about our region and who are committed to helping it develop. It is this kind of interest-based inclusiveness that may be a better and
refreshing starting point for taking charge of our Caribbean identity and forming the connections
needed for the engagement we seek. These connections also support the concept of “brain circulation”⁷ versus the much-discussed “brain drain.” Reorienting ourselves towards connections
and engagement is an opportunity to take up what Marielle considers our responsibility to identify
and work with our home countries beyond the exciting times (such as at Carnival time). In short:
we have opportunities and access to resources that can help the mass of people who still reside
in the Caribbean. Through Caribbean in Transit ⁸, Marielle has begun to do this. Her organization
at-risk youth to show them how art can be used as an outlet.
The themes of taking responsibility, practicing inclusiveness, making connections and building
networks, and not being limited by the proverbial box were echoed by other panelists. Student
Leader Genymphas Higgs⁹ followed Marielle’s presentation by challenging attendees to reach
during his time as leader of Drexel University’s West Indian Student Establishment (WISE): Are
you interested in moving the Caribbean forward? Are you interested in learning about Caribbean
culture and beliefs? If so then, yes, join WISE; membership was not limited to those of Caribbean
descent. Genymphas’ Caribbean identity is dear to him -- it means, among other things, greeting
someone politely despite the hesitancy of many Americans to receive the greeting, especially from
a young black man -- and he uses it as a benchmark for effecting the change necessary to move
the Caribbean forward. On a trip home, Mr. Higgs was asked about his studies and, with some
central to this discussion on reclaiming our Caribbean identity, was that “just because something
should not and would not dictate the way in which he uses his studies to make a difference.
⁶You may view Marille Barrow’s comments at the Caribbean Youth Summits YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/
UCdDYpoqvNujzD6mI1KF3pXw. Her comments begin at 28:28 and cover more than the highlights presented in this report as well
as a visual presentation.
⁷Ms. Barrow attributed this concept to Professor Keith Nurse, a cultural economist whose work focuses on the Caribbean.
⁸Caribbean In Transit http://caribbeanintransit.com/ (last accessed June 14, 2014)
⁹You may view Genymphas Higgs’ comments at the Caribbean Youth Summits YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/
UCdDYpoqvNujzD6mI1KF3pXw. His comments begin at 34:39 and cover more than the highlights presented in this report, including
the value of respect for the individual, the value of individual interaction, and personal reflections on the academic and professional
path he has chosen.
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An important consideration for Caribbean Diaspora youth is how to make a difference,
and, importantly, where they should be making that difference. Is it OK to focus on your
studies and work here or must you multitask, doing what you can here and in your home
country? Is that effective? There are no easy answers to this question because the manner of the engagement - the “difference making” - necessarily depends on resources and
the relationship between Caribbean Diaspora youth and home countries. Genymphas
offers one answer: make a difference where you are, live up to your potential as a human
being — as an individual — and your effects will be felt.
Moderator Lisa Soares
challenged the audience to think about embracing the idea of intellectual remittances
for and from the Caribbean Diaspora. The concept could well be considered related to
Marielle’s discussion of “brain circulation.” As we well know, the focus of many Caribbean governments and residents is, understandably, monetary. Broadening the concept
of remittances can, however, be an important way for Caribbean Diaspora youth to engage
not only with the “home countries” but also amongst ourselves to continue the change-making
intellectual legacies bequeathed us. It is important for Caribbean Diaspora youth to break out
— in favor of creating our own way
of comfortable molds —
forward to maximize our potential.
Entrepreneur Florcy Morisset¹⁰ picked up on this idea of maximizing your potential as
she boldly began her comments with a quotation from Frederick Douglass’ “Lecture on
Haiti” given in 1893 at the World’s Fair in Chicago.¹¹ By this time in the Summit, it was
clear that reclaiming our Caribbean identity required rewriting the terms by which we are
and culture. That rewriting, of course, requires us to take on responsibility. Florcy’s comments emphasize this concept and her actions have already demonstrated how we can
effectively take up our responsibility. Though she only discovered the legacy of Haiti as
an adult, Florcy has moved swiftly to embrace that legacy and begin work on educating
others about it. Her mission is to empower and educate using the arts, not unlike Marielle’s work with Caribbean in Transit. Florcy founded an art gallery, Viviant Art Collection,
to deliberately disrupt and challenge the negative stereotypes of Haiti and Haitian culture.
In Florcy’s entrepreneurial
make a difference, and an embodiment of Genymphas’ earlier comments: make a (the)
difference and live up to your potential where you are, the effects will be felt.
¹⁰You may view Florcy Morisset’s comments at the Caribbean Youth Summits’ YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/
UCdDYpoqvNujzD6mI1KF3pXw. Her comments begin at 40:20 and cover more than the highlights presented in this report including
the areas she believes are important to focus on for Caribbean development, how to maximize our work in those areas, and her
thoughts on Haiti’s current state.
¹¹The text of Frederick Douglass’ 1893 speech can be found at: http://www2.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/history/1844-1915/douglass.htm (last accessed June 14, 2014).
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Florcy later charged the audience — really the Caribbean Diaspora — to do our own work,
that is advocating and acting on behalf of the Caribbean: “If we are not the ones doing it,
we cannot expect others to do our work.” Of course, doing our work does not mean that
partnerships are unnecessary or unwelcome. Indeed, partnerships and networks are essential, as Florcy also suggested, but so is ownership and being responsible for outcomes
and actions. It is these connections formed while doing our own work that will broaden our
reach as a Diaspora and, therefore, allow us as young people to build the strong latticework
foundation to move the Caribbean forward.
Activist Javed Jaghai Aajri’s
presentation of the panelists’ perspectives on Reclaiming our Caribbean Identity. His
decision to use education as a gateway out of poverty — to power his mobility —
and to focus on the value of the individual echo broader points made by the other
panelists. Javed recently moved to the United States to begin his PhD studies.
That change, he admitted, has caused him to spend a lot of time considering
what legacy he has inherited from being Jamaican at the turn of the twenty-first
century. Early on he developed a sense of national identity - he and his class mates spoke the same language (variously called patwa, patois, or Jamaican
creole), ate the same food, and embraced the same culture.
That national identity has persisted through the process of recognizing, accepting, and sharing that he is gay, and what it means to be a gay Jamaican. Eventually he decided that leaving Jamaica was necessary for him to become his best
self, and he knew that education would be the best ticket out of a “century’s old
poverty trap” as his parents were too poor to afford education fees for him.
That strong sense of national identity and being always assured of the potential of Jamaican people, have been guideposts for Javed’s activism toward and with Jamaicans and
Jamaica. He consistently integrates Jamaica and his need to understand Jamaica into
every aspect of his studies; professors know about his interests and that he wants to use
all the academic theories they share with him to understand and study Jamaica.
With this focus, Javed is transforming himself, a prerequisite he suggests for transforming
society. Here again we see echoes of Genymphas’ comments and living up to individual
potential, Marielle’s introduction of the concept of brain circulation, and Florcy’s charge of
building networks. Javed’s interest in creating spaces where communities can talk about
experiences and exposure to alternate ways of thinking, as a way to transform Jamaican
recognizes that the capacity for change rests on our commitment to improving self and
then building networks and communities that support each other.
¹²You may view Javed Jaghai Aajri’s comments at the Caribbean Youth Summits’ YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/
channel/UCdDYpoqvNujzD6mI1KF3pXw. His comments begin at 46:12 and cover more than the highlights presented in this report
including his coming of age in rural St. Mary, Jamaica, coming out to his parents, and how the vestiges of slavery are still with us
and still affect our physical spaces and daily lives.
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The Summit’s four panelists presented a dynamic idea of Caribbean identity. It is a multidimensional
and adaptable identity that is grounded in an understanding of self and commitment to self-improvement. The overall sense from the Panel was that there is great value in individual interactions, and
that taking care of and being deliberate with those interactions is necessary for building strong networks necessary for Diaspora cohesion and work. It is these strong networks that are necessary for
effecting widespread lasting change in the Caribbean and within the Diaspora.
From the Audience
The audience immediately wanted to know what the panelists found different or noticed when
of the proverbial box has been invaluable. Genymphas was clear in his response that the
growth of a country requires more than doing what’s in the box. He gave the example of a
cousin still living in the Bahamas who upon graduating from high school immediately wanted
demn these choices but to illustrate that no other choices were considered, largely because his
cousin was not aware of other choices. Not knowing is not a crime, it is a reality.
The related theme of education also came up in response to a question to Javed about reactions
to his coming out as gay. He related dealing with his mother’s reaction to his sexuality, eventually
realizing that what had taken him 20 years to accept and say out loud he unreasonably expected his
mother to accept in a fraction of that time simply because she was his mother. Javed realized that
his expectation that parental love and a strong bond would automatically overcome strong societal
norms and expectations was not reasonable, and he recognized that showing humanity, being reaJamaicans to confront and work through the reality of gay Jamaicans. Florcy too emphasized the
value and need for education to dispel negativity and myths about the Caribbean. She suggested
too that education was a way to understand and navigate the cultural differences of living in the
United States versus your Caribbean homeland. This is especially important for having the tools to
educate others about yourself, country, and region to build bridges and effect change.
Perhaps the most compelling comment and question of the event came from a young Jamaican born in the United Stated but raised in Jamaica. After returning to the United States, she
wonders about how best to transfer or use the many resources available in the United States
impact of Diaspora-led programs. Marielle’s response highlighted that rethinking what constibe considered impactful.
Marielle also mentioned that programs like Caribbean In Transit teach real skills like how to
get work on the Caribbean published to meet the required academic standard. These skills,
often taken for granted, are important for recording who we are and for providing access to
and understanding of who we are. Simply put, we will be able to investigate ourselves, our
cultures, and identities and record it in a manner of our choosing but according to the currently
prevailing standards.
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Closing Remarks
Rapporteur Renée-Lauren Ellis¹³ closed the formal part of the Summit by offering overarching ideas and concepts to frame the preceding discussion. Based on the panelists’ perspectives Renée-Lauren suggested that the Caribbean Diaspora not be limited
by any physical
ited by popular often one-dimensional (mis)understandings of Caribbean identity and
and form for we are a truly mixed
space is limited only by our imaginations.
These closing remarks emphasized that while many Caribbean migrants reside in the United
relationships. Marielle’s comments about movement are key to the concept of Diaspora. It is
this mobility that has created the large number of Caribbean migrants around the world, and
which provides the cornerstone of the Diaspora.
Renée-Lauren reminded Summit attendees that, in a way, this idea of Diaspora being a
movement, characterized by connectivity and the idea of a limitless almost spiritual space
idea of dispersal and scattering; it’s etymology makes this clear. Our ancestors who came
to the Caribbean region whether by force (e.g., slavery) or through coercion (e.g., indentured servitude) already exercised their imaginations to create a new space necessary for
their survival. The results of their work are the various expressions of culture that many
music and instruments; our preference for soldiering on; and, our spirit of resistance often
By understanding Diaspora as a decentralized idea we can simultaneously recognize that
while the roots in home are important, it is the routes we now chart in our host countries,
with our home countries, that matter. As we chart these new routes we must be deliberate about the networks and relationships that we build. Those of us in the Diaspora
are scattered at least twice over. Our movement (migration) is an opportunity. With the
accessibility and malleability of technology and the common nature of the issues affecting
the Caribbean, there are ample nodes for creating connections across Caribbean nationalities and within our new communities. Think of these multifaceted nodes as links in that are
reinforced through overlap. Following in the footsteps of our ancestors, Caribbean Diaspora
youth must grasp opportunities and accept the responsibility for being more expansive in
our thinking. We must use the Diaspora more effectively as a tool for change, beginning
wn terms.
¹³You may view the rapporteur’s remarks on the Caribbean Youth Summits’ YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/
UCdDYpoqvNujzD6mI1KF3pXw beginning at 1:32:32. In addition to the highlights presented here, Renée-Lauren discussed the
often cited Jewish roots of Diaspora which give a theological and punishment framing or grounding to the concept.
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AFTER THE SUMMIT - FACILITATING ENGAGEMENT
Next Steps
It is important for the Planning Committee to address the broad concepts highlighted during
the Summit in the context of issues raised by the audience. Therefore, the Planning Committee will begin to:
PLAN OF ACTION
● provide information for Caribbean Diaspora youth to be involved in Diaspora-led initiatives,
with an emphasis on hands on activity.
● create and maintain lists of organizations serving the Caribbean and its Diaspora, with an
emphasis on how organizations target and connect with Caribbean Diaspora youth.
● create and maintain two blogs, one that that features the work and ideas of youth Caribbean
Diaspora (Caribbean Youth Focus) and another (Discovering Roots and Directing Routes) that
addresses the issues raised in the March 2013 SOCA-led discussion and the genesis of the
Caribbean Youth Summit.
● facilitate the exploration of Caribbean literature, art,
and other artistic expressions
through an interactive club called Caribbean Routes.
● create an accessible, useful way for measuring effectiveness of Diaspora-led programs.
To begin addressing this list, the Planning Committee will provide space on the Summit website for a database or clearing house of Caribbean-related programs. The
goal is for Caribbean Diaspora youth to be proactive about connecting our communities
while ensuring that we are doing effective and impactful work. Therefore the database
or clearing house will allow program participants to provide feedback on programs along
with recommendations for improvement. Having hands on experience and communicating with program organizers is a critical part of setting an agenda for the Caribbean and its
Diaspora that can and must be addressed by Caribbean Diaspora youth. Likewise, listing
organizations that act on behalf of the Caribbean is a way of lending accountability to
their work and to maximizing the resources available to the Caribbean and its Diaspora.
By highlighting how the organizations focus on Caribbean Diaspora youth, these youth will
be able to assess how best they can be involved in the administration of an organization.
Caribbean Diaspora youth participation is unquestionably necessary for the health and
youth must assess whether their interests, pricontinuity of these organizations, but,
orities, and skills meet the focus and needs of the organizations.
Caribbean Youth Focus will be an accessible way for Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora
youth to tell their stories and to connect with others. Caribbean Youth Focus will feature
short, readable blog posts about the work Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora youth are
doing in a variety of
and should become a starting point for the discussions and
multidimensional relationship building and networking necessary for effective sustained engagement with and among our communities.
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Discovering Roots and Directing Routes will address the issues raised in the March
2013 SOCA-led discussion and the genesis of the Caribbean Youth Summit by doing the
necessary work of telling the stories of Caribbean and Caribbean-American contributions
mountable and it is urgent work. Whether through politics, social theory and movements,
of reclaiming our identity is improving self, which requires knowing the roots from which we
grow and from which we will direct our routes. With readable and thorough blog posts from
Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora youth, Discovering Roots and Directing Routes will
begin to address this knowledge gap.
Caribbean Routes will provide another node of connection for Caribbean and Caribbean
ing artists and writers. For much of the immediate post-colonial period, many of the Caribbean’s literary and artistic output explored ideas of identity and Caribbean culture, and
many works provide the only remaining accounts of pre-colonial life and culture. While
Caribbean culture may be primarily oral, its written tradition is as rich and largely accessible. Part of the responsibility of framing our own identities is understanding what has
come before us and why, how we are connected to each other and to other Diasporas,
and most importantly how we have and do express ourselves. Therefore, works featured
in Caribbean Routes may include the works of authors from other Diasporas and regions,
again reemphasizing the idea of many nodes of connection and relationship building.
The criteria for measuring Diaspora-led program effectiveness will incorporate data
from the database or clearing house feedback and Caribbean Youth Focus. These data
will give at least a baseline for what Caribbean Diaspora youth are focused, what pro-
Timelines
The Planning Committee expects that the blogs and a preliminary Caribbean-focused
organization list will be available by the fourth quarter of 2014, coinciding with the beginning
of planning for Caribbean Youth Summit 2015. The database or clearing house for Caribbeand released simultaneously with the program effectiveness criteria. The Caribbean Routes
program impact must be a long-term and evolving commitment. Developing the criteria
will draw on the deep social science and technical expertise of Caribbean Diaspora youth
and the wider Caribbean Diaspora (loosely the elders), providing an opportunity for sharing
knowledge and building cross-generational relationships. The Planning Committee has not
before the end of 2014.
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APPENDIX A - PLANNING COMMITTEE BIOGRAPHIES
Lisa K. Soares
Institute of Caribbean Studies (Chair of the Planning Committee)
Lisa K. Soares is a Jamaican who immigrated to the United States to continue her education. She completed her undergraduate studies (cum laude) in Marketing and Psychology at Eastern University and postgraduate studies (with distinction) in Global Affairs
(focusing on International Business, Economics & Development) at New York University.
will begin PhD studies in Politics and International Studies in the coming Fall in the United Kingdom. Her current research interests include: Caribbean development and politics;
for development; The Law of the Sea; multilateral institutional reform; and, Diasporas &
development.
Lisa’s unwavering passion for equality and social justice has manifested in engagement in
civil society with a focus on advocating for the sustainable and viable development of the
Caribbean. In this regard, Lisa serves as the Project Manager for the Institute of Caribbean
Studies Diasporas for Development Partnership with USAID, Accenture and CUSO International. She is also a Program Board member for Next Generation Leaders and Economic
Development platforms within ICS.
Lisa has also been active in Jamaica Diaspora affairs and is concluding her term as the
Future Leaders (Youth) North-East USA representative on the Jamaica Diaspora Advisory
Board. Lisa’s diverse professional background now includes being an Adjunct Instructor of
Marketing and International Business at Eastern University, an International Development
tions Manager at the American Baptist Foundation in Valley Forge, PA. Lisa loves to travel
and has a love affair with the Caribbean Sea.
Karelle Samuda, Institute of Caribbean Studies
Karelle Samuda is an emerging researcher with a focus on citizen agency. She believes
citizens should be active agents in the decision-making processes of public goods and service delivery. She is Jamaican by birth, but has spent some time in: Wales, Senegal, and
the United States. She is a graduate of Washington & Lee University where she earned a
B.A. in Politics and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, where
she earned an M.P.P. in International Development Policy. She is currently pursuing her
PhD in Public Policy at George Mason University where her research focuses on people-powered accountability and community-development funding mechanisms in Caribbean and African countries.
Karelle volunteers with the Washington, DC-based Institute of Caribbean Studies, is the
Chair of the organization’s Next Generation Leaders Initiative, and is a Program Board
member for the organization’s Economic Development and Diasporas for Development
Partnership platforms. She has worked and interned at the Center for Global Development,
the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Organization of American States. Karelle
is an avid reader, aspiring foodie, and wannabe world traveler.
Shaïna Silva, Haiti in Transition (H.i.T)
Shaina Silva is a young business professional of Haitian descent who currently serves
as the Corporate Development and Business Innovation Manager at DMS International, an IT consulting firm based in the Washington D.C Metropolitan area.
As a young child, Shaina’s family always involved her in activities related to the advancement and promotion of Haitian art and culture. This exposure birthed in her a passion for
entrepreneurship and the arts, and reinforced her sense of responsibility in the development of Haiti. As such, Shaina has served on the board and as a member of several Haitian
organizations, including “The Toussaint Louverture Historical Society”, “The Haitian Art Society”, and “The National Organization for the Advancement of Haitians”. She is the founder
of the “Global Network of Young Haitian Women Professionals”, which serves as a platform
for young Haitian women from around the globe to connect with one another.
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While passionate about entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for others, Shaina
also enjoys teaching, mentoring, and inspiring young people. In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010, Shaina and her friend Patsye Delatour founded
“Haiti in Transition (H.i.T)” in an effort to include the Haitian youth voice in the plans for
rebuilding a new Haiti. The organization has since implemented programs that focus on
building Haiti’s future Game Changers through leadership development training, civic engagement and community innovation initiatives.
Shaina graduated from Babson College with a degree in International Business and Economics, and has studied Sustainable Development at the Universidad LatinoAmericana de
Ciencia y Tecnologia in Costa Rica. A self-taught artist and fun-trepreneur, Shaina enjoys
traveling around the world, learning about different cultures, and using photography as her
main tool to capture the beauty and essence of her surroundings.
Krystle G. Wright, Jamaican Heritage Society
Krystle G. Wright was born in Kingston, Jamaica and moved to the United States for
school. She earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology with a Minor in East Asian Languages
& Civilizations (concentrating on Japanese culture) from the University of Pennsylvania.
While at UPenn, Krystle was an active board member of the Caribbean American Students
Association (CASA) and the Penn Latin & Ballroom Dance Team; she also volunteered
with the Center for Community Partnerships.
association. She also serves as a member of the National Urban League Policies & Procedures Committee as well as on the New York Urban League Young Professionals Membership Committee. She is a member of The Japan Society, the New York City Chapter of
85 Broads, and the UN Women Programming Committee.
Krystle remains actively engaged in improving her Salsa dance technique and she has
continued to pursue her passion for languages: she regularly practices Japanese and has
recently begun studying Mandarin.
Muriel Contreras
Born in the Dominican Republic, Muriel and her family immigrated to the United States for
a better life. They settled in New York City where Muriel was had the opportunity to study
sign. She earned a BFA in Graphic Design (with a minor in Women & Gender Studies) from
the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2012.
After graduation Muriel worked as an intern and freelancer for Dream It Ventures and the
United Nations. Now at the American Baptist Foundation, Muriel handles the Foundation’s
graphic design & social media activities. Muriel is an avid art-lover, foodie, and volunteer.
Renée-Lauren Ellis
Renée-Lauren grew up in Jamaica where she graduated from St. Andrew High School for
Girls. Upon emigrating to the United States she attended boarding school for two years before studying Sociology and Government (focusing on International Relations) at Wesleyan
University. While at Wesleyan she twice served as co-chair of the West Indian Student
Association (WISA) and, out of curiosity, a bit of impulse, and to reconnect with her home,
studied abroad at the University of the West Indies (Mona).
Her interest in the well-being and organization of the Jamaican Diaspora began almost as
soon as she emigrated from Jamaica and she works hard to keep abreast of current affairs
in Caribbean, especially Jamaica, and to engage young Jamaicans in the Diaspora about
Jamaica’s fast-moving complex social and political affairs. She is (for) now an attorney. Her
professional interests include international development and public health (particularly environmental regulation, awareness, and advocacy) and rule of law in developing countries.
Renée-Lauren is an avid reader, enjoys baking chocolate desserts, and loves to travel.
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APPENDIX B - PANELIST BIOGRAPHIES
The Emerging Scholar - Marielle Barrow, Caribbean in Transit
Marielle is a Fulbright Scholar and a Cultural Studies PhD candidate at the George Mason
University (Virginia) and Visiting Scholar at Columbia University. She is a practicing visual
artist and social entrepreneur serves as President for Caribbean InTransit. Caribbean
to providing free access to arts education and deeper cultural interrogation through its biannual open access academic journal, Caribbean InTransit produces: symposia on issues
such as Arts for Social Change, workshops for at-risk youth and persons living with HIV/
Aids, and arts events that explore avenues through which art can effectively be used to
address social issues and propel social development. Caribbean InTransit: The Meeting
Place, the inaugural festival, happened in Trinidad & Tobago in October 2013. It will be
followed by the Creatives of the Caribbean festival in Washington, DC in June 2014.
Dovetailing with her philanthropic pursuits, Marielle’s dissertation research triangulates artistic practice, institutional memory, and citizenship with a view to understanding the possibilities for effective and sustainable policy design emerging from the realities of Caribbean
sites. For her research, Marielle is investigating how cultural production in Cuba, Haiti, and
the Bahamas is practiced as learning, citizenship and is productive of personhood and
power. Marielle is from Trinidad & Tobago.
The Student Leader - Genymphas Higgs, Ph.D Candidate, Drexel University
Genymphas Higgs is a PhD candidate at Drexel University, where his research focuses
on improving the performance of orthopedic implants. He has served as a presenter
for organizations such as the American Society for Testing and Materials, the Ameri c a n A s s o c i a t i o n o f O r t h o p e d i c S u r g e o n s , a n d t h e Wo r l d C o n g r e s s o n B i o m a t e r i a l s .
His research has led to numerous peer-reviewed publications. So far He has been
recognized for his work and research by the American Society of Testing and Materials
and the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons.
Originally from Freeport, Bahamas, Genymphas Higgs relocated to Philadelphia in
September 2008 to begin his undergraduate studies in Biomedical Engineering at
Drexel University. He graduated summa cum laude from the joint B.S./M.S. accelerated program. Though he remained actively involved with a host of student organizations and societies, Genymphas particularly treasured his involvement with Drexel’s
West Indian Student Establishment (WISE). He credits this organization for expanding
his leadership and networking skills, while allowing him to contribute to advancing the
various causes of West Indian culture on campus and within the community.
The Entrepreneur - Florcy Morisset, Vivant Art Collection
Florcy is a Haitian-American executive, advocate, and community organizer worki n g
at the intersection of culture and business. Her Vivant Art Collection debuted in
2007 on Gallery Row in the heart of Philadelphia’s historic Old City. Vivant Consulting
followed in 2011; in that capacity she works with academic institutions and art organizations to create exhibitions and cultural programs that unite diverse communities.
Her initial goal for her gallery was to dispel myths and negative images of Haiti and its
culture by presenting brilliant artwork about Haiti’s legacy. Now, the gallery has expanded
its reach to celebrate underrepresented art from Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America,
while retaining its reputation of highlighting Haitian art. Florcy has also fashioned her art
gallery into one of the premier locations to host social receptions, art forums, fundraisers,
and networking events.
As the only remaining black-owned gallery in Old City and one of three in Philadelphia, she
professionals. Some of Florcy’s popular curatorial projects are The Illustrated Sounds of
Philadelphia, A Tribute to Past & Present Philadelphia Music Icons, Transcending History
– Moving Beyond The Legacy of Slavery and the Holocaust (a travelling exhibit), and Haiti:
A Tribute in Art (at the Noyes Museum). Recently also she curated Black: The Art of Color
at the prestigious Art Basel in Miami, Florida. That exhibit included over 200 paintings.
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Florcy’s professional philosophy emphasizes the importance of arts and culture as the
vital heartbeat of any community and her dedication and hard work have earned her a
place as a pillar of the Philadelphia art community. In addition to extensive work in the arts
community, Florcy has for the past four years, served as the Chair for the board of Haitian
Professionals of Philadelphia. She has been featured on the cover of the Philadelphia
Inquirer and the Philadelphia Tribune and in 2011 the Tribune named her as one of the
10 under 40 to watch. The Haitian Roundtable named her to 2014’s “1804 List of Haitian
Americans to Watch.” Florcy is a graduate of Duquesne University and is a member of the
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. She works and lives between Philadelphia, New York City and
Washington, DC.
The Activist - Javed Jagai Aajri
Javed Jagai Aajri is a researcher and a campaigner for social and economic justice. Jamaican by birth, socialization and citizenship, Javed experienced intense feelings of alienation
while coming of age in a staunchly insular society that extolls the virtues of conformity and
submission while shunning non-traditional modes of self-expression and freethinking. A
member of what he dubs the ‘dancehall generation’—an era marked by intense hostility
performance—Javed endures aggressive policing and public shaming when he moves
through Jamaican public spaces.
After finishing high school he left Jamaica to study abroad, an experience which transformed his life and worldview. He attended Lester B. Pearson United World College of
the Pacific in Canada and then pursued a liberal arts degree at Dartmouth College. In
2012, he graduated with high honors for his thesis on transgressive gender and sexual
identities in contemporary Jamaica. Inspired by the vision that his first home should
be a more hospitable place for disadvantaged groups, Javed returned to the island as
a Lombard Public Service Fellow to work as the Public Education Officer of JFLAG,
an LGBT-rights advocacy organization. He is now the claimant in a landmark legal
challenge to Jamaica’s colonial-era, constitutionally protected anti-buggery law. Javed
is currently pursuing a PhD in sociology at Yale University. His research explores the
dimensions of the colonial condition, creole language heritage, and the politics of taboo identities.
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APPENDIX C - "PAGEANT POEM" BY SOFIYA BALLIN
She asked me : How do you connect with your culture?
Stone-faced and dressed in a business suit
While the others watched like vultures.
Staring.
Waiting.
For me.
I froze and went blank
and gave the only answer
I could muster
A proverbial cluster
She looked frustrated
And she asked me again
I gave the same answer.
I bombed that interview.
I could of (sic) told her about
How when the World Cup or Track Field was on
Excitement and Red Stripe
Uncles and Cousins cheered
Like green, black, and yellow was their blood type
When I was younger I didn’t know what an Asafa Powell was
But I knew it was “ Wicked!!”
Wicked like
Crooked old men
Playing Cricket
On Sunday
Especially the Easter one
You had to have that cheese
With Easter bun
And Christmas is twice as fun
If sorrel is on pour
And I eat enough rum cake until I can’t eat any more
And I would tell her
How growing up I thought dominoes was THE most thugged out game ever
Playing dominoes with Caribbean men
Is like entering a war zone
the slamming,
the bammin
the occasional threat to take someone’s life
And it used to scare me
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But I had to know why these grown men were so hype
Until my cousin decides to teach me
And I was prepping myself bc this was not a game!
Until I realized
“OHH sooo we’r just matching nummmbers….oh I had just thought..
with the slammin,and the bammin….”
And as disappointed as I was
It wasn’t as bad as when I went to Jamaica
and found out I was chubby
I was 12
and a round likkle dumpling
….I was pleasantly plump
And I would play with Jamaican kids
With long and slender limbs
Who ate mangoes and ginnip
While I was in the corner cradling a big bag of plantain chips
“Fatty Boom Boom”
Or when I ran and couldn’t catch up
Or sometimes “Ay fatty you still love patty?!”
But that never hurt my self-esteem
Bc my father always told my sisters and I
regardless of skin tone ,shape ,or size we were queens
His friends were Rastafari
And though some people only seem them as
To me
Men that talked politics, eating right,
living natural,
and always remembering that we are African.
“good mawnin my queen”
Now, granted this set a ridiculously high standard for me
And any man I would meet in my life
But I learned how a man must view his wife
And any man interested in me
Had to pass what I call the Tarrus Riley test
When I look into his eyes I have to hear,
**SINGS**
“She’s royal, so royal and I want her in my life.”
If I heard that I knew he was a keeper
And I would tell her
Bc nothing I go through will compare to
And the goats she had to tie up,
chickens she had to feed,
Water she had to fetch
And how regardless of country girl circumstance
She raised six kids and got two master’s degrees
and taught me that I have no excuse.
I would tell her
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How at every family bbq without fail
I’m guaranteed to hear Beres Hammond Buju Bantan, SHABBA!
Or Bob Marley wail
And of course **SINGS**“ACTION… not a bag a mout…”
I would tell her
With Indian genocide, Imperialism, and slavery
But tonight we’ve seen what we’ve created
Yet still they unite together in this room.
A culture so vibrant, colorful and complex
One that can not be suppressed, or sedated
Bc my name will always be Sof-yah
Earring will always be ERR-ing
And I don’t know what khaki is but I know KAH-kee
I wrote this to redeem myself
st
generation means you put your culture up on a shelf
But I realized my answer was right
Jamaica has a famous motto: Out of many one
And whether you call it plaintain, platanos, or bunun
One people, one blood, one love.
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APPENDIX D - SPONSORS & PARTNERS
P R E S E N T I N G
A D D I T I O N A L
S P O N S O R
S P O N S O R S
C O L L A B O R A T O R S
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CARIBBEAN
YOUT H
SUMMITS

buju bantan

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