Transcript:
I grew up at a time
when political activism, tension and awareness was at its highest in Jamaica.
My mother was an
activist of the meanest order. She and a group of women in my and the surrounding
communities were what you call stalwarts of their political party.
It was nigh
impossible for me not to have been affected by the fervour for democracy,
equality, justice for all and more so for us as citizens of the so-called Third World.
I was
attending political rallies, helping with "canvassing" in our
constituency, assisting behind the scenes at polling stations from the tender
age of 10.
Little
wonder that by my18th birthday, not only was I a member of the youth arm of
the party but was co-chair of an important mobilization committee. Later years
would find me working in the communications machinery during elections, as well
as contracted as the campaign publicity officer on several candidates' campaigns including
senior ones currently in the government of Jamaica.
By the
time my family and I migrated to Canada, the politics-fatigue was beginning to
set in. Why? My motivation in anything that engages me is to help others, to
bring about and/or support meaningful change in people's lives.
While
much had changed in Jamaica between the advent of the Right Honorable Michael
Manley and our migration in early 2000's, fundamentally the mentality of the
majority of my beloved Jamaica had not.
Dependency
was and remains the singular most debilitating and disturbing, to me,
characteristic of too many Jamaicans. The notion that politicians are demi-gods
perpetuated through a culture of hand-outs and creation of sycophants, have
kept my country people looked in a dance that has long lost its appeal.
Over a
decade in Canada has done little to revive my confidence that people who have
entered politics will recall that they are there to serve the country and not
their personal agenda and power trip.
The
arrival or should I say coming of Barack Obama to international fame and
presidency of his nation admittedly excited me. No, not because he's an
African-American but because of his message if hope and change.
I
switched off my television and stopped reading newspapers two years now when
the hope was hijacked and the change crashed. It was so funny the other evening
when my friend almost fainted when I remarked, "Oh, John Kerry is
Secretary of State?"
My
politics now, my passion is Love. I really liked that quote by Grace Paley
where she says:" ... people will sometimes say, "Why don't you write
more politics?" And I have to explain to them that writing the lives of
women is politics."
The lives
of women, my life is my politics. Creating and supporting a community of
sisters who uplifts, empower each other on the principles of unconditional
love, inclusivity and non-judgment is my way of doing politics.
Is my way
the best or only way? I don't know and it probably is not. It however is my
way, my way of being a center and channel of peace and love.
That, I believe
is the best and only way for us as humanity to truly be at peace, to respect
our differences and to resurrect hope and maybe, just maybe bring about change
in a world hungry for it.
