In the Caribbean Diaspora! By Naser Hack January, 2002: New York City is often refer to as the "melting pot." It is a place where people of every race, ethnicity, culture and status are found. By nature, it's the best example of any diverse place of people, occupation and culture. It is the home of North America's largest Caribbean Diaspora. The question is, do we actually enjoy the proud feeling of being a significant part of NYC? This I will explore. The last local elections in November 2001 have given us an opportunity to establish stronger roots here in NYC, but what has actually happened is that we, the Caribbean people have blew a wonderful chance to be all we can be in NYC. However, all hopes are not lost since we were fortunate to have elected two people with Caribbean roots for the Queens Borough President and the Assistant Brooklyn Borough President. In the meantime, with all the strength and vibrancy, we could not get even one city council member of Caribbean roots elected. A true reflection of our divisiveness of which many of us will beg to deny. I would attribute our failure also to our lack of political readiness in the NYC arena. Yet, I wonder with all the newspapers, magazines, radio and TV shows, how come we the Caribbean people in NYC is still not politically wise and ready? My conclusion, I fear, is that capitalistic tendencies have blindfolded our sense of progressiveness and have certainly destroy our zeal to be a NYC fixture with a stronger voice to proclaim our concerns for a better life here in NYC. Throughout NYC our Caribbean cultures have flourished. In many neighborhoods we have established the downtown fish markets and grocery stores, cultural food like black pudding, cassava pone and tennis rolls, pepperpot and black eye peas are readily available. We have certainly filled the air with the aroma of pure Caribbean culture. We even have the drunken men sleeping on the pavement on Liberty Avenue in Richmond Hill, Queens. Walking around many neighborhoods in NYC one feels so proud smelling chicken curry and on the "A" train hearing the "abee and ayou" language makes one feels at home here in a foreign land. However, with all the brains and experience we still cannot establish full strength to form a political and cultural lobby in which our Voice is clearly heard. Recently we were and are still facing a problem with the basement issue. Who is it that will lobby on our behalf in city government? None as far as I can see. With all the economic strength, we the Caribbean people have acquired here, we have proven to be a weak people without any sign of correcting the situation imminently. In my humble way, I would propose the following to assist in the strengthening of a Diaspora that would make every citizen of Caribbean roots to be proud to be living in this great country of opportunities, choices, diversity and progress. Firstly, we must recognize the fact that we are full of the best in political, cultural and economic resources and that we will have to together tap into these vast resources to establish and strengthen our Caribbean Diaspora. Our ability to excel in every area is a known fact, but we will have to Unite in Purpose and Agenda in order to be strong and to be fully accredited by the political machine in this great place of challenges. We should not allow ourselves to become a people lends votes to others after which we become a forgotten people. We must establish that we can do more than pull a lever in a voting booth and that the lever should be pulled for one of us and not only for those who give us fake promises. Why do we need 15 different weekly newspaper, radio and TV shows, when there could be a United Caribbean Media Corporation that can effectively express our true nature? Have we not learned any lessons from the other minority groups in this city that have now become pivotal groups in the political and social agendas of NYC? Look closely at the African Americans, Latinos and the Jewish lobbies. They have certainly gone places. Their secret, I conclude is their Unity of Purpose. I was fortunate only recently to visit a number of religious institutions in NYC and Florida. It was a great experience. I witnessed worshippers who are committed to their church and religious activities. I saw large numbers of people from the Caribbean Diaspora being exhorted by their leaders unto goodness and the way of the Lord. Immediately I thought that herein lies the strength of a people who seeks to establish itself as a viable block or lobby in any place, especially in the Big Apple and elsewhere. I think the church has a great role to play in bringing us together. In the past, nations were built around the church and its activities. People of Caribbean descent somehow have developed as a people who are good at starting and spearheading community activities. We need to combine our zeal for the Lord and our strength in spearheading to establish the Caribbean Diaspora as a viable political lobby anywhere we exists. Therefore, I call upon the Priests, Pandits and Imams to start thinking in terms of togetherness, unity and purpose. They should begin to meet and transform their congregations into active social and political activists because people with religious convictions make strong social associates in nation building. I do hope that the voices of the worshippers would in the future become the voice of the Caribbean Diaspora. Every church, temple and Mosque would have to get this message over to the people. Let them know that we are missing out on crucial government subsidies for our people. Instruct them on the available government social programs in Education, job training, medical and social programs and in the many other areas we should be benefiting from. Church leaders would have to reinvigorate the meaning of the pulpit. It will have to be a means of guidance firstly in religion, then in material progress. The Lord is the greatest Shepherd, but the flock would have to begin a process of change towards a better life to be successful as a people in a place that is "foreign." It is certainly a known fact that some or most of the brilliant minds from the Caribbean are residing here in North America. Hitherto, I always wonder why have we not as yet established our own educational institutions, especially at the High School and University levels. I must commend the leaders of the Muslim community for building schools that serve their communities, but this effort will have to be expanded. I would like to see my child graduate from a college or university that provided an opportunity for the child to be taught by some of the most brilliant minds ­ of course, emanating from the Caribbean. Yours truly have done some continuing education program providing GED training to the community through Masjid Al Abidin in Richmond Hill, Queens. I would like to see a body of all the professors, CPA's, Doctors, Lawyers and other professional from among us sitting together to establish a college of our own. From this institution we train new politicians, lawyers, doctors and social workers among the professions that will strengthen our great Diaspora. This country has established many wonderful social programs that we have not really tapped into. Programs for our Elderly, the poor, those without medical benefits, legal and professional services are among the programs available to us from the federal, state and city government. The problem is that we have not as yet establish a service organization whereby professionals in this field can explore all the services that are available and assist our people to get the much needed help they deserve. We are all too proud a people that if someone from among us is on Food stamps or social welfare we tend to look down upon them with shame instead of lending a helping hand or an encouraging word. A service organization will help to eliminate the shame, hassle and hardship in getting these much-needed services for our people. I have seen other ethnic groups applying for government funded help for their people as a group rather than as individuals. The Asian and Jewish groups come to mind. Why can't we do the same? The big thing among us is that we must all own our home. This is a wonderful dream, yet we have not provided reliable services as a group to help in this area. We are even loosing out on public housing and government foreclosures. We must form financial groups whereby we can fully explore these services and assist our people to secure cheap homes and reliable financial investments. Every Caribbean nation has a sound and viable Credit Union, why can't we establish our own here? Look at the Sikh community. They have organize themselves in such a short time that today they are a successful lobby at least here in NYC. The other day an old wise woman said to me, "Money Talks and the Poor walks." I reflected on this simple proverb and thought that we have the resources to change that by helping the poor among us change their lives towards the better. Those who have made it here in North America have an obligation to provide an avenue for those who are struggling. Therefore, let us sit and formulate financial institutions to provide the much-needed assistance for our people to continue the uphill battle towards fulfilling the American dream. I would like to discuss and explore many more issues that can build a stronger Caribbean Diaspora. However, I will conciliate myself with these few ideas for now and do hope that there will be readers who are interested in getting us forward by making steps to initiate some of the ideas I have mentioned. But, I will not feel satisfy to conclude without mentioning that many of our youths have certainly bite the dust so to speak by getting caught up in crime and anti social behaviors. I do hope that all parents, every clergy and all responsible citizens will make efforts to try and advise the youths on good behavior and moral conduct. They should exhort the youths towards the seriousness of working hard to succeed and become successful people for us to be proud off. May God bless and guide our Diaspora and make us be from among the successful ones.