Institution of Caribbean Studies (ICS)

The Wall Street Meltdown: what does it mean for us?

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:37:00 +0000

INSTITUTE OF CARIBBEAN STUDIES
Teleconference Series:
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 7 PM EDT

Dr. Fontaine and Mr. Williams provided good analysis of the potential impact of the current U.S. financial crisis on the Caribbean. Major themes from the guest speakers’ remarks included:
• Potential reduction in remittance flows to the Caribbean as the disposable income of the Diaspora in the U.S. decreases
• Less flexibility in obtaining credit from U.S. banks
• Reduction in tourist arrivals to the Caribbean as individuals cut back on expenses

For more information listen to the teleforum and read Leo Williams’ presentation on the Forums page at www.icsdc.org.

We invite you to post your comments, quesitons, or concerns regarding the impact of the U.S. financial crisis on the Caribbean.

Caribbean Pulling in Different Directions

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:29:00 +0000

Jamaica Gleaner: September 7, 2008 Robert Buddan, lectures in the Department of Government, UWI, Mona.
Email: Robert.Buddan@uwimona.edu.jm or columns@gleanerjm.com

Regionalists are confused. CARICOM leaders are supposed to be charting our future direction in a world of overlapping crises - climate change, energy, food, poverty, crime, HIV/AIDS, and unequal trade.

But, over the last year, the directions in which CARICOM governments have been taking us are conflicting and confusing. The Big Four - Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados and Guyana - have failed to provide clear leadership in these troubled times.

Take these examples.
Barbados and Guyana have joined the Caribbean Court of Justice. Jamaica and Trinidad have not.

Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad want to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe. Guyana does not.

Trinidad wants a political union with the rest of the Caribbean. Jamaica and Guyana will not join.
Jamaica and Guyana have joined PetroCaribe but Trinidad and Barbados have not.

Cross-purposes
Rather than overlapping ambitions, CARICOM's Big Four are at cross-purposes.

Worse, the CARICOM project has been put aside. We have spent the past year consumed with the EPA rather than building CARICOM's structures.

The CCJ seems to be in abeyance. There is no new hope of a CARICOM Commission. The single market and economy (CSME) deadline has been put back to 2015.

One would think it makes good sense for CARICOM to deepen its own structures of political, judicial and economic unity before opening up the region to the global forces represented, say, by the EPA, forces whose benefit to the Caribbean are uncertain. We are doing the reverse.

Productive assets We have the assets to do better as a region. Tourism, mining, oil, agriculture and manufacturing are valuable assets that the Big Four have. When we look to extra-CARICOM agreements like the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) and the EPA, it is because we have failed to bring these assets together.

Market access is important, but productive assets must be developed, and must be developed for our mutual benefit.

What is even more dangerous is when these extra-regional agreements undermine CARICOM.
The CBI was as much an ideological alliance that used trade preferences to divide CARICOM along Cold War ideological lines.

Now, the EPA divides the ACP and gives Europe the power to make trade rules for CARICOM.
For example, it undermines the two-year CARICOM single market and, as Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana says, fixes CARICOM's trade policy for decades to come with very little flexibility for our own management.

It is ironic that the Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM) should have made regional trade negotiations largely redundant and the RNM symbolic.

Jagdeo says that the EPA has altered CARICOM's foreign trade policy by compelling the region to offer the United States and Canada similar trade agreements to the EPA.
It has also locked the Caribbean into giving Europe any preferences that we give to our fellow developing countries like China, India and Brazil.

THE 'LITTLE EIGHT'

The members of the 'Little Eight' have sought their own salvation both within and outside of CARICOM.

But they, too, have been at cross-purposes. Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the countries of the Bolivarian Alternative of Latin America (ALBA) - Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia and Honduras.

Dominica subsequently joined ALBA. The Big Four have either not signed the MoU (Jamaica and Guyana) or not even signed on to PetroCaribe (Barbados and Trinidad).

Some of the 'Little Eight' countries say they will not sign the EPA in its current form (Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent, and Dominica), joining Guyana on this score, while most of the Big Four (Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados) say they will.

THREE DIRECTIONS
The latest regional scheme has also seen the same cross-purpose. Trinidad's MoU for political unity includes Grenada, Dominica, and St Vincent, but other countries are either taking a wait-and-see approach or have rejected the entreaty to join.

There are three discernible directions in which CARICOM is pulling at the same time. The Golding administration is leading the region down the path of a model of European trade and investment liberalisation that Guyana and others reject.

Trinidad is leading the region towards some appropriate form of political unity that Jamaica and Guyana are aloof to.

Guyana is charting a course of agricultural leadership under the Jagdeo initiative that the rest of the region gives little real support.

The Guyanese and Trinidad initiatives are driven from within CARICOM, while the Jamaican venture is driven by Europe. Furthermore, the first two initiatives are relevant to, and in fact, designed as responses to the global crises of energy, food and climate change.

The Euro-Jamaican venture is exactly what those initiatives are designed to mitigate. Guyana's strong objection is based on the threat to the food security of the region posed by potential European takeover of the Caribbean food market, which will increase the region's food dependency.

Regional agriculture
In 2003, Guyana took the initiative to move CARICOM's Caribbean Agricultural Policy forward, which the Heads of Government of CARICOM endorsed in 2004. Jagdeo is the CARICOM Head of Government with lead responsibility for regional agriculture.
His plan was to allow the region to achieve a reasonable level of food security in normal times and during disasters like hurricanes. The plan was also to raise the profile of sustainable agriculture and rural development in the construction of the CSME.

It was a response to the threat to the region's agriculture, particularly rice, sugar, and bananas, arising from EU/WTO trade reforms.

Finally, it sought to save foreign exchange spent on food imports, now some US$3 billion each year, but which will jump with the recent price increases, while earning foreign exchange from food that we could export. No one quarrelled with any of this.

The EPA and CARICOM
Jagdeo says that the EPA will allow Europe to flood our food markets further. The EPA also overrides regional integration and CARICOM's authority on trade.
Once the EPA is signed, CARICOM cannot enter into any trade agreement that impacts on the EPA without the approval of Europe. CARICOM could hardly then describe itself as a community of sovereign states, since those states are signing away their external trade sovereignty.

The EPA also divides integration partners into separate and competing trading countries. This leads to further splits in CARICOM's directions. The EPA will undermine the CSME. Guyana will probably stay with the ACP to negotiate a better deal with Europe, while Jamaica and others lock themselves into the EPA.

CARICOM countries are going in different directions and the region needs leadership that can recreate the consensus that has been lost.

Under P.J. Patterson's influence, for instance, the emphasis had been on building CARICOM institutions and deepening integration. Current leaders must search for new consensus on what the priorities should be.

To me, it must be on continuing to build the foundations for a more effective CARICOM capable of addressing the crises of climate change, food dependency, energy dependence, crime, HIV/AIDS, poverty and democracy.

Re-printed with permission.

Hold The Date - 11/14/08

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:37:00 +0000

15th Annual Caribbean American Heritage Awards Gala
Friday, November 14, 2008
Washington DC

Get Involved

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 17:58:00 +0000

VOLUNTEER

ICS needs many volunteers to keep it functional. Opportunities for volunteering and internships include:

Public Relations Assistant
Database Development Assistant
Student Program Liaison
Event Management Assistant
Legislative Assistant
Research Assistant

Internships are available for Spring, Summer and Fall Semesters. Students needing to receive credits for work must provide a minimum of six hours per week or 80 hours or work (supervised by members of ICS leadership team).

City of Orlando Acknowledges Caribbean American Contribution

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:28:00 +0000

Article by Wesley Kirton

The City of Orlando has acknowledged the contribution to the City Beautiful of its Caribbean American citizens noting that they "share the hopes and aspirations of all people for peace and prosperity and they have contributed and continue to share their culture through education, business, festivals, music, dance, film, literature, sports, fashion, fine arts, science, technology and more."

These sentiments were expressed in a Proclamation issued by the City and introduced by Mayor Buddy Dyer at a meeting of the City Council on June 2 which was attended by several Caribbean American community leaders.

Mayor Dyer said the City is honored to acknowledge those who have contributed to the growth and development "of our beautiful City, while promoting the heritage and culture of their native culture."

The Proclamation notes that Caribbean Americans in Central Florida actively engage in and encourage economic development throughout the area through their careers, businesses and community service and added that the City of Orlando joined in celebrating "the gifts that all people of Caribbean descent have bestowed on our city, state and nation."

Mayor Sheila Dixon Honors Caribbean American Heritage

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 03:59:00 +0000

from:City Of Baltimore
category:Government and Politics
posted:June 6th, 2008

Baltimore, MD – Mayor Sheila Dixon celebrated Baltimore’s Caribbean American citizens by proclaiming June ‘Caribbean American Heritage Month’. At a ceremony in City Hall, the Mayor paid tribute to successful men and women who brought their heritage and culture to Baltimore City.

“Today I am asking the citizens of Baltimore to join people around the world in honoring and celebrating Caribbean American Heritage Month,” said Mayor Dixon. “The contributions made to our nation, our state and to the City of Baltimore by people of Caribbean descent are numerous and exceptional.”

Joining Mayor Dixon at City Hall were members of the Pan Majestic Youth Academy, which played traditional music before the ceremony began. Ms. Lena Redman from UNITE HERE and Dr. Elaine Simon, President of the Caribbean-American Carnival Association, and Delegate Shirley Nathan Pulliam spoke about Baltimore’s connections to the Caribbean.

“Over the summer there will be many great events to honor this incredible community, but I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to the thousands of Baltimore residents of Caribbean descent who are helping us create a cleaner, greener, safer and healthier City,” said Mayor Dixon.

Celebrate June!

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:04:00 +0000

Today, June 1, marks the beginning of Caribbean American Heritage Month (CAHM).

For information on Caribbean American Heritage Month and celebrations, please visit these Web sites:

http://www.caribbeanamericanmonth.org

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/05/20080529-6.html

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Apps/News/press/PR_details.asp?PrID=4568

Click the "Comments" link below to share your thoughts on Caribbean American Heritage Month and how you plan to celebrate.

Many Nations... One People
Many Peoples... One Nation

CAHM: What You Can Do - Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:01:00 +0000

Volunteer

The Institute of Caribbean Studies and the Caribbean American Heritage Month Foundation offer many volunteer opportunities. For information on available opportunities, and how you can assist us, please contact:

Institute of Caribbean Studies
666 Eleventh Street NW, Suite 730
Washington DC 20001

TEL: (202) 829-1887

FOR OPPORTUNITIES PERTAINING TO:
Caribbean American Heritage Awards
ICS Programs
Email: icsdcorg@gmail.com

FOR OPPORTUNITIES PERTAINING TO CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH:
Email: caribbeanamerican@gmail.com

CAHM: What You Can Do - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Sat, 31 May 2008 22:56:00 +0000

Community Outreach

When telling anyone about this recognition and asking them to join you to celebrate June as “Caribbean-American Heritage Month”, give them a copy of the Bill posted on our website http://www.caribbeanamericanmonth.org .This will provide the foundation upon which they can act.

Contact each and every Caribbean community organization, club, group, carnival committee, church in your city and ask them to celebrate “Caribbean American Heritage Month” with displays and events as well as to join in organizing collaborative activities. Ask them all to let their membership know June is designated as “Caribbean-American Heritage Month”. Grassroots connections are one of the best ways of ‘getting the word out’.

Caribbean American Heritage Month What You Can Do

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Thu, 29 May 2008 23:35:00 +0000

CAHM : How to Get Involved - Part 1

Civic Engagement

Ask your state senator(s), delegate(s), city mayor, county executives, council members, etc. to support your request to organize events in City Hall or County Councils to celebrate the designation of June as “Caribbean-American Heritage Month”. Ask your elected officials to request taxpayer supported organizations or institutions, such as the public library systems, public television and public radio stations, recreation departments etc., to commemorate June as “Caribbean-American Heritage Month”.

It will be highly advantageous to the success of your actions if you stress the idea of June as “Caribbean American Heritage Month” as an extremely important part of celebrating America’s history and your community’s diversity. Diplomacy, persistence and patience will be needed in order to achieve success.

14th CAHA Gala Show Re-airing on DirectTV and CaribVision

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:41:00 +0000

The Gala Show is schedule to re-air (again) on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 on CaribVision/Direct TV. Please pass on the info to folks in the Caribbean and in the US:

CARIBVISION IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN:

TERRITORY	CABLE STATION	CHANNEL
Anguilla	Caribbean Cable	Ch. 39
Antigua & Barbuda	Karib Cable	Ch. 68
	CTV	Ch. 451
Barbados	MultiChoice	Ch. 208
British Virgin Islands	BVI Cable (*Tortola*)	Ch. 51
Cayman Islands	WestStar TV (*Grand Cayman*)	Ch. 56
Dominica	Sat Telecom	Ch. 9
	Marpin	Ch. 50
Grenada	Grenada Cable Vision	Ch. 14
Jamaica	Flow	Ch. 186
Montserrat	Caribbean Cable	Ch. 56
St. Eustatius	Statia Cable TV	Ch. 34
St. Kitts & Nevis	The Cable (*St. Kitts*)	Ch. 67
	Caribbean Cable (*Nevis*)	Ch. 62
St. Lucia	Cablevision	Ch. 31
	Helen Television	Ch. 11
St. Maarten	St. Maarten Cable	Ch. 59
St. Martin	Sandyground Cable TV	Ch. 86
	St. Martin Cable	Ch. 90
St. Vincent & The Grenadines	Karib Cable	Ch. 63
	SVG Broadcasting	Ch. 9, 11, 13, 7
Turks & Caicos	WIV TV	Ch. 98
Trinidad & Tobago	Flow (Trinidad)	Ch. 31
	Tridco Industries Ltd. Cable TV (*Tobago*)	Ch. 5
United States Virgin Islands	Innovative Cable (*St. Thomas* & *St. John*)	Ch. 2
USA	DirecTV	Ch. 2181

CaribVision is currently available within 21 Caribbean territories in addition to the USA. Please note that the following countries are counted as two territories: Antigua & Barbuda St. Kitts & Nevis Trinidad & Tobago

noreply@blogger.com (Karelle Samuda) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 02:57:00 +0000

The Imagine Cup, a global competition sponsored by Microsoft, enables young people to use their imagination, innovation and savvy information technology skills to create technology-based solutions that will make a difference in the world.

In 2007, the Imagine Cup focused on education. Not daunted by size and propelled by audacity, a group of Jamaican students (young men -- yes young men) from the Northern Caribbean University, made it to the top three. The students Damion Mitchell, Ayson Baxter, Conroy Smith and Imran Allie created CADI, an e-learning program that would provide real time human language translation of a classroom lecture or presentation. Can you imagine- a student in Mozambique listening in real time and in Portuguese, to a lecture being delivered in Jamaica at the University of the West Indies - Africa Unite! Talk about a Flat World. Nuff Respect to the CADI team!

There are three lessons:

Education 2.0 with its virtual hub of web-based services and applications has given and continues to provide viable alternatives to the traditional form of learning delivery.
Jamaica contains a talent pool that the world should pay attention to (these are not my words, but of Joe Wilson, Microsoft—watch the video).
Never let our small size fool you.

Karelle Samuda
Co-Chair
Institute of Caribbean Studies Youth Programs & Initiatives

ICS Youth Initiative News

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:28:00 +0000

The Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS) Youth
Programs & Initiatives launched the first Embassy
Evening Series of 2008 on February 26, 2008.
February as Black History Month provided the Institute
of Caribbean Studies Youth Programs and Initiatives
with the opportune time to focus on the relevant issue
of economic empowerment in the black community.The
Embassy Evening Series featured a distinguished panel:
Dr. James Calvin, Associate Professor of Management,
Carey Business School; Ms. Sharon Pratt, Board of
Governors, Opportunity Funding Corporation and
former Mayor, Washington DC; and Mr. Alland Leandre,
President and CEO, Vyalex Management Solutions and the
2008 Recipient of the Black Engineer of the Year Award in
Entrepreneurship. His Excellency Dr. Izben C. Williams,
Ambassador of St. Kitts and Nevis co-hosted the event
with the ICS Youth Programs & Initiatives.

Read More

NEGRO SLAVES SALE - A BLAST FROM THE PAST

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 01:53:00 +0000

This was once our resume....

Whenever you think you have it bad, think of our forefathers. Never take for granted how blessed we really are!!!! Be blessed and productive. For those of you who have not seen one of these read and share, we have come a long way. None of us have had to experience the disgrace of not being free. May this Bill of Sale open your eyes.

Commemorating Black History Month

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 01:36:00 +0000

In Commemoration of Black History Month, please remember our ancestors on whose shoulders we stand. Our heroes... Marcus Garvey, Harriet Tubman, Nanny, Cudjoe, George Washington Carver are not caricatures in history books, but real life characters who fought for the freedoms we now enjoy.

Please remember them as we close out this year's official commemoration of Black History..
keeping in mind that for us everyday is Black History Day.

In the spirit of our ancestors...

Claire Nelson

GEN-Y: Chesapeake Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Gen-Y) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:00:00 +0000

Hello world,

For those who do not know, Chesapeake Tuesday was held today. Millions of young voters, such as myself, voted for their very first time. My voting experience was relatively painless. Although the lines were long at my polling place, they were indoors and they moved relatively quickly. The staff there was friendly as well.

I would like to congratulate all of the young people who voted for their first time today. YOU are the future of this country and by speaking your mind, YOU are affecting the fate of our nation. As first-time voters, we should all have a sense of pride in exercising our democratic rights and doing what is necessary for our country to thrive.

P.S. - I'm not going to tell you who I voted for, but I'll give you a hint: He is a democrat ;)

What Makes February so Special

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:21:00 +0000

February is a very special month. It is also quite a busy month for being the shortest month in the year. Here are just some of the events that make February so special. Click on the links for information on our history and our people.

Black History Month
A few more sites associated with black history:
Biography - Black History
Top ten African American Inventors
Black History Calendar
National Freedom Day
NAACP Founded

February is also a month for us to be concerned about our health, revive our faith, and to remember some of our great inventors and entertainers. Of course, we cannot forget the social events that bring us together...and others that make us go "huh?"

American Heart Month
National Children’s Dental Health Month
Ash Wednesday

Bob Marley’s Birthday

Langston Hughes’ Birthday
Presidents Day
Thomas Edison Birthday

Carnival!!
Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday
Valentine’s Day

Pluto Discovered
Groundhog Day
Elmo’s Birthday

Please feel free to contribute to the list. You may also find it fun to research the dates of each event.

Gen-Y: How we Fit in at ICS

noreply@blogger.com (Gen-Y) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 19:34:00 +0000

This is my first post on the ICS blog. I hope I will effectively represent the young people that fall into Generation Y. Although most of us love our hip-hop, indie rock, ripped jeans, and video games, we are still concerned about issues that face our generation. I will be posting blogs on many topics, but first, I would like to share my involvement with ICS.

The ICS and Dr. Nelson welcome contribution from the youth and continuously develop and maintain programs to keep us involved. For the youth, the ICS agenda includes National Student Leadership Conference, National Youth Essay Competition, HIV/AIDS Prevention Awareness Seminars, Development of Telemedicine Training Programs. The ICS goals include assisting the Caribbean-American community to participate in US democratic processes; promoting the conservation and development of Caribbean arts and culture, and promoting an understanding of Caribbean culture in the US. Most recently, ICS started the China Project.

I have been fortunate to serve the community through ICS. In addition, through hours of volunteer service and internship at ICS, I have learned new technical, communication, and interpersonal skills. I am held to high expectations for on-time delivery of both short-term and long-term assignments. I learned the importance of deadlines and had the opportunity to meet and communicate with the organization’s members and guests at various levels. My involvement in the events such as the annual gala has taught me to be dedicated to a large project. Through ICS, I am also exposed to the diversity of the Caribbean people and the issues that impact the Caribbean and the Caribbean Diaspora.

We have heard it many times before: "The children are our future." Now is the time for us, Gen-Y, to hold up our part of the bargain. Check in next time when I discuss the importance of young voters.

P.S.: Speaking of voting, check out the polls on the right side of the blog and cast your vote today!

14th Annual Caribbean American Heritage Awards on UDC-TV

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 18:00:00 +0000

Airs Again Tonight!

14th ANNUAL CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE AWARDS

on UDC-TV

UDC-TV Channel 98 (Comcast Cable)/Channel 19 (RCN Cable)

Saturday, February 2, 2008 - 9:00PM

14th Annual Caribbean American Heritage Awards on UDC-TV

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:19:00 +0000

Friends!

CATCH THE

14th ANNUAL CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE AWARDS

on UDC-TV

UDC-TV Channel 98 (Comcast Cable)/Channel 19 (RCN Cable)

Thursday, January 31, 2008, 8:00 PM

UDC-TV Programme Schedule

Best Wishes for 2008!

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 01:42:00 +0000

The Board of Directors and all the Volunteers at ICS

wish to thank you for supporting us in 2007.

We look forward to continuing to work with you

to build the Caribbean American community.

The Meaning of Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 00:39:00 +0000

By Claire Nelson

Christmas is a time of the year which is marked by much merrymaking-shopping, parties, family get together and such. But for some it is a time marked by loneliness, sadness and depression. They may have lost a spouse to death or divorce, or a child or parent. They live alone and have few friends. The children have all moved away. They have lost their jobs. For whatever reason they don’t see beauty in the lights…they don’t hear the voice of angels in the Christmas carols. It is said that more people commit suicide at this time of the year than any other. CHRISTMAS signals days of activity or inaction, 12 months of pain and prevarication or pleasure and procrastination; a time for assessing our accomplishments and failures of the year just past.

At this time of the year, we spend a lot of time on review. They are countless-Time, Newsweek, Washington Post, 60 Minutes and so on. And what would a review of 2007 reveal? The world appears to be gripped by horror after horror, crisis after crisis, war after war. This year has seen continuing devastation of countries and societies by hatred…and intolerance. The rise in RACISM, SEXISM and all the other isms that create schisms that continue to divide humanity by class, race, creed, color, religion. The growth in lack of tolerance defies the logic that says with increasing knowledge should come increasing wisdom. Me versus you, you versus me, and God for us all. Why? Why? Why? Why can’t we all get along? What is it about the human condition that cause us to continue to stake out territory -- black against white, poor against rich, gay against straight, Jew against Gentile? Why can’t we all get along?

We can’t get along because we have yet to live the meaning of Christmas. So now you ask…what IS the meaning of Christmas? Is Christmas to celebrate the birth of Christ a prophet, a great man, a fanatic who changed the face of history, the son of God, a shopping season, a hallmark holiday? What is the meaning of Christmas?

Christmas is about love. The Christ message is -Love ye first one another as you love yourself. And that is the crux of the matter. We don’t love ourselves. We must first learn to love ourselves. Look in the mirror and say, “I love my eyes…I love my hair…I love my nose…I love my lips.” Hug yourself and say, “I love me.” Not with the arrogance that says I am better looking than my sister or brother, or more brilliant than my co-worker, or richer than my neighbor, but with the knowledge that we are all equally birds in the flock of the condemned. As we are born, so shall we die. We are all souls migrating from host to host in search of peace. Forgive others who have trespassed against you, and forgive yourself for all the little wrongs that you have done. Love yourself. And then let love enter all your relationships.

Leo Buscaglia asks some 96 people about how they view a loving relationship. Here are three of the responses:

A loving relationship is one in which individuals trust each other enough to become vulnerable, but secure that the other person won’t take advantage. It neither exploits nor takes the other for granted. It involves much communication, much sharing and much tenderness.

A loving relationship is once in which there is a mutual caring about the growth and progress of each, where possessiveness gives way to offering the other to be his/her own person, where selfishness gives way to selfless giving, sharing and caring, where the lines of communication are kept open, where the good in each is maximized, the bad minimized.

A loving relationship is one in which you accept the other person at the moment as a whole and receive the same acceptance.

To truly love someone is hard. It is hard because to love is divine and we, most of us, are struggling to be human and humane. It is hard to love your boss who treats you like the lowest bug on the evolutionary scale. It is hard to love your spouse who nags all the time about what you are doing wrong. It is hard to love your sister or brother who always manages to make anything that goes wrong your fault, or your friend who borrows money time and time again and doesn’t pay back. It is even hard for some of us to love ourselves, and it is with self that we must begin. Self is the beginning and the end. We are born as Self and die as Self. We do everything ultimately for Self. We must love our Self so that we can love someone else.

Deepak Chopra tells the story about the great photographer Alfred Stieglitz who was a little boy at the turn of the century born to a well-to-do family in New York City. One cold January evening, an organ-grinder showed up on their door stop begging. Little Alfred, 8 years old, got up and ran out to give the beggar a penny. The next day the beggar turned up at the door. The same thing. Alfred runs out and gives him a penny. This ritual continued day after day, through hail, snow, and sleet. The family was very impressed, and one day Alfred’s mother told him how impressed she was by his charity. Alfred looked up in surprise and said, “But mama, I’m doing it all for myself.” A selfless act with a selfish motive.

Love is both selfless and selfish. To love your neighbor as you love yourself is hard, but with practice it gets easier. We can learn to give up the need to be always right, the need to always be first, the need to be in control, the need to be perfect, the need to possess, the need to manipulate, the need to blame, the need to dominate. With practice we can give up these needs and learn to give and receive love.

Love is the meaning of Christmas. Two thousand years after the birth of Christ, despite the fact that we can touch the moon and see the face of Saturn, we have to learn to love. Love --the ability to love-- is the only thing that separates humanity from the lower animals, for love gives us the ability to create…to conceive. Whether we are Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Yoruba, Bahai, atheists, I think we can all agree that there is some life force that makes us all human. Whether you call it GOD, SPIRIT, ALLAH, UNIVERSAL TRUTH, whatever -- this life force connects us, makes us all brothers under the skin so that we are our brother’s keeper. This life force makes us both human and divine, and our main purpose here is to learn to love. To believe in Christmas, is to believe in love and the power of love. So this Christmas, amidst the music and merrymaking, despair and depression, in the stillness of your soul, consider the meaning of Christmas and try LOVE. In doing so, consider these seven principles, one to practice everyday, but especially on the last week of the year from Christmas day to the 31^st - The SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTMAS:

Value yourself. Affirm yourself as an individual with a divine center. On this day you will make a conscious effort to think only good things about yourself.

Give of yourself. Don’t be afraid of giving. Give, give yourself and then when you are tired, give some more. On this day you will go out of your way to do something extra, for someone you love, without being asked.

Acknowledge the humanness of others. That irritable woman at the checkout counter is human too. The security guards at the front desk, even the boss you love to hate. On this day, greet someone who you normally ignore.

Seek first to understand rather than be understood. On this day you will resolve to listen more and to speak less. Listen even to the silences.

Ask not what you can get from a relationship. Instead, ask yourself what you can bring to it. On this day, take care to do something special for someone special in your life without being asked.

Expect what is reasonable, not what is perfect. On this day you will meditate on three things you ask from the people who are closest in your life. Then meditate on three good things that they bring to you.

Count your blessings. Acknowledge that LOVE comes to us from a higher source and that source is never-ending. On this day you will meditate on the blessings that you have received in your life. Choose one every waking hour.

Take time to live the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of love. Let this spirit take hold in your heart, mind and soul…to give and to receive. The love you seek is within you…it is all around you. LOVE is the source of all things. LOVE is the beginning and the end. LOVE is the meaning of Christmas.

14th Annual Caribbean American Heritage Awards Gala

noreply@blogger.com (ICS DC) — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 09:01:00 +0000

The Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS) hosted its 14th Annual Caribbean American Heritage (CARAH) Awards Gala on Friday, November 16th at the Convention Center Renaissance Hotel, 999 Ninth Street in downtown Washington DC.

Congratulations to the 2007 honorees.

Thanks to our sponsors, attendees, hosts, musicians, and volunteers for making the event a successful one.

See you next year!